Boston Legacy debut vs. Gotham FC opens 2026 NWSL season on ABC and ESPN networks

The 2026 season of NWSL on ABC and ESPN presented by Ally will kick off on Saturday, March 14, at 12:30 p.m. ET with a marquee matchup as Boston Legacy, one of the league’s two newest clubs, makes its debut against reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

The Boston Legacy-Gotham FC match will air live beginning at 12:45 p.m. ET on ABC, Disney+, and the ESPN App. Coverage will start at 12:30 p.m. with a pregame show.

Match Commentators:

• English commentators: Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play) and analyst Lianne Sanderson – former England Women’s National Team forward – return for NWSL on ESPN season kickoff in Foxborough
• Spanish commentators: Cristina Alexander (play-by-play) and analyst Natalia Astrain

Studio Coverage:

• Studio: Host Kelsey Riggs and analyst Ali Krieger, live from Gillette Stadium

• SportsCenter: Weekend editions will include previews and post-match segments

ESPN launches 2026 NWSL season coverage with special “Futbol W” Edition on Friday:

ESPN will launch its 2026 NWSL coverage with a special edition of Futbol W, a one-hour season preview airing Friday, March 13, from 6 – 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The show will feature Crystal Dunn’s ESPN guest analyst debut, alongside her former U.S. Women’s National Team teammate Ali Krieger, ESPN.com’s Jeff Kassouf, and host Cristina Alexander for in-depth pre-season analysis.

2026 NWSL Season on ABC and ESPN Networks

The third season of NWSL on ABC and ESPN – The Walt Disney Company’s most expansive coverage of the league to date – will feature six games on ABC, including three playoff matches; ESPN will televise 13 matches, ESPN2 will air nine, and ESPN Deportes will carry at least 16 matches live in Spanish. All the action will also be available to stream live on the ESPN App in English and Spanish via ESPN direct-to-consumer or Pay TV authentication. The schedule.

Throughout the season, NWSL content across ESPN networks will include live match presentations, news and information studio programming, newsmaker interviews, digital and social content, and more.

New in 2026:

• The 2026 season marks a significant expansion of ESPN’s NWSL coverage, nearly doubling the regular season schedule on ESPN networks.
• Weekly Sunday match windows: 24 of the 27 NWSL matches on ESPN are on Sundays, for unprecedented appointment viewing throughout the season.
• NWSL, an anchor league for ESPN Women’s Sports Sundays – a first-of-its-kind, weekly primetime programming franchise that places women’s sports at the center of the summer sports calendar.
• “NWSL: The Final Third,” ESPN’s latest original series on a pivotal season for three NWSL clubs; available on the ESPN App (Disney+ through March 31).
• Decision Day Exclusively on ESPN: All eight “Decision Day” matches played simultaneously on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. ET, will be available exclusively on ESPN networks.

NWSL on ESPN Commentators

• Match coverage in English throughout the season will feature Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play) and analyst Lianne Sanderson. Jacqui Oatley (play-by-play) and analyst Jordan Angeli will also call select matches. Kelsey Riggs and two-time World Cup winner Ali Krieger will host studio coverage throughout the season.
• Spanish-language match commentary will primarily feature Cristina Alexander (play-by-play) and analyst Natalia Astrain, with Richard Mendez (play-by-play) alongside analyst Carolina de las Salas calling select matches.