Women's cup competitions coming to U.S. in August 2022

Women’s soccer tours continue to grow in popularity with two tournaments in the United States scheduled for August 2022. Yet again, however, instead of combining the two tournaments into one, event organizers have scheduled both competitions at the same time. They also have similar names: Women’s Cup and Women’s International Champions Cup.

The Women’s Cup returns to Louisville, KY, while the Women’s International Champions Cup returns to Portland and Providence Park. These tournaments both come during mid-August. Therefore, it is in the midst of the NWSL season. Yet, it is a preseason competition for some other clubs traveling in from across the globe.

In total, there are 10 teams involved over the two miniature tournaments. Furthermore, those 10 teams come from six countries. The most notable of those is Olympique Lyonnais, which won the UEFA Women’s Champions League six out of the last seven years. Still, clubs like Chelsea, Milan, Tottenham and two Mexican sides are elite at their respective competitions.

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Consequently, it shapes up for high-quality women’s soccer at the club level over one busy week.

Women’s soccer tours in August 2022

On one hand, it is a blessing for viewers to have access to watching these women’s clubs in a jam-packed schedule from August 14 to August 20. However, there is simply no way for fans to watch both of the competitions in person due to the distance between them. After all, the women’s soccer tours are either in Louisville, KY, or Portland, OR.

These are two hotbeds of the American women’s club scene. The Portland Thorns, hosting and competing in the Women’s International Champions Cup, are consistently near the top of NWSL. With two NWSL Championships and NWSL Shields as the side with the best regular season record, the likes of Lindsey Horan and Becky Sauerbrunn make up one of NWSL most talented sides.

The other host of one of the Women’s soccer tours is Racing Louisville, which calls Lynn Family Stadium home. Racing Louisville only started play in 2021. Yet, it has the opportunity to play against some of the world’s best women’s sides.

2022 Women’s Cup

The Women’s Cup from a year ago featured vaunted sides like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain. This year, more popular sides come to Louisville. Plus, there is a bump in the quantity of teams. From four to six, the teams joining Racing Louisville are OL Reign from Seattle, Club América, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan and Tokyo Verdy.

The seven-day competition includes seven games on the schedule. On August 14, AC Milan plays Japanese side Tokyo Verdy Beleza. That same day, Tottenham battles Club América. The winner of those games plays Racing Louisville and OL Reign, respectively, in the semifinals of the competition. The two losers of the international games will also play a consolation game.

A year ago, three of the four games went to a shootout. Therefore, expect the same kind of drama from the 2022 Women’s Cup.

2022 Women’s International Champions Cup

Of the women’s soccer tours coming to the U.S. this summer, the Women’s International Champions Cup features perhaps the best teams on average. In fact, the sides that compete have to qualify just to get to this position.

In knowing that, the competitors in the 2022 edition are Lyon, Portland Thorns, C.F. Monterrey and Chelsea FC Women’s. Each of these clubs won their domestic competition and more. As stated previously, Lyon won the 2021/22 UEFA Women’s Champions League over a Barcelona side that lost just twice in the entire season. Chelsea FC Women’s won the FA Women’s Super League and the Women’s FA Cup.

Like the 2022 Women’s Cup, this is a small bracket tournament. On August 17, Chelsea plays Lyon in a major matchup of UEFA Women’s Champions League contenders. The other fixture pits Portland against Monterrey. Three days later on August 20, the two winners play in the de facto final, while the two previous defeated sides play in the third-place playoff.

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