Merritt Paulson announces bid to host Challenge Cup at Providence Park

Strung in the middle of a series of tweets, Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC owner Merritt Paulson tweeted that the Thorns are submitting a bid to host an NWSL Challenge Cup at Providence Park in late spring 2021.

Yesterday afternoon, Paulson sent out a series of tweets talking about all that was accomplished in 2020 despite the global pandemic. Before mentioning the bid, Paulson talked about the NWSL and MLS as two of the best leagues in navigating COVID, touting the Timbers’ total of zero positive tests as particularly impressive.

Paulson also mentioned that more trades would be coming soon for both squads. Paulson tweeted that the Timbers were one of the deepest squads in the league before injuries struck and that the Thorns need to get back to being the clear top dog in the NWSL.

All of this was just before tweeting his desire to host the Challenge Cup. The NWSL announced last month that they would start the 2021 season off with a Challenge Cup in multiple bubble environments before officially starting the regular season in mid-May.

For what it’s worth, NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird seemed to like the idea of a Challenge Cup in Portland.

What do you think about a Challenge Cup in Portland? Let us know below.