NWSL launches ‘Summer of Soccer’ initiative

This summer’s marquee soccer event may be focused on men’s soccer, but that doesn’t mean the women’s game will be sidelined. On Thursday, the NWSL announced its “Summer of Soccer” initiative — an opportunity to take advantage of the soccer fever sweeping the country this summer by bringing NWSL stars into major media markets and hosting different types of events across the country.

The “Summer of Soccer” can best be thought of as a bus tour, which will travel the country and hit some of America’s biggest soccer markets like Kansas City, Columbus, and New York. Along the way, the bus will stop to facilitate “fan activations, tentpole events, broadcast integrations and nationwide content experiences,” according to the league’s official press release.

The NWSL will be taking a month-long break from June 1-June 28 because of the upcoming men’s FIFA 2026 World Cup. The break was necessary due to the general need by the 48 teams in participating in the men’s World Cup to use stadiums that are co-used by NWSL teams. And the break has some benefits and drawbacks on its own. On the one hand, if the NWSL tried to play through the World Cup, they’d likely have been subjected to poor fields and training grounds and sluggish TV ratings. On the other hand, taking a month-long break runs the risk of losing interest from its fan base.

So, enter the “Summer of Soccer.” It’s clear that the NWSL wants to stay on the radar while a major, global soccer event captivates most of the country’s (and the world’s) attention. It’s unlikely that the NWSL’s “Summer of Soccer” will make headlines of its own during the month of June, but the league’s presence coupled with (ideally) the success of the men’s World Cup is certainly likely to raise the interest in soccer in this country, for men’s and women’s leagues alike.