TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

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In a historic partnership between the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) of the United States and Liga MX Femenil of Mexico, the inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup kicks off this summer, promising to be a milestone event in women's soccer

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The NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, debuting in 2024, will feature 20 teams: all 14 NWSL clubs and the six highest-ranked teams from Liga MX Femenil’s 2023 Apertura and Clausura seasons. These Liga MX Femenil teams include Tigres UANL, Club América, Chivas de Guadalajara, Rayadas de Monterrey, Pachuca, and Tijuana. The competition spans from July 19 to October 25, 2024, taking place across various venues in the United States and Mexico.

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Format and Schedule

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The tournament will commence with a group stage featuring five groups of four teams each. Starting on July 19, each team will play three matches within their group. Notably, nearly all group stage matches will be held in the U.S., except for a notable clash between Tigres and Pachuca at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey.

 

The group stage will be followed by a knockout round, with the four highest-scoring teams across all groups advancing to the semifinals on August 6. These pivotal matches will be held at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The grand finale is set for October 25 at Toyota Field in San Antonio, Texas.

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BROADCASTING

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For fans eager to catch the action, CBS Sports will provide comprehensive coverage of all 33 matches, including live streaming on Paramount+. Key matches, including the semifinals and the final, will also be simulcast on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. For Spanish-speaking audiences, TUDN will broadcast select group stage matches, while NWSL+ will cover the remaining games in Spanish within the U.S. International broadcasting details will be announced soon.

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Teams and Participants

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NWSL Teams:

- Angel City FC

- Bay FC

- Chicago Red Stars

- Houston Dash

- Kansas City Current

- NJ/NY Gotham FC

- North Carolina Courage

- Orlando Pride

- Portland Thorns FC

- Racing Louisville FC

- San Diego Wave FC

- Seattle Reign FC

- Utah Royals

- Washington Spirit

 

Liga MX Femenil Teams:

- Tigres UANL

- Club América

- Chivas de Guadalajara

- Rayadas de Monterrey

- Pachuca

- Tijuana

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These teams were chosen based on their accumulated points from the 2023 Clausura and Apertura tournaments.

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GROUPS

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SCHEDULE

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Group A

July 19, 2024

• Seattle Reign - Utah Royals 01:00 GMT

July 21, 2024

• Portland Thorns - Tijuana 23:00 GMT

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July 28, 2024​​

• Utah Royals - Portland Thorns 02:00 GMT

• Seattle Reign - Tijuana 22:00 GMT

August 1, 2024​

• Utah Royals - Tijuana 02:00 GMT

• Portland Thorns - Seattle Reign 02:00 GMT

Group B

July 21, 2024

• San Diego Wave - Bay FC 02:00 GMT

• Angel City - América 02:00 GMT

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July 27, 2024​

• San Diego Wave - América 02:00 GMT

• Bay FC - Angel City 02:99 GMT

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August 2, 2024​

• Angel City - San Diego Wave 02:00 GMT

​August 3, 2024

• Bay FC - América 02:30 GMT

Group C

July 20, 2024​

• Tigres UANL - Pachuca 02:00 GMT

​July 21, 2024

• Kansas City Current - Houston Dash 00:00 GMT

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​July 28, 2024​

• Kansas City Current - Pachuca 00:00 GMT

​​July 29, 2024

• Houston Dash - Tigres UANL 00:00 GMT

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August 2, 2024​

• Kansas City Current - Tigres UANL 00:00 GMT

• Houston Dash - Pachuca 00:00 GMT

Group D

July 20, 2024​

• Chicago Red Stars - Gotham FC 21:00 GMT

​July 21, 2024

• Washington Spirit - Guadalajara 20:30 GMT

July 27, 2024​

• Chicago Red Stars - Guadalajara 00:00 GMT

July 28, 2024​

• Gotham FC - Washington Spirit 22:00 GMT

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July 31, 2024​​

• Washington Spirit - Chicago Red Stars 23:30 GMT

August 3, 2024​

• Gotham FC - Guadalajara 00:00 GMT

Group E

July 20, 2024​

• North Carolina Courage - Orlando Pride 23:30 GMT

July 21, 2024

• Racing Louisville - Monterrey 00:00 GMT

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July 27, 2024​

• Racing Louisville - North Carolina Courage 00:00 GMT

• Orlando Pride - Monterrey 22:00 GMT

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July 31, 2024​

• North Carolina Courage - Monterrey 23:30 GMT

August 1, 2024​

• Orlando Pride - Racing Louisville 23:30 GMT

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Semi-finals (top four group winners)

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August 6, 2024, 21:00 GMT

• Gotham FC - Angel City FC

August 7, 2024, 01:00 GMT

• KC Current - North Carolina Courage

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Final

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October 26, 2024, 00:00 GMT

• Gotham FC - KC Current

 

Genesis of the Tournament

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The idea for the Summer Cup originated with NWSL chief sporting director Tatjana Haenni, who envisioned a collaborative competition to strengthen ties between the NWSL and Liga MX Femenil. Announced in May 2024, this tournament represents a novel approach to international women's club soccer, scheduled strategically during the NWSL's break for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

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Conclusion

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The NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup is set to create a new chapter in women's soccer, providing an exciting platform for North American clubs to showcase their talent on an international stage. As the tournament draws near, fans and players alike are gearing up for what promises to be a groundbreaking and fiercely competitive event.