Manchester City, PSG and Top European Clubs Set for Showdown in USWNT Veterans' Soccer Tournament

“Women’s football, reimagined,” is how USWNT Icon Tobin Heath spoke about the recently unveiled international championship of soccer. World Sevens Football Scheduled to begin in Estoril, Portugal, the three-day 7v7 tournament taking place from May 21 to May 23 will see teams from eight prestigious clubs go head-to-head for a substantial prize pool of $5 million per event.
"Larger events, enhanced chances & genuine supporter engagement" — That’s what makes this seven-a-side tournament so appealing, adding an extra layer of excitement beyond initial expectations. Regarding the participating teams, initially, just four names were announced by the officials and organizers. These include AFC Ajax Vrouwen from The Netherlands, FC Bayern Women from Germany, Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal, and Manchester United Women from England.
Nevertheless, earlier today, the last four competing teams were revealed. have also been confirmed to formally fill the eighth team position . Those include Manchester City (England), Paris Saint-Germain (France), AS Roma (Italy), and FC Rosengård (Sweden). All of these big European teams will be bringing their best talent together to compete for the remarkable prize money, while also giving fans an experience of entertainment and more importantly a display of women’s soccer like never before.
It should be mentioned that the 7v7 tournament matches will consist of two halves, each lasting 15 minutes. The playing area will be half the size of a regular regulation field. In terms of the format, the round-robin group stage will progress to the semi-finals followed by the final. final showdown over three days of intense competition. Meanwhile, streaming and broadcasting duties have been assigned to the renowned British OTT platform, DAZN.
The primary aim of the World Sevens Football competition is to assist clubs and athletes in expanding their visibility. Additionally, it seeks to engage more young supporters and increase financial support for women’s soccer. Notably, the event recently named long-time Chelsea official Adrian Jacob as Head of Football. His contributions were crucial in guiding Chelsea Women to secure seven WSL championships during Emma Hayes' tenure. On the other hand, ex-U.S. player and co-founder of Bay FC, Aly Wagner, has been tasked with overseeing strategy.
In addition, Tobin Heath will lead the player advisory council, with support from former England and France defenders Anita Asante and Laura Georges, along with ex-USWNT and Swedish midfielders Heather O'Reilly and Caroline Seger. Notably, the entire tournament is financially backed by Gotham FC minority owner Jennifer Mackesy and her husband, Scott, who have pledged a $100 million investment over five years. Interestingly, Jennifer is also a member of the Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital group that owns Chelsea.
While part of the motivation behind W7F comes from Unrivaled generating over $38 million since its launch, the tournament follows a different model. “In our platform, we are putting clubs and players front and centre . That’s how we’re working across the key stakeholders: to really Increase your stake in the game with our approach; this is what sets us apart," remarked Aly Wagner.
Then again, the biggest irony of WSF is that only teams across Europe contest . Not a single National Women’s Soccer League or any other team across a different country received an invite. Yet, on the brighter side, at least this whole venture sees the involvement of USWNT veterans!
The post Manchester City, PSG and Other European Giants to Face-Off in Upcoming USWNT Veteran’s Headed Soccer Tournament appeared first on EssentiallySports .
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