Algarve Cup facts for kids

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Algarve Cup
Founded	1994
Region	Portugal
Number of teams	12
Current champions	Sweden (5th title)
Most successful team(s)	United States (10 titles)
Website	Official website: https://www.fpf.pt/pt/competicoes/futebol/feminino/algarve-cup

The Algarve Cup is a special football tournament for women's national teams. It is hosted every year by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) in the Algarve region of Portugal. This tournament started in 1994, making it one of the most important and oldest women's football events. Some people even call it the "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup" because many top teams play in it.

The United States is the most successful team, winning ten titles. Norway and Sweden have each won five times. Germany has won four titles, and China has won twice. The United States, Norway, Germany, and Spain are the only countries that have won both the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Algarve Cup.

The Algarve Cup is unique because it brings together many of the world's best women's football teams every year. This kind of event is rare in men's football. It usually takes place in late February or early March. Other similar tournaments happen around the same time, like the Arnold Clark Cup and the SheBelieves Cup.

How the Tournament Works
Tournament Results
Teams That Reached the Top Four
Medals Won by Teams
Teams That Have Played
Tournament Statistics
- Team Performance
- Individual Awards
See also

How the Tournament Works

Estádio Algarve, one of the stadiums used in the tournament

From 2002 to 2014, 12 teams were invited to play. The top eight teams competed for the championship. Teams were split into three groups: A, B, and C. Group C was added to give newer teams a chance to play against strong opponents.

First, teams played against every other team in their own group. This is called a round-robin format. After these group games, teams played one more match to decide their final rank in the tournament:

11th place: The two teams at the bottom of Group C played each other.
9th place: The second-place team from Group C played against the weaker fourth-place team from Group A or B.
7th place: The winner of Group C played against the stronger fourth-place team from Group A or B.
5th place: The third-place teams from Group A and B played each other.
3rd place: The second-place teams from Group A and B played each other.
1st place (Final): The first-place teams from Group A and B played for the championship.

In 2015, the rules changed. Now, teams from Group C can also reach the final. The final match is played between the two best group winners. If teams have the same number of points, their final position is decided by:

Points from games between the tied teams.
Goal difference (goals scored minus goals against) in all group matches.
Total goals scored in all group matches.
Fair-play ranking (teams with fewer fouls).
FIFA ranking (how highly they are ranked by FIFA).

The placement matches now work like this:

11th place match: The 3rd best 4th-placed team plays the 2nd best 4th-placed team.
9th place match: The best 4th-placed team plays the 3rd best 3rd-placed team.
7th place match: The 2nd best 3rd-placed team plays the best 3rd-placed team.
5th place match: The 3rd best 2nd-placed team plays the 2nd best 2nd-placed team.
3rd place match: The 3rd best group winner plays the best 2nd-placed team.
Final: The best group winner plays the 2nd best group winner.

