Boston’s return to the NWSL drew a historic crowd Saturday, even though the Boston Legacy fell 1-0 to Gotham FC in their inaugural match.
An announced crowd of 30,207 attended the game at Gillette Stadium, marking the first women’s professional soccer match in the Boston market since the now-defunct Boston Breakers hosted the same Gotham franchise – then known as Sky Blue FC – in September 2017. That attendance also set a record for an expansion team’s inaugural home game in the NWSL.
Despite the loss, the occasion was a major milestone for a franchise that spent roughly three years preparing for its debut amid stadium delays and branding changes.
“I know that, at this point, standing here today, today is a win,” Boston Legacy control owner Jennifer Epstein said before kick-off, as reported by Jeff Kassouf of ESPN.
Gotham FC secured the win thanks to a second-half goal from Esther González. The Spanish forward, an MVP finalist during Gotham’s championship run last season, entered the match at halftime and scored 10 minutes later to break the deadlock.
Despite the loss, Boston’s debut represented a huge moment for the club and the league after years of planning and challenges, including delays to the renovation of White Stadium, the team’s planned long-term home inside Boston city limits – which is why Saturday's match was played at Gillette Stadium.
“Today I'm just thinking about today and the celebration,” Epstein said. “We're doing something big; we're doing something historic. And yes, it's been hard – harder than one would have thought, but I couldn't be more proud of the effort of the whole organization.”
Boston head coach Filipa Patão emphasized the team’s long-term outlook following the opening match.
“If we won the game, I would say the same to you: It's a process,” Patão said. “We need more games; we need more time. But we're going to achieve the identity that we want.”
Legacy goalkeeper Casey Murphy said the team’s outing during the match left her optimistic.
“A lot of players, you could just see the grit, the attitude to give their all,” Murphy said. “I love fighters. I love leaving it all out there. We were a man down and we still didn't give up. We kept pushing forward until the final whistle.”
