The NWSL is making changes, as The Athletic reported the US league plans to open next season in February. That shifts the calendar up a full month to make room for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
The proposed schedule kicks off preseason play in January. The regular season gets underway on February 11th, before the playoffs run through late November.
If confirmed, 2027 would mark the earliest season start in league history, giving way to an especially lengthy midseason break.
The NWSL has made increasingly significant calendar concessions in recent years. It's paused the regular-season for the 2023 World Cup, 2025 Women’s Euros, and 2026 Men’s World Cup.
The 2027 World Cup runs from June 24th to July 25th, with the NWSL — one of the only pro leagues on a spring-to-fall schedule — forced to accommodate the interruption.
The league declined to vote on adopting a fall-to-spring model until 2030 — shortly before the US, Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica are expected to host the 2031 World Cup.
