Four of the best women’s national teams in the world have descended on Kansas City for the opening matchday of the 2018 Tournament of Nations.
The reigning World Cup champion U.S. Women’s National Team will highlight Thursday’s star-studded doubleheader at Children’s Mercy Park, facing Japan at 6 p.m. CT in the newest installment of a fierce international rivalry. The highly anticipated double-feature begins at 3:15 p.m. CT when Australia battles Brazil.
Fans can secure tickets to both matches via Ticketmaster.com as the U.S. WNT looks to add to its impressive trophy cabinet in one of the marquee women’s tournaments of 2018.
Without further ado, here are 10 reasons to grab your tickets to Thursday’s doubleheader.
1. Fantastic Four
The Tournament of Nations has assembled four of the greatest women’s teams on the planet. No. 1 USA is followed by No. 6 Japan, No. 7 Brazil and No. 8 Australia in the latest FIFA rankings, making this perhaps the most competitive tournament the U.S. will participate in before next summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Japan has established itself as a perennial power in continental Asia, having defeated the U.S. in the 2011 World Cup Final before losing to the Americans in the same fixture four years later. Brazil boasts arguably the greatest female player of all time in Marta, while Australia — the last team that beat the U.S. WNT almost a year ago — is looking to claim a second straight Tournament of Nations title.
2. Living Legends
Talk about star power. Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and two-time women’s world player of the year Carli Lloyd are among the 23 members on head coach Jill Ellis’ 23-player squad. These seasoned veterans have left indelible marks on soccer in the United States, played leading roles in keeping the WNT atop the world rankings, and continue to be the face of the sport in this country.
3. Familiar Faces
Among the living legends on the current U.S. WNT roster are defender Becky Sauerbrunn and forward Amy Rodriguez. The duo formerly starred for FC Kansas City, leading the Blues to consecutive NWSL championships in 2014 and 2015. Both players established themselves as fan favorites and now return to Kansas City for the first time since moving to Utah Royals FC ahead of the 2018 campaign.
4. Top Talents
Thursday’s doubleheader could involve up to four finalists for Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2018. This quartet includes Australian striker Samantha Kerr, Japanese defender Saki Kumagai, Brazilian forward Marta and U.S. winger Rapinoe. Kerr was the NWSL’s leading scorer in 2017 for Sky Blue FC, Kumagai captained Japan to the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup title, Marta captained Brazil to the Copa America Femenina title, and Rapinoe has played an integral role for the U.S. during a 17-game unbeaten streak that dates back to 2017.
5. Sneak Peak
It’s likely that all four teams’ rosters will closely resemble the squads they take to the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France next summer. Granted, the U.S. still has to qualify for the World Cup, and will look to do so with a top-three finish at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship in October.
Ellis told media late last week that the U.S. will use the Tournament of Nations as valuable preparation for the all-important World Cup qualifying competition this fall, which runs from Oct. 4-17. Consequently, those who perform well over the next three games — the U.S. plays Australia on Sunday and Brazil on Aug. 2 — could go a long way in cementing their roster spots for the CONCACAF Women’s Championship and subsequent World Cup next June.
6. A Rare Opportunity
The U.S. WNT visiting Children’s Mercy Park is always a special occasion, especially given the rarity of the occurrence. Their first visit to the world-class stadium was also the WNT’s first-ever game played in the state of Kansas, resulting in a 1-1 tie against Canada that saw legendary striker Abby Wambach bury a penalty kick. Wambach struck again when the WNT returned three years later to claim a 1-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. The Americans’ most recent trip to Children’s Mercy Park was a 4-0 defeat of Costa Rica that produced goals from Crystal Dunn, Mallory Pugh, Lloyd and Press.
7. The Local Connection
Included on the WNT roster is 27-year-old goalkeeper Adrianna Franch, a native of Salina, Kansas, who played four years of college soccer at Oklahoma State University before turning professional in 2013. At the youth level, Franch competed in Kansas City for the KC Comets where she won the 2006 Kansas State Cup before finishing runner-up in 2007 and 2008.
8. Familiar Foes
It’s safe to say there will be no love lost on Thursday. The U.S. WNT and Japan notably met in the 2011 and 2015 FIFA World Cup Finals as well as the gold medal match at the 2012 Olympics. Japan edged the Americans in a penalty shootout to hoist their first World Cup title seven years ago, but the U.S. exacted revenge the following summer with a 2-1 win to secure Olympic gold and prevailed 5-2 to take the 2015 World Cup crown. The sides last met in the 2017 Tournament of Nations almost a year ago, when the U.S. used goals from Rapinoe, Pugh and Morgan to post a 3-0 victory.
9. Refuse to Lose
The U.S. WNT hasn’t lost in almost exactly a year, with the defeat coming in this very competition. Australia sprang a 1-0 win over the U.S. on July 27, 2017, en route to lifting the Tournament of Nations title last summer. Since then, the U.S. has gone 15-0-2 with 49 goals scored and 14 conceded.
10. Make a Statement
The U.S. WNT's arrival in Kansas City comes during a momentous time for soccer in the metropolitan area. The 2026 FIFA World Cup was awarded to North America last month, with Kansas City in contention as one of 23 Candidate Host Cities across the United States, Mexico and Canada. In addition to welcoming fans for next Thursday's Tournament of Nations doubleheader, Children's Mercy Park will also host a 2019 Concacaf Golf Cup men's doubleheader next summer.
Simply put, Thursday gives Kansas City soccer fans the first opportunity to show the nation — and the world — why the World Cup should be played here in the heartland. Now is no better time to snap up tickets and support the cause.
