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NWSL looks to engage new soccer fans post-2026 World Cup

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 21, 2026, 9:16 PM

Last updated Jul 21, 2026

NWSL looks to engage new soccer fans post-2026 World Cup

Summary

As the 2026 men's World Cup wraps up, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) aims to attract the influx of new American soccer fans. The league resumed play on July 3, coinciding with significant player returns, including Sam Kerr to Gotham FC and Lindsey Heaps to the Denver Summit. The season is highlighted by notable events, including Kerr's debut in a rematch of the 2025 championship. The league anticipates a continued momentum with the upcoming women's World Cup in Brazil, and the 2028 Olympics and 2031 Women’s World Cup both scheduled in the U.S.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•NWSL resumed play on July 3 after summer break.
•Sam Kerr debuted for Gotham FC at a record attendance event.
•Lindsey Heaps played her first match for Denver Summit on July 18.
•Upcoming women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil next year.
•US will host the 2028 Olympics and the 2031 Women’s World Cup.

Latest Updates

9:16 PMYahoo Sports — The men’s World Cup awakened new American soccer fans. It’s time for NWSL to invite them in

What they're saying

"
It is one thing to have been on the ground floor ahead of the meteoric rise of an indie band or clothing label, but announcing it undermines whatever social cachet may have been gained from possessing that degree of taste and vision. Claiming to have known about something before it became cool does not, in fact, ensure coolness to the person saying it. This is how many American soccer fans feel after the 2026 men’s World Cup. The vindicating joy of watching the same people who once disparaged th
— Yahoo Sports

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