Eight of the best and biggest women’s teams from the United States and Europe will play a 7-a-side tournament as part of the build-up to this year’s Women’s Champions League final.

The small tournament is being run by a private, US-based company, with a seven-figure prize pot up for grabs that is rumoured to eclipse UEFA’s £1.2m payout for the eventual Champions League winners.

Angel City FC could be one of two American representatives in Lisbon come May, though the European participants won’t be decided until after the UWCL semi-finals. With American and European clubs rarely going head-to-head, this is set to be one of the most exciting events the women’s game has seen in a while. 

Clubs will be allowed 14-player rosters, with 15-minute halves and rolling substitutions ensuring that no players are overworked just weeks before the Women’s Euros and WAFCON kick off.

The competition will be the first of its kind in European women’s football and a fun way to engage fanbases and grow the game globally.

Similar to the NBA Skills Challenge that precedes the annual All-Star Game or the NWSL’s version that debuted last year ahead of the Championship final, these events build hype around finals and give people the opportunity to watch certain teams and players live that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

With top players like Alyssa Thompson and Christen Press potentially lighting up Lisbon in a few months, women’s football has never felt bigger. Keep an eye out for when these star-studded rosters start dropping.