NWSL final draws over 1 million viewers on CBS

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NEW YORK (AP) — The National Women's Soccer League championship match between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit on Saturday averaged 1,184,000 viewers on CBS and Paramount+, the league announced Tuesday.

The NWSL said it was the most-watched final in league history, and marked a 22% increase in viewership over the 2024 final and 45% over the 2023 final.

Gotham won the championship 1-0 on a second-half goal from Rose Lavelle. The television audience for the match, played at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, peaked at 1.55 million viewers.

"This record-setting audience demonstrates the deepening connection fans have with our players, our clubs and the world-class competition on the field, and it underscores the growing demand for women’s soccer on the biggest stages,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement released by the league.

The NWSL's seven postseason matches broadcast across ABC/ESPN and CBS averaged 550,000 viewers and drew a cumulative audience of 3.36 million, the league said. That was an 18% increase over the 2024 season.

The combined attendance for the seven playoff matches was 114,459, the league said. The final drew a sellout crowd of 18,000.

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