NWSL chaos reigned this weekend, as No. 9 Angel City upset SoCal neighbor No. 1 San Diego in Saturday's ACFC vs Wave 2026 Rivalry Week kickoff.
LA defended out the win after midfielder Maiara Niehues and fellow Brazilian Ary Borges combined for two quick first-half goals. The tally marked Niehues’s fourth in as many games.
“I feel like a win, and a win in San Diego, is amazing,” ACFC captain Sarah Gorden said. “But a shutout is really important for us.”
Angel City’s victory was dampened by a potential roster blow, as star forward Jun Endo exited the second half with a non-contact injury less than a year after returning from a 2024 ACL tear.
“Gruesome scenes in San Diego with Jun Endo down screaming and grabbing her knee from a non-contact injury,” ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf wrote on X. “Hopefully, somehow, it isn't as bad as it looked.”
The Wave will look to regroup against No. 6 Kansas City on Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime). Later, ACFC rides momentum into Saturday’s 6:30 PM ET match with No. 15 Chicago (ION).
The 2026 NWSL schedule arrived on Thursday, with the now-16-team expanded league gearing up for its 14th campaign complete with 248 regular-season matches, seven playoff games, and a standalone Challenge Cup.
The season officially kicks off on Friday, March 13th, with a midseason break slated for June 1st through 28th.
The 2026 NWSL schedule also sees the return of Rivalry Week in July, as well as a simultaneous kick-off Decision Day to cap the season on Sunday, November 1st.
Each team will play a total of 30 regular-season matches, with games broadcast across ESPN, Prime, ION, CBS, NWSL+, and new free streamer Victory+.
In the only major departure from the previously released framework, the league is shifting the 2026 NWSL Challenge Cup from the beginning of the season to a neutral site in June.
This year's Challenge Cup will see reigning NWSL champions Gotham FC facing the Shield-winning Kansas City Current, with the pair's 2025 quarterfinals rematch set for Friday, June 26th.
The clash will take place in Ohio at the home stadium of MLS's Columbus Crew in order to give local fans "the opportunity to experience elite women's soccer in person at this celebratory showcase event," according to Thursday's NWSL press release.
As for the 2026 NWSL Playoffs, the league's three-round postseason will begin on November 6th, with eight clubs competing for a ticket to the Championship match on Saturday, November 21st.