HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, March 14, 2025) - Utah Royals FC (0-0-0, 0 pts, 13th NWSL) return to America First Field this Saturday, March 15, to open up the 2025 NWSL season, hosting 2024 expansion sibling Bay FC (0-0-0, 0 pts, 2nd NWSL). Kickoff is slated for 5:30 pm MT. Both sides are entering their second season in the NWSL and will look to build upon the foundation laid during the 2024 NWSL season.
Utah Royals FC enters matchday one looking to continue the momentum from the second half of the 2024 NWSL season, where they recorded a 5-4-2, 17-point record after Head Coach Jimmy Coenraets took the helm. Newly signed Spaniard Nuria Rabano and Canadian Bianca St-Georges will look to make an immediate impact in their first seasons on the Wasatch Front. The URFC front office has been busy this off-season, signing eight new players: KK Ream, Alex Loera, Mia Justus, Ana Maria Guzman, Aisha Solorzano, Tatumn Milazzo, Rabano and St-Georges. Coenraets will be eager to continue the momentum from the end of last season with his squad, which now has considerable depth across all positions.
The Royals swept Bay FC during the 2024 NWSL season claiming all six points across the two matches. The first came on June 16 at PayPal Park, where an 89th-minute Kate Del Fava headed goal off an Ally Sentnor cross gave Utah a 1-0 win on the road. 68 days later, on August 23, Bay FC visited Sandy, and it ended in a 2-1 victory for URFC. Captain Paige Monaghan got on the board in the 48th minute with a shot from outside the box. Seven minutes later, Bay FC defender Emily Menges scored an own goal, giving Utah a comfortable 2-0 lead. A late 83rd-minute Bay FC goal wasn't enough to stop Utah from taking all three points.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
WATCH LIVE on ION with JP Dellacamera and Jill Loyden :: Utah Royals FC vs Bay FC | America First Field | 5:30 p.m. MT
OR
LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 5:00 p.m. MT
Bay FC concluded the inaugural 2024 NWSL season with a record of 11 wins, 14 losses, and one draw, placing them seventh in the league standings with 34 points. Despite a challenging start, where they lost seven out of 10 matches, the team was able to secure a playoff berth, becoming only the second expansion team in NWSL history to do so. However, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Washington Spirit.
After Saturday night’s match, Utah hits the road for a two-match trip. First, heading to San Diego to take on the Wave on March 22, followed by a visit to Kansas City to face the Current on March 29. The Royals return home on April 11 to take on Portland Thorns FC, an opponent that URFC remained undefeated against in the 2024 NWSL season. Kickoff for that match is set for 8:00 p.m. MT, and tickets for both matches can be found at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/single.
