NWSL moves championship to Louisville after players raise concerns about original site
Kentucky will serve as the showplace for the women’s soccer world this November when the 2021 NWSL championship match plays out at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville.
The league announced Wednesday that the finals have been moved from Portland to Louisville after players reportedly raised concerns about the playing conditions in Oregon.
The match on Nov. 20 is scheduled to air at noon Eastern Time and be televised live on CBS. In order for that to happen, a 9 a.m. Pacific Time kickoff would have been required in Portland. That raised concerns from players about game-day preparations.
CBS Sports and The Athletic also reported that complaints were raised about the synthetic surface in Portland and over the fact Providence Park has previously hosted the championship.
“We realize the impact this has on the fans who have bought tickets and made travel arrangements,” the NWSL said in its statement about the move. “We hope that our fans will understand that this move is made with the support of the NWSL, the Players Association, the Portland Thorns, and Racing Louisville. Portland understood the importance of listening to the players, and Louisville stepped up to host.”
Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville boasts a natural grass playing surface, a seating capacity of 15,304 and training facilities the championship teams could access nearby. Ticket information for the championship match in Louisville will be announced later.
Racing Louisville FC, playing its first season in the NWSL, is 4-12-5 and has been eliminated from playoff contention.
The NWSL’s six-team playoffs begins Nov. 6. At this point, the Portland Thorns and OL Reign are the only two teams who have clinched postseason berths. If the season ended today, the Houston Dash, North Carolina Courage, Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC would fill out the field.
The NWSL was rocked recently by accusations coaches abused players and the league kept it quiet. Commissioner Lisa Baird resigned, and Washington head coach Richie Burke and North Carolina head coach Paul Riley were fired. Earlier this season, Racing Louisville fired head coach Christy Holly for cause, and OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti resigned under pressure to step down.
The league canceled a weekend of matches this month as it tried to find a path through the turmoil.
“We are all dedicated to rebuilding a league that protects and promotes the best athletes in the world and that is focused on the players, their health, and their safety,” the NWSL’s statement Wednesday said. “The Players Association and the NWSL have also worked to come to an agreement on several of the demands set forth by the PA last week. Both parties have agreed to a good faith five-day extension on the remaining items to finalize details and logistics and keep this progress moving forward.”
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 12:40 PM.