ACFC to conclude Challenge Cup

Angel City FC opened training camp on the first day of February.

Sunday, after nearly three months of preseason, Angel City will play its final NWSL Challenge Cup game and turn its attention toward Friday’s official debut and the start of the regular season.

Angel City plays host to the Portland Thorns at 6 p.m. today at Titan Stadium in its Challenge Cup finale.

The Thorns still have a chance to clinch the top spot in the Western Division, needing a win and an OL Reign loss (against San Diego Wave FC) by two or more goals.

For Angel City, the Challenge Cup has produced just one draw and four losses.

Despite the lack of success on the field, it has been an important preseason for Angel City. The club made its debut in front of a nearcapacity crowd March 19 at Titan Stadium. Its road game against San Diego

Wave FC generated 456,000 viewers on CBS.

“Southern California has a long history of supporting women’s soccer and developing female athletes,” Angel City FC president and co-founder Julie Uhrman said. “We believed if we invested in our community, our players, our team, and our city, that our fans would show up. And it’s happening in the stands, in our supporter groups, and in viewership on TV.”

Angel City promises to be a hot ticket this season, especially at home games. As of last month, the club said it had sold more than 15,000 season tickets for home games at Banc of California Stadium. The opener is Friday against North Carolina Courage.

The opener will be a special night for L.A. natives like Ali Riley to play in front of family and friends.

Riley attended Harvardwestlake in Studio City, before attending Stanford and embarking on a professional career, first in the WPS then to Europe and back to the U.S. when she joined the Orlando Pride (2020-21).

“To be in Los Angeles means so much to me and honestly it’s a dream come true because this hasn’t actually been possible,” the defender said. “It’s a dream that I didn’t even know I could have.

“There’s been all this talk about a team coming back to LA, and for the team to actually be here and to be on this team and to represent this club and hearing the owners speak, I identify with so much of what they said. I get goosebumps.”

Riley has played in all five Challenge Cup games.

As a high-profiled expansion team, all eyes will be on how Angel City FC navigates through its first year.

“Of course when you hear the owners speak and hear how much this team means to the community, there’s pressure to do well,” Riley said. “But it’s a kind of positive pressure that we’re lucky to be in the situation, to be one of the first players to wear this uniform, to be out on the field, to build something.”