y Melissa Silverman
The Washington Spirit, DC’s professional women’s soccer team, will open another season of home matches at Audi Field in Buzzard Point on Saturday, March 23 against expansion club Bay FC.
Last season, the Spirit hosted nearly 120,000 fans across 11 regular season home matches. As they launch their 12th season of league play, some familiar faces from last season’s roster, including U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Ashley Sanchez, have departed, while six new draft picks and experienced players including defender Casey Krueger and forward Brittany Ratcliffe will join the club.
This summer, the Spirit will welcome a new head coach Jonatan Giráldez of FC Barcelona, a 2023 FIFA “Best Women’s Coach” nominee. New assistant coach Adrián González will serve as interim head coach until Giráldez joins the club full time at the conclusion of the FC Barcelona Femení season.
The Spirit’s season will consist of 26 regular season matches, with a league-wide week off prior to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Washington will kick off 2024 on the road against newly named Seattle Reign FC on March 17 before returning to Audi Field for the home opener.
Schedule highlights include nationally broadcast home matches against NJ/NY Gotham FC on April 20, the Portland Thorns on September 7 and the Houston Dash on September 15.
Special theme nights are scheduled throughout the season, including:
- March 31 – Women’s Empowerment
- April 20 – Kicking Women’s Cancer presented by Inova
- May 18 – Salute to Service
- May 24 – Pitchside Pups
- June 15 – Juneteenth
- June 29 – Pride
- August 25 – DC Ward Day presented by CareFirst
- September 7 – Disability Awareness
- September 15 – CVS Health Day
- October 13 – Hispanic Heritage
- October 20 – Fan Appreciation presented by Snickers