DC’s Audi Field to host 2022 NWSL Championship in prime time

Washington Spirit’s Andi Sullivan, center, holds the trophy as they celebrate after defeating the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL Championship soccer match, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

For the second time this summer, D.C.’s Audi Field has been picked to host a significant soccer match — this time, it’s this year’s National Women’s Soccer League Championship game.

The match will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the stadium in Southwest D.C. at 8 p.m., the first time the league’s showcase event will happen during prime time. According to a news release, the game will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.



“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,” Danita Johnson, D.C. United’s president of business operations, said in a statement.

“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.”

In late June, Major League Soccer chose the D.C. soccer stadium to host the 2023 MLS All-Star game.

Tuesday’s announcement comes more than a month after NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman visited Audi Field during a listening tour and said the location for the final would be revealed “in the not too distant future.”

“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,” Berman said in a release. “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.”

The Washington Spirit — which splits Audi Field with D.C. United as its home venue — won last year’s final in Louisville, Kentucky, defeating the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 in overtime.

This is the second announcement of a soccer showcase event for Audi Field, after D.C.’s failed joint bid to host matches with Baltimore during the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

José Umaña

José Umaña is a digital editor for WTOP. He’s been working as a journalist for almost a decade, covering local news, education and sports. His work has appeared in The Prince George’s Sentinel, The Montgomery Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel, PressBox and The Diamondback.

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