NWSL Leaders Gotham FC Lose Jordynn Dudley and Bruninha for 2026 Playoffs

Forward Jordynn Dudley and defender Bruninha have been ruled out for the remainder of the season as Gotham FC pursues the NWSL Shield.

Defending NWSL champions Gotham FC have placed rookie forward Jordynn Dudley on the season-ending injury list following a foot fracture sustained during training. The club also lost defender Bruninha for the remainder of the 2026 campaign after she tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee. The Brazilian international suffered the injury during Brazil's 3-1 win against Argentina on Saturday in Porto Alegre.

Dudley concludes her rookie season with four goals and three assists across 25 regular-season appearances, including 20 starts. The forward also recorded a goal during Gotham’s NWSL Challenge Cup victory over the Kansas City Current in June. Bruninha, a regular starter during the club's 2023 and 2025 championship runs, faces a recovery timeline that likely precludes her participation in the 2027 World Cup.

These absences follow the earlier loss of defender Emily Sonnett, who was sidelined by a ruptured patellar tendon in her left knee. Additionally, playmaker Jaedyn Shaw recently departed a U23 USWNT camp as a precaution for an unspecified issue. Gotham FC currently maintains a four-point lead at the top of the NWSL table with three matches remaining in the regular season as they seek their first NWSL Shield.