The 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup has a final four.
NJ/NY Gotham FC’s tense 1-1 draw with the Orlando Pride on Wednesday settled the group stage in this year’s tournament, with the semifinals awaiting on September 6.
Gotham could have claimed the East division with a win in the final match of the entire group stage, but their draw let the North Carolina Courage advance on goal difference.
As a result, the defending Challenge Cup champions will travel to face the Kansas City Current, who won the Central division. OL Reign, the winners of the West division and top seed out of the semifinalists, will host Racing Louisville, whose 12 points were good enough to clinch the best runner-up spot over the Gotham FC (11) and Angel City FC (8).
Both games will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network, with the Current vs. Courage match starting at 8:00 p.m. and Reign vs. Racing starting at 10:00 p.m. (both times Eastern).
The Challenge Cup final will take place on September 9. As the top seed, the Reign will host if they get past Louisville. Otherwise, the winner between Kansas City and North Carolina will get the showcase match, which will be broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
2023 saw NWSL adjust to criticism over the scheduling of last year’s edition of its second competition, with the Challenge Cup moving away from being a preseason tournament. This year’s version has been spread throughout the season, with essentially half of the tournament taking place during the World Cup break from regular season play.
New territory for three semifinalists
Three of the semifinalists would be in line for their first-ever win in a final, at least in their current guise. OL Reign has won three NWSL Shields as a model of regular-season consistency, but two appearances in the league’s championship game have ended in defeat.
While FC Kansas City won two NWSL titles in 2014 and 2015, they’ve been moved to Utah and then back, changing names twice in the process. As the Current, they lost in last year’s NWSL championship game.
For Racing Louisville, this trip to Lumen Field will be entirely new territory, as the club has not advanced to the playoffs or Challenge Cup knockout rounds in either of their previous seasons.
On the other hand, the Courage have six major trophies to their name, with a victory in last year’s Challenge Cup going with two NWSL titles and three NWSL Shields. The Courage had a 15-game unbeaten run in this competition broken up this past Saturday by a loss at Gotham, but survived to advance after the New Jersey-based side stumbled to a draw at the last hurdle.
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