"With seven of the league's 16 markets hosting World Cup programming, the NWSL is proactively adjusting its scheduling framework to accommodate expected stadium demands," the league said in a statement. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman previously told ESPN that the league would not shut down for the entire men's World Cup. There are three weeks of potential overlap in July between the NWSL schedule and the men's World Cup. The United States will also serve as the primary host of the 2031 women's World Cup. Historically, the NWSL has played during women's World Cups despite many teams missing players due to international duty, but that trend is changing.