2026 NWSL Season Kicks Off with Exciting Matchups and New Teams

The 2026 NWSL season is set to begin on Friday, March 13, with the Washington Spirit, last season’s runner-up, hosting the Portland Thorns FC at Audi Field. A significant point of interest for the opening night is the potential availability of USWNT star Trinity Rodman, who is currently a free agent.

Meanwhile, the Thorns have recently re-signed USWNT forward Sophia Wilson to a new contract extending through the end of the year. After a maternity leave, Wilson has returned to training, casting uncertainty on her status for the season opener.

The opening weekend will continue on Saturday, featuring expansion team Boston Legacy FC welcoming defending champions Gotham FC at Gillette Stadium. This day will also include a tripleheader, where Denver Summit FC will commence their inaugural campaign on the road against Bay FC.

Sunday’s action will wrap up the weekend with a doubleheader, showcasing Orlando Pride against Seattle Reign FC, followed by Angel City FC facing Chicago Stars FC.

The 2026 season features an expanded league with 16 teams, comprising a total of 248 regular-season matches, alongside seven postseason games and the NWSL Challenge Cup presented by e.l.f.

The introduction of Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC highlights this season. Boston Legacy FC will begin their journey on March 14, hosting the 2025 NWSL Championship team, Gotham FC, at Gillette Stadium. In contrast, Denver Summit FC will seek to establish themselves by playing Bay FC at PayPal Park on the same day.

Boston’s roster boasts U.S. Women’s National Team goalkeeper Casey Murphy and Olympic gold medalist Nichelle Prince as key players to watch. On the other hand, Denver has announced the return of hometown favorite Lindsey Heaps, who will join the club from French powerhouse OL Lyonnes after her season concludes in June. Additional noteworthy signings for Denver include rookie Jasmine Aikey, the Mac Hermann Trophy winner from Stanford, and two-time NWSL Best XI Defender Carson Pickett.

Boston Legacy FC will call Gillette Stadium home throughout the 2026 season while renovations are being considered for White Stadium in Franklin Park. Gillette Stadium, famously utilized by the New England Patriots, is situated outside Boston in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with other matches planned at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island.

Denver Summit FC’s home opener will take place at Empower Field at Mile High, home to the Denver Broncos. After the inaugural match, they will continue their season at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

San Diego Wave fans will see star signing Ludmila in action when the club hosts the Houston Dash on March 14. Rising forward Riley Tiernan will then help launch Angel City FC’s season on March 15, as they host the Chicago Red Stars in a featured matchup.

NWSL Rivalry Week returns for its second season, featuring critical matches among the league’s fiercest rivals, including:

– July 10: Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current
– July 11: San Diego Wave FC vs. Angel City FC
– July 12: Seattle Reign FC vs. Portland Thorns FC (Cascadia Rivalry)
– July 15: Gotham FC vs. Washington Spirit

There will be a hiatus in regular-season NWSL matches from June 1 to 28 due to a CBA-mandated break from June 8 to 14, coinciding with the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup occurring across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Regular season play will resume on July 3.

Each team will compete in a total of 30 regular-season matches, consisting of 15 home and 15 away games.

The NWSL is expanding its broadcast reach for the 2026 season, with matches scheduled to air through various partners, including Prime Video, ION, CBS, ESPN, Victory+, and NWSL+.

This campaign marks the third year of a four-year domestic media rights agreement with CBS Sports, ESPN, ION, and Prime Video, while also launching a new partnership with Victory+, a free-to-consumer platform. A total of 220 matches will be broadcast nationally, with the rest available on NWSL+.

Regular Friday night matches will be featured on Prime Video, with ION presenting Saturday doubleheaders. CBS will broadcast games across its networks, including CBS Television Network, Paramount+, and CBS Sports Network, while ESPN will showcase games via ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes, all accessible through the ESPN app. Sundays will see Victory+ host a weekly night showcase alongside 32 additional matches. All remaining games will be available for streaming on NWSL+.