ATLANTA, March 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a record-setting 2025 season, Scripps Sports today unveiled its broadcast plans for the third season of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) on ION, kicking off Saturday, March 14, with a primetime tripleheader – the first of eight tripleheader Saturdays this year.
NWSL on ION will again showcase top matches from across the league every Saturday night of the regular season. ION is one of the most-watched networks on television and is available on pay TV, connected TV and free, ad-supported streaming platforms and over-the-air in 126 million homes.
The March 14 tripleheader kicks off the 2026 season for the NWSL on ION and begins at 4 p.m. ET as the Kansas City Current host the Utah Royals FC at CPKC Stadium. The action continues at 6:30 p.m. ET with a marquee moment for the league – the first-ever match for Denver Summit FC, as the expansion club opens its inaugural campaign on the road against Bay FC at PayPal Park, with Scripps Sports onsite for this historic debut. The trifecta concludes at 8:45 p.m. ET, when San Diego Wave FC hosts the Houston Dash from Snapdragon Stadium, a rivalry game that will round out a high-energy opening slate that launches ION's 2026 coverage.
New NWSL on ION Studio Team
The NWSL on ION studio shows – the first-ever weekly studio shows dedicated to the NWSL by any broadcast network – return for the 2026 season, breaking down the matches with highlights and analysis, while spotlighting upcoming league games. As part of the studio programming this year, viewers can also look forward to a more robust slate of original storytelling that spotlights the inspirational stories of some of the top players in the league, including who these women are off the pitch.
Host Sebastian Salazar returns to lead "Saturday Night Soccer" on ION, bringing his trademark energy, deep knowledge of the game and years of national soccer broadcasting experience. A trusted voice in the sport, Salazar has built a strong connection with NWSL fans through his on‑air work and his ability to bring big‑match context to every broadcast.
Joining Salazar in 2026 is a refreshed, dynamic team of three studio analysts – all former professional players – who will rotate weekly to provide diverse, in-depth insight. The trio includes NWSL veteran Ali Riley, a longtime New Zealand international standout known for her leadership and global experience, Jordan Angeli, former NWSL'er and seasoned soccer analyst and commentator, Darian Jenkins, a former NWSL forward celebrated for her attacking perspective and on‑air clarity and Chelsea Cabarcas, a former midfielder with the Colombian women's national team known for her sharp tactical analysis and focus on player development.
Complementing the studio team on the road is reporter Lisa Carlin, a well‑known soccer analyst and on‑air host recognized for her coverage across major women's soccer platforms, who joins as ION's onsite field reporter, bringing viewers live updates, interviews and storytelling from stadiums across the league every week. Together, the team delivers a comprehensive, unmatched perspective that elevates every Saturday night broadcast.
"Saturday night on ION just got bigger," said Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. "With an expanded slate of matches – including eight tripleheader weekends – a robust studio team lineup with some new faces joining the fold, an even-greater emphasis on original storytelling and the league continuing to expand and see major momentum – we're proud to enter our third season with the NWSL in a sizeable way."
Nicole Denne, a veteran producer, serves as executive producer for the NWSL on ION's studio content, while Taylor Quellman also returns as studio show producer.
In the Booth
Scripps Sports and the NWSL will continue their partnership in producing ION's Saturday night doubleheaders, once again featuring a rotation of dedicated NWSL on ION broadcast crews for the 2026 season. In one booth matchup, veteran play‑by‑play voice JP Dellacamera returns with former U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper Jill Loyden, whose on‑air analysis brings a seasoned defensive perspective to the broadcast. A second booth pairing will again be anchored by play‑by‑play announcer Maura Sheridan, this season being joined by seasoned analyst Marion Crowder, whose insight and familiarity with the league's style of play will once again add depth and context to ION's coverage. For match three on triple header nights, Michael Wottreng will call the action, alongside former NWSL'er Merritt Mathias.
2026 Schedule Highlights
The 2026 NWSL on ION schedule delivers more Saturday night soccer than ever before, including eight tripleheaders across the season – a major expansion from just one in 2025. ION opens the year with back‑to‑back tripleheader weekends, showcasing early marquee matchups and giving fans extended primetime coverage as the new season begins. This year also introduces an updated 6-11 p.m. ET Saturday night programming window for 16 weeks of the season, offering viewers expanded access to pregame coverage, two live matches and post-match analysis.
ION's 2026 slate features 10 Kansas City Current (KC) games, making KC one of the most‑featured clubs on the network. It will also include four national broadcasts featuring defending NWSL champion Gotham FC, including their home opener on March 21, where the league will honor their 2025 title. Additional highlights include a primetime rivalry clash between Bay FC and Angel City FC on March 21, and continued coverage as Denver Summit FC begins its inaugural NWSL season, with ION carrying the club's first-ever league match on March 14 for a total of 11 matches on the network. ION will not air matches in the month of June, aligning with the league‑wide pause around the FIFA Men's World Cup window.
The NWSL's 2025 season delivered record-breaking growth across viewership, attendance and digital engagement. Total live streaming minutes reached an all‑time high, with more than 3.25 million hours viewed on ION's FAST platforms alone, up 24 percent year over year, while the league's attendance milestones included the largest single‑game crowd in league history as the NWSL continued to expand its national footprint.
To access the complete NWSL on ION season schedule and find ION channel information, visit https://ionnwsl.com/.
Follow @IONNWSL on Facebook, Instagram and X for future updates.
Media contact: Jim Weiss, (770) 722-2142, [email protected]
About ION
A leading general entertainment network, ION's lineup features major cable and broadcast shows, original series, live sports and special event programming. ION is part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP), a diversified media company focused on creating connection. As one of the nation's largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of about 60 stations in 40 markets.
About Scripps Sports
Scripps Sports serves professional and college sports leagues, conferences and teams with local market depth and national broadcast reach. Scripps Sports currently has partnerships with the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), Major League Volleyball, Pro Cheer League, ATHLOS track-and-field, the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2025 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Utah Mammoth, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA, Denver Summit of the NWSL and the NCAA's Big Sky Conference. Scripps Sports is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP).
About the NWSL
The National Women's Soccer League is the premier women's professional soccer league in the world featuring national team players from around the globe. The clubs are Angel City FC, Bay FC, Boston Legacy FC, Chicago Stars FC, Denver Summit FC, Gotham FC, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, North Carolina Courage, NWSL Atlanta, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC, Seattle Reign FC, Utah Royals FC, and Washington Spirit.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/feb4653d-e82f-428c-815b-9e0f80b3e384
