CONCACAF has placed women’s national team soccer on an equal footing with that of men by introducing the first CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, to be played in the summer of 2000. “This is intended as a stimulus for all female soccer players at all levels throughout the nations and territories of our 38 members,” said CONCACAF president Jack Warner. “The U.S. women are, of course, the standard by which women’s football is measured. By placing the interests of all our women’s national teams on equality with those of men’s national teams, we intend to make CONCACAF the standard by which future progress in women’s football is measured among the confederations of FIFA.” Thus, the World Cup-winning U.S. women will now have a major new trophy to compete for, along with their counterparts throughout CONCACAF. The Women’s Gold Cup will parallel the well-established, competitive and popular Gold Cup, with guest national teams from other Confederations being invited to participate against this region’s best. “The huge success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup has given us the impetus and the opportunity to continue the sporting and social advance of women’s football,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blaze. “Many steps had already been taken but this will provide the best possible encouragement and additional opportunity.” Dates and location of the first CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup will be determined shortly by the CONCACAF Executive Committee together with the event format and number of finalist teams and guests.