The defending 2023 NWSL Supporters’ Shield winners will begin their quest for a championship at home versus the Kansas City Current on March 23. They will play 26 regular season matches now that the league has added Bay Football Club and Utah Royals expansion teams.

San Diego hopes to enter the game against KC Current with the Challenge Cup trophy after facing reigning NWSL champions Gotham FC on March 15 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.

“As a club, we have achieved in ways no other expansion team has ever done,” said San Diego head coach Casey Stoney. “We have won the NWSL Shield, broken records and have been supported by the most amazing fans.”

Stoney, whose contract was extended through 2027 with an option for 2028, has been at the helm since the team’s inaugural season in 2022. After the opener against Kansas City, the Wave will play another game at Snapdragon as it will look for revenge against the team that knocked it out of the playoffs, Seattle Reign (previously OL Reign) on March 29.

SD Wave will then travel for back-to-back matches as they face Racing Louisville on April 13 before taking a trip to Florida for a meeting against the Orlando Pride on April 19.

Three of the following four games will be at Snapdragon Stadium versus Bay FC on April 27, Utah Royals on May 8, and Gotham FC on May 12 with the only road match during that span coming on May 3 at Lumen Field for a rematch with Seattle Reign.

SD Wave will take on a revamped Angel City FC squad at BMO Stadium on May 23 with the rematch at Snapdragon Stadium coming Aug. 24. The two matches versus the Portland Thorns will be on July 5 and Sept. 28 with the latter one taking place at home. The Wave will close out the regular season against Racing Louisville on Nov. 3 at home completing its 26 matches in hopes of returning to the playoffs for a third-straight year. The full regular season schedule can be viewed at https://sandiegowavefc.com/schedule/.

Photo courtesy of David Frerker