NWSL and MLS are in a unique position, in that they stand to become the first major professional sports leagues that return to action in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down.
The NWSL will be first, with a Challenge Cup tournament for its nine teams in Utah that kicks off June 27. MLS will follow soon after, with a league-wide competition in Orlando to be held from July 8 to Aug. 11.
Their returns at a time when the USA is clamoring for live sports are notable enough in their own right, but they'll be occurring amid the backdrop of a country that's on edge.