By: Emma Hruby | Just Women’s Sports
The NWSL made a big return from the international break, setting a new attendance record.
The Chicago Red Stars welcomed 35,038 fans to Saturday’s one-off game at iconic Wrigley Field. It beat the previous high of 34,130 set by Seattle during Megan Rapinoe’s final home game in 2023.
It was just the second time the Red Stars played inside city limits, with the team normally based at Seat Geek Stadium in Bridgeview, a Chicago suburb. But with new ownership, the team is looking at possibly moving closer to the city — and Saturday’s game proved the appetite is there.
“We’ll get the support that we need if we have a stadium in the city, and this is just the beginning,” said Red Stars forward Penelope Hocking after the game.
Chicago’s attendance boosted the weekend’s overall numbers, as it was also the first time in NWSL history that league-wide attendance exceeded 100,000 in a single weekend.
But on the field, Chicago lost 2-1 to Bay FC, putting them in sixth place. Kansas City, Orlando, Washington, Portland, and Gotham all saw positive results this weekend, establishing a five-point divide between them and the rest of the pack.
Both the Current and Pride remain unbeaten, although Orlando’s winning streak has come to an end following a 1-1 draw with San Diego.
Ahead of the coming weekend’s matchups, Portland will be hoping that an appeal on Sophia Smith’s second yellow card is successful, otherwise they will be without the Golden Boot leader against Seattle.