Tournament Results

Edition	Year	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Third Place	Score	Fourth Place	Number of teams
Edition	Year	Final			Third Place Match			Number of teams
1	1994	Norway	1–0	United States	Sweden	1–0	Denmark	6
2	1995	Sweden	3–2 (aet)	Denmark	Norway	3–3 (aet) (4–2 p)	United States	8
3	1996	Norway	4–0	Sweden	China	2–1	Denmark	8
4	1997	Norway	1–0	China	Sweden	0–0 (6–5 p)	Denmark	8
5	1998	Norway	4–1	Denmark	United States	3–1	Sweden	8
6	1999	China	2–1	United States	Norway	2–2 (aet) (4–1 p)	Denmark	8
7	2000	United States	1–0	Norway	China	1–0	Sweden	8
8	2001	Sweden	3–0	Denmark	China	5–1	Canada	8
9	2002	China	1–0	Norway	Sweden	2–1	Germany	12
10	2003	United States	2–0	China	Norway	1–0	France	12
11	2004	United States	4–1	Norway	France	3–3 (4–3 p)	Italy	12
12	2005	United States	1–0	Germany	France	3–2	Sweden	12
13	2006	Germany	0–0 (aet) (4–3 p)	United States	Sweden	1–0	France	11
14	2007	United States	2–0	Denmark	Sweden	3–1	France	12
15	2008	United States	2–1	Denmark	Norway	2–0	Germany	12
16	2009	Sweden	1–1 (4–3 p)	United States	Denmark	1–0	Germany	12
17	2010	United States	3–2	Germany	Sweden	2–0	China	12
18	2011	United States	4–2	Iceland	Japan	2–1	Sweden	12
19	2012	Germany	4–3	Japan	United States	4–0	Sweden	12
20	2013	United States	2–0	Germany	Norway	2–2 (aet) (3–2 p)	Sweden	12
21	2014	Germany	3–0	Japan	Iceland	2–1	Sweden	12
22	2015	United States	2–0	France	Germany	2–1	Sweden	12
23	2016	Canada	2–1	Brazil	Iceland	1–1 (6–5 p)	New Zealand	8
24	2017	Spain	1–0	Canada	Denmark	1–1 (4–1 p)	Australia	12
25	2018	Netherlands and Sweden The final was cancelled due to heavy rain			Portugal	2–1	Australia	12
26	2019	Norway	3–0	Poland	Canada	0–0 (6–5 p)	Sweden	12
27	2020	Germany	3–0 (awarded)	Italy	Norway	2–1	New Zealand	8
	~~2021~~	Cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic			Cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic			—
28	2022	Sweden	1–1 (6–5 p)	Italy	Norway	2–0	Portugal	5
	~~2023~~	Not held due to Portugal's participation in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification play-offs			Not held due to Portugal's participation in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification play-offs			—

Teams That Reached the Top Four

This table shows which teams have done well in the Algarve Cup, reaching the top four spots.

Team	Titles	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Top 4
United States	10 (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015)	4 (1994, 1999, 2006, 2009)	2 (1998, 2012)	1 (1995)	17
Norway	5 (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2019)	3 (2000, 2002, 2004)	7 (1995, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2020, 2022)	–	15
Sweden	5 (1995, 2001, 2009, 2018, 2022)	1 (1996)	6 (1994, 1997, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2010)	9 (1998, 2000, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019)	21
Germany	4 (2006, 2012, 2014, 2020)	3 (2005, 2010, 2013)	1 (2015)	3 (2002, 2008, 2009)	11
China	2 (1999, 2002)	2 (1997, 2003)	3 (1996, 2000, 2001)	1 (2010)	8
Canada	1 (2016)	1 (2017)	1 (2019)	1 (2001)	4
Spain	1 (2017)	–	–	–	1
Netherlands	1 (2018)	–	–	–	1
Denmark	–	5 (1995, 1998, 2001, 2007, 2008)	2 (2009, 2017)	4 (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999)	11
Japan	–	2 (2012, 2014)	1 (2011)	–	3
Italy	–	2 (2020, 2022)	–	1 (2004)	3
France	–	1 (2015)	2 (2004, 2005)	3 (2003, 2006, 2007)	6
Iceland	–	1 (2011)	2 (2014, 2016)	–	3
Brazil	–	1 (2016)	–	–	1
Poland	–	1 (2019)	–	–	1
Portugal	–	–	1 (2018)	1 (2022)	2
Australia	–	–	–	2 (2017, 2018)	2
New Zealand	–	–	–	2 (2016, 2020)	2

Medals Won by Teams

This table shows the medals won by different teams in the Algarve Cup.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States (USA)	10	4	2	16
2	Norway (NOR)	5	3	7	15
3	Sweden (SWE)	5	1	6	12
4	Germany (GER)	4	3	1	8
5	China (CHN)	2	2	3	7
6	Canada (CAN)	1	1	1	3
7	Netherlands (NED)	1	0	0	1
7	Spain (ESP)	1	0	0	1
9	Denmark (DEN)	0	5	2	7
10	Japan (JPN)	0	2	1	3
11	Italy (ITA)	0	2	0	2
12	France (FRA)	0	1	2	3
12	Iceland (ISL)	0	1	2	3
14	Brazil (BRA)	0	1	0	1
14	Poland (POL)	0	1	0	1
16	Portugal (POR)	0	0	1	1
Totals (16 entries)		29	27	28	84

In 2018, the Netherlands and Sweden shared the gold medal.

