“Women’s football, reimagined,” is how USWNT icon Tobin Heath described the newly launched global tournament of the beautiful game — World Sevens Football. Set to kick off in Estoril, Portugal, the three-day 7v7 competition, running from May 21 to May 23, will feature players from eight renowned clubs competing for a hefty $5 million prize pot per event.

“Bigger moments, better opportunities & real fan access” — that’s the USP of this seven-a-side tournament, making it sound even more exciting than one might expect. As for which teams will be taking part in this emphatic contest, earlier, only four names had been confirmed by the stakeholders and organizers. Those included AFC Ajax Vrouwen (The Netherlands), FC Bayern Women (Germany), Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Portugal), and Manchester United Women (England).

However, earlier today, the final four participating clubs have also been confirmed to officially complete the eight-team slot. Those include Manchester City (England), Paris Saint-Germain (France), AS Roma (Italy), and FC Rosengård (Sweden). All of these big European teams will be bringing their best talent together to compete for the remarkable prize money, while also giving fans an experience of entertainment and, more importantly, a display of women’s soccer like never before.

It is to be noted that the matches in this 7v7 tournament will be played in two halves of 15 minutes each. The pitch dimensions are half the size of a standard regulation field. As for the format, round-robin group-stage matches will lead into the semi-finals and a final showdown. All of this in just a span of three days! Meanwhile, streaming and broadcasting duties have been assigned to the renowned British OTT platform, DAZN.

The main objective of the World Sevens Football tournament is to help clubs and players grow their brand presence. It also aims to connect with younger fans and boost investment in women’s soccer. Recently, the tournament appointed longtime Chelsea executive Adrian Jacob as Head of Football. He is the very name that played an instrumental role in leading Chelsea Women towards seven WSL titles under Emma Hayes’ reign. Meanwhile, former U.S. midfielder and Bay FC co-founder Aly Wagner will lead the strategic side.

Additionally, Tobin Heath will head the player advisory council, joined by former England and France defenders Anita Asante and Laura Georges, as well as ex-USWNT and Swedish midfielders Kelley O’Hara and Caroline Seger. Remarkably, the tournament has secured $100 million in investments over five years, with one of the investors being Jennifer Mackesy, co-owner of Gotham FC. 

One may argue that part of the motivation behind W7F comes from Unrivaled generating over $34 million since its launch (per a report by The Athletic). But this soccer tournament follows a different model. “In our platform, we are putting clubs and players front and centre. That’s how we’re working across the key stakeholders: to really grow that investment in the game. That’s where our model is different,” remarked Aly Wagner.

Then again, the biggest irony of WSF is that only teams across Europe contest. Not a single National Women’s Soccer League or any other team across a non-European country received an invite. Yet, on the brighter side, at least this whole venture sees the involvement of USWNT veterans!

USWNT veterans get praised for spearheading World Sevens Football

Given how Tobin Heath and Kelley O’Hara are the names associated with this newly-launched venture, it is nothing short of a proud moment for the U.S. No wonder it saw their former USWNT teammates Lynn Biyendolo and Sam Mewis, shower high praise for their involvement. “I think it’s cool,” said Lynn while speaking on The Women’s Game podcast.

The Seattle Reign forward believes the tournament will give younger players a chance to make a name for themselves—especially those who struggle for playing time or are often overshadowed by others. Though Biyendolo didn’t hesitate in comparing WSF with Unrivaled, the 2024 Olympian noted that the effect it will have on the soccer community will be much more profound and lasting.

Similarly, Sam Mewis echoed Biyendolo’s sentiments, calling it an “additional opportunity provided by people who are just seeing the rise in women’s sports.” The former Manchester City star applauded the shift away from the traditional league format. She highlighted how this new model is not only opening up fresh possibilities but also building a strong business foundation.

We know May has arrived, but the excitement for this groundbreaking tournament is beyond measurable. Let the games begin!