| 2023 UKG National Women's Soccer League Challenge Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country | United States |
| Dates | April 19 – September 9 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Defending champions | North Carolina Courage |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | North Carolina Courage (2nd title) |
| Runner-up | Racing Louisville FC |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 39 |
| Goals scored | 101 (2.59 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Kristen Hamilton (5 goals) |
| MVP | Kristen Hamilton |
All statistics correct as of September 9, 2023. | |
The 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup, known as the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons,[1] was a league cup competition that took place during the 2023 National Women's Soccer League season.[2][3] It was the fourth edition of the NWSL Challenge Cup tournament.
The 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup was the first time the NWSL Challenge Cup was played concurrently with the regular season, bringing it in line with most other league cup competitions worldwide.[4][5] It was also the first edition under a multi-year sponsorship with UKG, which increased the pool of prize money to $1 million toward a goal of achieving equal compensation when compared to men's leagues and open cup competitions in the United States.[6][7]
The North Carolina Courage defeated the Racing Louisville FC 2–0 in the final.[8]
- ^ "NWSL Announces 2023 Season Schedule Footprint". National Women's Soccer League. November 17, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ Herrera, Sandra (November 17, 2022). "NWSL: Key dates to know for 2023 including opening day, Challenge Cup, championship and more". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ Megdal, Howard (November 17, 2022). "What We Know About The 2023 NWSL Season". Forbes. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ Yanchulis, Kate (November 17, 2022). "NWSL Challenge Cup will take place in-season after scheduling, injury concerns". Just Women's Sports.
- ^ "NWSL Challenge Cup to run concurrently with season". SportBusiness Media. November 17, 2022.
- ^ Yang, Steph (April 13, 2023). "NWSL sponsor ups Challenge Cup prize pool to $1 million in pay equity effort". The Athletic. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- ^ "UKG's NWSL Challenge Cup sponsorship brings pay parity to the pitch". May 10, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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