Events

Snapdragon Stadium lands final of inaugural W Gold Cup

Featured image credit: Snapdragon Stadium

Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego has been awarded hosting rights to the final of the W Gold Cup, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football’s (Concacaf) new flagship competition for women’s national teams.

The final will take place on March 10, with the tournament beginning on February 17. The 12-team event involves eight participants from the Concacaf region and four representing the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol).

The United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay have all qualified for the group stage.

Snapdragon Stadium, which opened just over a year ago, hosted the United States women’s team in a friendly on October 29, with the home team winning 3-0 against Colombia. Victor Montagliani, Concacaf president and FIFA vice-president, said: “When we launched our women’s football strategy, we committed to developing the sport for women and girls at all levels.

“The Concacaf W Gold Cup is the pinnacle of the women’s game in our Confederation, and it will provide an opportunity to celebrate that progress and commit to doing even more in the future.”

Adam Millar, Snapdragon Stadium general manager, added: “This is a historic moment in women’s sports, and we are honoured to be part of it.

“Snapdragon Stadium is committed to providing a world-class experience for the athletes, fans, and everyone involved in the tournament.”

In May, Major League Soccer (MLS) fulfilled long-held ambitions to place a team in San Diego, with the league’s 30th franchise to play at Snapdragon Stadium after a record MLS franchise acquisition deal worth a reported $500m was struck. The San Diego team is to begin playing at the 35,000-seat venue in 2025.

Snapdragon Stadium is also home to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise San Diego Wave, which set a single-game attendance record for the League with a sold-out crowd of more than 32,000 during the venue’s opening month.