NWSL announces 2026 schedule footprint

The National Women’s Soccer League announced the competition framework and schedule footprint for the 2026 season, the league’s first season with 16 teams, on Wednesday. The addition of expansion sides Boston Legacy FC and the to-be-named Denver team means that each team will play 30 matches. Including an eight-team playoff and the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup, the 2026 season will feature 248 total matches.

For the third consecutive year, the NWSL will open the campaign with the NWSL Challenge Cup, presented by e.l.f. On Friday, February 20, the competition between the reigning NWSL Champion and the previous season’s Shield winner will stream on Prime Video.

The regular season will kick off its balanced 30-match schedule that will be played over 27 weeks on Friday, March 13. The schedule has been formatted to avoid staging contests during FIFA windows and will include a CBA-mandated league-wide break. Additionally, no official NWSL matches will be played from June 1 to 28.

The biggest scheduling issue that the NWSL will have to address in 2026 is the FIFA Men’s World Cup taking place across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 through July 19. Seven of the league’s 16 markets are also hosting World Cup programming — Seattle, Bay Area, Los Angeles, Houston, Kansas City, Boston, and New York/New Jersey — so the NWSL is trying to proactively accommodate expected stadium demands. To navigate the unique challenges of this event, the league said in a statement that it is “continuing to explore innovative scheduling and operational solutions.”

The final weekend of the regular season will be October 30-November 1. The opening round of the 2026 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel, will take place November 6-8. The semifinal round will follow on November 13-15.

The 2026 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, will be played on November 21 and air on primetime on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ for the fifth consecutive season.

Additional details regarding the 2026 schedule will be shared at a later date, but this is the earliest that the league has finalized a season’s schedule footprint. The league, member clubs, broadcasters and partners hope this allows them to effectively plan to take advantage of “what promises to be a landmark year in global soccer.”

February 20: 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup

March 13: Regular season kicks off

June 1-28: No official NWSL matches will be played

October 30 – November 1: Final weekend of the regular season

November 6-8: First round of the 2026 NWSL Playoffs

November 13-15: Semifinal round of the 2026 NWSL Playoffs

November 21: 2026 NWSL Championship