Which NWSL Teams Will Play in the Concacaf W Champions Cup? Exploring Key Details of the Region’s First Women’s Club Competition

Published 03/13/2024, 2:50 AM EDT

The recent inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup was a huge success. The US successfully managed to dominate the other 11 nations that competed in the tournament to win the title. But it seems the North, Central America and Caribbean-based federation is keen to expand its market for the domestic sides, as they’ve launched the region’s first official women’s continental club championship. With this remarkable development, the focus shifts to the participation of NWSL teams in this exciting new tournament. That said, let’s dive deeper to know more about it.

All about CONCACAF W Champions Cup

“Launching the CONCACAF W Champions Cup is a very exciting next step on our journey of developing all aspects of women’s football in our region.” These words from CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani in the press release suggest that something big is on the horizon. Discussing further about the tournament, the annual competition will kickstart this season and will feature the top clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

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These clubs will compete against each other to vie for the title of the Women’s Champion Cup. This initiative allows clubs from the CONCACAF region to earn qualification for the upcoming FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is bound to be introduced in the coming years.

CONCACAF W Champions Cup format for the 2024–25 season

The preliminary round and group stage matches are scheduled to take place from August to October 2024. Following this, the semifinals and a final will be held in May 2025. A total of 11 clubs from member associations that meet CONCACAF’s eligibility criteria will participate. However, they must qualify through their domestic leagues based on sporting merit, using criteria proposed by their member association and ratified by CONCACAF.

The qualification slots are as follows:

Preliminary Round:

Canada (1 club)
El Salvador (1 club)

The top club from either nation will compete in a preliminary round play-in match to determine which of them advances to the group stage.

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Group Stage:

Mexico: (3 clubs)
USA: (3 clubs)
Costa Rica: (1 club)
Jamaica: (1 club)
Panama: (1 club)

Each team will play a total of four group stage matches, with two matches at home and two away. After the conclusion of the group stage matches, the Top 2 clubs from each group will advance to the Final Four.

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Which NWSL teams will play in the CONCACAF W Champions Cup?

As of now, the NWSL has not announced which teams will represent the league in the tournament. Notably, three teams can enter the tournament. Therefore, NJ/NY Gotham FC, the defending NWSL champions, the NWSL Shield winners San Diego Wave, and the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup holders North Carolina Courage might likely be eligible to participate in the tournament.

Alternatively, the winners of the NWSL, along with the runners-up in the league, could be the Top 3 chosen candidates. Whatever the case, time will provide answers to all the questions.

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Written by:

Abhishek Mishra is a senior Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. His early exposure to playing soccer earned him many accolades at college divisions, making him a sports enthusiast. While closely following daily updates for over a decade, Abhishek is well-versed in European soccer and now the MLS, as well.

Edited by:

Daniel D'Cruz