NWSL Challenge Cup

The NWSL Challenge Cup, currently known as the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons,[1] is an annual tournament organized by the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top-tier women's league in the United States soccer league system. The tournament is open to all NWSL teams.

NWSL Challenge Cup
Organizing bodyNational Women's Soccer League
FoundedMay 27, 2020 (2020-05-27)
RegionUnited States
Current champion(s)North Carolina Courage
(2nd title)
Most successful club(s)North Carolina Courage
(2 titles)
Television broadcastersCBS Sports
Websitehttps://www.nwslsoccer.com/
2023 NWSL Challenge Cup

The NWSL Challenge Cup was first held in 2020 as a one-off tournament to mark the league's return to action from the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] It was the first top-tier professional sports league in the United States to restart after COVID-19 lockdowns began.[3] Subsequently, the NWSL announced that it would return as an annual league cup competition.[4] The current (2023) cup holders are the North Carolina Courage.

Records and statistics

Results by team
Team Winners Runners-up Last won
North Carolina Courage 2 0 2023
Houston Dash 1 0 2020
Portland Thorns FC 1 0 2021
Chicago Red Stars 0 1 –
Racing Louisville FC 0 1 –
NJ/NY Gotham FC 0 1 –
Washington Spirit 0 1 –

List of finals
Season Winners Score Runners-up Venue Attendance Player of the Final Tournament MVP
2020 Houston Dash 2–0 Chicago Red Stars Rio Tinto Stadium 0 (behind closed doors) Shea Groom (Houston Dash) Rachel Daly (Houston Dash)
2021 Portland Thorns FC 1–1
6–5 (p)		 NJ/NY Gotham FC Providence Park n/a Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC) Debinha (North Carolina Courage)
2022 North Carolina Courage 2–1 Washington Spirit Sahlen's Stadium 3,163 Kerolin (North Carolina Courage) Debinha (North Carolina Courage)
2023 North Carolina Courage 2–0 Racing Louisville FC Sahlen's Stadium 3,068 Manaka Matsukubo (North Carolina Courage) Kristen Hamilton (Kansas City Current)

References
  1. "NWSL Announces 2023 Season Schedule Footprint". OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD.
  2. Levine, Matthew (2020-05-27). "NWSL announces 2020 Challenge Cup presented by P&G and Secret". National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  3. Goff, Stephen (2020-06-25). "NWSL Challenge Cup opens this weekend, making women's soccer first team sport back". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
  4. "NWSL Announces Innovative 2021 Competition Framework". NWSL. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
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