The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced today that the 2015 NWSL Championship match will be played on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015, at Providence Park in Portland, Ore. The championship match will kick off at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT with a national television broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
“Everyone with the NWSL, from our clubs to our broadcast partner, is thrilled to bring our marquee event to Portland,” NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush said. “Prior to the 2015 season, our owners made the decision to change the playoff format from the higher-seed hosting the final to a pre-determined location. We are very excited to start this next chapter of our League’s championship match. Providence Park gives us a great opportunity to put on a fantastic event in front of our fans and for those watching on FOX Sports 1.”
Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m. (PT). Fans will be able to purchase tickets by calling (888) 736-6849 or online at www.portlandthornsfc.com. In addition, fans are also able to purchase tickets at the Providence Park box office. The Providence Park box office is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Portland Thorns FC season ticket holders will have access to an exclusive presale beginning Wednesday, Aug. 26, with details to be emailed to ticket holders later this week. Tickets will be held for fans of both participating teams and will be made available in a special sales window once the teams are set.
“We are pleased to play host to this season’s NWSL Championship game and look forward to a great showcase event for the league in front of the passionate fans of Portland,” said Mike Golub, president of business operations for Portland Thorns FC.
Providence Park, home to Thorns FC, seats 21,144 and has seen NWSL attendance records set in each of the team’s first three seasons in the league. Portland has led the league in attendance all three seasons, and recently featured the second-largest, stand-alone crowd in women’s professional soccer history in the United States on July 22, 2015, in a match against Seattle Reign FC that drew 21,144. In 2015, Thorns FC have established an average attendance of better than 15,000, surpassing their average attendance records from the 2013 and 2014 campaigns of more than 13,000.
The top four teams in the NWSL standings qualify for the playoffs and the higher-seeded teams will each host semifinal matches on Sunday, Sept. 13. Both semifinals and the championship match will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is a nine-team Division-I women’s professional soccer league featuring national team players from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The nine clubs are the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, FC Kansas City, Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC, Washington Spirit and Western New York Flash.
Based in Chicago, the NWSL is supported by the Canadian Soccer Association, Federation of Mexican Football and the United States Soccer Federation. For more information about the NWSL, log on to the league’s official website at www.NWSLsoccer.com.
About Providence Park
Providence Park is an iconic sports and entertainment facility located in the heart of downtown Portland, Ore., at 1844 SW Morrison. Providence Park plays host to a wide variety of events each year, including games for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer and Portland Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, college football and soccer, concerts, community events and public and private functions. The home for professional soccer in Portland since 1975, Providence Park underwent a significant renovation crafted to create one of the most unique and authentic soccer environments in the country ahead of the Timbers’ debut season in MLS in 2011. Originally constructed in 1926, Providence Park is an historic civic gathering place that has played host to some of the region’s most memorable events, including presidential visits, a 1957 concert by Elvis Presley, the National Football League’s first game decided by overtime, Pele’s official last professional game, the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game. For more information, visit www.ProvidenceParkPDX.com.
