What Is NWSL Challenge Cup? Here’s When and How to Watch Orlando Pride vs Washington Spirit’s Upcoming Battle

March is finally here, and ardent women’s soccer fans know exactly what that means. For those unaware, the 2025 NWSL season is just around the corner and is set to kick off on March 14. But before all 14 sides rally together for the regular season, something important has to be taken care of. We are talking about the NWSL Challenge Cup, which is coming in first week of this month. So let’s dive deeper to know more about this tournament and other crucial details about its upcoming clash.

The history of the NWSL Challenge Cup

Consider the NWSL Challenge Cup as yet another domestic tournament in the American women’s game. It was organized for the first time in 2020 but in quite a different method compared to how it is conducted today. During the initial four campaigns between 2020 to 2023, all teams were eligible to participate.

The tournament began with a group stage of four to six games with all sides typically arranged geographically. Later, knockout rounds were conducted to determine the winner. Let’s take a quick brief look at each season;

2020: In the inaugural edition, all nine teams played four matches in a single pool, with eight advancing; however, one withdrew due to COVID, making the pool games purely for seeding. The final saw Houston Dash lifting the first edition of the NWSL Challenge Cup after they defeated the Chicago Red Stars 2–0.

2021: This time, 10 teams featured, and they were split into two groups of five. In the end, Portland Thorns FC and NJ/NY Gotham FC made their way into the final. After a 1–1 draw, the final was decided via penalties with the Thorns winning the shootout 6–5. Interestingly, unlike the previous edition, this final wasn’t played behind closed doors.

2022: Two new teams had been added to the NWSL so this led all the teams to be divided into three groups of four, with the top runner-up joining the group winners in the knockout stage. In the final, North Carolina Courage secured a close 2–1 over Washington Spirit to lift their first title.

2023: A similar affair stood out between all twelve teams as the format remained unchanged. However, the tournament was moved to run alongside the season to address player injury concerns. What also remained unchanged was the winner of this edition, with NC Courage securing their second Challenge Cup by defeating Racing Louisville 2-0 this time.

2024: This edition marked the first time when a major change was brought upon in the competition. It was transitioned into a single pre-season match in which the winner of the NWSL Shield faces the NWSL Championship. It’s similar to Britain’s FA Community Shield, where the winner of the FA Cup challenges the Premier League victors for the trophy.

In the 2024 edition, San Diego Wave FC automatically grabbed their spot for the final by lifting the NWSL Shield. Their opponents were NJ/NY Gotham FC, who came by winning the NWSL Championship after having defeated Seattle Reign 1-2. Yet, it was the Wave who secured the Challenge Cup with a narrow victory over Gotham at the Red Bull Arena in front of 14,241 spectators.

For the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup, the story is different yet interesting. One may recall that Orlando Pride first won the Shield with a tally of 50, as Washington Spirit missed out by a deficit of just 4. Coincidentally, the Championship final took place again between these two sides, where the Pride secured a narrow triumph.

Since Orlando won both the Shield and the Championship, the 2025 Challenge Cup should technically either be awarded to them automatically or canceled. However, the chosen approach is to schedule another Championship final. As a result, expect Orlando Pride to face off against Washington Spirit once again. Speaking of which, what are the match details for this one?

How to watch Orlando Pride vs Washington Spirit 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup?

The 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup between Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit will take place on Friday 7 March 2025. The kick-off is at 8 PM ET at the Inter&Co Stadium. Fans can catch the action live by streaming the match on Amazon Prime Video.

Who are you supporting? Who do you think will win it this time? Let us know in the comments.