The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced today that ESPN will telecast six NWSL Games of the Week on ESPNews throughout the remainder of the season, including three upcoming Orlando Pride matches. All six nationally televised games will be slated for evening kickoffs and will replace the previously scheduled games on Lifetime.
The Pride’s next two matches against the Washington Spirit will move to ESPNews, starting with June 23 at the Maryland SoccerPlex, which will kickoff at 7 p.m. ET. On July 7, the Pride will then host the Spirit at Orlando City Stadium in a match that will now be shown on ESPNews at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Orlando’s third and final meeting with Utah Royals FC - on July 14 at Rio Tinto Stadium - will also move to ESPNews at 7 p.m. ET. The Pride’s June 30 and July 21 matches against North Carolina Courage and Seattle Reign FC will remain on Lifetime at 3:30 p.m. ET, as previously scheduled.
The Pride’s Aug. 25 home game against the Chicago Red Stars will no longer be aired on Lifetime and has been changed to a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Orlando City Stadium.
Tickets to all Orlando Pride home matches can be purchased at orlando-pride.com/tickets or by calling (855) ORL-CITY.
Jenn Hildreth and Aly Wagner will continue in the broadcast booth for the NWSL Game of the Week on ESPNews and Lifetime, while sideline reporter Dalen Cuff will host the pregame show. In addition, former U.S. international Kate Markgraf will be filling in as the analyst for four games and fellow U.S. international Angela Hucles will step in for one game while Wagner looks to make history during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia by becoming the first woman to call a Men’s World Cup game in English in the U.S.
Prior to all the games on ESPNews, the NWSL will host a 20-minute pregame show covering all the latest news and analysis live on the league’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages.
NWSL fans will also be able to stream the games live via the ESPN App, with authentication required in the U.S., while international fans will be able to watch games on the NWSL app and NWSLsoccer.com.
Previously, ESPN aired nine NWSL games during the league’s second season in 2014, featuring three regular-season games, the semifinals and the championship.
