U.S. women’s soccer teams enjoy few genuine opportunities to measure themselves against the rest of the world, but with the return of a small-scale international competition this summer and tentative plans for a larger event next year, the sport is expanding its horizons.
Organizers of the International Champions Cup, a vast men’s tournament entering its seventh year, will stage a women’s version for the second summer, featuring the North Carolina Courage, Olympique Lyonnais, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid on Aug. 15 and 18 in Cary, N.C.
Three of those teams were in the inaugural episode, with Atletico Madrid taking Paris Saint-Germain’s spot this year.