The NWSL dropped its 2027 schedule footprint, as Commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed plans to kick off next season on February 11th — the earliest start in league history — to allow for the Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Set for Angel City’s BMO Stadium, the season-opener coincides with Super Bowl LXI at nearby SoFi Stadium — deliberately capitalizing on US sports’ biggest weekend after seeing a boost from this year’s Summer of Soccer initiative.

“We have intentionally — again, seeing the success we’ve had leaning into the halo of the Men’s World Cup — [applied] the same thesis for next year,” she said, noting significant growth across social channels.

The 2027 Challenge Cup precedes regular-season kickoff on February 6th, with this year’s Shield winner battling the 2026 NWSL champion at a neutral stadium.

The early start makes room for a seven-week summer pause from June 7th to July 25th, covering both the CBA-mandated rest and World Cup, which featured 61 NWSL players in 2023.

Each of the 16 clubs will again play a 30-match schedule, with Decision Day returning October 31st before the November 20th championship.

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.

Gotham FC is getting a home of its own, as the 2025 NWSL champion announced plans for a first-ever dedicated training center this week.

Designed by SHoP Architects, the 27,000-square-foot $35 million project takes over the New York Red Bulls’ former New Jersey grounds, featuring three grass pitches plus a full-size indoor field for year-round access.

Additional highlights include a 3,000-square-foot gym, hydrotherapy and recovery rooms, player lounge, and dining area.

“We are building an environment that allows our athletes to perform, recover, and develop at the highest level every day,” said President of Soccer Operations Yael Averbuch West in a statement. “This facility represents a major step in aligning our infrastructure with our sporting ambitions.”

Gotham currently splits resources between two borrowed sites. The setup forces players to commute between indoor and outdoor facilities.

“It’s always been honestly one of the things that we were probably behind other clubs,” head coach Juan Carlos Amorós told The Athletic.

“We’ve been really good on the pitch… But I think the players always felt that we could go another level with regards to the facilities.”

The NWSL is expanding its footprint across ESPN, with the broadcaster signing on to carry 16 additional regular-season games in both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, upping the platform's total to 33 matches per year.

ESPN will also introduce a season-long "Match of the Week" centerpiece series, as well as live coverage of NWSL Decision Day, when eight concurrent matches will close out the season on the same day. 

"The NWSL showcases some of the best athletes in the world," ESPN EVP of programming and acquisitions Rosalyn Durant said in a press release. "We are proud to increase our commitment on ABC and ESPN, and to further elevate women's sports and the athlete stories."

This media rights extension builds on the league's ongoing blockbuster four-year, $240 million TV deal with ESPN, adding inventory for the final two seasons of the November 2023 agreement.

The deal expansion comes in light of the league's significant growth this season, with the NWSL seeing gains across both attendance and viewership, including a 72% year-over-year ratings rise on ESPN.

"This supplemental agreement underscores the growing demand for women's soccer and ensures our players and clubs receive the visibility they deserve on some of the most prominent sports platforms," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a statement.