What Will Happen to the Domestic Leagues During the Women’s World Cup?

The Women’s World Cup is an event like any other. For an entire month, most of the world shuts down for the sake of football. Thirty-two countries battle it out at the sport’s highest level to see who will be crowned world champion. But what happens to all the other domestic leagues while the Women’s World Cup is going on? We’ve got you covered at GSN. Here’s a full breakdown of the domestic leagues and what will happen behind the scenes. 

European Leagues

One thing to understand about the calendar of the domestic leagues around the world is the difference between Europe and America. Europe’s main sport is soccer, which means their entire calendar is centered around it.

From September to May is when the European teams all play. There are no other sports to compete with for viewing; everyone who enjoys watching European soccer can watch without interruptions. These major leagues will all be done for the year, which means all the star players from Europe playing in the World Cup will get plenty of time to rest up. 

• Frauen Bundesliga (Germany)
• Serie A Femminile (Italy)
• D1 Arkema (France)
• FA WSL (England)
• Liga F (Spain) 

Australia Liberty A-League

The same can be said for Australia. The Liberty A-League finishes in two weeks. So the Matildas have a home-field advantage and extra time to prepare, which will be a nice advantage for them. 

Japan WE League

Japan is one of the few countries with their domestic league played throughout the summer, just like the NWSL. That might be why we’ve seen numerous Japanese players come to America, not only because they want to but because it fits into their yearly calendar as well.

Japan will not have to travel as far as the United States and are more familiar with the oceanic side of the world. However, they are at a slight disadvantage because their stars will be playing at least a few games leading up to the World Cup. This could impact their stamina and energy levels in the competition. 

United States NWSL

The USWNT is at an even bigger disadvantage because decisions must be made in conjunction with the NWSL teams. Naturally, NWSL teams want to win as many games as possible. Someone like Alex Morgan for the San Diego Wave will play in fewer NWSL games to prepare for the World Cup. The European leagues ensure their stars are seen all year round. Whereas the NWSL gets the short end of the stick for one to two months without the major stars. 

The only good thing for the NWSL is that younger players who would not normally get a chance to play and develop can do so now. The depth of every team in the league will be tested. With backup players coming in, the quality of soccer won’t always be as high as it could be with the World Cup right in the middle of the NWSL season. 

The NWSL will go on as expected, but the opportunity to see an Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith, or Trinity Rodman will be gone for a while. Depending on the result of the World Cup, players could take even more time off from the league to rest and recover. The NWSL is the league impacted the most because of its schedule.

NWSL Schedule

There have been rumors that the league wants to try and move to a fall-to-summer calendar. Yet, that would be a huge risk simply because trying to compete with the NFL for viewership will be a problem.

Of course, people will still happily watch the NWSL. But the TV ratings have to be at a certain level for more money to come in through TV and sponsorship deals. The more money that comes in, the more the women’s game can grow and get the infrastructure it needs to last forever. So, for that reason, it makes no sense for the league to move to the fall-to-summer schedule.

Unfortunately, the NWSL and the USWNT must navigate this, while every other major soccer nation does not. That said, the NWSL will also take some time off to account for the World Cup. 

By the time the end of the regular season and playoffs roll around, all of our favorite stars will be back to try and compete for an NWSL title. From July 9 to August 18, there will be no NWSL matches. This will help the USWNT stars ramp up for the Women’s World Cup. 

The calendar conundrum will be an ongoing debate for the foreseeable future. But don’t expect the USWNT to use that as an excuse. Even the NWSL will take a little break for the World Cup. It’s only fitting, considering it’s the best knockout tournament on the planet! 

Featured image via @NWSL on Instagram

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