The National Women’s Soccer League and Liga MX Femenil will kick off a new partnership with a summer cup competition, starting in July.
The interleague tournament will feature all 14 NWSL teams and the top six Liga MX clubs from 2023. Using total points earned in the Clausura and Apertura tournament, the six clubs from Mexico will be Tigres, America, Chivas, Monterrey, Pachuca and Tijuana.
The tournament will begin July 19 and consist of 30 group-stage games, followed by the semifinals the week of Aug. 4 and the championship match taking place the weekend of Oct. 25-27.
Each team will play a minimum of three games.
Angel City FC, which will be in Group B, will start play July 20 against America at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium (7 p.m.). ACFC’s second group game will be July 26 against Bay FC at PayPal Park in San Jose (7:30 p.m.) and the final group stage game will be Aug. 1 against San Diego Wave at Titan Stadium (7 p.m.)
Here are the participating teams by groups:
Group A: Portland Thorns, Seattle Reign, Utah Royals FC, Tijuana
Group B: Angel City FC, San Diego Wave, Bay FC, America
Group C: Kansas City Current, Houston Dash, Tigres, Pachuca
Group D: Gotham FC, Washington Spirit, Chicago Red Stars, Chivas
Group E: Orlando Pride, North Carolina Courage, Racing Louisville FC, Monterrey
“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,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said. “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 top four teams in terms of points after the group stage will advance to the semifinals. More information, including broadcast details and playoff dates, will be released at a later date.