Utah Royals FC Announces 2019 NWSL Regular Season Schedule
Feb 21, 2019, 10:37 AM
Utah Royals FC forward Katie Stengel (24) takes a shot on goal during the match against the Chicago Red Stars at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
(Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
SANDY, Utah – Utah Royals FC and the National Women’s Soccer League announced the 2019 schedule.
The new women’s soccer club finished the 2018 season in fifth place in the league and only two points from a playoff spot.
The Royals will begin their second season on April 20 at Rio Tinto Stadium against the Washington Spirit. They have received a bye during the opening weekend of the NWSL season.
Last season, URFC beat Washington for their first ever win in club history.
This season, the Royals will have to play three games without some key players from June 7 to July 7 as this year is the Women’s World Cup.
It’s finally here! What games are you most excited about?!
➡️ https://t.co/IwidWCinPq | #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/k0SbEqSZ8o
— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) February 21, 2019
Utah will have 24 regular season matches, 12 at home and 12 on the road. Last season, they had the second highest attendance during the season, with an average of 9,466 fans per game.
URFC returns core players for 2019 including defenders Becky Sauerbrunn, Rachel Corsie, Kelley O’Hara, Becca Moros, Samantha Johnson, and Sydney Miramontez. They will have forwards’ Christen Press, Amy Rodriguez, and Katie Stengel back for the 2019 season. As previously announced, midefielder Veronica “Vero” Boquete will also be essential to the Utah Royals FC roster withstanding departures for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
International FIFA breaks are as followed, June 10 – June 18, followed by the World Cup running June 7 – July 7, August 26 – September 3, and September 30 – October 8.
