Algarve Cup facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
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 an invitational tournament for national teams in women's association football hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious and longest-running women's international football events and has been nicknamed the "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup".

The most successful teams have been the United States, with ten titles, followed by Norway and Sweden with five, and Germany with four. The USA has won all its titles since 2000, including nine in thirteen years since 2003. China has won twice. The USA, Norway, Germany, and Spain are the only nations to have won both the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Algarve Cup.

The Algarve Cup, as an annual event featuring most of the world's top women's football teams, has no parallel in the men's game, given that there are fewer professional women's leagues and thus fewer scheduling conflicts. It is played in late February or early March, at the same time as the Arnold Clark Cup, the Cup of Nations, the Cyprus Women's Cup, the Istria Cup, the Pinatar Cup, the SheBelieves Cup, the Tournoi de France, the Turkish Women's Cup and the Women's Revelations Cup.

Format

Estádio Algarve, one of the stadiums used in the tournament

From 2002 to 2014, 12 teams were invited, with the top eight competing for the championship. The teams were divided into three groups of four — A, B and C. Group C was added in 2002 to provide second-tier teams with high-level match experience every year. The teams first played round-robin within their pool. Then the placement round proceeded as follows:

• 11th place: The two bottom teams in Group C played one game.
• 9th place: The Group C runner-up played one game against the lower-ranked of the fourth-place teams from Groups A and B.
• 7th place: The Group C winner played one game against the higher-ranked of the fourth-place teams from Groups A and B.
• 5th place: The third-place teams from Groups A and B played one game.
• 3rd place: The second-place teams from Groups A and B played one game.
• 1st place: The first-place teams from Groups A and B played one game.

In 2015, Group C teams became eligible for the final, which is now played between the two best group winners. If teams are tied on points, finishing positions will be determined by the following tie-breaking criteria in the following order:

1. number of points obtained in the matches among the teams in question
2. goal difference in all the group matches
3. number of goals scored in all the group matches
4. fair-play ranking in all the group matches
5. FIFA ranking

The placement round is now as follows:

• 11th place match: 3rd best 4th placed team vs. 2nd best 4th placed team
• 9th place match: best 4th placed team vs. 3rd best 3rd placed team
• 7th place match: 2nd best 3rd placed team vs. best 3rd placed team
• 5th place match: 3rd best 2nd placed team vs. 2nd best 2nd placed team
• 3rd place match: 3rd best group winner vs. best 2nd placed team
• Final: Best group winner vs. 2nd best group winner

Results

Edition	Year		Final				Third Place Match				Number of teams
			Winners	Score	Runners-up		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
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 The final was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	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 reaching the top four

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

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
	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
	Iceland (ISL)	0	1	2	3
14	Brazil (BRA)	0	1	0	1
	Poland (POL)	0	1	0	1
16	Portugal (POR)	0	0	1	1
Totals (16 entries)		29	27	28	84

• Share gold in 2018 Algarve Cup.

Participating nations

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

Statistics

Teams

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:

Individuals

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

See also

In Spanish: Copa de Algarve para niños