⚽ NWSL · 2026 season · $240M / 4-yr deal · 40× previous

NWSL just got a $60M/yr media deal. Here's where every match lives in 2026.

The NWSL's 4-year, $240 million media-rights agreement is the biggest in women's pro soccer history — 40× the previous deal's annual value. CBS/Paramount+ + ESPN + Amazon Prime + Scripps + Victory+ all carry matches in 2026. Most NWSL games are nationally televised — fewer RSN headaches than other sports.

▶ Quick action

$7.99/mo — exclusive home for NWSL since 2024. Every match + CBS network simulcasts.

Get Paramount+ →

Where every NWSL match lives in 2026

Game type	Network	Free OTA?	Streaming
NWSL Championship	CBS	✓ YES	Paramount+ simulcast
Semifinals	ESPN + CBS rotation	partial	Mix
Quarterfinals	CBS + ESPN + Prime	partial	Mix
Saturday afternoon matches	CBS (38 games)	✓ YES	Paramount+ simulcast
Sunday primetime matches	ESPN / ABC	ABC = YES	ESPN streamer
Friday night matches	Amazon Prime Video	NO	Prime required
Mid-week matches	Victory+ (FREE) + Scripps ION	ION = YES	Victory+ free streaming

The 5 partners + what each carries

CBS / Paramount+ — 38 Saturday matches + NWSL Championship + Semifinals. CBS Saturday games are free OTA.
ESPN — Sunday primetime + selected playoffs. ESPN cable / streamer required for most.
Amazon Prime Video — 27 Friday night matches. Prime required.
Scripps ION — Free OTA package, weekday matches.
Victory+ (FREE) — Free ad-supported streaming. Includes Bay FC + Houston Dash + others. Expanded coverage starting 2026.

Cheapest NWSL stacks

"Just give me the free games": Antenna for CBS + ION + ABC + Victory+ (free streaming) = $0/mo. Covers ~70% of the season.

"My team + national": Above + Paramount+ ($7.99) + Prime ($14.99) ≈ $23/mo seasonal. Covers every game your team plays.

"Every match": Antenna + Paramount+ + Prime + ESPN Select ≈ $35/mo seasonal.

The 14 NWSL teams in 2026

Bay FC (San Francisco) · Boston Legacy · Chicago Stars FC · Gotham FC (NY/NJ) · Houston Dash · Kansas City Current
Angel City FC (LA) · NC Courage · Orlando Pride · Portland Thorns · Racing Louisville · San Diego Wave · Seattle Reign · Utah Royals · Washington Spirit

Bonus: NWSL is expanding — Denver NWSL launches 2026, Boston Legacy is brand new (replaced NJ/NY Gotham branding), and 2027-28 will add more clubs.

Why NWSL is easier to follow than men's pro sports

Three reasons NWSL is one of the cheapest pro sports to follow in 2026:

CBS Saturday Games are free OTA. 38 games per season carried on CBS broadcast — your local antenna covers most of the high-profile matchups.
No team is RSN-locked. Unlike MLB / NBA / NHL where your team's local games live on an expensive RSN, NWSL games are mostly nationally distributed.
Victory+ is FREE. Multiple teams have games on Victory+ with no subscription cost — same model as Stars/Ducks hockey.

Verified 2026-05-17 via project-docs/SPORTS-RIGHTS-MASTER.md

Back to the main quiz →