National Women's Soccer League, CBS Sports and Ally Financial Make History as 2022 Championship Moves to First-Ever Network Prime-Time Spot

The National Women’s Soccer League, Ally Financial and CBS Sports announced today that the 2022 Ally Financial NWSL Championship, presented by Budweiser, will air on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ on Saturday, October 29 in its first-ever network prime-time spot live from Audi Field, primary home of the defending NWSL Champion Washington Spiritand home of Major League Soccer Club, D.C. United. The game was moved from its originally scheduled time at Noon ET following a recent collaborative effort by Ally, CBS and the league.

Match coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, Paramount+ and internationally on Twitch, with pre-match coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET exclusively on Paramount+.

“We are delighted to bring the NWSL Championship to D.C. this year and, thanks to the continued collaboration with our partners at CBS and Ally, equally excited to present the match in its first-ever prime-time slot for fans tuning in across the country,” said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman. “As we continue to advance the women’s sports landscape in the U.S. and around the world, this is a particularly significant moment for the league and an opportunity our players wholly deserve. We look forward to celebrating the end of a fantastic 10th anniversary season in person and on the air with what will surely be an exciting final.”

"Like sports fans across the country, we knew it was important to create a pathway to primetime for this year's NWSL championship game. We increased our media investment with CBS to help make it happen, delivering the first action in our promise to watch the game, change the game," said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing and public relations officer. “This is a huge win for the fans, for the players and the league, and for all brands that invest in women’s sports. We are thrilled to be bringing the game to more fans this year, in the spot the sport deserves."

“We are thrilled to present the NWSL Championship Game in primetime, creating more exposure and reach for this fantastic league as we showcase the best in soccer to a passionate fanbase as well as a new audience,” said Dan Weinberg, executive vice president, programming, CBS Sports. “We appreciate the partnership with the NWSL and Ally, as together we make league history in a historic year, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX.”

“We are proud to be welcoming the 2022 NWSL Championship and some of the best athletes in the world to our home –Audi Field – to compete for the league title this season,” said Danita Johnson, D.C. United’s president of business operations. “We look forward to continuing our partnership and work with the NWSL to deliver a top-level championship game and an unforgettable fan experience for all who watch and travel to our beautiful stadium and our city.”

A soccer-specific, grass stadium with a seating capacity of 20,000, Audi Field serves as the home of Major League Soccer’s D.C. United and has been the primary venue for Spirit matches this season. The stadium, which is located in the fastest-growing neighborhood in downtown Washington, D.C. and just a mile from the National Mall, has hosted a variety of top-tier sporting events since it opened in 2018, including a 2019 CONCACAF Nations League fixture between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Cuba and the 2021 Premier Lacrosse League championship game.

To register for priority access to tickets for the 2022 NWSL Championship at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. please visit here. Priority pre-sale begins Wednesday, September 7, 2022 and grants you access to match tickets a day before they become available to the general public on Thursday, September 8, 2022. Additionally, D.C. United and Washington Spirit ticket members will receive exclusive pre-sale access.

The 2022 Ally Financial NWSL Championship, presented by Budweiser, is just one of the ways Budweiser activates its multi-year partnership with the league. As the first official beer sponsor of the NWSL, Budweiser is committed to supporting women's soccer on a year-round basis through experiences, digital content, award recognition and locally with teams and stadiums.

The 2022 NWSL playoffs will feature the top six teams at the end of the regular season, with the top two seeds earning a first-round bye to the semifinals. The quarterfinals are set to begin the weekend of Oct. 15-16 across CBS Sports Network and Paramount+, and the semifinals will take place the weekend of Oct. 22-23 on CBS Sports Network ahead of the Championship game on Oct. 29. All playoff matches will stream internationally on Twitch.

A variety of programming will surround this year’s Championship, including the return of Fan Fest. More details on all ancillary events will be announced in the coming weeks.