U.S. Soccer to host third annual SheBelieves Cup in March 2018
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – U.S. Soccer will host the third annual SheBelieves Cup from March 1-7 as the USA takes on three of the world’s top teams in the most elite, four-team women’s international soccer tournament of the year.
Second-ranked Germany, third-ranked England and sixth-ranked France will once again join the top-ranked USA in a tournament that features international women’s soccer powers and dozens of the world’s best players in the six-game competition. The USA won the inaugural edition in 2016, while France won the 2017 tournament. As in the first two editions, the 2018 tournament will feature the four teams participating in three doubleheader events at three different venues over a seven-day period.
As usual for this tournament, all six games promise to be highly entertaining and competitive match-ups. The 2018 SheBelieves Cup kicks off with England opening against France on Thursday, March 1 at MAPFRE Stadium (4 p.m. ET), followed by the USA against Germany (7 p.m. ET on ESPN2) in a battle of the defending World Cup and Olympic champions. All the teams will then travel to New Jersey and Red Bull Arena where the USA will play the first match of the day on Sunday, March 4, taking on France (12 p.m. ET on ESPN2) followed by Germany vs. England (3 p.m. ET). The tournament will finish on Wednesday, March 7, at Orlando City Stadium as France takes on Germany (4 p.m. ET) followed by the tournament finale featuring the USA’s first visit to the home of the NWSL’s Orlando Pride to take on England (7 p.m. ET on ESPNews).
The winner of the tournament will be based on total points (three for a win, one for a tie), with the first tie-breaker being overall goal difference, followed by most total tournament goals scored, then head-to-head result and lastly, FIFA Ranking if necessary.
SHEBELIEVES CUP HISTORY
In last year’s SheBelieves Cup, the USA defeated Germany 1-0 in the opening match on a goal from Lynn Williams, but fell to England 1-0 and France 3-0. France won the tournament, Germany was second, England third and the USA finished fourth. France defeated England 2-1, drew 0-0 with Germany and downed the USA 3-0. Full Results.
In the 2016 edition of the SheBelieves Cup, the USA defeated England and France by 1-0 scores and downed Germany, 2-1, in the de facto championship game to take the inaugural tournament title. Germany finished second, England was third and France was fourth. None of the games were decided by more than one goal with three 1-0 victories, two 2-1 victories and one 0-0 draw. In both tournaments, there have been nine total goals scored over the six games. Full Results.
WHAT IS SHEBELIEVES
Conceived and developed by the U.S. WNT players, #SheBelieves is a movement to inspire young girls and encourage them to accomplish their goals and dreams, athletic or otherwise. The campaign launched in the run-up to the 2015 Women’s World Cup and has grown into a special bond between the team and its fans, spreading its powerful message of empowerment and believing in yourself. The SheBelieves Cup adds a showcase event to the campaign, which will continue to spread its positive message and brings together the world’s most elite female soccer players to compete in the U.S., providing a stage to shine the spotlight on positive female role models (athletes and non-athletes alike) and showcase their accomplishments both on the field and in culture at large.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- All three games for the USA mark the first meetings against England, France and Germany since last March.
- Germany and England have begun the long qualifying process for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Germany sits atop Group 5 after four matches, but suffered a stunning 3-2 loss to Iceland in late October. England is in second place in Group 1 behind Wales, but has played three matches to Wales’ four. As host, France has an automatic berth to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
- The USA is 21-4-7 all-time against Germany and 2-0-0 vs. West Germany in matches played in 1988 and 1990.
- The USA is 17-2-2 all-time against France, with the two losses coming on Feb. 8, 2015, a 2-0 setback in Lorient, France, that kicked off the 2015 schedule and at last year’s SheBelieves Cup.
- The USA played France twice in 2016, winning 1-0 each time, at the SheBelieves Cup in Nashville, Tenn., on a goal in second half stoppage time from Alex Morgan and then at the 2016 Olympics in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on a goal from Carli Lloyd.
- The USA is 9-4-1 all-time against England. The last three games between the teams have been 1-0 results, the first two went the USA’s way, on Feb. 13, 2015, in Milton Keynes, England with the lone goal coming from a Morgan header and at the 2016 SheBelieves Cup in Tampa, Fla., on a brilliant goal from Crystal Dunn.
- The USA is 2-1-1 all-time at Red Bull Arena. The USA fell 1-0 to England at the home of the New York Red Bulls last year, tied Korea Republic 0-0 in May of 2015 in the send-off match to that year’s Women’s World Cup and famously defeated them 5-0 on June 20, 2013, as Abby Wambach scored four goals in the first half to brake Mia Hamm’s all-time international scoring record. The USA’s first game at Red Bull Arena was a 1-0 win vs. Mexico in June of 2011.
- The USA is 5-1-1 at MAPFRE Stadium (formerly Columbus Crew Stadium), dating back to a win over Korea Republic in 1999. The U.S. WNT has some positive history at the venue, having defeated North Korea 3-0 there in the 2003 FIFA WWC.
- The U.S. WNT has never played at Orlando City Stadium, which opened in February of 2017.
