2024 NWSL Challenge Cup

The 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup, known as the 2024 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons,[3] was the fifth edition of the NWSL Challenge Cup, a women's soccer competition organized by the National Women's Soccer League. The match was the first Challenge Cup to be played in the super cup format as a one-off game, contested by the winners of the previous season's NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield. It featured NJ/NY Gotham FC, champions of the 2023 National Women's Soccer League, and San Diego Wave FC, winners of the 2023 NWSL Shield. The match was played on March 15, 2024, and was hosted by Gotham FC at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. The match was acted as an curtain raiser to the 2024 season, and was broadcast on Amazon Prime Video, marking the start of the platform's coverage of the NWSL.[4]

2024 NWSL Challenge Cup
The Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, hosted the match.
EventNWSL Challenge Cup
NJ/NY Gotham FC San Diego Wave FC
0 1
DateMarch 15, 2024 (2024-03-15)
VenueRed Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
Most Valuable PlayerAlex Morgan[1]
RefereeDanielle Chesky[2]
Attendance14,241

The San Diego Wave defeated Gotham 1–0, with an Alex Morgan goal in the 88th minute.[1]

Background

The NWSL Challenge Cup was created as a league cup tournament in 2020 as a return to competition after the 2020 NWSL regular season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition was successful enough to be brought back in 2021, though played prior to the start of the NWSL's regular season. This format continued in 2022, but was changed in 2023 to take place during the league's regular season. However, with more regular season matches taking place due to the league being expanded from 12 to 14 teams in 2024, the NWSL decided to scrap the league cup format.[5] Instead, the competition was reformatted to be a one-off super cup match, to be contested by the winners of the NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield from the previous season. Should the same team win the NWSL Shield and Championship, the fixture will be a rematch of the previous NWSL Championship. The game will act as an opener to the league season, played the day prior to the first regular season matches.[6]

The competition will continue to be sponsored by UKG. The company will award $3,500 in prize money to each player of the winning team, while each player of the losing team will receive $2,200. The most valuable player will be awarded an additional $2,000.[3]

Teams
Team Qualification Previous final appearances (bold indicates winners)
NJ/NY Gotham FC 2023 NWSL champions 1 (2021)
San Diego Wave FC 2023 NWSL Shield winners None

Match

Details
NJ/NY Gotham FC0–1San Diego Wave FC
Report
  • Morgan 88'
Attendance: 14,241
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Gotham
Wave
GK38 Cassie Miller
RB5 Kelley O'Hara (c) 85'
CB15 Tierna Davidson
CB77 Maitane López 85'
LB3 Bruninha 85'
DM14 Nealy Martin 75'
RM18 Yazmeen Ryan 66'
LM17 Delanie Sheehan 69'
LW9 Esther González 72'
RW23 Midge Purce 76'
ST28 Katie Stengel 66'
Substitutes:
GK1 Michelle Betos
DF25 Maycee Bell 85'
DF19 Crystal Dunn 66'
DF22 Mandy Freeman
DF21 Sam Hiatt 85'
MF2 Jenna Nighswonger 76'
MF6 Emily Sonnett 66'
FW13 Ella Stevens 85'
FW8 Taryn Torres
Manager:
Juan Carlos Amorós
GK1 Kailen Sheridan
RB6 Hanna Lundkvist 74'
CB4 Naomi Girma
CB2 Abby Dahlkemper (c)
LB20 Christen Westphal 61'
DM5 Emily van Egmond
DM15 Makenzy Doniak 71'
AM21 Savannah McCaskill
RM23 Elyse Bennett 60'
LM11 Jaedyn Shaw 90+1'
ST33 Kyra Carusa 45'
Substitutes:
GK22 Hillary Beall
GK35 Morgan Messner
DF8 Sierra Enge 74'
DF16 Kaitlyn Torpey 61'
MF24 Danielle Colaprico 71'
MF10 Sofia Jakobsson 60'
FW13 Alex Morgan 45'
FW25 Melanie Barcenas
FW7 Amirah Ali 90+1'
Manager:
Casey Stoney

Most Valuable Player:
Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)[1]
Assistant referees:[2]
Tom Felice
Art Arustamyan
Fourth official:[2]
Alyssa Nichols
Video assistant referee:[2]
Kevin Broadley
Assistant video assistant referee:[2]
Kaili Terry

Match rules[7]

  • 90 minutes.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores level.
  • Nine named substitutes, of which up to five may be used.

References
  1. "Alex Morgan Still Has the Magic: Scores Lone Goal in Wave's Challenge Cup Win". Times of San Diego. March 15, 2024 – via MSN.
  2. "NWSL Challenge Cup Assignments". Professional Referee Organization. March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  3. "2024 NWSL Season Opens With UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, Featuring Clash of Champions, Start of Prime Video Coverage". National Women's Soccer League. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  4. "Reigning NWSL Champion NJ/NY Gotham FC, Shield-Winning San Diego Wave FC to Raise Curtain on 2024 Season With NWSL Challenge Cup". National Women's Soccer League. January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  5. Lauletta, Dan (September 5, 2023). "Get ready to say goodbye to the Challenge Cup". The Equalizer. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  6. "National Women's Soccer League Announces 2024 Schedule Footprint, Competition Calendar". National Women's Soccer League. December 3, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  7. "2024 NWSL Challenge Cup rules and regulations" (PDF). National Women's Soccer League. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
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