Subaru Park to host Gotham FC-Orlando Pride NWSL game Aug. 20

Big names on the field will include Gotham's Margaret Purce and Orlando's Marta.

Gotham FC's game against Washington at Subaru Park last year was a celebration for Carli Lloyd ahead of her retirement from playing,Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

Published Apr. 29, 2022, 3:03 p.m. ET

For the second year in a row, Gotham FC will play a National Women’s Soccer League game at Subaru Park.

Gotham announced Friday that its game Aug. 20 against the Orlando Pride will take place at 7 p.m. in Chester. When the NWSL’s schedule for the year first came out, the venue for the game initially was listed as TBD — which naturally led Philly-area women’s soccer fans to wonder. Now they have the answer.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Philadelphia Union and bring the NWSL to the Philly area again,” Gotham general manager Yael Averbuch West said in a statement. “Our club is committed to doing everything possible to grow this league and the success of last year’s match highlighted the deep passion for soccer within the Philly community.”

Last year, Gotham played the Washington Spirit in October at Subaru Park. The game initially was set up as a homecoming salute for Carli Lloyd, the Delran native’s first club game at a Philly-area venue in her long career. It ended up being more than that. Amid a series of abuse scandals that rocked the league (and continue to), players stopped the game for a demonstration of solidarity that drew a standing ovation from the 9,532 fans in attendance.

This time, Lloyd will watch the game from a suite instead of being on the field. She recently bought a part-ownership stake in Gotham, and will work as a marketing consultant and ambassador for the club.

It is also hoped that the same clouds of scandal won’t hanging over the NWSL and the two teams on the field.

But plenty of recognizable names will be in the building. Gotham includes U.S. national team regulars Margaret Purce and Kristie Mewis, rising prospect Imani Dorsey, and World Cup-winning former stalwarts Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris.

Players with local ties include Mercer County’s Nicole Baxter and the Lehigh Valley’s Gina Lewandowski, and Philadelphia Independence alumna Estelle Johnson — still a favorite among fans here who remember watching her play.

Orlando is led by Brazilian superstar Marta and former U.S. national team striker Sydney Leroux, and its coaching staff includes U.S. legend Michelle Akers. It’s been three years since Marta last came to town with Brazil’s national team, and she’s still one of global women’s soccer’s most entertaining players.

“After an exciting match in 2021, we look forward to welcoming back Gotham FC fans to Subaru Park later this summer,” said Tim McDermott, Philadelphia Union president. “The Union are committed to the growth of soccer in the Delaware Valley and are proud to provide a stage for these incredible athletes.”

Tickets will go on sale to the general public May 3, with a presale May 2 for fans who sign up through Gotham FC’s website. More information will be available on the site soon.