For the first time in nearly five months, Racing Louisville FC has a game to play, and this year will kick off much like the club’s inaugural season: in the NWSL Challenge Cup.
The club, which finished 2021 by accumulating 22 points — the record for an NWSL expansion side — will look to continue building starting with Friday’s 7:30 p.m. opener against the KC Current at Lynn Family Stadium.
Racing returns 13 players from a season ago, but that also means seeing nearly half its roster turn over in recent months. Among those back are 2021 points leaders Ebony Salmon and Cece Kizer; emerging U.S. Women’s National Team star Emily Fox; top defender Gemma Bonner; and the new Dr. Nadia Nadim, who continues to rehab from a knee injury.
Newcomers include World Cup winner Jess McDonald, acquired via an offseason trade, and the two-time MAC Hermann trophy winner Jaelin Howell drafted No. 2 overall out of reigning Division I national champion Florida State. There’s also a new head coach in charge, with Kim Björkegren bringing experience of European titles and games in the UEFA Women’s Champions League to the sideline.
Racing will play the first of its group state Challenge Cup games against a club with a similar arc. The KC Current were also an expansion club in 2021, albeit a relocated side rather than a start from scratch. But the Current have in the last year rolled out a flashy brand and teal colors; acquired some top international talents such as Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams; plus announced plans to build a stadium and training ground much like those found in Louisville.
Friday’s game is the first of six Racing will play in the Challenge Cup ahead of the 22-game regular season that opens April 30. This marks the first meeting in this competition with the Current, who they see in a return game on April 2. The two sides will coincidentally end their respective regular-season campaigns against one another in an Oct. 1 season finale back at Lynn Family Stadium.
Follow along…
• For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. Also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.
• Visit our Match Center for everything you should know before you go to Lynn Family Stadium.
• Can’t make it? The game will stream live on Paramount+.
Injury report
• Nadia Nadim (out, right leg)