ESPN Deepens Its Bet on NWSL With Expanded 2026 TV Schedule

ESPN and the National Women's Soccer League are significantly expanding their broadcast partnership for the 2026 season, boosting the number of regular-season games on ESPN platforms to 33 in response to surging viewership. The update to the league's landmark four-year, $240 million rights agreement is a clear signal of the league's growing media power.

• Viewership victory: The network's confidence is backed by hard numbers. The move comes after viewership for NWSL games on ESPN jumped 72% year-over-year in 2025, providing a powerful incentive to build upon the existing media deal.

• Sunday soccer: A cornerstone of the new schedule is the creation of a consistent Sunday appointment viewing window. This slot will host 24 of ESPN's 27 broadcast windows, a strategy designed to build habitual viewership for the 16-team league.

• A multi-platform play: The updated ESPN agreement is a key piece of the NWSL's larger strategy to maximize its reach. In total, 220 national games will be available across a mix of broadcast, cable, and streaming, including partners like CBS Sports, Prime Video, and Scripps-owned ION.

By locking in more national broadcast windows with a premier partner, the NWSL is solidifying its position in the top tier of sports media, leveraging proven audience growth to make its games more accessible than ever. The new deal also extends to the postseason with ABC covering key playoff games, while the league itself is building its schedule around highlighting key rivalries.