Thorns to open 2024 season at Kansas City on March 16

PORTLAND — The Portland Thorns will begin the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season on the road, facing Kansas City Current on Saturday, March 16, the league announced Thursday.

The 10 a.m. opening match will be broadcast on ABC.

The Thorns will host their home opener the following week, on Sunday March 24, taking on NY/NJ Gotham FC at Providence Park. The 4 p.m. match will be on ESPN2.

Portland will play 26 games, facing each team twice, once at home and once on the road, with the last regular-season match taking place on Nov. 1 against Angel City at Providence Park.

As part of the league’s expanded postseason format, eight clubs will qualify for the quarterfinal round taking place the weekend of Nov. 9-10. The semifinal round kicks off the weekend of Nov. 16-17 ahead of the NWSL Championship on Nov. 23.

The 2024 campaign marks the beginning of the league’s landmark four-year domestic media rights agreements with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports on ION Network, that will see 121 matches, including 113 regular season contests, all seven playoff fixtures and the 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup, featured on national platforms throughout the season.

Portland will have three matches on CBS, with an additional two on CBS Sports Network, as well as five matches streaming on Prime Video, and nine on Scripps Sports.