Kansas City Current and San Diego Wave FC are taking their rivalry to a new stage.
The NWSL powerhouses will represent the U.S. in the inaugural World Sevens Football (W7F) Americas tournament, a seven-a-side event with a $5 million prize purse in December.
“Our team thrives on intensity, creativity, and competition which fit perfectly with the seven-vs-seven style of play, ” said Milan Ivanovic, assistant coach of the Current. “This tournament is an incredible opportunity for our players to test themselves against some of the world’s best in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.”
The Current and the Wave will join Canada’s AFC Toronto, Mexico’s Club América and Tigres Femenil, Brazil’s Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, and Colombia’s Deportivo Cali Femenino in Fort Lauderdale, Fl., at Beyond Bancard Field. The tournament will also bring together girls’ teams in the Under-9 through Under-12 age groups across two days of play at Nova Southeastern University to expand their footprint in grassroots levels.
“Global reach and representation are a core part of our vision,’’ Sarah Cummins, CEO of W7F told The Athletic. “Like our first tournament, we’ve intentionally built a diverse lineup that brings together top clubs from different regions and leagues.”
The champion will collect $2 million, with $1 million set aside for the runner-up and $700,000 for third place. The prize is not only for the teams; they are required to split the winnings with the players, but it will be up to each team as to how the prize money is distributed.
For the Americas event, W7F will again partner with DAZN to provide live global coverage and exclusive content, and will for the first time team up with Horizon Sport & Entertainment to expand its commercial and sponsorship reach.
W7F staged its first event in Portugal this summer, featuring Europe’s top teams, including Ajax, Bayern München, Benfica, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, AS Roma and FC Rosengård, with global soccer stars Ella Toone, Lily Yohannes, Pernille Harder and Kerolin Nicoli. With rolling substitutions, no offsides, and a festival-style atmosphere complete with DJ sets and smoke cannons, the tournament blends soccer with entertainment.
W7F is still shaping its long-term structure and eyeing expansion into new regions, with additional tournaments planned in Europe and the U.S. Cummins said each event is meant to bring something fresh while expanding opportunities for players. The schedule is also built to complement existing leagues and international fixtures, minimizing conflicts and preventing player overload. As the series grows, the number of teams competing in each event will expand too.
W7F has a Player Advisory Council made up of former global soccer stars, including Tobin Heath and Kelley O’Hara from the US and retired European elite players Anita Asante, Caroline Seger, and Laura Georges. Ahead of its inaugural event in May, Adrian Jacob — former general manager of Chelsea Women — was appointed head of football, and former U.S. international and broadcaster Aly Wagner serves as chief strategy officer and head of sponsorship.
W7F is also seeking new investment to accelerate its global expansion.
According to Cummins, W7F is planning on going out on an outside capital raise in the coming months. With the support of W7F’s co-founders and lead investors, Gotham FC minority-owner Jennifer Mackesy and her husband, Scott, the group is already committed to investing at least $100 million into women’s soccer in the next five years.
“By enhancing these key areas, we aim to support women’s football’s continued growth and success, providing greater opportunities and elevating the sport’s profile globally,” Cummins said.