Banyana Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana could be playing in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup in 2026, if all goes according to plan.
Her Mexican club UANL Tigres is in the semi-finals of the first ever CONCACAF Women’s Championship Cup, which serves as a qualifier for the new FIFA women’s club competition.
It will be a Mexico vs USA semifinal fixtures.
Tigres finished top of Group A to secure their last four spot and will face America’s Portland Thorns FC which ended second in Group B of the round robin stage.
In the other semi-final, Mexico’s Club America, which topped Group B, will face off against Gotham FC from the USA who were runners up in Group A.
The matches are set to take place in May next year, including the third-place play-off and the final.
Only the winner of the competition will qualify for the first ever FIFA Women’s Club World Cup scheduled for January/February 2026 featuring 16 women’s teams from around the world.
The CONCACAF W Champions Cup is a newly launched tournament which pitted the best clubs from North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.
Three teams each from the Liga MX Femenil (Mexico) and the National Women’s Soccer League (USA), as well as one each from Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Panama, made up the 10 sides that took part in the group stages of the competition.
They were divided into two groups of five clubs each, with each team playing every side in their group once.
Jermaine Seoposenwe’s Monterrey FC, the current league champions in Mexico, finished in third place in Group A and missed out on a semi-final spot by just one point.
Final Group Stage Standings:
Group A
1. Tigres Femenil (10 pts) – advance to the Semi-finals
2. NJ/NY Gotham FC (8 pts) – advance to the Semi-finals
3. CF Monterrey Femenil (7 pts)
4. LD Alajuelense (3 pts)
5. Frazsiers Whip Football Limited (0 pts)
Group B
1. Club America Femenil (9 pts, +11 gd) – advance to the Semi-finals
2. Portland Thorns FC (9 pts, +8 gd) – advance to the Semi-finals
3. San Diego Wave FC (9 pts, +4 gd)
4. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (3 pts)
5. Santa Fe FC (0 pts)
2024/25 CONCACAF W CHAMPIONS CUP FINALS SCHEDULE
Thursday, 25 May 2025:
Semifinals:
- SF1: Tigres Femenil vs Portland Thorns FC (1A vs 2B)
- SF2: Club America Femenil vs NJ/NY Gotham FC (1B vs 2A)
Sunday, 25 May 2025
- 3rd Place:
Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2
- FINAL:
Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2
By Matlhomola Morake
