LeiLanni Nesbeth’s first match as a professional footballer will take place in Utah.

The National Women’s Soccer League unveiled its 2024 fixture list yesterday with Nesbeth’s new team, Chicago Red Stars, handed a trip to Salt Lake City to take on Utah Royals in their opening game on March 16.

The Utah Royals are returning to the NWSL this year after ceasing operations in 2020 when their player-related assets transferred to the Kansas City NWSL team, now known as the Kansas City Current.

The re-established team, which has been set up by the owners of Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake, had the first and fourth picks in the 2024 draft selecting Ally Sentnor at No 1 and Brecken Mozingo at No 4.

Nesbeth was selected tenth in the draft by Red Stars, who finished bottom of the NWSL last season, and she will soon start preseason training ahead of her first season as a professional, with Stars’ first home game coming on March 23 against Seattle Reign, who finished fourth last term.

Red Stars will play reigning NWSL champions San Diego Wave on June 24 and have made some big moves this winter in an attempt to improve their fortunes on the pitch.

As well as paying $175,000 in allocation money to North Carolina Courage for the tenth pick to be able to select Nesbeth, they have signed striker Mallory Swanson to an historic long-term contract in the most lucrative agreement in the history of the NWSL, with the forward signing for Red Stars until 2028.

Under new head coach Lorne Donaldson, who led the Jamaican women’s team to become the first Caribbean nation to advance to the round of 16 at the 2023 World Cup, Red Stars have strengthened in a number of areas, signing defenders Maximiliane Rall, Camryn Biegalski and Natalia Kuikka as well as veteran midfielder Shea Groom.