Spirit Kicks off Group Stage of 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup in El Salvador
NWSL Washington Spirit

Spirit Kicks off Group Stage of 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup in El Salvador

Published on August 18, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


San Salvador - The Washington Spirit is set to open group play of the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup on Tuesday night when it meets El Salvador's Alianza Women FC. The match will be the Spirit's first competition on international soil in club history.

What is the Concacaf W Champions Cup?

Beginning its second edition this year, the Concacaf W Champions Cup is the continental club competition to determine the best women's club across North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Similar to Europe's annual Champions League, the W Champions Cup features the top-finishing clubs from countries around the continent during the previous season competing in group and knockout play to crown a continental champion.

This season, ten clubs from six countries will take part in the continental tournament, split into two groups of five for the first phase with the top two from each group advancing to the semifinal in May 2026.

The Spirit will compete as part of Group B alongside NWSL rival Gotham FC, Mexico's CF Monterrey Femenil, Canada's Vancouver Rise FC Academy and El Salvador's Alianza Women FC. Playing two home and two away matches, Washington will compete in four midweek matches from now through mid-October.

Qualification

The Spirit qualified for the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup by finishing as the runner-up during the 2024 NWSL season as the top three in the league automatically qualify. Last season's Shield and Championship winner Orlando Pride and third-place finisher Gotham FC round out the NWSL's representation this tournament.

Alianza Women FC locked up its slot by winning both the Apertura and Clausura title during the 2024-25 season of Primera División Femenina, the top women's league in El Salvador. Alianza qualified for the Play-In match of the inaugural W Champions Cup last year but will make its debut in the group stage this season.

What to Watch For

Washington used the recent NWSL break from play to its advantage, seeing several key players return from injury over the summer. Look for more minutes from Spirit players that have seen a reserve role lately. With a win on Tuesday, the Spirit can get itself started on the right foot during an extensive away trip as the side will head directly to San Francisco on Wednesday for this weekend's NWSL regular season match against Bay FC.

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