January 22 – The US Soccer Federation has announced that Japan, Canada and Brazil will join them for the ninth edition of this Spring’s SheBelieves Cup.
With three of the participating teams already qualified for the Olympics games this summer and Japan in with a favourable run in qualifying, the tournament will provide a high-level, competitive warm up featuring some of the strongest teams in women’s football ahead of Paris 2024.
Three of the SheBelieves competitors, USA, Canada and Brazil, will also play in the inaugural W Gold Cup from February 20 to March 10.
The Mercedes Benz Arena in Atlanta will host two back-to-back semi-finals, USA versus Japan and Brazil versus Canada, on April 9.
Three days later, the winner of each semifinal will face off in the final whilst the losers compete in the third-place match, both held at the lower.com field in Columbus, Ohio.
“This is a tournament that features three teams already in the Olympics and Japan has a great chance to qualify, so coming off the Gold Cup, these are the exact kinds of games we need to evaluate players and continue to push our team as we prepare for France,” said U.S. interim head coach Twila Kilgore.
“One great thing about the SheBelieves Cup is that it goes a long way in replicating the group stage at the Olympics, both in the short amount of rest you get between games while also facing teams with different styles of play during a group stage. The games will be great tests for all the teams and fun for the fans ahead of the Olympics.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714393209labto1714393209ofdlr1714393209owedi1714393209sni@g1714393209niwe.1714393209yrrah1714393209