Temwa Chawinga lifts Kansas City Current to NWSL Summer Cup championship

The Kansas City Current are the 2024 NWSL X LIGA MX FEMENIL Summer Cup champions. Kansas City defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC, 2-0, on Friday at Toyota Park in San Antonio. Temwa Chawinga, the NWSL Golden Boot leader, scored two goals in the final. It is the first trophy for the club since their 2021 expansion into NWSL.

The inaugural NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup began with a group stage in July with all 14 NWSL clubs and six top-seeded Liga MX Femenil teams. The tournament provided extended comPetition during the Olympic break in the NWSL 2024 regular season. It also introduced a new partnership between the women's professional leagues in the United States and Mexico. 

Kansas City dominated the final and throughout the tournament. They won top of their group with wins against Houston Dash, Tigres Femenil, and Pachuca Femenil, and a semifinal victory against the North Carolina Courage. They finished the comPetition unbeaten with five wins. 

Chawinga, the Current's star striker, delivered another elite performance in the Summer Cup final. The Malawian international already set a new all-time single-season scoring record with 20 goals scored through 25 Games. She scored two goals during the Summer Cup final in a 45-minute shift before subbing out at halftime.

Only one week remains in the NWSL regular season. All 14 clubs will return to action beginning Nov. 1 and there is still playoff seeding on the line for sixth through eighth place. The Current have already clinched a spot in the NWSL playoffs and will host their quarterfinal on Nov. 9 to kick off the postseason.