Dan Bernstein
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The NWSL is reportedly interested in changing its schedule to run from the fall to the spring, rather than March to November.
- NWSL not in line with FIFA competitions
- Said to be weighing pros and cons of change
- But weather among potential concerns
WHAT HAPPENED? According to Jeff Kassouf of Equalizer Soccer, the NWSL is internally deliberating whether it should alter its schedule as soon as 2024 to better align with FIFA’s international calendar.
WHY HASN’T NWSL ALREADY MADE THE CHANGE? One of the main factors, which has also kept men’s soccer adherent to a spring-to-fall setup in MLS, is that wintry weather conditions in northern states could harm pitch conditions and put player health in danger. It snows much more in states such as Illinois and Kansas City than in many other soccer-playing regions of the world – though the NWSL does have an advantage over MLS right now in that it carries fewer northern teams.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Women’s soccer has historically faced subpar field conditions, and any move to a calendar that included more winter months would have to account for keeping pitches to an acceptable standard as the NWSL continues to grow.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR NWSL: The 2023 regular season is scheduled to begin on Saturday, March 25.
