In today’s world, there’s hardly anyone unfamiliar with AI. Be it education, entertainment, healthcare, or business, its implications across nearly every industry have grown over time, with the world of sports being no exception. Of course, when one thinks of AI being utilized in sports, it’s often seen as a tool for analysis of performances across matches or tournaments. But who would have thought it had the power to see a soccer team through to victory? Seattle Reign coach Laura Harvey has spilled the beans on how AI helped her team qualify for the NWSL playoffs.

The role of a coach isn’t fail proof. Sometimes even leaders need a bit of genuine advice. Such was the case with Harvey, who, despite being a genius in her league, felt the need for some additional assistance. When in need, ChatGPT indeed. Believe it or not, Laura Harvey revealed that she asked ChatGPT questions like, “What’s our identity?” and even, “What formation beats NWSL teams?” and for both, the answer was, “Play a back five.”

The results speak for themselves, as the team managed to climb from 13th to 5th, all with a little help from AI, also helping them cement their place in the NWSL playoffs bracket. “I put into ChatGPT, ‘What formation should you play to beat NWSL teams?’” said Harvey, as compiled by DAZN Women’s Football. “It went, ‘You should play a back five.’ So I did. No joke — that’s why I did it. It worked. We won the game.”

Now that the cat’s out of the bag, how did the Reign’s 2025 regular NWSL season fare? Having kicked off their campaign with a draw, the first ten matches saw Seattle Reign pick up no more than four victories, with the remaining four resulting in a defeat and two draws. In the mid-season, forget the top 8 as they were literally close to the last place. Until Laura Harvey decided to make some changes and help the team climb back to at least the top 5.

Of course, the majority of the credit goes to the players and staff for their hard work. But who would have thought that part of it would come down to just a couple of questions posed to ChatGPT? In a time when AI has created a sense of uncertainty across several job sectors, here is Laura Harvey using it the way it’s meant to be. While it was indeed a smart move from the former WSL manager, the biggest question now is whether she’ll be able to replicate the same success in the NWSL playoffs.

Can the Seattle Reign pull up their socks in the NWSL playoffs?

Of course, going the extra mile to help her side finish 5th in the National Women’s Soccer League with a tally of 39 points [10W, 9D, 7L] was part of a bigger plan: the NWSL playoffs. The upcoming weekend will see all the qualified top 8 teams locking horns against each other to vie for the prestigious NWSL Championship.

As for the Seattle Reign, they will be challenged by the Orlando Pride this coming weekend in the quarter-final round. If they manage to win against Marta and Co., the Reign will progress to the semifinals, where they will face the winner of KC Current vs NJ/NY Gotham FC. If Reign successfully passes these two tests, then they’d have successfully placed themselves in the summit clash of the NWSL Championships.

The road ahead isn’t as easy as it reads. Washington Spirit faces Racing Louisville, while Portland Thorns takes on San Diego Wave. The winners from these quarterfinal clashes will move on to the next round for a shot at the finals, set to take place on November 22. It will certainly be interesting to see how all the teams perform in this year’s NWSL playoffs.

As for Laura Harvey, we wouldn’t be surprised if she turns to ChatGPT once again to find out how she can ace the NWSL playoffs.