A new international competition will officially join the women’s soccer calendar on Aug. 15, when the very first edition of the Concacaf W Champions Cup begins.
The tournament is modeled after the men’s equivalent and designed to capitalize on the increasing attention and investment in the women’s game around the world. The Concacaf W Champions Cup will allow NWSL teams to test themselves against other top teams in North America, while the latter will have a heightened stage to play on as they measure themselves against the USA-based teams. The competition will also serve as a qualification tournament for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which will feature 16 teams and is currently scheduled to take place in January and February 2026.
Three NWSL teams will take part in the first edition of the competition — reigning champions NJ/NY Gotham FC, 2023 Shield winners San Diego Wave and NWSL Shield runners-up Portland Thorns. Eleven total teams across North America will participate, including three from Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil. Two teams will duke it out for a spot in the group stage, where a total of 10 teams will be divided into two groups.
The group stage will play out this fall, with the top two teams in each group…
