“Frustrated” and “disappointed” are the words used by United States women’s national team and Orlando Pride forward Alex Morgan in reference to the scheduling of the NWSL’s Challenge Cup.
The opening two games of the Challenge Cup collide with an international FIFA window, meaning that Morgan and several other NWSL stars are in USWNT camp in Sweden instead of with their NWSL clubs as they begin play this weekend.
The USWNT is set to play Sweden Saturday before traveling to France for their second friendly on April 13.
Meanwhile, the NWSL kicks off tonight with a showdown between the Houston Dash and the Chicago Red Stars. Morgan’s Orlando Pride play tomorrow in Louisville before playing Gotham FC on the 14th. Morgan will miss both matches before rejoining the team for their third game against the Washington Spirit the 21st.
“We’re going to do everything we can to support our teammates. I think it is really frustrating to not be there in general,” Morgan said in a news conference on Friday.
“I’ve been in Orlando for six plus weeks now for preseason since the end of the SheBelieves Cup, so to be putting in the work day in, day out like the rest of my national team teammates and then to be pulled away, not to be pulled away, but to have the Challenge Cup scheduled in a FIFA window is really disappointing.”