Women's Super League duo Arsenal and Chelsea are scheduled to go on pre-season tours of the United States this summer, including facing off in a friendly in Washington, DC, sources told ESPN.
Scheduled for August, Arsenal will take on the NWSL's Washington Spirit, while Chelsea will play NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. This will be the first time two WSL teams have faced NWSL teams. The two WSL teams are also set for a friendly on August 19 in Washington, sources added.
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It is also the first time that two WSL teams will go on such high-profile pre-season tours. In January, Chelsea hosted a training camp in Morocco, while Arsenal hosted theirs in Portugal. Last summer, Arsenal hosted a pre-season camp at the Adidas headquarters in Germany.
It will be a clash of champions for Chelsea against 2023 NWSL winners Gotham, after Chelsea lifted the WSL title on Saturday for the fifth consecutive time and seventh overall.
It could also be Chelsea's first time playing under new manager Sonia Bompastor. Sources told ESPN that the Lyon coach will replace Emma Hayes next season, with Hayes becoming the new head coach of the US women's team after 12 years with Chelsea.
The Washington Spirit must also change direction, with Jonatan Giráldez set to become their new coach once his tenure with Barcelona ends next month. Bopastor and Giráldez will meet next week in the Champions League final.
Arsenal also head to Melbourne, Australia, for a match against the Australian A-League All Stars on May 27. However, the team will be without WSL top scorer Vivianne Miedema come summer as the club decided not to renew her contract. Sources told ESPN that Miedema is in line for a move to WSL rivals Manchester City.
Arsenal will play Champions League qualifying in early September, while Chelsea automatically qualified for the group stage.
This season, Arsenal defeated Chelsea in the league 4-1 before the west London club dominated 3-1 in the second leg.
Washington Spirit is fourth in the NWSL standings, while Gotham is seventh.
ESPN's Emily Keogh, Jeff Kassouf and Tom Hamilton contributed to this report.