Teams That Have Played

This table lists all the nations that have participated in the Algarve Cup over the years.

Team	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2022	Years
Australia	–	–	–	–	–	5th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4th	4th	–	–	WD	4
Austria	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10th	11th	–	–	–	11th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3
Belgium	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5th	–	–	–	6th	–	2
Brazil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7th	2nd	–	–	–	–	–	2
Canada	–	–	–	–	–	–	5th	4th	8th	7th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1st	2nd	5th	3rd	–	–	8
Chile	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	11th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
China	–	–	3rd	2nd	5th	1st	3rd	3rd	1st	2nd	6th	7th	6th	10th	9th	5th	4th	7th	9th	6th	5th	12th	–	10th	11th	12th	–	–	23
Denmark	4th	2nd	4th	4th	2nd	4th	6th	2nd	6th	9th	7th	6th	9th	2nd	2nd	3rd	5th	6th	5th	7th	6th	6th	7th	3rd	10th	6th	5th	5th	28
England	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9th	–	–	8th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Faroe Islands	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Finland	6th	5th	8th	6th	8th	8th	7th	7th	7th	6th	9th	10th	7th	6th	8th	7th	8th	10th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18
France	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4th	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2nd	–	–	–	–	–	–	6
Germany	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4th	–	–	2nd	1st	8th	4th	4th	2nd	–	1st	2nd	1st	3rd	–	–	–	–	1st	–	12
Greece	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8th	11th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Hungary	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12th	10th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Iceland	–	–	6th	7th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9th	7th	6th	9th	2nd	6th	9th	3rd	10th	3rd	9th	9th	9th	–	–	15
Republic of Ireland	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	11th	–	–	10th	11th	12th	–	–	–	11th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5
Italy	–	7th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4th	–	–	7th	6th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2nd	2nd	6
Japan	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3rd	2nd	5th	2nd	9th	–	6th	6th	–	–	–	7
Mexico	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9th	8th	–	–	–	–	–	–	8th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3
Netherlands	–	6th	–	5th	6th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5th	1st	11th	–	–	6
New Zealand	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	4th	–	–	–	4th	–	2
North Korea	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Northern Ireland	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12th	12th	WD	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Norway	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	3rd	2nd	5th	2nd	3rd	2nd	5th	5th	5th	3rd	9th	6th	5th	7th	3rd	10th	5th	–	11th	7th	1st	3rd	3rd	27
Poland	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	11th	11th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2nd	–	–	3
Portugal	5th	8th	7th	8th	7th	7th	8th	8th	11th	10th	8th	11th	11th	12th	10th	8th	10th	9th	10th	11th	12th	11th	8th	12th	3rd	10th	8th	4th	28
Romania	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7th	12th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Russia	–	–	5th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9th	–	6th	8th	12th	–	–	–	5
Scotland	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5th	–	–	2
South Korea	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7th	–	–	–	1
Spain	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1st	–	7th	–	–	2
Sweden	3rd	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	6th	4th	1st	3rd	5th	5th	4th	3rd	3rd	5th	1st	3rd	4th	4th	4th	4th	4th	–	7th	1st	4th	7th	1st	27
Switzerland	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8th	–	–	–	8th	–	–	2
United States	2nd	4th	–	–	3rd	2nd	1st	6th	5th	1st	1st	1st	2nd	1st	1st	2nd	1st	1st	3rd	1st	7th	1st	–	–	–	–	–	–	20
Wales	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	12th	12th	10th	–	–	–	–	12th	–	8th	8th	12th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7	Total (36 teams)	6	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	12	12	12	12	11	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	8	12	12	12	8	5

Tournament Statistics

Team Performance

This table shows how different teams have performed over all the Algarve Cup tournaments.

