Soccer Mania Can Continue on New Streaming Platform

The World Cup fueled soccer fever around Davis this summer, and UC Davis’ move to a new conference means fans can keep that enthusiasm going throughout the fall.

Most UC Davis sports, including soccer, moved to the Mountain West Conference on July 1, and games for both the men’s and women’s soccer teams can be seen on the MW+ streaming platform.

“For me, it's exciting,” men’s head coach Dwayne Shaffer said. “It's a new, fresh conference for us to enter and compete in.”

The women’s team will open conference play Sept. 24 at Air Force, with the men following two days later at San Jose State. Other key Mountain West matchups for both teams will include games against UNLV and Grand Canyon; the men will also play Utah Tech while the women will face off against Wyoming, Hawai’i, Nevada and more. Each conference game will be shown on MW+. Fans who subscribe to a full year of the streaming service before the end of the month are eligible for a discounted rate of $67.99, a 15% savings off the regular price of $79.99.

The beautiful game

Soccer was on the minds of many in Davis over the summer, as Aggie alum Max Arfsten competed on the US national team in the World Cup. Even when the Americans were not playing, thousands of fans crowded around outdoor screens at six separate Davis Soccer Fest events. Organizers called it an “incredible summer of soccer in downtown Davis.” 

Both Aggie soccer teams have already opened their fall seasons; the women’s team is currently 2-3-1, while the men have so far gone 0-4-2.

Last year the women’s team finished 3-12-4; the men’s team reached the tournament semifinals, going 4-9-6 overall. The men’s team was picked to finish third in the Mountain West’s first preseason coaches’ poll.

“We've been able to add some really good pure soccer players with what I would consider high-level soccer IQs,” Shaffer said of the 2026 men’s team. “Overall, I'm very excited about the group.”

Women’s head coach Kat Mertz said her team has benefited from 13 additions.

“All of our newcomers have made an immediate impact for us,” Mertz said. “We obviously need to score more goals than we did last year, and they are going to help us do that. They play with joy and are dangerous threats. Our returnees have also been working extremely hard to improve and make significant contributions this season.”

Streaming service benefits UC Davis

The MW+ streaming service not only provides access to live and on-demand coverage, but it also benefits the university. A majority of each subscription purchased through UC Davis’ dedicated page is returned directly to the university, creating a new revenue stream that supports the student-athlete experience and the continued growth of Aggie Athletics.

Throughout the year, MW+ will provide live streaming coverage of Mountain West events not available through traditional broadcast partners, on-demand replays, original programming, and exclusive content highlighting student-athletes and programs across the Conference. Fans will also have access to interactive viewing features and a modern streaming experience available across web, mobile and connected TV devices.

“As we officially join the Mountain West, MW+ gives Aggie fans a new way to follow our teams and stay connected to our student-athletes from anywhere,” said Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca.

MW+ will feature live and on-demand coverage of 16 UC Davis varsity sports competing in the Mountain West, including men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, golf, cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field.

Questions about where to watch specific UC Davis teams? Visit the Aggies’ comprehensive How to Watch guide for the latest information on streaming platforms, television broadcasts and conference affiliations.

Volleyball underway after successful 2025

The UC Davis volleyball team is also hard at work, having gone 2-3 in its first five games of the fall season. The team begins Mountain West Conference play on Sept. 24 with the first of a pair of games at UNLV. The volleyball team is coming off a banner year, having earned a league-best 16 wins while winning the conference title for the first time ever in 2025.

A Mountain West preseason poll picked the Aggies to finish second in the conference this year.

Intercollegiate Athletics contributed to this report.