Ex-USWNT Star Lauren Holiday Advocates for Unified Women's Soccer Calendar
Lauren Holiday, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist and 2015 World Cup winner with the US Women's National Team, has publicly called for the global harmonization of the women's soccer calendar to foster the sport's expansion. Since retiring, Holiday has transitioned into club ownership, currently chairing the investment group Mercury13, which recently completed the majority purchase of Spanish club FC Badalona Women.
Challenges of Divergent Schedules
The National Women's Soccer League in the United States operates from March to October, while most European leagues, including England's Women's Super League, run from September to May. This discrepancy creates obstacles for player movement and international competitions. Holiday emphasized that a unified schedule could mirror recent shifts in Major League Soccer, which plans to adopt a fall-to-spring calendar starting in July 2027.
"I think either model could work, it just depends on what investment is behind it, who is supporting it in the broadcasting world and who's putting it on prime time?" Holiday stated in an interview with the Guardian. She highlighted the potential benefits of aligning schedules to streamline talent pathways and enhance global competitiveness.
Commercial Disparities and Broadcast Issues
The NWSL boasts significant commercial strength, with domestic TV contracts totaling $60 million annually from partners like ESPN, CBS, Amazon Prime, and Scripps. In contrast, the Women's Super League's domestic TV deal is valued at $17.5 million per season. Additionally, the WSL has faced challenges in securing prime broadcast slots, as Sky Sports often prioritizes men's Premier League and EFL matches.
This has led to low viewership for early kickoffs, such as an average audience of only 59,000 for Arsenal's match against Liverpool in December. Given the NWSL's financial clout, a switch to a summer calendar by European leagues appears more feasible to boost visibility and investment.
Mercury13's Expansion and Ambitious Goals
Mercury13, the women's-only fund chaired by Holiday, has secured substantial investment from Avenue Sports, a global private equity fund with over $1 billion in assets. The group also owns Bristol City Women in WSL2 and FC Como Women in Serie A. For FC Badalona Women, currently eighth in Liga F and competing in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, Holiday has set an ambitious target of Champions League qualification.
"Badalona can be a massive competitor in the European landscape," Holiday asserted. "I think we have a good squad, and if we keep on pushing we can reach the Champions League. How incredible would that be?"
Closing the Competitive Gap
Holiday acknowledged that the NWSL sets a high standard globally due to its competitive depth across 16 teams, but she noted that European leagues are rapidly closing the gap. She pointed out that in the NWSL, the disparity between clubs is smaller, leading to more balanced competition, whereas leagues like the WSL and La Liga often have a few dominant teams.
"The gap is closing rapidly, for sure," she observed. "I think the difference is that in the NWSL, the disparity across the clubs is smaller, and it's a lot more competitive across the whole league." She attributed this to robust talent pathways in the US, where women's soccer is a top sport for girls, supported by college and club systems.
Holiday's advocacy underscores a growing movement to align women's soccer schedules worldwide, aiming to enhance the sport's profile, attract investment, and create a more cohesive global framework for players and fans alike.
