Tampa Bay Sun FC to Host NWSL Champions in historic match

In a landmark event for women’s professional soccer, the Tampa Bay Sun Football Club is set to host NJ/NY Gotham FC Sunday, March 2 at Downtown Tampa’s Riverfront Stadium. This match marks the first meeting between a team from the newly established USL Super League and a club from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), underscoring the rapid growth and increasing visibility of women’s soccer in the United States.

Gotham FC, the reigning 2023 NWSL champions, boasts a roster featuring several members of the U.S. Women’s National Team, including Rose Lavelle, Tierna Davidson, and Emily Sonnett. Their opponents, Tampa Bay Sun FC, have emerged as a formidable force in the USL Super League, led by top goal scorers Carlee Giammona, Cecilie Fløe Nielsen, and Natasha Flint.

“This game represents a significant milestone for both leagues and serves as a testament to the growing strength and visibility of women’s professional soccer in the United States,” said Christina Unkel, President and General Manager of Tampa Bay Sun FC. 

Jaelin Howell, a midfielder for Gotham FC and two-time Hermann Trophy winner during her tenure at Florida State University, emphasized the importance of quality preseason matches. “It’s a really good opportunity for both teams, obviously building for us in preseason,” Howell noted. “Playing outside competition and somebody we’ve never played is also huge too, because it gives us the opportunity to look at things that we normally don’t get to.”

Jade Moore, a seasoned midfielder for Tampa Bay Sun FC and veteran of the English Women’s National Team, highlighted the significance of hosting such a high-profile match in Tampa Bay. “I just think, firstly, it’s a showcase of two Super League teams going head to head,” Moore stated. 

The collaboration between these two clubs reflects a broader commitment to advancing women’s professional soccer in the U.S. Unkel, who has been involved in women’s soccer for over 15 years, emphasized the need for investment and support to bridge existing gaps. “We’re basically making up for years and decades of not having the proper investment, the proper support in order to grow the game as it should have been,” she explained.

For Howell, the match holds personal significance, as her father played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2000 to 2005. “It’ll be super fun to go back and compete in front of all the fans,” she said. “It’ll be definitely special for me to be able to go back there and to the city where my dad once played pro sports too.”

Moore also spoke about the anticipated atmosphere at Riverfront Stadium. “I think the fans are obviously creating a really nice sort of, I don’t want to use the word hostile crowd, but they’re starting to bring their energy, they bring their flares, they bring their noise,” she said. “So I think obviously Gotham can kind of expect a slightly intimidating background.”

The match is scheduled forMarch 2 at 6 p.m.  at Riverfront Stadium. Tickets are available at TampaBaySunFC.com.