Chicago Red Stars defender Sarah Gorden (11) and Sky Blue FC forward Ifeoma Onumonu (25) battle for the ball in the NWSL Challenge Cup. (Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports)

CHICAGO – Sky Blue FC will kickoff the National Women’s Soccer League Fall Series schedule when it visits the Washington Spirit at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va. Saturday at 1 p.m.

The first three weeks of the schedule was released Tuesday morning.

The Sky Blue FC match, which will be a closed-door event, is the NWSL Game of the Week, airing on the CBS Television Network.

The New Jersey club also will play at the Chicago Red Stars at Seat Geek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill. Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m.

There will be a televised NWSL Game of the Week on the CBS Television Network every Saturday in September and on the CBS Sports Network three Saturdays in October. CBS All Access will stream four games as well as the CBS broadcast coverage in September. Twitch will stream seven games globally, including in the United States, and every game internationally.

The series will include 18 matches over seven weeks, featuring three, three-team pods that will all play one another. That will allow the league to minimize travel.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to put together a schedule that gets our players back out on the pitch and showcases their talent for a global audience, while limiting travel as much as possible and keeping player and staff health and safety our top priority,” NWSL commissioner Lisa Baird said in a statement. “I want to thank our players, club staff and our entire ownership group for their collaboration and continued flexibility as we navigate this unique moment in time. I can’t wait to watch this fall series unfold.”

The three teams in each regional pod will each play four games. Those pods are:

Northeast

Sky Blue FC
Chicago Red Stars
Washington Spirit

South

North Carolina Courage
Orlando Pride
Houston Dash

West

OL Reign
Portland Thorns FC
Utah Royals FC

2020 NWSL Fall Series Schedule (Weeks 1-3)
** CBS Game of the Week highlighted in bold**
** Twitch to stream all games internationally here**

 

DATE TIME (EST) VENUE HOME AWAY PLATFORM
Saturday, Sept. 5 1:00 PM Segra Field Washington Spirit Sky Blue FC CBS & CBS ALL ACCESS
Friday, Sept. 11 7:00 PM Sahlen’s Stadium NC Courage Houston Dash TWITCH
Saturday, Sept. 12 12:00 PM Segra Field Washington Spirit Chicago Red Stars TWITCH
Saturday, Sept. 12 3:30 PM Providence Park Portland Thorns FC OL Reign CBS & CBS ALL ACCESS
Saturday, Sept. 19 1:00 PM Sahlen’s Stadium NC Courage Orlando Pride CBS & CBS ALL ACCESS
Sunday, Sept. 20 1:00 PM SeatGeek Stadium Chicago Red Stars Sky Blue FC CBS ALL ACCESS
Sunday, Sept. 20 3:00 PM Providence Park Portland Thorns FC Utah Royals FC TWITCH

 

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.