ESPN will expand its coverage of National Women's Soccer League games beginning in 2026 as part of an updated media rights deal that the league announced on Tuesday.
For the 2026 season, ESPN and ABC will broadcast weekly NWSL games -- 36 total -- including all eight Decision Day matches, plus two quarterfinals and one semifinal.
CBS has also added games to its current deal to bring their total to 38 games next season. The NWSL also announced a new deal with streaming platform Victory+ for Sunday primetime games weekly throughout the season.
"We are expanding the discoverability and reach of NWSL matches because the demand is there," NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement.
"These additional media packages will help us reach new audiences and build a new generation of fandom.
"The expanded commitments from CBS Sports and ESPN, paired with a new national Sunday night showcase with Victory+, bolster the NWSL's trajectory of unprecedented growth."
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The updated agreements will be in effect for the 2026 and 2027 NWSL seasons and expand upon the original media rights deals that the NWSL signed ahead of the 2024 season. ESPN, CBS, Amazon Prime, and Scripps (ION) each signed four-year rights deals worth a combined $240 million ahead of the 2024 NWSL season.
Those deals all run through the end of the 2027 season. Two new teams, Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC, will begin playing in the NWSL next season, bringing the league to 16 teams and adding an additional 32 games to the schedule.
All NWSL on ESPN matches are available on the ESPN App via ESPN DTC or Pay TV authentication.
2026-2027 Match Distribution by Partner
• CBS Sports: 38 total matches (10 regular season, 1 quarterfinal, 1 semifinal and the NWSL Championship on CBS; 20 on CBS Sports Network; 5 on TBD platform)
• ESPN: 36 total matches (33 regular season including all 8 Decision Day matches, plus 2 quarterfinals and 1 semifinal)
• Victory+: 57 total matches (25 Sunday Night matches, plus 32 additional)
• Prime Video: 27 total matches (25 regular season, 1 Challenge Cup, 1 quarterfinal)
• Scripps/ION: 50 regular season Saturday night matches
• NWSL+: 40 total matches