MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The 2026 women's soccer season starts up Thursday in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, with seven Southern States Athletic Conference teams opening up on the first day of the season.

William Carey was ranked in the top 10 of the NAIA Preseason Poll, coming in at No. 9, while Life was just a few spots outside of the top 10, ranking 13th to start the season. Tennessee Southern and Xavier are each receiving votes.
 
Eight teams will qualify for the 2026 SSAC Women's Soccer Championship. The tournament will begin October 30-31 with quarterfinal matchups at higher-seeded teams' home sites before the semifinals and finals will commence on November 5 and 7 at the Emory Folmar YMCA Complex in Montgomery.
 
Throughout the regular season and during the postseason, fans can stream matches for FREE at Urban Edge Network. 
 
2026 Season Openers
Thursday, August 20
Brewton Parker at Florida College
Dalton State at (RV) Tennessee Wesleyan
Faulkner at Shorter
Mobile vs. Louisiana Christian
(RV) Tennessee Southern vs. #3 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)
#9 William Carey at LSU Shreveport

Saturday, August 22
Blue Mountain Christian vs. Louisiana Christian
?Thomas at Florida College

Sunday, August 23
#13 Life at (RV) SCAD Savannah
(RV) Xavier vs. Wiley

Thursday, August 27
Point at Columbia International
Wesleyan at Toccoa Falls

Saturday, August 29
Abraham Baldwin vs. New College of Florida
Andrew at Agnes Scott