July 2, 2026
WPSL 2026, Arlington SA (photo by Jason Taylor)
By Andrew Mosier, WPSL Communications
The opportunity to continue to compete.
That is how Arlington SA views its first place The District Division finish.
“Advancing to the playoffs is a tremendous opportunity. We always embrace the chance to compete,” George Hales, Arlington SA sporting director and head coach, said. “Our players have earned the opportunity to keep their season going, and we are focused on the next game. Advancing to the region playoffs would be a rewarding reflection of the work they’ve put in all summer.”
After a taste of the postseason last year, Arlington must first get past Carolinas Division winner NCFC Navy on Thursday in Raleigh, N.C. in the Atlantic Conference championship match. The winner advances to the South Region Playoffs hosted by Southeast Conference winners, Georgia Impact, in Woodstock, Ga. July 11 and 12.
Entering its third WPSL season with a postseason berth the goal, Arlington hit the ground running with a pair of road wins over expansion clubs The St. James FC and District Elite FC before stumbling against familiar foe, Alexandria Reds at home.
The 2-1 loss served as a reminder just how competitive The District Division play is. Arlington responded to the loss with a 2-1 win over its second team, Arlington SA U21, followed by a 2-0 win in the return match versus Alexandria Reds.
In Week Eight, with the division title in sight, Arlington stumbled with a 1-1 draw versus The St. James FC at home.
“Summer presents unique challenges because players come and go for various reasons: internships, National Team camps, vacations, and other commitments. Building chemistry takes time. We rarely have the same roster for two matches in a row,” Hales said.
Two days later, Arlington found its rhythm again, earing its second clean sheet of the season with a 2-0 win at home over District Elite FC to close out the regular season going 6-1-1, finishing five points clear of second-place Arlington SA U21s. Evelyn Javers and Alden Marin led the club and were among four players with a division-tops four goals on the season, accounting for eight of the 19 goals Arlington scored across its eight games.
“This is not only representative of the talent on our team, but also the dynamic and dangerous opportunities created all over the field,” Hales said.
After advancing to the South Region Playoffs as a wildcard team last year, where it fell to Chattanooga FC in the semifinal round, Hales and his squad have their sights set on a return to WPSL postseason play for a second straight year.
“Our focus is on maintaining our training standards, creating more opportunities to play together, and continuing to foster and environment where they can succeed,” Hales said. “We’ll prepare the players as we normally do, and we are looking forward to a competitive match against a quality NCFC Navy side.”
