Overview
- The league expands to 16 clubs with Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC, delivering a balanced 30-match slate per team for a record 248 regular-season games.
- The 2026 campaign opens the weekend of March 13–15, with Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns on March 13 and Boston debuting at home against champion Gotham FC on March 14.
- Regular-season play pauses June 1–28 for the men’s World Cup, including a CBA break from June 8–14, with league matches resuming on July 3.
- Venue plans account for stadium availability: Boston splits home dates between Gillette Stadium and Centreville Bank Stadium, Denver uses Empower Field, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and a temporary Centennial venue, and Seattle moves early home games to ONE Spokane Stadium.
- Broadcast distribution spans Prime Video, ION, CBS/Paramount+, ESPN/ABC/ESPN2/ESPN Deportes and free-to-consumer Victory+, with remaining matches on NWSL+, while the Challenge Cup is set for June 26 in Columbus featuring Gotham FC vs. Kansas City Current.