NWSL Teams Open Challenge Cup Kneeling During Anthem

The Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage also sported Black Lives Matter shirts in the pregame display.

As the NWSL became the first contact sports league to return after the coronavirus shut down, the league resumed with a show of unity, as players on both sides took a knee during the National Anthem before Saturday’s NWSL Challenge Cup kicked off.

The starting lineups as well as bench players from the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage sported Black Lives Matter shirts in the pregame display.

This comes after the U.S. Soccer's Board of Directors voted recently to repeal a policy that required players to stand during the national anthem, a policy that was originally put in place after Megan Rapinoe kneeled during the anthem in support of Colin Kaepernick before a 2016 NWSL game.

For more soccer coverage:

• Thorns and Courage Players Kneel During National Anthem at NWSL Challenge Cup

• Liverpool Condemns Fan Behavior in Title Celebrations

• Manchester United vs. Norwich City Live Stream: How to Watch, TV Channel, Start Time