Denver Summit open Centennial Stadium vs Portland Thorns
Denver Summit FC hosts the Portland Thorns on Saturday at brand-new Centennial Stadium in Centennial, Colorado, marking the expansion club's first match at its temporary home. USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps is eligible for her Summit debut against her former club, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
Key Takeaways
- The Portland Thorns Denver Summit clash doubles as Centennial Stadium's NWSL debut.
- Lindsey Heaps is on Denver's active roster and eligible to play for the first time this weekend.
- Heaps returns to face Portland, where she won the 2017 NWSL Championship and 2018 MVP.
- The Summit sit 10th after 13 matches, four points from the playoff line.
- Kickoff is Saturday, July 18, at 2 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
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Why does the Portland Thorns Denver Summit match matter?
Saturday is a landmark afternoon for Colorado's NWSL expansion side. Denver Summit FC opens Centennial Stadium, the temporary venue next to its new training center, against third-place Portland Thorns FC.
According to CBS Sports, Heaps is officially rostered and available after months waiting out her OL Lyonnes contract status. The club announced the Golden native's move in January.
ESPN reports the temporary stadium debuts Saturday, with a permanent home expected to open in 2028. The match also puts Heaps opposite the club that defined her first NWSL chapter.
What makes Lindsey Heaps' homecoming so personal?
Heaps left Colorado at 18 to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, becoming the first American woman to skip college for a pro deal out of high school. She later starred for the Portland Thorns from 2016, scoring 31 goals in 105 appearances.
With Portland she claimed the 2017 NWSL Championship, two NWSL Shields (2016 and 2021), and the 2018 league MVP award. After five seasons in France—including a 2022 UEFA Women's Champions League title—she is back near family in Golden.
"It is such a weird feeling," Heaps told ESPN of driving I-25 to training, a highway she once took as a kid to club soccer. Head coach Nick Cushing said adding the USWNT captain should sharpen mentality and create new tactical options.
How are the Summit positioned heading into the Thorns clash?
Denver already set an NWSL attendance mark with 63,004 fans at Empower Field at Mile High for its home opener. On the pitch, though, the Summit are 10th in the 16-team league after 13 games and sit four points outside the playoff spots.
CBS Sports notes a two-game winless stretch after the World Cup break: a 3-0 loss to the Kansas City Current and a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dash. Cushing has stressed cleaner defending of "cheap moments" as Denver pushes for a second-half surge.
When and where can fans watch Centennial Stadium's opener?
Denver Summit FC vs. the Portland Thorns is set for Saturday, July 18, at Centennial Stadium in Centennial, Colorado. Television coverage is on CBS, with streaming on Paramount+, as part of an NWSL doubleheader that continues with Bay FC against the North Carolina Courage.
Heaps' eligibility gives Summit supporters their first chance to see the hometown captain wear the crest on the new pitch—and gives Portland a reunion with one of its most decorated former stars.