NWSL says it will remain on spring-to-fall schedule through 2030
The National Women’s Soccer League will continue to operate under its current spring-to-fall format through the 2030 season, the league confirmed Wednesday morning. The announcement comes after several weeks of speculation that a vote to “flip” the NWSL calendar to a fall-to-spring season was imminent. As The Athletic previously reported, the league pivoted early this week when it tabled a vote on the matter that had been on the board of governors’ agenda.
The board, which met on Tuesday, reconvenes Wednesday in Portland, Ore. , for the final session of its April meeting. “Following extensive evaluation and close collaboration with key stakeholders, we have made the deliberate decision to maintain our existing competition calendar for this period,” a spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic .
“This decision reflects our confidence in the strong momentum and growth the league has achieved under its current structure, and our commitment to providing stability for everyone invested in the NWSL’s success. “We remain thoughtful about the long-term evaluation of our calendar — and will continue to assess future opportunities with the same rigor and broad stakeholder alignment that guided this decision. Any change of that magnitude would be communicated with ample notice.
For now, our focus is on continuing to deliver a world-class season as we build toward the future. ” Flipping the calendar has been a years-long debate in the NWSL. The issue regained steam last month, when ESPN first reported news of a potential vote in mid-April.
The NWSLPA then said that a majority of players surveyed opposed switching the calendar “right now,” citing concerns that the league, with its current infrastructure and several cold-weather markets, would be unable to proceed “responsibly” with such a seismic change. “NWSL has made the right decision to provide stability and certainty over the calendar footprint for the next several years,” NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke said in a statement to The Athletic . “Throughout this process, Players made clear that any discussion about the calendar must prioritize Player health and safety, infrastructure (including training and match facilities), and professional standards necessary to compete at the highest level.
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