The longest and most complicated schedule in NWSL history was released to the public on Thursday, with each team playing 30 matches as new clubs Boston Legacy and Denver Summit join. Along with four more games than prior seasons, the league had to schedule around a number of stadium availability issues due to construction, the men’s World Cup, and other events.
Seattle Reign are one of the teams dealing with those challenges, and have been forced to move their first three home games across the state to ONE Spokane Stadium due to construction delays at Lumen Field related to the Seahawks NFL playoff run. The club indicated that they will be reaching out to season ticket holders in the near future to discuss options after initially promising fans that all 15 home games would be in Seattle and selling ticket packages on that assumption. Unfortunately, no other approved venues were available in the Puget Sound area, as UW’s Husky Stadium is too narrow for a regulation soccer pitch and other soccer fields have inadequate facilities or infrastructure.
Jeremiah Oshan
Boston will similarly be splitting its home schedule between Gillette Stadium and Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island; while Denver is playing games at three home venues – Empower Stadium for its home opener, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and eventually at its longer-term temporary stadium in Centennial, CO, which has been beset by construction delays.
Seattle starts the season with a two-game road trip, at Orlando to open the season (3/15), followed by a visit to Portland on Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m. PT. They then host three games in Spokane, with a Wednesday match-up against Kansas City Current (3/25) and two Saturday games against Racing Louisville (3/28) and Denver Summit (4/4). Following a break during an international window in mid-April, the club finally comes home to Seattle and welcomes the Utah Royals to Lumen Field at 5 PM on Sunday, April 26.
Other highlights of the schedule include the home rivalry game against Portland on Sunday, July 12, the annual Pride match on Friday, August 14, against Chicago, and yet another Decision Day game against Orlando, this time at home on November 1.
The NWSL added another broadcast partner this year, with the free online streaming service Victory+ now airing many of the games which were previously on NWSL+. Ten Reign games will be on that service, while seven will be on Ion, five will be on NWSL+, four will be on ESPN networks, two on Prime Video, one on ABC, and one on CBS Sports Network. The Reign haven't shared any news about potential local broadcasts yet.
The Reign have a few home matches that overlap with the Mariners again this season. On Friday, May 15, the Mariners have a home game at 6:40, and the Reign also play at home at 7 p.m. There's also a concert that night at WAMU Theater. On August 9 and September 6, the Mariners have a 1:10 p.m. home game, and the Reign play at Lumen Field at 6 p.m. The Reign have an early kickoff on Friday, September 25, hosting Boston at 5:30 p.m. with a Mariners home game following at 7:10 p.m.
The Reign and Sounders have one road trip to the same city, with the Sounders playing the Colorado Rapids at 6:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, September 19. The Reign are on the road against the Denver Summit on the same day at 5:45 p.m. PT.
