• ESPN goes to Kansas City for Current-Portland Thorns FC season-opening match Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes
• Interviews with KC Current ownership: Brittany and Patrick Mahomes, and Angie and Chris Long
• 20 NWSL matches across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes; three playoff games on ABC
• Season-long NWSL coverage across ESPN English- and Spanish-language platforms and shows

ABC and ESPN platforms will provide comprehensive English- and Spanish-language coverage of the opening weekend of the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season, beginning Friday, March 15 through Saturday, March 16. Throughout the season, NWSL on ESPN platforms will include live match presentations, news and information studio programming, newsmaker interviews, digital and social content, and more.

On Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ will kick off the season with a historic match between Kansas City Current and Portland Thorns FC. This game will be broadcast live from CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, marking the inaugural match at the first-ever purpose-built stadium for a women’s professional sports team. Coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET.

NWSL Season-opening Weekend on ESPN Platforms from Kansas City:

Sebastian Salazar and two-time FIFA World Cup champion Ali Krieger will host a 30-minute pregame show, live from the new CPKC Stadium on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Highlights:

• Opening tease voiced by ‘Star Wars’ star Daisy Ridley
• CPKC Stadium feature
• Interviews with KC Current owners Brittany and Patrick Mahomes, and Angie and Chris Long
• Interview with head coach Vlatko Andonovski, entering his first season with the Kansas City Current.

NWSL Matchday 1:

*Subject to change

Surround Coverage:

• English commentators: Jenn Hildreth(play-by-play) and analyst Lianne Sanderson – former England Women’s National Team forward making her ESPN debut in Kansas City
• Spanish commentators: Cristina Alexander(play-by-play) and analyst Alex Pareja
• Studio: Host Sebastian Salazar and analyst Ali Krieger
• Fútbol Americas: Herculez Gomez and Salazar will host a special edition of Fútbol Americasfrom Kansas City on Friday, March 15, immediately following the completion of the NWSL Challenge Cup match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and San Diego Wave in Harrison, N.J. Krieger, and Alexander will be part of the show, and interviews with notable NWSL newsmakers.
• SportsCenter: Weekend editions will include preview and post-match segments around the season-opening game in Kansas City.
• ESPN Social: In addition to social coverage across key brand handles (ESPN, SportsCenter, espnW and ESPNFC), ESPN Social will have its women’s soccer creator, Casey Hultin, – part of ESPN Creator Network – on site in Kansas City for coverage ahead of, during and after the Current-Thorns FC game.

NWSL on ESPN Platforms:
ABC and ESPN platforms coverage of the 12^th season of the NWSL, the premier women’s professional soccer league in the United States will include four games on ABC, including the season-opener on March 16 and three playoff matches. ESPN will televise seven matches, ESPN2 will air nine, and ESPN Deportes will broadcast 13 games in Spanish. All 20 games on ESPN platforms will stream live in both English and Spanish on ESPN+.

ESPN FC
ESPN FC, exclusively on ESPN+, will provide the most up-to-date news and analysis on key matchdays with hosts Dan Thomas or Kay Murray, alongside a rotating cast of analysts including Ali Krieger, Craig Burley, Alejandro Moreno, Shaka Hislop, and more. Daily shows will feature interviews with players and coaches throughout the season.

Fútbol Americas
The biweekly Fútbol Americas with Herculez Gomez and Sebastian Salazar will recap NWSL days with segments – “Game of the Week,” “Player Performance of the Week,” and “Epic Goal/Epic Fail” – each week. In addition, the program will include a weekly player interview and “Ali Krieger’s NWSL Power Rankings.”

SportsCenter
The ESPN flagship news program has already established itself as the fans’ home for NWSL news and information with the exclusive announcement of the 2024 season schedule, interviews with guests like Gisele and Alyssa Thompson appearing on the set, or its coverage of the biggest offseason signings. SportsCenter will get fans ready for the season with original content from voices that fans will see calling the matches, such as anchor Cristina Alexander and analyst Ali Krieger. Beginning with reporting from the season opening game in Kansas City, SportsCenter will be a top destination for coverage of the league until the trophy is raised in November and beyond.

ESPN Deportes
In addition to its live match telecasts, ESPN Deportes will provide news and information coverage of the NWSL’s 12^th season through the network’s signature shows, including SportsCenter, Ahora o Nunca, Fuera de Juego, and more.

• com Digital: Key features include top 10 best players to follow in the NWSL; the must-see games of the season; how to watch; and video profiles of key players.

ESPN FC Digital Editorial
ESPN’s reporters will be reporting on the league, key matches, and trends throughout the season. ESPN FC will provide coverage through live games, highlights as well as analysis and informed opinion. Highlights:

• NWSL Season Preview: Top need-to-know storylines
• Vlatko Andonovski interview: His return to Kansas City after the 2023 World Cup at the helm of U.S. Women’s National Team
• “Ambition Rankings”: A countdown of teams trying the hardest
• Current-Thorns FC opening game coverage: preview, post-match analysis
• NWSL Power Rankings: Weekly assessment of the league’s teams every Monday
• Fan Favorites: Reported piece on how Angel City and San Diego are taking fandom in the NWSL to the next level
• Confidential players poll, and general managers’ survey.

ESPN Social
Throughout the season, the company’s industry-leading social team will feature on-site social coverage of key NWSL matchups on ABC, tell unique stories around the game’s biggest names, and grow awareness of the increasingly young rising talent in the league through authentic, social-first storytelling across all social platforms (Meta, TikTok, X, Snapchat).

NWSL on ESPN Marketing Spot: “It’s So On”
ESPN Marketing, the award-winning unit behind some of the best promotional campaigns in sports including “This is SportsCenter,” has launched a brand-new campaign celebrating the 2024 NWSL season. Titled “It’s So On,” the campaign spotlights key players, women’s soccer legends, the league’s passionate fan bases, and on-field product to captivate core and casual fans. Watch.

-30-