NWSL Reveals Schedule, Broadcast Details for Challenge Cup Tournament

The full slate for NWSL's return-to-play tournament is set, with Utah Royals hosting the competition from June 27 to July 26.

NWSL will become the USA's first pro sports league back in action since the pandemic-induced shutdown when its Challenge Cup tournament in Utah begins on June 27.

The parameters of the competition were set a few weeks ago, and while it still remains to be seen which players will and won't be participating in the monthlong exercise, the full schedule and broadcast slate have been sorted at last.

The competition will kick off with a meeting between the league's two dominant teams, the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns, which will be aired on new television partner CBS (and its streaming arm CBS All Access) at 12:30 p.m. ET on the 27th.

All Access will air all of the remaining matches in the competition, while CBS will also put the championship match on July 26th on TV. Time windows are akin to those in MLS's return tournament, with one in the early portion of the day and one later in the day, presumably to combat the heat of a Utah summer. There are games beginning at either 10:30 a.m. or 8 p.m. local (Mountain) time, 12:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. Eastern.

All of the league's nine teams will play four matches in the opening stage, with the top eight advancing to the single-elimination knockout stage. All preliminary stage and quarterfinal games will take place at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah, before the competition shifts to Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy for the semifinals and final.

Here is the full schedule of games, which will all be available to stream on Twitch for international audiences (all times Eastern):

PRELIMINARY STAGE

June 27

12:30 p.m. - NC Courage vs. Portland Thorns

10 p.m. - Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars

June 30

12:30 p.m. - Washington Spirit vs. Utah Royals

10 p.m. - OL Reign vs. Sky Blue FC

July 1

12:30 p.m. - Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride

10 p.m. - NC Courage vs. Houston Dash

July 4

12:30 p.m. - OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit

10 p.m. - Chicago Red Stars vs. Utah Royals

July 5

12:30 p.m. - Sky Blue FC vs. Houston Dash

10 p.m. - Orlando Pride vs. NC Courage

July 8

12:30 p.m. - Utah Royals vs. OL Reign

10 p.m. - Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns

July 9

12:30 p.m. - Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars

10 p.m. - Sky Blue FC vs. Orlando Pride

July 12

12:30 p.m. - Utah Royals vs. NC Courage

10 p.m. - Portland Thorns vs. OL Reign

July 13

12:30 p.m. - Chicago Red Stars vs. Sky Blue FC

10 p.m. - Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit

QUARTERFINALS

July 17

12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD

10 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD

July 18

12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD

10 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD

SEMIFINALS

July 22

12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD

10 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD

FINAL

July 26

12:30 p.m. - TBD vs. TBD