Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy are currently representing Canada in the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup campaign, bringing the best women’s teams from across the continent together in an epic competition.

After winning the 2023 League1 Canada Women’s Inter-Provincial Championship and beating Alianza FC in a Champions Cup preliminary match, the Whitecaps secured their place in Group B alongside some big names in the continental game.

Here’s how they’ve got on so far…

Opportunity to learn

Whitecaps entered the history books with their 1-0 victory over Alianza in San Salvador, becoming the first team to win a match in the Concacaf W Champions Cup.

Going on to compete against some of the continent’s most dangerous outfits would come with its challenges, and they were put to the sword by Club América in their opening Group B game. The Mexican side didn’t shy away from showing up in their competition debut, scoring four goals in the first half and a further three in the second.

The young Whitecaps team fought hard against their experienced opposition, and no doubt took away learning points that added fuel to the fire ahead of their second game.

Bouncing back

Whitecaps headed to Panama in early September to take on Sante Fe, who had previously fallen 2-0 to San Diego Wave in the first round of matches.

It was the visitors who took the lead shortly after half an hour; Kaylee Hunter played a pass through to Jourdan Ziff who drove towards goal and found the top corner from the edge of the area. Advantage Vancouver.

Thanks in part to some great Morgan McAslan saves, the Whitecaps held their one-goal lead through to the 78th minute – when Brianne Reed got herself in the right place at the right time to put her side 2-0 up. She raced onto a corner kick and volleyed the ball home from close range.

Sante Fe did score late on, but Whitecaps held on for a memorable three points that keeps their chances alive for qualification into the four-team Finals in spring next year.

Upcoming opponents

Only three teams have a perfect record in the competition, including San Diego Wave who play their domestic fixtures in the National Women’s Soccer League in the USA.

The Wave, the 2024 Challenge Cup winners, will be the first visitors to Vancouver in the Champions Cup on October 1 when they head to BC Place – where the Whitecaps Girls Elite squad recently received a hero’s reception before Vancouver’s Major League Soccer game against Dallas.

San Diego’s league rivals Portland Thorns, who currently have the same record as Whitecaps in the Champions Cup, head to BC Place on October 15 for both sides’ final Group B game. CANWNT legend Christine Sinclair may feature for the Thorns in what could potentially be her last competitive match on Canadian soil having retired from playing internationally.

Tickets are now on sale for both Concacaf W Champions Cup matches at BC Place, including a two-match pack, at: https://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/tickets-on-sale-cwcc-2024