2025 NWSL Season Kicks Off On Disney+, ABC & ESPN

ESPN has announced details on the return of NWSL, which will return after the league’s summer break for the second half of the 2025 season with a live broadcast of Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns FC on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, and Disney+ beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. Kick is at 12:50 p.m. The game is a matchup between two top-five teams in the standings.

Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play) and analyst Jordan Angeli will call the game in English. Cristina Alexander and Natalia Astrain will handle Spanish-language commentary. SportsCenter’s Kelsey Riggs and Ali Krieger, a two-time FIFA World Cup champion, will host the pregame, halftime, and post-game segments.

The match will kick off a stretch of 10 regular-season matches in the second half of the 2025 NWSL season across ESPN linear and digital platforms. ABC and ESPN matches will feature most of the 40 NWSL players who represented their respective national teams in the just-concluded UEFA Women’s European Football Championship (UEFA Women’s EURO), the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), and the Copa América Femenina 2025 (title match is on Saturday).

Here are the highlights:

• International stars on ESPN: Led by NJ/NY Gotham FC six players – Gabi Portilho (Brazil), Josefine Hasbo (Denmark), Jess Carter (England), Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany), Stella Nyamekye (Ghana), Esther González (Spain) – who represented their countries at the three marquee international competitions, ESPN’s NWSL games will feature stars of the tournaments.
• August 9 NWSL rivalry: Coming off the best performance by a goalkeeper in UEFA Women’s EUROs, nine saves vs. France in the quarterfinals, Germany’s Ann-Katrin Berger leads NJ/NY Gotham FC as it hosts rivals Washington Spirit on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 12 p.m., on ESPN and ESPN+. Washington Spirit eliminated Gotham FC in the semifinals of the 2024 NWSL Playoffs
• September 7 NWSL doubleheader: On its 46th anniversary, ESPN will showcase two NWSL games – NJ/NY Gotham FC-Angel City FC at 5:00 p.m. and San Diego Wave FC-Houston Dash at 8:30 p.m. The earlier match will feature UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Golden Boot winner Esther González and teammate Jess Carter, who won the competition with the England women’s national team.
• Honoring Alex Morgan: ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes will combine to present San Diego Wave FC vs. Houston Dash on Sunday, Sept. 7, live from Snapdragon Stadium at 8:30 p.m. ET. The telecast will include live coverage of Wave FC’s retirement of Alex Morgan’s No. 13 jersey. Morgan, a two-time FIFA World Cup champion and one of the celebrated forwards in women’s soccer, will be the first player in San Diego Wave’s history to receive this honor. ESPN’s Krieger, a teammate of Alex Morgan in two World Cup-winning campaigns, will helm ESPN’s on-site coverage of the match, including special pre- and post-game shows. Riggs will host.

Here is the full schedule:

ESPN+ content is also available to stream through Disney+ for bundled subscribers in the United States.

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