What is SheBelieves Cup? 2023 women’s soccer tournament name, schedule and matches featuring USWNT, Canada
Considered one of the most prestigious international women’s soccer tournaments in the world, the SheBelieves Cup returned in 2023 for its seventh edition with games in Orlando, Dallas and Nashville.
Each year the four-team tournament has featured a different lineup of women’s national teams from around the world, and this time the US women’s national team welcomes Canada, Brazil and Japan.
Hosts USWNT have led the competition in each of the last three editions, most recently failing to take first place in 2019 when England surprisingly took first place. Only once did the US fail to secure a place in the top two, finishing last in 2017 when the USWNT fell to both England and France.
This year, the USWNT is gearing up for the 2023 Women’s World Championship with a roster handpicked by Vlatko Andonovski in anticipation of the major summer tournament. There are many superstar players on the list that fans will recognize, including Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Mallory Swanson.
As three-time defending champions, World Cup preparation is paramount, but winning now is important and USA are hoping to consolidate their world No. 1 ranking before the FIFA showcase begins in the summer.
What is the SheBelieves Cup?
The SheBelieves Cup is an international women’s soccer tournament hosted by the United States and was created in 2016 to compete with other prestigious international winter tournaments such as the Algarve Cup and the Tournoi de France.
The name of the tournament was intended to build on the momentum of the USWNT’s 2015 Women’s World Championship run, where the United States won their third world title. The win drew a strong response from the USWNT fan base, and the tournament aims to inspire the next generation of young women in the game of soccer.
From the official SheBelieves Cup website:
“Inspired by the US women’s national team, SheBelieves is a movement dedicated to encouraging young women and girls to pursue their sporting or otherwise dreams. Originally launched in the run-up to the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the campaign has grown into a special bond between US Soccer and its fans by carrying a powerful message of empowerment and belief in yourself in communities across the country.
“As one of the most popular women’s teams in the United States, WNT is the best example that dreams are achievable if you focus and pursue what you want. Through dedication, teamwork, perseverance and success, the US Women’s National Team inspires new generations of young girls and women to be better and strive for better. You inspire them to believe.”
2023 SheBelieves Cup Teams
This year’s tournament field included the world’s best team, the United States, plus Canada (ranked 6th by FIFA), Brazil (ranked 9th) and Japan (ranked 11th).
It’s a big step up from last year’s field, which included no top 10 teams and two competitors outside the top 20. The 2022 field was unusually weaker than usual due to earlier signings from many of Europe’s higher-tier teams. It was the first in the history of the SheBelieves Cup where no host country featured in FIFA’s top 10. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted international travel, but the growth of other international competitions is also proving to be a challenge.
The first edition of the tournament in 2016 featured the United States (No. 1), Germany (No. 2), France (No. 3) and England (No. 5). The competition has boasted a strong line-up of nations each subsequent year up until last year when it featured Brazil (No.8), Canada (No.8) and Argentina (No.31).
England are concurrent hosts of the second annual Arnold Clark Cup with England (No. 4), South Korea (No. 15), Italy (No. 17) and Belgium (No. 20). Meanwhile, the Tournoi de France features fifth-placed hosts France, along with Norway (No. 13), Denmark (No. 18) and Uruguay (No. 67). While the field of the SheBelieves Cup has returned to its former prominence, both of these Europe-based tournaments have seen a significant decline in the standing of their participants.
The Algarve Cup, an established tournament hosted by Portugal for 28 years, will not take place this season as Portugal take part in the Women’s World Cup intercontinental playoffs this month.
MORE: 2023 Arnold Clark Cup fixtures, schedule and results for competitions in England
SheBelieves Cup 2023 schedule and results
The four-team competition is played as a round-robin tournament, with all teams playing each other once and using a table to rank teams based on points accumulated in a team’s three games.
The United States, five-time winners of their own tournament, host Canada, Brazil and Japan in this year’s four-team field.
| position | team | matches | Points | WDL | target difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 |
| 2 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 |
| 3 | Brazil | 0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 |
| 4 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 0-0-0 | 0 |
Below is the full schedule for the event along with each game’s highlight package. Unlike last season, which saw games on the west coast that resulted in later kick-offs, this year’s competition will be held further east, with games in Orlando, Dallas and Nashville.
The United States drew two of the later kickoffs, with a 7:00 p.m. ET start time for the opening game against Canada and a 6:00 p.m. ET kickoff for the final game against Brazil.
| Date | Fit | time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, February 16 | Japan vs Brazil | 4 p.m |
| Thu, February 16 | USA vs Canada | 19.00 |
| Sun, February 19 | USA vs Japan | 2.30 |
| Sun, February 19 | Brazil vs Canada | 17:30 |
| Wed, February 22nd | Canada vs Japan | 3:00 p.m |
| Wed, February 22nd | USA vs Brazil | 6:00 p.m |