Gotham FC vs C.F. Monterrey preview: Kicking off the Champions Cup campaign

  • Gotham FC enters the Champions Cup as the defending champions
  • The team will face C.F. Monterrey Femenil
  • Here is a preview of the match
Nealy Martin of Gotham FC
Nealy Martin of Gotham FC | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After a tough-to-swallow loss that saw the Houston Dash score the winner in stoppage time, NJ/NY Gotham FC will get right back to it just three days later when they open their CONCACAF W Champions Cup campaign against Mexican side C.F. Monterrey Femenil. This will be the second competitive meeting between the two clubs after their 0-0 draw in last year's Champions Cup group stage.

Gotham will be looking to get back in the win column for the first time in four games when they beat Bay FC 2-1 all the way back in June. And while their last match against Houston ended in heartbreak, there were still plenty of positives to take from it. From winning the xG battle 1.19-0.11 to outshooting the Dash 15-2, it was one of the team's best performances of the season despite coming away without the three points.

Monterrey enters this game in great form, having won five of their last six matches in Liga MX Femenil Apertura play. While the standard of the NWSL is probably higher than that of Liga MX Femenil, Monterrey's strong form, combined with a number of high-level players, means this should not be a team to be taken lightly.

A win here would not only be helpful in their Champions Cup campaign but also a great way to build momentum for the rest of the season after this run of three games without a win. So, here's a preview of Wednesday's matchup between Gotham FC and C.F. Monterrey.

Gotham FC vs C.F. Monterrey preview

Date

The fixture will be played on Wednesday, August 20.

Time

The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 PM ET.

How to watch

The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and streamed on Paramount+ in English, and ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ in Spanish.

Location

The match will be played at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in Manhattan, New York City, New York.

Weather

After the previous match against Houston was interrupted by lightning, it seems the storms will continue to follow Gotham, albeit much less severely. There is a forecasted temperature of 68 degrees at kickoff with 6 mph winds and 85% humidity. In addition to forecasted rain throughout the afternoon, there is a 65% chance at kickoff, with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Rain should continue throughout the 90 minutes.

Injury report

CONCACAF does not require teams to release an availability report in the same way NWSL does. Therefore, the most up-to-date report that's available for Gotham is from their weekend match against Houston. The only known change from the weekend is that Geyse is available for selection as she has served her red card suspension. Also, red card suspensions of multiple games do not carry over from NWSL to CONCACAF play and vice versa.

Hence, Tierna Davidson (SEI – knee), Midge Purce (thigh), and Ella Stevens (knee) could all be out, with Davidson being the only once confirmed to be out.

Players to watch

For Gotham, Khyah Harper could become a key player for this team for the rest of the season. After playing a minimal amount of minutes in the first half of the season, the rookie was handed her first start 2.5 weeks ago against Chicago Stars FC, where she also scored her first professional goal. With this team struggling to get goals from any player not named Esther González, Harper has an opportunity to jump up the forward depth chart if she continues to take advantage of the opportunities she is given. Wednesday night could be a big opportunity for the rookie.

For Monterrey, Christina Burkenroad is probably the team's most dangerous player in attack. The 32-year-old has 15 goals in 26 matches in all competitions in 2025 and scored in the team's most recent match on Saturday. Keeping Burkenroad quiet will be the Bats' main task if they want to win on Wednesday.

Prediction

It is predicted that Gotham will get back in the win column in this one by a score of 2-0. Harper will score her second of the season, and Geyse will score the other goal. It will be interesting to see if the change in venue will have any impact on the game. While a pro-Gotham FC crowd is expected, Liga MX teams have fans all over the United States, and having the game in New York City might mean more Monterrey fans attend than had it been in New Jersey.