Payback, golazo, penalties, and endless drama—the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup was a complete package. After falling short in both the Shield and the Championship Cup, the Washington Spirit finally got their revenge against Orlando Pride, securing this much-coveted silverware. It was undoubtedly a thrilling final, just as every Challenge Cup should be. But why do USWNT veterans Lynn Biyendolo and Sam Mewis feel that this one-match cup still lacks something?
To be precise, their main question takes a broader perspective: Was this Challenge Cup truly a win-win situation, and more importantly, was it meaningful for the NWSL? This is especially relevant considering the league abandoned the all-team participation format and restructured the tournament as a preseason match between the Shield and Championship winners.
“Correct me if I’m wrong but historically before the Challenge Cup existed, the two teams that were in the Championship game used to play each other their first game of the season,” began Biyendolo, while speaking on the latest episode of The Women’s Game. “I think that was a really big hyped-up game but you also have all these other games at the same time that are kind of taking away the attention of that.”
Sure, it’s true that since the inception of the Challenge Cup, the ways have changed on how the league used to kick off its season. Yet, that won’t see Lynn change her positive perception about this competition. The Seattle Reign forward believes that being a standalone, high-stakes match, helps in creating a strong narrative in front of fans. Additionally, this setup also keeps the excitement alive and maintains its appeal.
It’s true that from 2020 to 2023, the Challenge Cup followed an all-team participation format. It began with a group stage consisting of four to six matches, with teams typically grouped based on geography. The tournament then progressed to knockout rounds to determine the champion.
However, the 2024 edition introduced a significant change. The competition was restructured into a single preseason match. Yes, resembling to England’s FA Community Shield, where the FA Cup winner faces off against the Premier League champion. Whether it helped the league to either divert or garner the excitement and focus of the viewers remains unclear.
Why, you ask? That’s because the tournament still lacks a strong history that it actually should—a sentiment that Sam Mewis fervently echoes.
‘Time’ is of the essence for NWSL Challenge Cup
Sam Mewis kept the debate alive, stating, “I think in a lot of ways this was a success.” Aligning with Lynn Biyendolo’s perspective, the retired midfielder emphasized how the revenge and rematch narrative adds a unique layer to the NWSL Challenge Cup’s purpose. She also acknowledged the excitement of the game heading straight into penalties, courtesy of Leicy Santos’ freekick—a true “give the people what they want” moment.
Yet, she clearly stated on what the competition lacks: “The Challenge Cup is taken a little bit lightly just in general because there doesn’t have that much history or weight to it. But I think that with games and performances like this, history will grow. I hope that someday this is a really prestigiously felt cup,” said Mewis.
The former Manchester City star made it clear that she isn’t undermining the Spirit’s achievement. To her, it’s more than impressive. In fact, she acknowledges the thought of them winning three trophies this year would have been incredible. However, looking ahead, she hopes to see all NWSL competitions carry significant weight and true meaning. “We need to give them time,” Sam concluded.
Looks like there’s still a scope for improvement concerning the NWSL Challenge Cup. Let’s hope that as the year goes by, we get to see what these USWNT veterans dream of.
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