NWSL plans to gain growth through men’s World Cup pandemonium

T he NWSL’s 14th regular season wrapped up match week 10 of 27 over the weekend, officially commencing a month-long break to honor the terms of their collective bargaining agreement (which stipulates a week-long intermission during the season) and a pause from play for the opening phase of the men’s World Cup. So, how will the World Cup break affect the NWSL? And could it provide a boost to the league? With the first 48-team, three-country men’s tournament just eight days away, the USWNT center-back Tierna Davidson joked on a recent podcast episode: “Well listen, it’s going to affect this summer in terms of traffic. I do know that.” Beyond traffic, the NWSL announced the prolonged pause last summer due in part to expected logistical challenges in host cities. Per a league announcement : “With seven of the league’s 16 markets hosting World Cup programming, the NWSL is proactively adjusting its scheduling framework to accommodate expected stadium demands.” Before the 2026 season NWSL commissioner, Jessica Berman, acknowledged the logistical headache to Sports Business Journal, saying : “We’re making lemonade out of lemons. Obviously, it wouldn’t be our choice to not have access to our venues. …