Join The Club
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is back up and running for its 2026 season, with league of 16 teams and and an array of broadcast options that will allow you to watch the NWSL wherever you are in the world.
► FREE streaming: NWSL+
► US broadcasters: NWSL+ (free) CBS/Paramount+, Amazon Prime, ESPN+ (select games)
► UK broadcasters: NWSL+ (free), TNT Sports/HBO Max (select games)
► Canada broadcasters: NWSL+ (free), TSN (select games)
► Australia broadcasters: NWSL+ (free), Stan Sport (all games)
► Watch from anywhere: Use NordVPN to get your usual streams while abroad
Gotham FC are the reigning champions after an incredible run last season. After finishing eighth, in the last of the play-off spots, they surged to knock out league leaders Kansas City Current and then reigning champions Orlando Pride.
They beat Washington Spirit in the final, thanks to an 80th-minute Rose Lavelle goal.
The most successful side in the 13-year history of the NWSL are Portland Thorns with three Championship titles (2013, 2017, 2022), while North Carolina Courage, Kansas City and now Gotham FC all have two titles apiece.
Orlando Pride boast the Brazil legend Marta and the Zambian striker Barbara Banda, while other notable NWSL starts include Portland Thorns' Sophia Wilson (nee Smith ), who is returning from taking maternity leave last season, and Washington Spirit's Trinity Rodman.
The 2026 season sees new teams enter the fold - Boston Legacy and Denver Summit join as two expansion teams with big ambitions, taking the league from 14 to 16 teams.
With plenty of live streaming options, including FREE coverage in the UK, read on for all the information on how to watch National Women's Soccer League in 2026.
NWSL free streaming
The NWSL has its very own streaming platform, NWSL+, which is totally free of charge and will cover every single game during the 2026 season.
There are some limitations on availability, namely for those in the US, who will only be able to access a limited number of games on NWSL+ each week.
Outside the US, all games in the NWSL will be available to stream live through NWSL+ at no cost. All that's required is a simple email registration.
Watching on the move? You can access your usual streams from anywhere in the world with a VPN – more on that below.
Watch the NWSL from anywhere
For the ability to bypass any geo-restrictions, and to stay as safe as possible when streaming content online, you should consider getting a VPN.
A Virtual Private Network is a piece of software that protects you online by creating encrypted connections, and unblocks your usual streaming services by re-routing your device's IP address.
Our colleagues over at TechRadar can't recommend NordVPN highly enough...
How to watch NWSL in the US
Media rights for the NWSL are split across several broadcasters in 2025: ESPN, CBS/Paramount+, ABC, Amazon Prime Video, ION, and NWSL+.
NWSL+: The league’s own streaming service shows 40+ games per season that aren’t picked up by national broadcasters. A subscription is required; it’s the most comprehensive option for games not on TV.
CBS/Paramount+: CBS broadcasts roughly 38 matches per season, including key playoff games and the NWSL Championship. Some matches air on cable TV, while others are streamed exclusively on Paramount+ (subscriptions start at $8.99/month).
ION: Saturday night games are shown on ION, typically two matches per week. You can watch over-the-air, on cable, or through streaming services like Fubo ($84.99/month) or DirecTV, which carry ION.
ESPN: The sports broadcaster shows the occasional game but won't have one every week. ESPN channels come on cable TV or you can watch online on the ESPN Select platform for $12.99 a month.
Amazon Prime Video: Prime will show Friday night NWSL games. Prime subscriptions cost $14.99 per month / $139 a year, and you also get a 30-day free trial.
How to watch NWSL in the UK
Things are much more straight-forward if you're in the UK – you can watch every single NWSL game for FREE with NWSL+.
NWSL+ is the league's own streaming service and while the offering is limited for US fans, fans in the UK can enjoy all 190 games of the regular season, playoffs, and final for free. A simple registration is all that's required.
The free coverage comes in spite of a pay-TV deal with TNT Sports, which is showing two games a wee plus the playoffs. You can get TNT Sports as part of a TV package or you can watch online through HBO Max (£30.99 a month).
Away from the UK right now? You can still get your usual NWSL streams while abroad by using NordVPN.
How to watch NWSL in Canada
Good news for fans in Canada, you can also watch every single NWSL game live for free with NWSL+.
There's also a pay-TV broadcast deal in place, with TSN having the rights to select fixtures. TSN's streaming platform, TSN+, costs $8 a month.
How to watch NWSL in Australia
As in the UK and Canada, all NWSL games are live on NWSL+ for those in Australia.
Stan Sport also has the rights to the NWSL, showing a live stream for every single game. Stan Sport plans start from AU$32/month.
NWSL Teams
- Angel City FC
- Bay FC
- Boston Legacy FC
- Chicago Stars FC
- Denver Summit FC
- Gotham FC
- Houston Dash
- Kansas City Current
- North Carolina Courage
- Orlando Pride
- Portland Thorns FC
- Racing Louisville FC
- San Diego Wave FC
- Seattle Reign FC
- Utah Royals
- Washington Spirit
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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