Rank	Team	Part	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	United States	20	79	56	11	12	173	62	+111	179
2	Sweden	27	103	52	23	28	185	108	+78	179
3	Norway	27	103	53	14	36	175	117	+58	173
4	Denmark	28	107	42	14	51	146	151	−5	140
5	China	23	91	35	14	42	106	109	−3	119
6	Portugal	28	106	26	16	63	101	208	−107	97
7	Germany	12	44	29	2	13	94	35	+59	89
8	Iceland	15	59	21	11	27	75	93	−18	74
9	Canada	8	31	17	5	9	51	35	+16	56
10	Japan	7	28	16	1	11	45	36	+9	49
11	Italy	5	22	13	2	7	34	32	+2	41
12	France	6	24	13	2	9	34	35	−1	41
13	Finland	18	71	8	9	54	45	165	−120	33
14	Wales	7	28	9	5	14	31	47	−16	32
15	Netherlands	6	22	9	3	10	26	34	−8	30
16	Republic of Ireland	5	19	4	8	7	18	28	−10	20
17	Mexico	3	11	5	2	4	18	15	+3	17
18	Australia	3	12	4	5	3	15	14	+1	17
19	Russia	5	20	5	2	13	16	41	−25	17
20	Brazil	2	8	5	1	2	15	7	+8	16
21	Spain	2	7	5	1	1	10	4	+6	16
22	Austria	3	12	5	1	6	20	17	+3	16
23	Greece	2	8	4	2	2	9	11	−2	14
24	England	2	8	4	1	3	21	12	+9	13
25	Romania	2	8	4	3	1	13	5	+8	13
26	Scotland	2	7	4	0	3	9	10	−1	12
27	Poland	3	11	3	2	6	12	20	−8	11
28	Belgium	2	7	3	1	3	10	9	+1	10
29	North Korea	1	4	3	0	1	6	4	+2	9
30	Hungary	2	8	2	1	5	7	14	−7	7
31	New Zealand	2	7	1	3	3	4	8	−4	6
32	South Korea	1	3	1	1	1	4	5	−1	4
33	Switzerland	1	4	1	1	2	5	9	−4	4
34	Northern Ireland	2	8	1	0	7	4	19	−15	3
35	Chile	1	4	0	2	2	2	5	−3	2
36	Faroe Islands	1	4	0	0	4	1	19	−18	0

Source:

Individual Awards

This table highlights the best players and top goal scorers from each Algarve Cup tournament.

Year	Best Player	Top Scorer	Goals
1994	Ann Kristin Aarones	Ann Kristin Aarones	5
1995	Helle Jensen	Helle Jensen	6
1996	Hege Riise
1997	Marianne Pettersen
1998	Marianne Pettersen
1999	Tiffeny Milbrett	Tiffeny Milbrett	4
2000	Dagny Mellgren	Dagny Mellgren	4
2001	Hanna Ljungberg	Hanna Ljungberg	6
2002	Bai Jie	Shannon MacMillan	7
2003	Liu Ying	Hanna Ljungberg	4
2004	Shannon Boxx	Abby Wambach	4
2005	Birgit Prinz	Christie Welsh	5
2006	Shannon Boxx
2007	Carli Lloyd	Carli Lloyd	7
2008	Cathrine Paaske-Sørensen	Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir	6
2009	Hope Solo	Kerstin Garefrekes Jayne Ludlow Lotta Schelin	3
2010	Inka Grings	Inka Grings	7
2011	Homare Sawa	Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir	4
2012	Aya Miyama	Célia Okoyino da Mbabi	6
2013	Megan Rapinoe	Kosovare Asllani Alex Morgan	3
2014	Dzsenifer Marozsán	Dzsenifer Marozsán	4
2015	Eugénie Le Sommer	Sofia Jakobsson	4
2016	Kadeisha Buchanan	Janice Cayman	4
2017	Irene Paredes	Pernille Harder Kumi Yokoyama	4
2018	Cláudia Neto	Lieke Martens Christine Sinclair Fridolina Rolfö	3
2019		Jennifer Hermoso Mimmi Larsson	3
2020		Nanna Christiansen Cristiana Girelli Pernille Harder Synne Jensen	2
2022	Barbara Bonansea	Valentina Giacinti Celin Bizet Ildhusøy	2