NWSL releases 2025 schedule: Decision Day returns, regular season longer than ever

The National Women's Soccer League released its 2025 schedule on Wednesday, and perhaps the biggest news is its speed.

The NWSL has long struggled with scheduling as most teams are secondary tenants of stadiums, and has been derided by fans and players for delayed releases. Now, in 2025, less than two months after winning the title in 2024, it has turned its schedule around in record time.

The timeline also seems more understandable and reasonable than ever. Nearly all of the league's 190 games will be played on weekends, mostly during unique broadcast windows.

The tournament will begin with the defending champion Orlando Pride hosting the one-time NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7, followed by the regular season opener on March 14. From then on, the league's 14 teams will play each weekend unless they suspend play. International break.

The regular season will conclude with concurrent games on "Decision Day" on November 2. The league abandoned the final-day format in 2024 to appease its four broadcast partners, but will return to a dramatic one-day format in 2025.

Those broadcast partners - CBS, ESPN, Amazon and Scripps/ION - will share 160 of the season's 190 games.

Under a landmark deal signed in late 2023, Amazon Prime Video will be available every weekend and show one game on Friday night. ION will have two screenings every Saturday. CBS will broadcast a selection of 60 regular season games on its flagship wireless network (11), CBS Sports Network (10) and Paramount+ (39). ESPN will air 10 of the 17 programs on its main channel, and three more will be on ABC. The remaining 30 games will be broadcast live on the league's in-house service NWSL+.

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 23: Orlando Pride players kiss the championship trophy after the Orlando Pride defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 during the NWSL 2024 Championship Game at CPKC Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 23: Orlando Pride players kiss the championship trophy after the Orlando Pride defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 during the NWSL 2024 Championship Game at CPKC Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

The 2025 NWSL season will last longer than any previous season. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

Tee times will vary from week to week, but there will be a familiar rhythm most weeks. Each game week is played between Friday and Sunday, with the exception of three games on Monday and two on Thursday (all to avoid conflicts). Weeknights were not fully booked.

The only midweek game, Portland Thorns vs. Gotham FC, has been moved from late May to Tuesday, April 22, as the two teams are scheduled to compete in the CONCACAF Champions League (CONCACAF W Champions Cup) against Liga MX opponents in the semi-finals and finals. Regional competition, May 21-24.

In order to avoid multiple game weeks and accommodate breaks, the 2025 season will last longer than previous NWSL seasons. In addition to its standard one-weekend international schedule in early April, late May/early June and late October, the NWSL will also suspend the Women's Euro and Copa America (continental championships in Europe and South America) from June 23 to the end of July in the United States.

Therefore, the season that started on March 14th will end in November, with the playoffs ending on Saturday, November 22nd.

Broadcast details for Decision Day and the postseason have yet to be announced.