U.S. Soccer Announces Country’s First National Women’s Soccer Tournament
The Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup will be comparable to the U.S. Open Cup in men's soccer and the Women's FA Cup in England
Posted On: October 14, 2026 By :The United States’ first singular national championship for women’s soccer is on its way.
U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday the launch of Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup, a single-elimination soccer tournament for teams and players across multiple divisions in the U.S. The winner will receive a record-setting $1.1 million prize and earn a pathway to qualification for the Concacaf W Champions Cup. The tournament’s date and location details will be announced at a later date.
“Women’s soccer continues to be one of the most dynamic and inspiring forces in sport,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “The Crest Cup will create meaningful impact by bringing people together, attracting investment in the future of the game and ensuring that excellence, inclusivity and opportunity remain at the heart of women’s soccer in the United States.”
The Crest Cup‘s format will be comparable to the Women’s FA Cup tournament, which has been held annually in England since 1970, as well as the U.S. Open Cup, which has been held for men’s soccer clubs in the country since 1914.
“Domestic cup competitions are an important part of the women’s game,” said U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes. “Having competed in many Women’s FA Cup tournaments with Chelsea, I’ve seen firsthand what these competitions mean to players, clubs and communities. The Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup will strengthen the competition landscape in the USA while creating more opportunities for talented young players to showcase their skills in a high-stakes environment.”
The Growth of U.S. Women’s Soccer
The launch of the Crest Cup comes at a time of growth for women’s sports across the U.S., including women’s soccer.
In July, the National Women’s Soccer League announced a 41.7% increase in views on the NWSL’s YouTube channel (11.2 million viewers through Week 10 of the season), and a 24% growth to 3.1 million NWSL followers across six major social media platforms from 2025-2026. The league is also averaging 11,044 fans per match, a 10% increase year-over-year.
In March, Nielsen Big Data + Panel reported record-breaking growth for the NWSL on ESPN. The league increased average regular season viewership by 61% (from 141,000 viewers in 2024 to 228,000 viewers in 2025). A 2025 report by Nielsen Sports in collaboration with PepsiCo estimated women’s soccer will become one of the world’s top five sports by 2030, anticipating a reach to more than 800 million people globally by the start of the next decade.
“Creating a new stage for the best clubs and athletes in the country to compete at the highest level will expand opportunity, inspire the next generation and build on the tremendous momentum behind women’s soccer in the United States,” Blank said.
The Crest Cup’s announcement comes five years ahead of the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held at multiple venues across the U.S., Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. It will be the third time the Women’s World Cup has been held in the U.S. and the first time the country has hosted the event since 2003.
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