Women’s Sports Sundays is extending into fall 2026 with 11 weeks of programming on ESPN, led by college volleyball and NWSL matches. The expanded schedule begins Sept. 13 and adds WNBA postseason coverage, women’s boxing, college basketball and WTGL, giving the network a longer Sunday framework for women’s competition.
Key Takeaways
- ESPN will run Women’s Sports Sundays for 11 fall weeks beginning Sept. 13.
- The announced slate includes 10 college volleyball matches and five NWSL matches.
- NWSL Decision Day on Nov. 1 will put all eight league matches across ESPN platforms in the United States.
- WNBA playoff coverage, MVPW boxing, women’s college basketball and WTGL are also part of the fall mix.
ESPN is carrying Women’s Sports Sundays beyond its original summer run, turning a nine-week programming block into a fall schedule spanning multiple women’s leagues and college sports.
The change keeps women’s competition in a recurring Sunday window that ESPN introduced after Sunday Night Baseball moved to NBC. The summer version centered largely on the WNBA and NWSL. The fall schedule shifts college volleyball into the lead role while retaining soccer and adding other sports.
Women’s Sports Sundays Expands to 11 Fall Weeks
ESPN announced the extension Sept. 9, four days before the fall schedule begins with the championship round of the Paradise Invitational at 5 p.m. ET on Sept. 13. UCLA at Utah follows at 8 p.m. ET.
The network said the fall franchise will feature 11 consecutive weeks on ESPN and the ESPN App for eligible subscribers. Ten college volleyball matches and five NWSL matches are already listed, with women’s college basketball and WTGL details still to come.
Susie Piotrkowski, ESPN vice president of women’s sports programming and espnW, said the network wanted to “continue building this franchise” after its inaugural summer run. The format allows ESPN to move between sports as league calendars change rather than ending with one season.
The summer block also provided an audience benchmark. ESPN reported that the July 5 Indiana Fever-Las Vegas Aces WNBA game averaged 1.6 million viewers, citing Nielsen Big Data + Panel measurement. A separate report after the first three weeks put WNBA games within the Sunday franchise at an average of 1.04 million viewers.
College Volleyball and NWSL Anchor the Schedule
College volleyball accounts for the largest share of the announced fall lineup. The Sept. 7 AVCA Division I poll ranked Pittsburgh No. 2, Kentucky No. 3, Stanford No. 4, Louisville No. 5, SMU No. 8, Texas No. 9 and Florida No. 10, placing several scheduled Sunday matchups between current top-10 teams.
Those games include Kentucky at Florida on Oct. 4, Stanford at Louisville and Pittsburgh at SMU on Oct. 11, Florida at Texas on Oct. 18 and Louisville at Pittsburgh on Nov. 15. Rankings can change during the season, but the current poll gives those dates added competitive weight.
The added broadcast visibility arrives as athlete support is receiving attention away from competition. A female athlete research network has expanded internationally around health and performance research, reflecting a separate effort to strengthen resources surrounding women in sports.
The NWSL portion begins Sept. 20 with Chicago Stars FC against the Washington Spirit at 5 p.m. ET. Bay FC hosts Orlando Pride on Sept. 27 and Portland Thorns FC on Oct. 18, followed by Kansas City Current against Washington on Oct. 25.
The league’s Nov. 1 Decision Day is the largest soccer component. The NWSL says all 16 clubs will play simultaneously for playoff positioning, with all eight matches available across ESPN platforms as the exclusive U.S. home for Decision Day. The league expanded ESPN’s 2026 regular-season package to 33 matches, including the eight season-ending games.
Boxing, Basketball and WTGL Broaden the Sunday Mix
The fall block is not limited to volleyball and soccer. ESPN has scheduled a possible Game 4 of a WNBA semifinal on Oct. 11 at either 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. ET on ABC if the series requires it, alongside two college volleyball matches that afternoon.
On Nov. 8, MVPW-07 is scheduled to feature Elif Turhan against Alycia Baumgardner at 8:30 p.m. ET. ESPN has also said women’s college basketball and WTGL will appear within the franchise, although specific Sunday matchups for those sports had not been announced as of Sept. 9.
Outside television, sports opportunities for girls announced this month span 32 organizations across 20 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, another current development in the wider women’s sports landscape.
ESPN’s published Women’s Sports Sundays slate also lists the NCAA Volleyball Selection Special for Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. ET. That date comes after the 11-week period that begins Sept. 13, so it is best read as an additional listed event rather than extending the stated consecutive-week count.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Women’s Sports Sundays begin this fall?
The fall run begins Sunday, Sept. 13, with the Paradise Invitational championship round at 5 p.m. ET, followed by UCLA at Utah at 8 p.m. ET. ESPN describes Women’s Sports Sundays as an 11-week fall programming extension.
Which sports are included in the fall schedule?
The confirmed mix includes college volleyball, NWSL soccer, WNBA postseason coverage and MVPW boxing. ESPN has also announced women’s college basketball and WTGL, with additional details still pending.
What happens on NWSL Decision Day?
The NWSL regular season concludes Nov. 1 with all eight matches played simultaneously at 5 p.m. ET for playoff positioning. ESPN will carry all eight Decision Day matches across its platforms in the United States.
