NWSL Reveals Schedule, Broadcast Details for Challenge Cup Tournament
NWSL will become the USA's first pro sports league back in action since the pandemic-induced shutdown when its Challenge Cup tournament in Utah begins on June 27.
The parameters of the competition were set a few weeks ago, and while it still remains to be seen which players will and won't be participating in the monthlong exercise, the full schedule and broadcast slate have been sorted at last.
The competition will kick off with a meeting between the league's two dominant teams, the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns, which will be aired on new television partner CBS (and its streaming arm CBS All Access) at 12:30 p.m. ET on the 27th.
All Access will air all of the remaining matches in the competition, while CBS will also put the championship match on July 26th on TV. Time windows are akin to those in MLS's return tournament, with one in the early portion of the day and one later in the day, presumably to combat the heat of a Utah summer. There are games beginning at either 10:30 a.m. or 8 p.m. local (Mountain) time, 12:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. Eastern.
All of the league's nine teams will play four matches in the opening stage, with the top eight advancing to the single-elimination knockout stage. All preliminary stage and quarterfinal games will take place at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, before the competition shifts to Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy for the semifinals and final.
Here is the full schedule of games, which will all be available to stream on Twitch for international audiences (all times Eastern):
PRELIMINARY STAGE
June 27
12:30 p.m. - NC Courage vs. Portland Thorns
10 p.m. - Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars
June 30
12:30 p.m. - Washington Spirit vs. Utah Royals
10 p.m. - OL Reign vs. Sky Blue FC
July 1
12:30 p.m. - Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride
10 p.m. - NC Courage vs. Houston Dash
July 4
12:30 p.m. - OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit
10 p.m. - Chicago Red Stars vs. Utah Royals
July 5
12:30 p.m. - Sky Blue FC vs. Houston Dash
10 p.m. - Orlando Pride vs. NC Courage
July 8
12:30 p.m. - Utah Royals vs. OL Reign
10 p.m. - Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns
July 9
12:30 p.m. - Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars
10 p.m. - Sky Blue FC vs. Orlando Pride
July 12
12:30 p.m. - Utah Royals vs. NC Courage
10 p.m. - Portland Thorns vs. OL Reign
July 13
12:30 p.m. - Chicago Red Stars vs. Sky Blue FC
10 p.m. - Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit
QUARTERFINALS
July 17
12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
10 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
July 18
12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
10 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
SEMIFINALS
July 22
12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
10 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
FINAL
July 26
12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD
