Sports Media Report
Following a record 2025 season that saw double-digit year-over-year viewership growth for the NWSL on ABC and ESPN networks, ESPN will deliver its most extensive National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) coverage ever in 2026.
ABC and ESPN will present 33 regular-season matches – nearly doubling last season’s 17 matches. ABC will air six matches, including three playoffs in November. ESPN will televise 13 matches, ESPN2 will present nine, and ESPN Deportes will carry select matches live in Spanish. All the action will also be available to stream live on the ESPN App in English and Spanish.
The 2026 NWSL season kicks off Saturday, March 14, on ABC with a marquee matchup as Boston Legacy, one of the league’s two newest expansion clubs, makes its debut against 2025 NWSL champion Gotham FC at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The match will air live at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a 30-minute pregame studio show.
New in 2026
- The 2026 season marks a significant expansion of ESPN’s NWSL coverage, offering more matches and consistent weekly viewing windows.
- Decision Day Exclusively on ESPN: All eight “Decision Day” matches played simultaneously on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. ET, will be available exclusively on an ESPN network.
- Weekly Sunday match windows: 24 of the 27 NWSL on ESPN match windows are on Sundays, offering unprecedented appointment viewing throughout the season.
Additional schedule highlights
- 22 of 26 regular season matches currently scheduled on ABC and ESPN networks feature one 2025 NWSL Championship Playoff team.
- For the second straight season, the back-to-back NWSL Championship finalist Washington Spirit leads all clubs with eight regular season matches on ESPN.
- Following a midseason break, the NWSL on ESPN resumes on Sunday, July 5, with Boston Legacy hosting Bay FC on ESPN. The match will kick off a six-week stretch of key NWSL matchups across ESPN platforms.
- ESPN networks will air four consecutive Sunday matches in prime time beginning July 26 through August 16: Angel City FC vs. Racing Louisville (July 26), Denver Summit vs. Boston Legacy (August 2), Seattle Reign vs. Angel City FC (August 9) and Angel City FC vs. Washington Spirit (August 16).
- Gotham FC hosts Seattle Reign on Saturday, July 18, the second of three NWSL regular-season matches airing on ABC.
- ABC will present a third regular-season matchup on Sunday, October 4, featuring Gotham FC vs. Angel City FC, part of the league’s end-of-season push.
- ABC will broadcast three NWSL postseason matches: a quarterfinals doubleheader on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 12:30 p.m. ET and 3 p.m., and a Semifinal on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m.
2026 NWSL Schedule on ABC and ESPN*:
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Platforms |
| Sat, Mar 14 | 12:30 p.m. | Boston Legacy vs. Gotham FC | ABC, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Mar 22 | 2:30 p.m. | Chicago Stars vs. Kansas City Current | ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sat, Mar 28 | 12:00 p.m. | Boston Legacy vs. Utah Royals | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Apr 5 | 5:00 p.m. | Bay FC vs. Washington Spirit | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 6:00 p.m. | Angel City FC vs. Portland Thorns | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, May 3 | 1:00 p.m. | Chicago Stars vs. Portland Thorns | ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, May 10 | 12:30 p.m. | Kansas City Current vs. Chicago Stars | ESPN, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, May 17 | 6:00 p.m. | Portland Thorns vs. Angel City FC | ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, May 24 | 5:00 p.m. | Bay FC vs. Chicago Stars | ESPN+ |
| Sun, Jul 5 | 12:00 p.m. | Boston Legacy vs. Bay FC | ESPN, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Jul 12 | 4:00 p.m. | Seattle Reign vs. Portland Thorns | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Jul 18 | 12:00 p.m. | Gotham FC vs. Seattle Reign | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Jul 26 | 9:00 p.m. | Angel City FC vs. Racing Louisville | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 2 | 9:00 p.m. | Denver Summit vs. Boston Legacy | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 9 | 9:00 p.m. | Seattle Reign vs. Angel City FC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 16 | 9:00 p.m. | Angel City FC vs. Washington Spirit | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Aug 23 | 4:00 p.m. | Washington Spirit vs. Orlando Pride | ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Aug 30 | 12:30 p.m. | Washington Spirit vs. Bay FC | ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sep 6 | 9:00 p.m. | Seattle Reign vs. San Diego Wave | ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Sep 13 | 1:00 p.m. | Washington Spirit vs. Boston Legacy | ESPN, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Sep 20 | 5:00 p.m. | Chicago Stars vs. Washington Spirit | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Sep 27 | 5:00 p.m. | Bay FC vs. Orlando Pride | ESPN, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 12:00 p.m. | Gotham FC vs. Angel City FC | ABC, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 5:00 p.m. | Bay FC vs. Portland Thorns | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Oct 25 | 5:00 p.m. | Kansas City Current vs. Washington Spirit | ESPN, ESPN Deportes |
| Sun, Nov 1 | 5:00 p.m. | Gotham FC vs. Utah Royals | TBD |
| 5:00 p.m. | Angel City FC vs. Boston Legacy | TBD | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Bay FC vs. San Diego Wave | TBD | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns | TBD | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Racing Louisville vs. Kansas City Current | TBD | |
| 5:00 p.m. | NC Courage vs. Denver Summit | TBD | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride | TBD | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Stars | TBD | |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 12:30 p.m. | Quarterfinal #1 | ABC, ESPN Unlimited |
| 3:00 p.m. | Quarterfinal #2 | ABC, ESPN Unlimited | |
| Sun, Nov 15 | 3:00 p.m. | Semifinal | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
*All matches also available on the ESPN App in English and Spanish
