CARY, N.C. -- Few places in the world are as intertwined with women's soccer as North Carolina's Triangle, the square mileage encompassing Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh. And now comes a new chapter: The North Carolina Courage and Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Olympique Lyon bring the world here in the second edition of the Women's International Champions Cup (coverage begins on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. ET Thursday).
FIFA president Gianni Infantino named the introduction of a Club World Cup as one of his goals to grow the women's game, but unless and until that comes to fruition, the ICC stands alone in women's soccer in placing the NWSL and Europe's best on the same field.