Championship Sunday: History, Legacy, and New Beginnings Await

RICHMOND, Va. — Championship Sunday has arrived.

Nearly a year after the first matches of the 2025-26 Girls Academy season, thousands of league matches, showcase games, and playoff contests have led to one final day. Five National Championships remain to be decided, bringing together some of the most accomplished clubs in Girls Academy history alongside programs chasing their first national title.

Before Sunday’s matches begin, one champion has already been crowned. Tophat’s U19 squad completed a historic Champions Cup–National Championship double in June, defeating fellow unbeaten conference champion Indy Premier United in a thrilling extra-time final. The victory closed the Girls Academy careers of the league’s inaugural class and cemented one of the most remarkable single-season performances in league history.

Now, five more trophies remain.

The Girls Academy has never been defined by one dominant club or one dominant region.

Across the league’s first five National Championship events, 20 different clubs have captured National Championships, representing conferences from across the country. While championship traditions have emerged, each season has produced new contenders and breakthrough performances, reinforcing the league’s competitive depth and parity.

This year’s Championship Sunday continues that tradition. Returning national finalists share the stage with first-time finalists. Champions Cup winners meet redemption stories. Historic programs pursue another trophy while rising clubs look to write the biggest chapter in their history.

Few organizations have shaped the Girls Academy era like Tophat SC. Already crowned U19 National Champions, the Georgia club enters Championship Sunday with teams competing for both the U15 and U17 National Championships. Victories in both matches would give Tophat three National Championships during the 2026 National Finals, tying one of the greatest single-event championship performances in league history.

It would also raise the club’s all-time total to seven Girls Academy National Championships, extending its position as the league’s most decorated program. Championship success has become a hallmark of Tophat, but perhaps even more impressive has been its consistency. Across multiple age groups and six seasons, the club has remained a fixture on the national stage while continually developing teams capable of competing for championships year after year.

If Tophat represents sustained excellence, City SC represents one of the Girls Academy’s fastest-rising success stories. The California club enters Championship Sunday with teams competing in the U13, U14, and U16 National Championship matches after never previously appearing in a Girls Academy National Final.

Earlier this season, City SC captured the U16 Champions Cup while the U14 squad advanced to the Champions Cup Final, showcasing remarkable quality and depth throughout the club.

That success earned Girls Academy Director Jeff Hughes recognition as the league’s 2026 Male Coach of the Year, and Championship Sunday now offers City SC the opportunity to transform one of the most impressive seasons in club history into its first National Championships.

While City SC seeks its first title, several familiar names once again return to the Girls Academy’s biggest stage. NEFC advances to another National Championship after finishing runner-up in last year’s U15 Final. Across the league’s first five championship events, the Massachusetts club has established itself as one of the Girls Academy’s premier postseason programs and now makes its eighth National Championship appearance, second only to Tophat in league history.

SC del Sol returns seeking its second Girls Academy National Championship after reaching the Champions Cup Final earlier this season, while Galaxy SC competes in its second consecutive U16 National Championship after narrowly missing the trophy in 2025. Both clubs have previously celebrated National Championship success—SC del Sol capturing the 2024 U19 title and Galaxy winning the 2025 U17 National Championship while placing two teams in National Finals last season.

Meanwhile, Michigan Jaguars return to Championship Sunday for the second consecutive year after finishing as U16 National Runner-Up in 2025. This time, the club’s U13 squad looks to add the first National Championship in Michigan Jaguars history after already capturing the 2026 Champions Cup.

For SJEB FC, Sunday’s U14 Final represents the club’s first appearance on the Girls Academy’s biggest stage. After an outstanding postseason run, the New Jersey club now has the opportunity to become the 21st different club to capture a Girls Academy National Championship.

Championship Sunday celebrates far more than the teams that lift trophies. It celebrates the players who have dedicated years to their development, the coaches who have invested in their growth, the clubs that have built environments where excellence can flourish, and the families who have supported every step of the journey.

By the end of the day, five more National Champions will be crowned.

Some clubs will add another chapter to already remarkable legacies.
Others will celebrate the first championship in program history.

Every final tells a different story.

Together, they tell the story of a league that continues to grow stronger, deeper, and more competitive with each passing season.

Every trophy becomes part of Girls Academy history.

And on Championship Sunday, the next chapter begins.