December 7, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) News Release
NEW YORK – The National Women’s Soccer League today announced the competition framework for 2024, featuring a 190-match schedule, an expanded playoff and a revised NWSL Challenge Cup format. The 2024 campaign marks the beginning of the league’s landmark, four-year domestic media rights agreement that will see 118 matches featured on national platforms throughout the season.
“The 2024 season marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the NWSL and one that will set the tone for the future of our sport in the U.S. and globally,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “Women’s soccer shined on an international stage in 2023 and as attendance, viewership and investment figures continue to explode, our league has never been better positioned to capitalize on the momentum the game is experiencing. Underscored by the addition of our 13th and 14th franchises, an enhanced match calendar and, critically, groundbreaking media rights agreements that will ensure our games are readily accessible to more fans than ever before, the 2024 campaign represents a new era for the NWSL as we continue our efforts to deliver the best product in professional soccer.”
Per CBA and NWSL rules, clubs may hold preseason camps beginning as early as January 22 but no later than January 29 prior to the start of league competition.
New in 2024, the NWSL Challenge Cup has been reformatted to open each season as a single contest with the prior campaign’s winner of the NWSL Shield, presented by CarMax, against the reigning NWSL Champion. In the event that the Shield winner and the NWSL Champion are the same team, the Challenge Cup will serve as a rematch of the previous season’s Championship match.
The 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup between defending NWSL Champion NJ/NY Gotham FC and San Diego Wave FC, winner of the 2023 NWSL Shield, presented by CarMax, will take place Friday, March 15 ahead of regular season kick off on Saturday, March 16. The match will stream live on Prime Video, marking the start of the platform’s 2024 NWSL programming that also includes coverage of Friday night matches and a quarterfinal match in the league playoffs.
Comprised of a balanced 26-match schedule, the 182-match regular season will be played over 25 weeks. The schedule has been formatted to avoid staging NWSL matches during FIFA windows and maintain flexibility for the league’s top players as they compete with both club and country.
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