The Washington Spirit and Reign FC were destined to open the NWSL 2020 season at Audi Field on April 18, 2020, but that won’t be the case any longer.
The league has been working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the release of their first statement about COVID-19 on March 10. In that first statement, the league said that it was ready to keep the community safe and would make changes if necessary.
“We are closely monitoring the spread of the virus with respect to our scheduled preseason and regular season matches and will be in a position to make changes as necessary to respond to developments as they happen.”
Anyhow, the news on March 11 was incredible for the fans, league, owners, players, teams and staff given that the NWSL officially announced a multi-year media agreement with CBS Sports and Twitch. But the slight moment of triumph came crashing down the next day, when Commissioner Lisa Baird announced the cancelation of all preseason matches on March 12.
“After receiving guidance from local and state authorities and medical personnel, and with the support of the Board of Directors, the National Women’s Soccer League is canceling the 2020 preseason match schedule in the wake of the most recent developments surrounding COVID-19.”
Then came “A letter to our NWSL Family” written by Baird addressing the situation further and a COVID-19 resources and updates statement for fans.
But it was a matter of time until the big decision was made; The delay of the start of the regular season. And it all happened in just nine days.
“The National Women’s Soccer League has extended its training moratorium through and including Sunday, April 5, 2020. As a result, our regular season start, scheduled for April 18, will be delayed.”
The league has continuously prioritized the safety and well-being of its players, coaches, staff and fans since the first statement on March 10 and will continue to do so.
