Since 2013, the National Women’s Soccer League has showcased the finest soccer talent in the United States. As I watch the 2024 NWSL regular season unfold, I’m tracking all of the important developments and details, which I’ll share below.
In a hurry? If you don’t want to jump into all the details and just want to start watching NWSL soccer, these services will make you happy:
- Fubo: This great sports streaming service will give you NWSL with CBS, CBSSN, and much more. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- Hulu + Live TV: Gives you access to the CBS channels and 85+ others along with its outstanding on-demand service. Try the Hulu Live free 3-day trial.
- Paramount+: Since CBS has the rights to the games, you can see them all with this service for just $7.99/month. Try Paramount+ for free!
Table Of Contents
NWSL Matches Today
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Where to Watch NWSL
There are a number of ways to watch the NWSL season.
Paramount+
With a Paramount+ subscription ($7.99/month), you can watch all National Women’s Soccer League matches from the regular season through the playoffs to the championship final. Yes, it is as simple as that and you can watch missed matches on demand. You also get several channels like CBS for your entertainment.
CBSSN (CBS Sports Network)
If you get a subscription to a streaming service that offers CBS Sports Network (CBSSN), you can also watch a few NWSL matches through that. But these should also be available through Paramount+.
Twitch
Twitch is an American video live streaming service that focuses on video game live streaming, including broadcasts of esports competitions, in addition to offering music broadcasts, creative content, and “in real life” streams.
It will cover a few live matches of the NWSL in the United States. However, it will stream all NWSL matches internationally. Twitch streaming is free.
General Streaming Services
The major live TV streaming services offer CBS and CBSSN. Notably, Sling TV does not but with plans starting at only $40.00/month, it can be a good option if you want to combine it with a Paramount+ subscription. You can find more general info in our Sling TV review. (And it’s great for fans of the English Premier League too. See our guide and schedule.)
Fubo (formerly FuboTV) is the best option for soccer fans. In terms of the NWSL, Fubo offers CBS and CBSSN. It also includes other good channels for soccer like beIN Sports, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, and TUDN. In all, you get well over 150 channels for $79.99/month. And you can get even more with add-ons.
The base plan comes with unlimited cloud DVR and streaming on up to 10 devices at home and two away. See our Fubo review.
Another option is DIRECTV STREAM. You get NWSL in its Ultimate plan ($114.99/month) as you receive CBS and CBSSN. Also, it comes with several other sports channels including TUDN, MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, and whatever RSNs are in your area.
All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR (online sign up required) and streaming on unlimited devices at once at home and three away. Check out our DIRECTV STREAM review.
Hulu + Live TV deserves a mention. It offers CBS and CBSSN for $82.99/month. And it comes with a great overall live TV channel lineup in addition to its industry-leading on-demand library as well as ESPN+ and Disney+.
It includes unlimited cloud DVR with 9 months of storage and streaming on up to two devices (upgradable to unlimited). Read our Hulu + Live TV review.
YouTube TV offers a plan that is similar to Hulu + Live TV but with advantages and disadvantages. It is a bit cheaper with some extra channels. But it doesn’t include Disney+ and ESPN+.
TVs and Devices to Live Stream NWSL Matches
The streaming services above support the vast majority of TVs and devices today. We’ll focus on Paramount+ and Fubo but most are the same. See our reviews (linked to above) for complete details.
Smart TVs from LG, Samsung, Vizio, and those based on the Android TV specification are supported. So are devices by Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku.
You can also watch NWSL matches on mobile devices that run Android and iOS. And you can use these (and some web browsers) with Chromecast to cast to your TV.
The Xbox One gaming system is also supported. But only Paramount+ supports the PlayStation.
About NWSL
The NWSL is a professional women’s soccer league under the management of the United States Soccer Federation. The league was established in 2012 as a successor to the Women’s Professional Soccer League.
It began with eight teams and has since expanded to include twelve. These teams are Angel City FC, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC, North Carolina Courage, OL Reign, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, and Washington Spirit.
Each team is scheduled for 22 regular-season games in a home-and-away, double round-robin format. This means every team plays every other team, once at home and once away.
Teams can be awarded the NWSL Shield, which goes to the team with the best regular-season record. Since 2020, the league has held the NWSL Challenge Cup. And, of course, there is the NWSL Championship, which goes to the playoff winner.
The six teams with the most points from the regular season qualify for the playoffs. The top two teams receive a first-round bye. The higher-seeded teams host the lower seeded teams in single knockout matches. The semifinal winners advancing to the championship final played at a predetermined site.
The current champions are the Washington Spirit.
2024 NWSL Schedule
You will be able to watch some matches from various outlets but to watch everything, you should sign up with Paramount+, which will stream every game live.
NWSL draft:
The 2024 NWSL draft (presented by Ally) is on Jan Fri Jan 12 .
Regular season matches:
- Sun Nov 3 : Racing Louisville FC at San Diego Wave FC (ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes)
Playoff matches:
Only 8 teams will advance to the 2024 NWSL playoffs. Here is the schedule:
- Nov 23: Championship
Wrapping Up
If you want access to every National Women’s Soccer League match, your best, most affordable, and the most thorough option is to subscribe to Paramount+ ($7.99/month).
If you want access to a streaming service that offers access to NWSL matches as well as other sports and soccer competitions, your best options are Fubo ($79.99/month) and DIRECTV STREAM ($114.99/month).
FAQs
Can I watch NWSL matches for free?
Yes, you can watch a few NWSL games on Twitch for free. Most games are available on Paramount+ for just $7.99/month. You can also watch more games on CBSSN on various streaming services such as Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM. International fans can watch all games live for free via Twitch.
Is NWSL part of FIFA?
No, NSWL is not part of FIFA. It used to be managed by the US Soccer Federation up until 2020. It currently has its own leadership structure led by Jessica Berman as its commissioner. However, its rules and regulations follow the basic FIFA doctrines.
Also, many NWSL players are in the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), which, of course, competes in the FIFA World Cup.
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My quantitative approach and analytical skills enable me to provide insightful, data-driven content on sports streaming trends and scheduling, making me a key expert in understanding the global streaming landscape and its intersection with sports consumption.
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