NWSL plans early start in 2027 with busy international schedule

NEW YORK, Aug 5 : The National Women's Soccer League will get an early start to the season next year, kicking off in February to move in line with a busy international calendar that includes the 2027 Women's World Cup.

The regular season will kick off on February 11 in Los Angeles, three days before the Super Bowl is held in the same city, with a pause for the global showpiece tournament that runs from June 24 to July 25 in Brazil.

The season will conclude with the championship on November 20, the league said on Wednesday.

The move means the league inches closer to the schedule used by its top European counterparts, kicking off a month earlier than it did for the 2026 season.

The top-flight North American men's league MLS announced a seismic shift to its calendar last year, announcing an overhaul to the summer-to-spring schedule that European teams use beginning in 2027.