On Tuesday, the National Women’s Soccer League announced the schedule for the second annual Challenge Cup. A tournament that began last season due to COVID-19’s impact on the regularly scheduled 24-match NWSL season. It was the first team major league sport to return in the United States and set a precedent as the first “bubble” season. A format duplicated in the WNBA, NBA, and NHL.
Because of the tournament’s success, it returns in 2021. The league partnered with CBS, aired the matches on network television and the CBS streaming service, resulting in a year-over-year ratings increase of over 500%. This year, the tournament leaves the bubble and takes place in the team’s home markets. The entire schedule can be viewed here.
It begins on April 9th. The ten teams are split into five-team East and West divisions. In the East are the 2019 NWSL Championship winning NC Courage, Sky Blue FC, Washington Spirit, Orlando Pride, and expansion Racing Louisville FC. In the West are the Houston Dash (reigning Challenge Cup champions), Chicago Red Stars, Kansas City, OL Reign, and the 2020 Fall Series-winning Portland Thorns. The top team from each division will play in the championship game on May 8th, on CBS.
Two US National Team friendlies will impact the Challenge Cup. One on April 10th, against Sweden, and a yet-to-be-determined opponent on April 13th. Both matches will be in Europe, meaning that the first few weeks of the Challenge Cup will likely not include any US members. Expect them back for late April matches. This tournament will give teams a chance to see how they will lineup this summer, without their allocated players, when the NWSL plays their regular season with no break for the Olympics in Tokyo.
Watching 21 matches in the span of a month is difficult, so Beyond Women’s Sports chose some of the biggest contests that you can’t miss in April and May.
April 9th – Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars
The NWSL knew what they were doing when they selected the 2020 Challenge Cup finalists for the first match of the tournament. Chicago went into last year’s match against the Dash without having a trophy to their name in NWSL history. Having lost in the 2019 NWSL Championship 4-0 to the NC Courage, a loss still fresh in the minds of supporters and commentators alike, winning the Challenge Cup could have softened the blow.
Four minutes into the match, defender Kayla Sharples conceded a penalty with a foul on midfielder Kristie Mewis in the 18-yard-box. In the 91st minute, Shea Groom extended the lead to 2 and the unlikely Dash won their first league trophy. Unlikely due to Houston never making a playoff in any of the five previous years they were in the league.
April 9th – Portland Thorns FC vs. Kansas City
The second match of the tournament is a big one for Kansas City supporters. Founding NWSL side FC Kansas City was absorbed by the league in 2017 and all contract players were transferred to the 2018 expansion Utah Royals FC. Utah lasted three years until the previous owner Dell Loy Hansen sold the team due to behavior not aligning with the league. From that sale in late 2020; Kansas City had new investors that took over player contracts from Utah and hastily started a side that will play in 2021 and beyond.
Losing a team is something all too familiar with American sports fans, so Kansas City supporters can use this match to celebrate their return. The league has a spot for Utah to return to the league if an investment is secured by 2022.
April 10th – Racing Louisville FC vs. Orlando Pride
Louisville versus Orlando has a first for both teams. On one side, Orlando takes part in their first Challenge Cup. Last season, due to members of Orlando breaking COVID-19 protocols, the Pride didn’t compete in the Utah-based cup. What replaced their on-field competing was internet-stanning that no team wanted, and supporters actively rooted against it because teams that received the Orlando stan treatment ended up losing. They’re surely hoping that bad luck doesn’t follow them onto the field.
On the other side is expansion Racing Louisville FC. The Lavender Legion supporters group welcome the team onto their home field for the first time against Orlando. Louisville doesn’t have any allocated players to worry about player absences but have the expansion-specific task of building chemistry. A team of draftees and players from former NWSL sides get something that other expansion sides haven’t received in past years – a month of meaningful games before the regular season.
April 20th – Sky Blue FC vs. NC Courage
Sky Blue and the Courage are teams that used to represent the bottom and top of the league, respectively. The Courage are coming into 2021 winning the last two NWSL Championships in 2018 and 2019. While Sam Mewis won’t be with the team; playing with Manchester City in the FA Women’s Super League, they still have a talented roster of players. Two of the biggest are Brazilian star Debinha and Lynn Williams (if she is back from likely US duty).
Sky Blue entered 2020 with six total wins out of 48 in the same two years that NC won. The team was plagued with a lack of attention from ownership; the longest winless streak in league history (23), and had multiple draft picks refuse to sign with the club because of leadership.
2020 saw a turnaround of sorts for the New Jersey side, ending the four-match Fall Series in 4th place. This tied their best place in the standings, back in 2013. A match against a strong side will show just how far Sky Blue has come, or how far they still have left.
April 21st – Portland Thorns vs. OL Reign
When it comes to rivalries in the NWSL, nothing comes close to the two Cascadia sides. It’s a close rivalry too. Portland has won 10, Seattle’s OL Reign with 11 and 4 draws in their matchups in the NWSL. Back when people filled soccer stadiums; it had a draw of around, or above, 20,000 the past few years of matches in Portland’s Providence Park.
With high chances that US allocated players are back competing; this matchup could also include names as big as the rivalry with Seattle’s Megan Rapinoe, Brazilian youngster Angelina and England international, and Manchester City loanee, Karen Bardsley. On the other side is midfielder/any-position-she-wants-to-play Crystal Dunn, midfielder Lindsey Horan, US captain Becky Sauerbrunn. And Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair who has the record for most international goals with 186.
In 2020, Portland bested OL Reign twice and that was without Dunn. Portland acquired Dunn on Oct. 22, 2020, but the Reign were also without Rapinoe who opted out of the 2020 Challenge Cup and Fall Series.
These are just five of 21 matches that give soccer supporters a reason to cheer in 2021. All matches are on the CBS network of channels and streaming services. Most contests will be available through the Paramount + app, with a few on CBS Sports Network.
Check Beyond Women’s Sports throughout 2021 for team previews, match recaps from the Challenge Cup, regular season, and playoffs.
Follow me on Twitter @1ThomasCostello. And check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
