The 2024 NWSL season kicked off last weekend with several new changes. The new iteration of the Challenge Cup debuted seeing the 2023 NWSL Shield winners San Diego Wave FC take on 2023 NWSL Champions Gotham FC in a one off game to open the season and decide the Challenge Cup Champions. History was made in Kansas City as the first soccer specific stadium specifically built for a women’s professional team opened its doors and welcomed 11,500 fans as the Kansas City Current took on the Portland Thorns to kick off the regular NWSL season with a game broadcast on ABC/ESPN+.
Speaking of broadcasts, the 2024 season marks the start of landmark partnership agreement/media rights deals to air 118 matches across several major platforms. In addition to continued broadcasts with existing partner CBS (matches on Paramount + with some on CBS Sports, and the championship primetime on CBS) matches will be shown on Prime Video, ION network (both television and streaming), and ESPN (matches on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+). All other matches will be shown on the new NWSL platform, NWSL+.
In addition to the excitement of the opening of CPKC stadium and fans having overall better accessibility to matches, the opening weekend featured a full slate of action packed and entertaining matches featuring the return of Utah Royals, the debut of Bay FC and SO many goals.
2024 Challenge Cup – San Diego Wave FC vs Gotham FC
The weekend kicked off Friday night with the 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup as Shield Winners San Diego Wave took on reigning NWSL Champions Gotham FC on the first game to be broadcast on Prime Video. The event was a huge “to do” as Gotham had a variety of fan activities before kick off and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff participated in the ceremonial torch lighting. 14,241 fans, second highest at Red Bull Arena in club’s history, watched as Gotham tried to pick up where they left off last season and earn their first hardware of 2024. The game was pretty evenly matched with both teams having solid opportunities and relying on amazing saves by both GKs to keep it scoreless for until the 88th minute. San Diego warned a corner kick which was taken by off season acquisition Savannah McCaskill. McCaskill whipped the ball in front of the goal and found Alex Morgan who was able to shake her mark and head it past Cassie Miller. That would be the lone goal of the match, giving the Wave the win and crowning them the 2024 Challenge Cup Champions. Alex Morgan was named MVP.
Kansas City Current vs Portland Thorns
While the Challenge Cup was an exciting return to NWSL soccer, the first regular season match of 2024 was an treat for both the casual and hardcore soccer fan. The Kansas City Current took on Portland Thorns at the newly opened CPKC stadium in front of a sold out crowd of 11,500 fans. This was also the first match broadcast on ABC and ESPN+ and the excitement and quality of the match certainly rose to the occasion.
This match was an absolute goalfest with the first goal coming in just the 22nd minute. It was only fitting that the first goal of the game was scored by the Current. Shelby Hogan made a critical error passing the ball right to Debinha inside the box. Debinha took a shot that either deflected off the post or off Hogan and directly to Vanessa DiBernardo, who easily slotted it home to score the first goal of the 2024 NWSL season and the first goal at CPKC Stadium. Rookie Ellie Wheeler added another just three minutes later. Brazil International Bia Zaneratto added a third and it was 3-0 Current by the 34th minute. Portland got one back toward the end of the first half as Kansas City made a defensive error allowing Sophia Smith to get one past AD Franch.
If four first half goals wasn’t enough for fans, they were treated to five more in the second half. Kristen Hamilton and Alex Pfeiffer scored within 5 minutes of each other, while Janine Beckie scored a second for Portland in her first game back after a season ending injury early last season. Sophia Smith picked up a brace in the 74th minute which brought the score to 5-3 KC. The game settled down a bit from there, but Beckie made things very interesting, netting a brace of her own, bringing Portland within a goal in the 91st minute. The Current were able to hang on though, earning their first win in the new stadium with a final score of 5-4.
Around the League
Despite the thought the rest of the games would end in scoreless draws in some kind of soccer god karma, the goals continued in the weekend’s remaining games. North Carolina Courage beat the Houston Dash 5-1 on a night where the Courage inducted Sam Mewis as their inaugural member of their Ring of Honor. Malia Berkely, Haley Hopkins, a Bianca St-Georges brace and Dani Weatherholt were the goals for the Courage. The lone goal for the Dash actually came from an own goal when a free kick deflected off of Kaleigh Kurtz and into the net in the 65th minute. Racing Louisville and the Orlando Pride played to a 2-2 draw, with Orlando playing with 10 from the 62nd minute on after Kylie Strom was shown a second yellow. Elexa Barh and Uchenna Kanu were the goals for Racing, while Summer Yates and an OG from Elli Pikkujamsa got Orlando on the board. Wrapping up the Saturday action, the newly returned Utah Royals lost 2-0 to the Chicago Red Stars in a game that saw the return of Mal Swanson. Ally Schlegel and Ava Cook were the goal scorers for Chicago, while Alyssa Naeher was forced to make some amazing saves to keep the clean sheet for Chicago.
Seattle Reign as we used to know them returned with a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit. Reign were awarded a penalty within 18 seconds of the match starting which Bethany Balcer converted for the game’s only goal. In another notable moment toward the end of the match, Spirit GK Aubrey Kingsbury was shown a red card in the 91st minute. Wrapping up the weekend, Bay FC made its debut on the road against Angel City in a a battle that saw some great matchups (Asisat Oshoala vs Sarah Garden was a treat) and several great opportunities from both sides. In the end, in her NWSL debut, Oshoala was the lone goal scorer with a great goal in the 17th minute. Angel City kept knocking on the door, but the Bay FC defense managed to keep the clean sheet.
Overall, it was an excited slate of matches and an excellent way to open the 2024 NWSL season
