NWSL announces key dates for 2027 schedule, new season will be begin in February

The National Women’s Soccer League released the blueprint for its upcoming 2027 season on Wednesday. The league will mark its 15th anniversary next year since its inaugural season in 2013, and the schedule will include breaks for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The 2027 campaign will kick off on Feb. 6 with the NWSL Challenge Cup, a showcase of the league’s top teams, with the eventual 2026 NWSL Shield and 2026 NWSL Championship winners going head-to-head. If one club wins both, the 2027 Challenge Cup will be a repeat of the 2026 NWSL Championship.

The 2027 NWSL regular season will begin on Feb. 11 and will be another 30-match schedule for the league’s 16 teams. Opening weekend will take place in Los Angeles, alongside Super Bowl weekend, as the NFL plans to host Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The league’s goal is to maximize visibility during the biggest moment on the nation’s sports entertainment calendar.

There will be a CBA-mandated break from June 7-13, followed by an international break for the 2027 World Cup from June 24 to July 25. The final weekend of regular season play will conclude with NWSL Decision Day on Oct. 31, and NWSL playoffs begin on Nov. 5, with the NWSL Championship slated for Nov. 20.

The 2027 season will mark not only the league’s 15th anniversary but also the final year with 16 teams. The league has already announced and awarded expansion plans for 2028. Two new clubs will join the NWSL for the 2028 season, with teams in Atlanta and Columbus, bringing the total number of teams to 18 — double the amount of clubs when the league started in 2013.

The league will announce additional schedule and broadcast information at a later date. CBS is the home of the NWSL Championship, and fans can watch the big game, select regular season and playoff matches across CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports Golazo Network, and Paramount+.