SheBelieves Cup

SheBelieves Cup is an invitational international women's association football tournament held annually in the United States since 2016. Organized by the United States Soccer Federation and promoted alongside the SheBelieves movement, the competition brings together four national teams from different confederations to play a round-robin series of matches in preparation for major events such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games. It has featured many of the world's top teams, including multiple appearances by Germany women's national football team, France women's national football team, England women's national football team, and Canada women's national soccer team.

History

The tournament was inaugurated in 2016 amid increased visibility for women's football following the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics. The inaugural edition featured the United States women's national soccer team, Germany women's national football team, France women's national football team, and England women's national football team. Notable early editions included appearances by Brazil women's national football team and Japan women's national football team, reflecting invitations extended across confederations such as CONCACAF, UEFA, CONMEBOL, and AFC. The competition emerged as part of a broader initiative including the SheBelieves Summit and collaborations with organizations like the U.S. Department of State and private partners to promote women's empowerment. Over subsequent years, the event served as both competitive preparation and a showcase for stars from clubs such as Chelsea FC Women, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, FC Barcelona Femení, and the NWSL.

Format

The tournament is structured as a single round-robin with four national teams, each playing three matches across multiple venues in the United States. Points are awarded in the familiar international format adopted by FIFA competitions: three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss; goal difference and goals scored serve as tiebreakers, mirroring regulations similar to those in the UEFA Women's Championship and CONCACAF W Championship. Matches have been staged in stadiums associated with clubs and cities that host major sporting events, including venues used by Atlanta United FC, Seattle Sounders FC, Los Angeles FC, and other major-league franchises. Organizers occasionally adjust scheduling to accommodate international windows defined by FIFA International Match Calendar directives and to align with broadcasters such as FOX Sports and ESPN.

Participants and Results

Across editions, participants have included perennial powers like the United States women's national soccer team, Germany women's national football team, France women's national football team, England women's national football team, Canada women's national soccer team, Brazil women's national football team, and Japan women's national football team. Other invitations have reached nations such as Spain women's national football team, Mexico women's national football team, Argentina women's national football team, and Netherlands women's national football team. The United States women's national soccer team has been the most successful side, claiming multiple titles; other winners and high-placing teams have included England women's national football team and France women's national football team. Matches have featured leading international players including Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Sam Kerr, Ada Hegerberg, Amandine Henry, Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard, and Christine Sinclair, many of whom represent top clubs like OL Reign, Lyon, Juventus Women, and FC Barcelona Femení. The tournament has occasionally produced surprising results and dramatic penalty-free draws that influenced FIFA rankings issued by FIFA.

Impact and Reception

The competition has been praised for elevating the profile of women's football in the United States and globally, contributing to increased television audiences alongside tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Women's Champions League. Organizers have highlighted the tournament's role in the SheBelieves movement outreach, linking sport to advocacy initiatives associated with organizations like the United Nations and corporate partners. Media reception has noted the tournament's quality of play and its utility as a preparatory platform for national team coaches such as Vlatko Andonovski, Sarina Wiegman, Phil Neville, and Sarina Wiegman's contemporaries. Critics have debated scheduling congestion affecting domestic leagues like the National Women's Soccer League and FA Women's Super League, but commercial partners and broadcasters have viewed the event as a valuable property that generates sponsorship and grassroots interest.

Records and Statistics

Statistical records from the tournament include top scorers, most appearances, and clean-sheet streaks. Leading goal scorers across editions have included players from United States women's national soccer team, England women's national football team, France women's national football team, and Australia women's national soccer team. Clean-sheet leaders have featured goalkeepers from United States women's national soccer team, Germany women's national football team, and Japan women's national football team. The tournament has impacted FIFA World Rankings positions for participating nations, with outcomes influencing seeding for competitions like the FIFA Women's World Cup and continental championships such as the UEFA Women's Championship. Attendance records have varied by venue, with larger crowds recorded at metropolitan stadiums and marquee matches featuring teams with extensive fan bases such as United States women's national soccer team versus England women's national football team.

Category:International women's association football competitions hosted by the United States