Defending champions Gotham FC opens the 2026 season Saturday afternoon with a road match against expansion side Boston Legacy FC at Gillette Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET and the match will air nationally on ABC. The game is the first meeting between the clubs and marks Boston’s debut in the NWSL.
The Bats begin the new campaign after winning its second league title in three seasons last November. The club also captured a bronze medal at the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup earlier this year, carrying momentum into the start of its title defense.
Last season, Gotham combined strong defensive organization with balanced scoring. The club set a franchise record with 11 regular-season shutouts and allowed just 25 goals across 26 matches. Eleven different players scored during the regular season as Gotham finished with 36 points, tied for the second-highest total in club history.
Saturday also marks the return of top-flight professional women’s soccer to the Boston market. The previous Boston-based NWSL club, the Boston Breakers, played its final match in 2017, a 4-3 loss to Gotham’s former identity, Sky Blue FC.
Boston’s roster includes former Gotham players Ella Stevens and Josefine Hasbo, both members of Gotham’s 2025 championship-winning squad. Saturday’s opener gives both players an early matchup against their former team.
Gotham signed Norwegian international star Guro Reiten earlier this week to add to their attacking ranks ahead of the season opener. Head coach Juan Carlos Amorós praised her experience and understanding of the game.
“Everyone knows she is one of the best left-footed players in the world and she has done that consistently,” Amorós said. “She has the experience in the game that will really help us win.”
Amorós acknowledged the biggest challenge for the defending champions this season will be maintaining a consistent level throughout a demanding schedule. Gotham is expected to play nine more matches than it did last year because of additional competitions.
“The biggest challenge for us this year is ourselves achieving that consistency,” Amorós said. “The only team that will be playing every game with us this year is ourselves. We need to be at our best in every single match.”
Defender Lilly Reale’s availability for the opener is questionable. Amorós said the injury that forced Reale to leave the USWNT camp early initially looked more serious than it turned out to be, but the reigning NWSL Rookie of the Year has trained intermittently with the team this week. Reale was not listed on Gotham’s availability report, which leaves open the possibility that she could feature against Boston.
Several Gotham players will miss the season opener. Bruninha (hamstring), Ryan Campbell (thigh), Mandy Freeman (lower leg), Talia Sommer (thigh), and Taryn Torres (ACL recovery) are unavailable. Reiten is also out because of an excused absence. Midfielder Mak Whitham is away on international duty with the United States under-17 national team.
Boston’s availability report lists Lais Araujo (thigh) and Chloe Ricketts (ankle) as unavailable for the club’s first NWSL match.
Saturday’s match presents an early challenge for the defending champions and gives Boston the opportunity to begin its inaugural campaign against one of the league’s established contenders.
