Algarve Cup

About Algarve Cup

Algarve Cup History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Algarve Cup is an invitational tournament for women's national teams hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) in the Algarve region of Portugal. The tournament was founded in 1994 and has earned the nickname "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup" over the years due to its longevity and the number of teams that participate in it.

From 2002 to 2014, 12 teams were invited, with the top eight participants competing for the title. The teams were divided into three groups of four. Group C was added in 2002 to give second-tier teams some high-level match experience but they were not eligible to play in the final until 2015. The teams played round-robin in their pool and depending on their results, they would match-up against teams that had similar finishes in other groups.

In 2020, the format shifted. The 27th edition of the Algarve Cup featured a reduced amount of eight teams paired against each other via a playoff draw. The 2020 final unfortunately did not take place as the game was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Germany and Italy were set to face off in the ultimate game but Le Azzurre had to pull out in order to return home safely due to the COVID-19 crisis in Italy. The Germans were declared the champions as a result and were awarded the title.