The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) insists that too much of a good thing is just a myth, at least in the context of the sport.
Earlier this month, the league announced its 2027 calendar, which will start one month earlier than usual to account for a two-month mid-season break when many of its athletes will swap club jerseys for country ones at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. It will be the NWSL’s longest season in its 14-year history.
The global tournament comes at a critical time for the NWSL, which has doubled in size over the last decade. As of its 2026 season mid-point, the league saw an average of more than 11,000 fans at each match, a 10% year-over-year increase, and its social media following grew 24% year-over-year to 3.1 million followers across major platforms, according to NWSL data. With 138 NWSL players expected to join national rosters for the Women’s World Cup, the league is preparing to capitalize on an influx of fans.
“That schedule was intentionally designed to position the NWSL at the center of one of the biggest years in the history of women’s soccer,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman told reporters this month. “By maintaining our spring to fall calendar, which we decided earlier this year, we’ve created the best possible environment for our players, clubs, partners, and fans to maximize the extraordinary opportunity presented by the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
