SAN DIEGO (Aug. 19, 2024) – San Diego Wave FC is set to kick off the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup taking place from August 2024 until May 2025. The tournament features 10 clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, including two other NWSL teams.
San Diego earned their spot in the W Champions Cup by winning the 2023 NWSL Shield, while fellow NWSL clubs in NJ/NY Gotham FC qualified for the tournament by winning the 2023 NWSL Championship and Portland Thorns for being the 2023 NWSL Shield Runner-Up. More information on the qualifications for the additional international clubs can be found here.
The tournament is a significant opportunity for the Wave and the fellow top women’s clubs to showcase their talent on the international stage. The W Champions Cup is also the sole pathway for teams to qualify for a spot in the new FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, scheduled for January and February 2026 which will include 16 clubs.
San Diego is a part of Group B alongside the Portland Thorns, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Santa Fe FC. The club will kick off the tournament in Panama City, Panama against Santa Fé FC on Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 7:00 p.m. PT.
The Wave will host the Portland Thorns at Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 18 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here. San Diego will then travel to Canada to play Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 5:30 p.m. PT.
San Diego will then close out the group stage by hosting Club América Femenil at Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 7:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here.
The top two finishers in each, group A and group B, will advance to the semifinals. If San Diego advances out of Group B they will face one of five opponents from Group A, including Gotham FC, Tigres de la UANL Femenil (Mexico), CF Monterrey Femenil (Mexico), LD Alajuelense (Costa Rica) and Frazsiers Whip Football Limited (Jamaica).
The competition’s playoffs, which include semifinals, a third-place match, and a final, will be played in May 2025 in a centralized venue to be announced at a later date.
