The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced earlier this week the league’s season will be extended to 33 weeks beginning in the 2019 season, with the regular season schedule to remain at 24-games for the third-consecutive season and fourth time in league history.
“We are excited to extend the season to provide our fans more opportunities to experience the best players in the world,” said NWSL Managing Director Amanda Duffy. “This move will allow the league’s clubs more Saturday night home games during a season in which women’s soccer and NWSL’s players will be on the world’s biggest stage with the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
The 2019 NWSL season will begin on Monday, March 4 when teams open preseason training camp and the regular season will kick off the weekend of April 13-14. The league’s seventh season will be played over 24 weekends excluding a 12-day break from June 3 through June 14 during the group stage of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France before returning to action on the weekend of June 15-16.
The 2019 regular season will culminate the weekend of October 12-13 and be followed by the playoffs, including two semifinal matches on October 19-20 and the championship on Saturday, October 26.
