CHICAGO, Ill. — The National Women's Soccer League ( NWSL ) announced today the complete schedule for the 2015 regular season, which includes numerous highlights for the Red Stars, such as a doubleheader with the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park and a four-game homestand to open the campaign. Fans have additional reason for excitement as the team plays 16 of its 20 total games on weekends, with seven of its ten home games taking place on Saturday, two on Sunday and only one on Wednesday.
All but one fixture at Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex take place before or after the Women's World Cup, meaning all international stars will be available for the vast majority of home matches. This includes all visits by the big three, Seattle Reign FC, Portland Thorns FC and FC Kansas City.
The doubleheader with the Fire is scheduled for Saturday, May 9. After the MLS side takes on Real Salt Lake in the day's first fixture, the Red Stars face the Boston Breakers.
The early four-game homestand commences with the highly anticipated home opener against current regular season champions Seattle on Saturday, April 18, and ends with the doubleheader at Toyota Park. Exactly one week after squaring off with Reign FC, captain Lori Chalupny and company welcome another NWSL title contender to their home turf, as Portland will make the trip out east for an April 25 meeting.
Chicago's home fixture against defending NWSL champions Kansas City is scheduled for Saturday, August 1. The team closes out the regular season on Labor Day weekend with a Sunday, September 6, matchup against visiting superstar Carli Lloyd and the Houston Dash, two weeks after welcoming Abby Wambach and the Western New York Flash for an August 23 clash.
The Red Stars will soon be announcing their theme nights for the 2015 campaign. While all individual game tickets go on sale this coming Monday, February 9, fans are already able to purchase season tickets as well as tickets to the big April 18 home opener against Seattle Reign FC by calling 773-698-6001 or by visiting www.chicagoredstars.com
There has been plenty of buzz surrounding the clash with Seattle, whom Head Coach Dames' squad battled to an impressive 1-1-1 record over the course of 2014. In one of the most memorable games of last year's campaign, Chicago ended Reign FC's record 16-game unbeaten streak by handing their star-studded opposition a 1-0 defeat in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
In addition to U.S. national team greats Sydney Leroux, Megan Rapinoe and Hope Solo, Seattle features 2014 Golden Boot winner and league MVP Kim Little and Welsh midfield ace Jess Fishlock. After the two sides' April 18 clash, the Red Stars face Reign FC again when they travel to the Pacific Northwest for a meeting on May 30.
Third-year side Portland boasts world-class striker Alex Morgan as well as fellow U.S. international Rachel Van Hollebeke, German goalkeeping giant Nadine Angerer, explosive Spanish attacker VerÃ"nica Boquete and legendary Canadian goal-scorer Christine Sinclair. Chicago's only other meeting with the Thorns following the April 25 home match is at Portland on August 9.
Kansas City will look to keep clean sheets courtesy of the Stars and Stripes duo of goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and defender Becky Sauerbrunn. The attack will be powered by the lethal U.S. national team triangle of Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Holiday and Heather O'Reilly. In addition to the August 1 meeting with the defending champs, the Red Stars will face FCKC in an away game on May 23.
Starting Monday, tickets to all 2015 home matches may be purchased by calling 773-698-6001 or by visiting www.chicagoredstars.com
Complete 2015 Chicago Red Stars Schedule
Saturday, April 18, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Seattle Reign FC, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, April 25, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Portland Thorns FC, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 7:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 2, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 5 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 9, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers, Toyota Park ( Bridgeview, Ill. ), * Doubleheader with Chicago Fire, 4 p.m. CT
Friday, May 15, 2015, Houston Dash, Chicago Red Stars, BBVA Compass Stadium ( Houston, Texas ), 7:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 23, 2015, FC Kansas City, Chicago Red Stars, Swope Soccer Village ( Kansas City, Mo. ), 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 30, 2015, Seattle Reign FC, Chicago Red Stars, Moda Pitch at Memorial Stadium ( Seattle, Wash. ), 9 p.m. CT
Saturday, June 6, 2015, Western New York Flash, Chicago Red Stars, Sahlen's Stadium ( Rochester, N.Y. ), 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, June 20, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Washington Spirit, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 7 p.m. CT
Sunday, June 28, 2015, Sky Blue FC, Chicago Red Stars, Yurcak Field ( Piscataway, N.J. ), 6 p.m. CT
Sunday, July 12, 2015, Houston Dash, Chicago Red Stars, BBVA Compass Stadium ( Houston, Texas ), 7:30 p.m. CT
Wednesday, July 15, 2015, Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium ( Allston, Mass. ), 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, July 18, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Boston Breakers, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 7 p.m. CT
Wednesday, July 25, 2015, Washington Spirit, Chicago Red Stars, Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland Soccer Plex ( Boyds, Md. ), 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, August 1, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 7 p.m. CT
Sunday, August 9, 2015, Portland Thorns FC, Chicago Red Stars, Providence Park ( Portland, Ore. ), 9 p.m. CT
Wednesday, August 12, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 1 p.m. CT
Sunday, August 23, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Western New York Flash, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 4 p.m. CT
Saturday, August 29, 2015, Western New York Flash, Chicago Red Stars, Sahlen's Stadium ( Rochester, N.Y. ), 6 p.m. CT
Sunday, September 6, 2015, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex ( Lisle, Ill. ), 4 p.m. CT
Chicago Red Stars, founded in 2007, are one of nine professional clubs in the National Women's Soccer League ( NWSL ). The team boasts players from the U.S. and Canadian Women's National Teams, in addition to some of the top international players from around the world. For more information on the Red Stars and to purchase tickets, please visit the team's official website.
www.chicagoredstars.com .
