Don’t miss any of the action of the NWSL’s final weekend
Don’t miss any of the action of the NWSL’s final weekend
All 16 teams are in action on Sunday to close out the regular season and ESPN has the full coverage details
As the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) regular season comes to an end, ESPN is bringing the final weekend to viewers. All 16 teams are in action and can be streamed on ESPN outlets as the NWSL Shield is still up for grabs. The NWSL Shield is an annual award given to the team with the best regular season record as determined by the NWSL points system. The NWSL Shield has been awarded annually since 2013 and is recognized as a major trophy by the league. With the NWSL Shield, playoff positions, and seeding still to be determined, Decision Day will finalize the complete bracket for the Playoffs. The Shield has been decided on the final weekend of the regular season four times in league history (2013, 2016, 2022 and 2023), and 2026 will now be added to that list. There are plenty of ways to watch 2026 NWSL Decision Day, but we recommend watching with a five-day free trial to DIRECTV. You can also watch with a subscription to *ESPN Unlimited.
How to watch 2026 NWSL Decision Day
- When: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
- Stream: Watch with a five-day free trial of DIRECTV, or with ESPN Unlimited.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about 2026 NWSL Decision Day
What is the schedule for 2026 NWSL Decision Day?
| Date/Time | Time (ET) | Matchup | Outlets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Gotham GC vs. Utah Royals FC | ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Live whip-around show | ESPN2, ESPN Unlimited |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Stars FC | ESPN+ |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Seattle Reign FC vs. Orlando Pride | ESPN+ |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | North Carolina Courage vs. Denver Summit FC | ESPN+ |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Racing Louisville FC vs. Kansas City Current | ESPN+ |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Angel City FC vs. Boston Legacy FC | ESPN+ |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns FC | ESPN+ |
| Sunday, Nov. 1 | 5 p.m. | Bay FC vs. San Diego Wave FC | ESPN+ |
Why we recommend watching 2026 NWSL Decision Day on DIRECTV?
DIRECTV is our favorite choice to watch Decision Day because of how many different subscription options it offers, not to mention the aforementioned free trial. The cheapest post-trial option would be the MySports Genre Pack, which just so happens to currently be offering a great discount. This plan offers 20+ sports channels at a regular price of $65 per month and comes with a discount down to $50 per month for two months for new customers.
In addition to ESPN, the genre-specific package also includes Fox and FS1, which will allow you to stream college football and basketball as it gets underway this weekend. The plan also comes with ESPN2, NFL Network, NBA TV, MLB Network, Big Ten Network, and much more.
If you want a non-sports-specific channel lineup, we would recommend the ENTERTAINMENT Signature package. This plan costs $90 per month for 90+ channels, and viewers can add more channels by stepping up to a higher tier of Signature service. All DIRECTV Signature packages, as well as the MySports Genre Pack, come with ESPN Unlimited included.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Can you watch 2026 NWSL Decision Day for free?
For all of the women’s soccer fans who only want to catch the final day of games, there are options available for you. DIRECTV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all offer free trials, but they are all different, so it is based on what you are looking for specifically. DIRECTV’s industry-leading trial runs for five days, while Hulu + Live TV’s is a solid three days. So you can watch the games with those free trials since Decision Day is just one day.
Both Fubo and YouTube TV’s trials are a little difficult to pin down, as they vary by customer. YouTube can offer up to three weeks for some people, but as short as one day for others. Similarly, Fubo can give away a full week for free, or just a single day, and often you won’t know until you complete the sign-up process.
So, if you want to see what those services can offer, it can be worth your time, but they are not as reliable as DIRECTV and Hulu + Live TV.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ESPN | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN2 | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
What are all of the services that will carry 2026 NWSL Decision Day?
Fortunately for sports fans, numerous different streaming services will stream the game, so you have options to choose from if you don’t already subscribe to any of them. We discussed DIRECTV and the free trial options above, but there is one more, and it offers a different type of streaming arrangement.
In addition to the live TV streaming options, since the game between Gotham GC and Utah Royals FC is being broadcast by ESPN, there is one more choice. ESPN Unlimited can be used to stream all of the other seven games appearing on the ESPN outlets for $30 per month.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN launched its highly anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21, 2025. For the first time, this service gives sports fans access to its full lineup of linear channels without a traditional cable or satellite subscription.
Watch a preview of 2026 NWSL Decision Day
Everything you need to know about 2026 NWSL Decision Day broadcast
For the first time, ESPN will serve as the exclusive domestic broadcast home of all eight NWSL Decision Day matches, as part of the league’s expanded media rights agreement with ESPN. All eight NWSL Decision Day matches will kick off simultaneously at 5 p.m. ET across ESPN outlets. As part of its coverage, ESPN will also produce a live whip-around show on ESPN2 beginning at 5 p.m. ET, capturing the excitement, drama, and playoff implications as they unfold across the league.
How to watch 2026 NWSL Decision Day from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch NWSL Decision Day as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer to make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to a live TV streaming service like DIRECTV in order to stream the games with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available
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