The Kansas City Current remained grounded in Kansas City on Friday night after a national ground stop by the Federal Aviation Administration delayed their planned flight east for Sunday’s NWSL semifinal against Gotham FC. The FAA issued the ground stop around 4:30 p.m. ET, halting all departures nationwide due to failures in air traffic control communication systems.
At approximately 8 p.m. ET, the Current announced in a statement shared with ESPN reporter Jeff Kassouf that they had not yet left for New York. “Our flight was impacted by the Federal Aviation Administration’s nationwide ground stoppage,” the team said. “We are collaborating with key stakeholders, including the NWSL and our charter partner, to identify next steps in order to arrive safely ahead of our match against Gotham FC on Sunday.”
The FAA lifted the ground stop around 8:30 p.m. ET after working to restore communication with Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained the stoppage was prompted by a failure of control systems that prevented controllers from communicating with flights in the air.
The Current had intended to fly out Friday but planned to remain in Kansas City and travel to the New York area late Saturday night following the delay. At the time of publication, USA TODAY Sports had reached out to the club for further comment but had not received a response.
The semifinal between Kansas City Current and Gotham FC will take place Sunday, November 15, at 3 p.m. ET. Due to poor field conditions at Sports Illustrated Stadium, Gotham FC’s usual home venue shared with the MLS New York Red Bulls, the match was moved to Icahn Stadium, which seats 5,000 spectators.
The other semifinal pits the Utah Royals against the Washington Spirit on Saturday, November 14, at 12 p.m. ET in the D.C. area. The Royals had safely arrived ahead of their match, unaffected by the FAA ground stop.
Several other sports teams were impacted by the FAA’s decision to halt flights, including college football teams Baylor and Kansas State, as well as USC’s women’s basketball team, which was stranded in Los Angeles before a key game against South Carolina.
Fans can watch the NWSL semifinals on CBS for Utah Royals vs. Washington Spirit and on ABC for Kansas City Current vs. Gotham FC. Streaming options include Paramount+, ESPN+, and Fubo.
The Current’s travel disruption adds an unexpected complication to their preparation for Sunday’s semifinal, with the team working alongside league officials and their charter partner to ensure their arrival in New York with enough time to prepare for the match.
According to Yahoo Sports.
