It took a few more months than expected but professional soccer is finally back in North America. 

On Saturday June, 27th the National Women’s Soccer League became the first professional sports league in North America to return to play with the Challenge Cup. The event which will take place across June and July across multiple venues in Utah most certainly will put the league under a bigger microscope than ever before. The question is now: Can they live up to the hype.

The term ‘Challenge’ in this tournament seems apt given the roadblocks that were put up in the lead up to the event. As with all other leagues across the world the NWSL was forced to shut down practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, what makes the NWSL’s situation unique is that while training had started up the regular season had not. That gave the league some flexibility in developing a return to play model that was safe, but also practical given the current conditions.  

Even the most stringent safeguards proved to be difficult for some to maintain. The Orlando Pride were forced to pull out of the tournament just five days prior to kickoff due 10 players and staff being found positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, with the number of coronavirus cases surging across Utah, the risk was still too high. USWNT standouts Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Christen Press (Utah Royals), and Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns) will all be missing the tournament due to fears of the virus. Sky Blue FC’s Carli Lloyd and Mallory Pugh will also be out due to injuries. 

While there are certainly some high profile players who will not be playing in the Challenge Cup there are still some very exciting match-ups and tournament possibilities. Of course, the main focus will be on the two-time defending NWSL Cup Champions North Carolina Courage. Head Coach Paul Riley will be bringing his full roster to Utah which is bad news for the Portland Thorns, Chicago Red Stars, Washington Spirit, and Sky Blue FC. Defender Abby Erceg led a backline last year that allowed just 22 goals. Midfielder Jessica McDonald and forward Lynn Williams have been looking for a chance to show what they can do for the USWNT and this may be the perfect opportunity.

But the Courage’s road to Challenge Cup glory isn’t in stone as they will need to beat two the previous runners-up for the NWSL Championship in the Red Stars and the Thorns. Of the two Portland seems to be the most poised to provide the upset with Christine Sinclair paired up with first round pick Sophia Smith up top to form a deadly 1-2 combination. The Red Stars will also have some excellent firepower up top with former Houston Dash forward Kealia Watt joining midfielder Julie Ertz and forward Savannah McCaskill. 

Beyond the top three there are some interesting sides that may make a run at the title. The host Utah Royals will have a fully healthy Diana Matheson and Desiree Scott for the first time in years giving new head coach Craig Harrington some veteran leadership in the middle. The Washington Spirit have brought in array of new talent like CANWNT defender Jenna Hellstrom and Japanese international Kumi Yokoyama. That should help midfielder Andi Sullivan in developing a spine to work with against some of the best in the league. In a short tournament such as this consistency is the key which will also help a side like Sky Blue FC, who came on late last year after some solid defensive work from Imani Dorsey. Of course the big unknown is with OL Reign, who went through a rebranding and a coaching change in the offseason. While the club has survived and thrived without Rapinoe in the past, this many changes may prove to be too much for the side.

What is exciting about this tournament is exactly the same situation that OL Reign face: the unknowns. With the NWSL being the first out of the gate and with teams having to play so many games in a short period of time there may not be favorites or underdogs. But a month of exciting competition with no routs may be exactly what the league needs to continue its positive run of form. The league has certainly made friends on Madison Avenue with sponsors like Verizon and Budweiser signing up. Now can they deliver the product?

*Cover Photo by Dante’y Buitureida.