NWSL and Liga MX Femenil team up to form summer tournament

Details of the summer NWSL tournament were revealed by the league on Wednesday, with six Liga MX Femenil clubs joining all 14 NWSL clubs to create the NWSL × Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. Teams will be split into five groups of four for an initial group stage which runs from July 19 through August 2, followed by four teams advancing to a semifinal round starting August 4 and a championship game in late October.

“Today’s announcement marks a historic milestone for women’s soccer in North America and another significant step in the continued elevation of our global game,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman in a league release. “We’re excited to partner with LIGA MX Femenil to create additional competitive opportunities for our athletes, unlock new rivalries, tap into our collective fanbases and continue our shared mission of raising the value, visibility and global standard of our sport.”  

The groups are primarily regional, with the Seattle Reign drawn into a group with Portland Thorns, Utah Royals and Tijuana. Seattle opens the group stage on July 19 against Utah in a game that will kick off at 6 PM PT at Lumen Field. Their second match is on Sunday, July 28 at 3 PM PT, when they host Tijuana. They then travel to Portland for a Wednesday, July 31 match at Providence Park which kicks off at 7 PM PT.

The other groups feature the three California-based NWSL clubs with Club América; Kansas City, Houston, Tigres UANL and Pachuca; Gotham, Washington, Chicago and Chivas; and Orlando, North Carolina, Louisville and Monterrey.

The group stage and semifinals take place during an extended break in the NWSL regular-season schedule which coincides with many international players expected to be with their national teams at the Olympic games in Paris. The championship game also takes place during an international window when no NWSL matches are scheduled.

Further details on the tournament, including ticketing, broadcast information, competition rules and seeding for the knockout round, will be announced at a later date.