ABC and ESPN platforms will provide comprehensive English- and Spanish-language coverage of the opening weekend of the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season, beginning Friday, March 15 through Saturday, March 16. Throughout the season, NWSL on ESPN platforms will include live match presentations, news and information studio programming, newsmaker interviews, digital and social content, and more.
On Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ will kick off the season with a historic match between Kansas City Current and Portland Thorns FC. This game will be broadcast live from CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, marking the inaugural match at the first-ever purpose-built stadium for a women’s professional sports team. Coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET.
NWSL Season-opening Weekend on ESPN Platforms from Kansas City:
Sebastian Salazar and two-time FIFA World Cup champion Ali Krieger will host a 30-minute pregame show, live from the new CPKC Stadium on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Highlights:
NWSL Matchday 1:
Herculez Gomez, Sebastian Salazar, Cristina Alexander, and Ali Krieger
Salazar, Krieger
English: Jenn Hildreth and Lianne Sanderson
Spanish: Alexander and Alex Pareja
ESPN Deportes
*Subject to change
Surround Coverage:
NWSL on ESPN Platforms:
ABC and ESPN platforms coverage of the 12th season of the NWSL, the premier women’s professional soccer league in the United States will include four games on ABC, including the season-opener on March 16 and three playoff matches. ESPN will televise seven matches, ESPN2 will air nine, and ESPN Deportes will broadcast 13 games in Spanish. All 20 games on ESPN platforms will stream live in both English and Spanish on ESPN+.
ESPN FC
ESPN FC, exclusively on ESPN+, will provide the most up-to-date news and analysis on key matchdays with hosts Dan Thomas or Kay Murray, alongside a rotating cast of analysts including Ali Krieger, Craig Burley, Alejandro Moreno, Shaka Hislop, and more. Daily shows will feature interviews with players and coaches throughout the season.
Fútbol Americas
The biweekly Fútbol Americas with Herculez Gomez and Sebastian Salazar will recap NWSL days with segments – “Game of the Week,” “Player Performance of the Week,” and “Epic Goal/Epic Fail” – each week. In addition, the program will include a weekly player interview and “Ali Krieger’s NWSL Power Rankings.”
SportsCenter
The ESPN flagship news program has already established itself as the fans’ home for NWSL news and information with the exclusive announcement of the 2024 season schedule, interviews with guests like Gisele and Alyssa Thompson appearing on the set, or its coverage of the biggest offseason signings. SportsCenter will get fans ready for the season with original content from voices that fans will see calling the matches, such as anchor Cristina Alexander and analyst Ali Krieger. Beginning with reporting from the season opening game in Kansas City, SportsCenter will be a top destination for coverage of the league until the trophy is raised in November and beyond.
ESPN Deportes
In addition to its live match telecasts, ESPN Deportes will provide news and information coverage of the NWSL’s 12th season through the network’s signature shows, including SportsCenter, Ahora o Nunca, Fuera de Juego, and more.
ESPN FC Digital Editorial
ESPN’s reporters will be reporting on the league, key matches, and trends throughout the season. ESPN FC will provide coverage through live games, highlights as well as analysis and informed opinion. Highlights:
ESPN Social
Throughout the season, the company’s industry-leading social team will feature on-site social coverage of key NWSL matchups on ABC, tell unique stories around the game’s biggest names, and grow awareness of the increasingly young rising talent in the league through authentic, social-first storytelling across all social platforms (Meta, TikTok, X, Snapchat).
NWSL on ESPN Marketing Spot: “It’s So On”
ESPN Marketing, the award-winning unit behind some of the best promotional campaigns in sports including “This is SportsCenter,” has launched a brand-new campaign celebrating the 2024 NWSL season. Titled “It’s So On,” the campaign spotlights key players, women’s soccer legends, the league’s passionate fan bases, and on-field product to captivate core and casual fans. Watch.
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