The Kansas City Current Are Weird: Dissecting an NWSL Enigma

FolioPitch.com – 27 August 2026 | There’s no getting around it: The Kansas City Current are weird. That’s the only explanation for a season that has swung between breathtaking brilliance and baffling fragility. On August 14, they produced arguably their worst performance of the 2026 NWSL season, losing 2-1 to Gotham FC on the road. The match began with a moment of pure magic—Croix Bethune‘s assist less than 30 seconds in—but that electricity fizzled, and by halftime the Current were behind, never to recover. It was a schizoid showing that has come to define this year’s squad, and Saturday’s 1-1 home draw against the Seattle Reign did little to change that assessment.

In many ways, the Kansas City Current are weird because they have become a team of stark contradictions. They sit seventh in the league table, a full point per game off the record-setting pace they established last season. One week they look like unstoppable title contenders, dominating possession and carving open defenses with surgical precision. The next, they concede soft goals and struggle to string together simple passes. This inconsistency is not just a tactical issue; it feels psychological, a pattern of highs and lows that leaves fans and pundits alike scratching their heads.

The question on everyone’s mind is simple: What is going on here? To answer that, we have to look at the key variables. First and foremost, the lengthy absences of Temwa Chawinga and Lorena have been devastating. Chawinga was the league’s most potent attacking threat, and her injury left a gaping hole in the final third. Lorena, meanwhile, was the anchor of the midfield, and her absence has disrupted the team’s rhythm. Without them, the Current have lacked the cutting edge and control that made them so formidable in 2025.

Another factor is the lack of a clear replacement for Claire Hutton, whose departure left a void in the holding midfield role. Hutton was the shield in front of the backline, the player who broke up opposition attacks and initiated counter-pressing. No one on the current roster has been able to replicate her influence, leaving the defense exposed and the attack disconnected. This has placed extra pressure on Bethune and other playmakers, who are often forced to drop deep to help build play, only to see their efforts wasted by a lack of support in advanced areas.

Then there is the coaching change. New head coach Chris Armas walked into a team that was, on paper, a well-oiled machine. But the reality of the 2026 season is that the system that worked so brilliantly last year has become predictable. Armas has tweaked the setup, but the tweaks have not yet taken hold. Is he the problem, or simply the latest scapegoat for a team that has been undone by injuries and bad luck? It’s hard to say.

Speaking of luck, there is an argument that much of this season’s weirdness can be chalked up to mere randomness. A mis-hit clearance that lands at an opponent’s feet, a goalkeeping error that costs two points, a controversial VAR call that goes against them—any number of small, inexplicable moments have shaped their season. Over a long campaign, such moments tend to even out, but this year they seem to be piling up at the worst possible times.

Still, the Kansas City Current are weird in a way that transcends the normal ebb and flow of a soccer season. They are not just underperforming; they are baffling. Take their recent home form, for example. They have been nearly unbeatable at home, yet they have also dropped points to mid-table sides they should dispatch with ease. Their away form is sputtering, but they have produced some of the best football of the season on the road, only to concede late goals. The dichotomy is maddening.

To be fair, some of this weirdness is a product of the squad’s youth and inexperience. Several key players are still adapting to the rigors of playing in front of huge crowds and managing the expectations of a club that was a title favorite just months ago. That pressure can do strange things to a team, and it often manifests as inconsistency.

As the playoffs approach, the Current still have time to right the ship. They have the talent, and the underlying numbers are not as bad as their position suggests. If Chawinga and Lorena can return to full fitness, and if Armas can settle on a starting XI that balances the team’s attacking instincts with defensive stability, they could still be a force in the postseason. But if the weirdness continues, their season will end in disappointment, leaving everyone to wonder what might have been.

In the end, the Kansas City Current are weird because they defy easy explanation. They are a team of immense quality that can’t seem to get out of their own way. They are a team that can beat anyone on their day, and lose to anyone on someone else’s. That is both their curse and their charm. The next few weeks will reveal whether they can channel their weirdness into something productive, or whether they will remain the most puzzling enigma in the NWSL.