The NWSL this season has spiced things up to a different level. The introduction of VAR, 2 new teams, and 4 different broadcasting partners ensured that the popularity of the league went to the next level. As such, there was a concern among the supporters as to how the league would deal with the Summer Olympics. Well, they have taken an innovative approach and announced a new competition called the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup! A ‘historic milestone‘, per National Women’s Soccer League commissioner Jessica Berman.

Just as the name suggests, the tournament will feature teams from the American and Mexican women’s leagues. It seems the creators have taken a bit of inspiration from the recent success of the Leagues Cup, which featured teams from the US, Mexico, and Canada. Let’s dive in.

Streaming and where to watch

Broadcasting details have not been revealed for the Summer Cup. However, since it is an inter-league competition, we will likely see more than 1 broadcaster, akin to the current NWSL system.

NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup: Venues and Participating Teams

The upcoming tournament features all the 14 NWSL teams along with 6 Liga MX Femenil teams that have acquired the maximum points in the 2023 Apertura and Clausura tournament. The 6 teams are Pachuca, Tigres UANL, Club América, Tijuana, Chivas, and Monterrey.

As of now, only the match details regarding the group fixtures have been released. Most of the venues for the Group Stage are in America. Some of the notable locations include SeatGeek Stadium, CPKC Stadium, Titan Stadium from the US, and Estadio Universitario in Mexico.

Tournament Rules

The Summer Cup is a group stage and knockout tournament with an interesting twist. The 20-team competition features 5 groups of 4 each. However, only 4 teams will qualify for the semi-finals. This means that one table-topper with the least points will face elimination!

Regarding the group composition, 4 of the groups feature 3 NWSL clubs and 1 club from Liga MX Femenil. On the other hand, Group C has two teams from both leagues. In the SFs, the Top point team will face off against the 4th best table-topper. For the 2nd SF, the 2nd best and 3rd best teams will go head to head. There is no further match between the losing sides of the respective ties.

NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup: Prize Money, Trophy and Scheduling

Unfortunately, neither the NWSL nor Liga MX Femenil have posted any information regarding the prize money and the trophy for the winners. We will probably receive further updates regarding the same in the coming weeks.

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The 33-match competition kicks off on July 19th and the Group Stage concludes on August 2nd and the semi-finals are slated for the week from August 4th. It is worth noting that most of the matches will be held in the evening as early as 5 pm. The final will be held 2 months later, between October 25-27. As such, the schedule means that the completion will clash with the Paris 2024 Olympics, which runs from July 26 to August 11. The Summer Olympics will cause many key stars unable to participate in this competition because of National Team duty.

Furthermore, adding to the schedule congestion, the Top 3 NWSL sides will also play in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup in August. This tournament could serve as a pathway to the proposed FIFA Women’s Club World Cup.

The upcoming Summer Cup is a game-changer for the women’s game. It could potentially widen the NWSL audience in the future. Moreover, it is likely that this edition of the tournament is not the final iteration. Case in point, the Leagues Cup, which started as an 8-team competition to currently having 47! What is your opinion of the upcoming tournament? Share your views below.

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