With Orlando’s withdrawal, Utah Royals get potentially easier path as NWSL updates Challenge Cup schedule

With the Orlando Pride no longer participating in the National Women’s Soccer League Challenge Cup due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the team, the tournament’s schedule had to be augmented. The new schedule, released Tuesday, might actually help the host team Utah Royals FC.

The Royals will still begin the tournament on June 30, but it won’t be against the Washington Spirit, who Utah drew as the league revealed the first matchups for the preliminary rounds. Instead, the Royals will face the Houston Dash to start the tournament.

URFC will then get to spend part of its Fourth of July holiday playing Sky Blue FC. It gets the OL Reign after that on July 8, and the preliminary round culminates for the team July 12 against the Chicago Red Stars.

The Royals’ first three games kick off at 10:30 a.m.; the game against the Red Stars starts at 8 p.m.

The schedule change allows the Royals to avoid the North Carolina Courage in the preliminary round. The Courage, who Utah were originally schedule to play July 12, are back-to-back NWSL champions and have won the NWSL Shield in three consecutive seasons.

Additionally, Sky Blue and Houston were not playoff teams in 2019. However, the Royals lost two of their three games to the Dash last season.

The Royals confirmed Tuesday that U.S. Women’s National Team forward Christen Press opted out of the tournament, as previously reported by The Salt Lake Tribune. The team also signed former University of Utah player Holly Daugirda to a short-term contract.