Format: National Team Competition
Participants: Four
Location: United States
Venue: Varies
The SheBelieves Cup is an exciting showcase for some of the best talent in women's soccer. The tournament was established in 2016 to foster the growth of the sport and provide a spotlight for both athletic and non-athletic role models. During the inaugural 2016 tournament, the United States finished with a perfect 3-0-0 record to clinch the title. France won the second annual cup in 2017 on the strength of two goals from Camille Abily. The United States then won its second championship in 2018 with victories over Germany and England. Apart from the tournament itself, the SheBelieves organization offers opportunities to aspiring girls and women, including access to internships, academies and contests. SheBelieves also holds an annual summit with panel discussions and workshops. If you want to experience some of the best women’s soccer in the world, purchase SheBelieves Cup tickets at StubHub, the leading source for live events.
The SheBelieves Cup is a round robin tournament, meaning that each team will have the opportunity to play the other three teams at least once. Teams receive points based on the result of the match: three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss. If a match remains tied after regulation time, it will end in a draw. The team with the most points at the end of the three-game round robin is declared the winner of the tournament. If teams are tied in the standings, various tiebreakers will come into play: first, goal differential, then goals scored and finally, head-to-head results. Each team receives six substitutions per match.
Following its typical early March start, the 2020 edition of the SheBelieves Cup is scheduled for March 5th to 11th. The participants include the United States, England, Spain and Japan.
Red Bull Arena
in Harrison, New Jersey, will serve as the host on March 5th. The action will then move to
Exploria Stadium
in Orlando, Florida, on March 8th. The tournament concludes at the
Toyota Stadium
in Frisco, Texas, on March 11th. Each stadium will host exactly two games each during the day and night.
England was the winner of the 2019 SheBelieves Cup with seven points and a record of two wins and a draw. In the most important match-up of the tournament, England fought the United States to a 2-2 tie. Megan Rapinoe and Stephanie Houghton traded goals in the 33rd and 36th minutes, respectively. England then pulled ahead with a goal by Nikita Parris in the 52nd minute, but American Tobin Heath tied the match in the 67th minute. Though the United States went on to beat Brazil 1-0, England’s 3-0 win over Japan — compared to America’s 2-2 draw against the same opponent in which it gave up a goal in the 91st minute — proved to be the decisive edge in the tournament standings.
Outside of the World Cup and Summer Olympics, the SheBelieves Cup is one of the most important tournaments featuring national team competition — and certainly one of the few played on an annual basis. Featuring large crowds and an electric atmosphere, the tournament takes place in MLS and NFL stadiums across the country. Average attendance for the 2019 SheBelieves Cup reached nearly 13,000 over the six games, while more than 22,000 fans came out to watch England and the United States play. The United States serves as the host team for the tournament.
If you enjoy women’s soccer, then you might want to check out the
International Champions Cup
. Every year around July or August, four of the top women’s clubs in the world gather in the United States for this two-round tournament. Get the SheBelieves Cup schedule, and more, at StubHub.