3rd Annual Coachella Valley Invitational brings NWSL teams and fans to Indio for the first time

It was an historic day at the Empire Polo Club in Indio as two NSWL teams stepped on the pitch Tuesday afternoon. For the first time ever, professional womens' soccer was payed in the Coachella Valley.

The Coachella Valley Invitational is a pre-season exhibition tournament hosted by the LA Galaxy. And this year, four NWSL teams joined the lineup. San Diego Wave FC was pitted against the NWSL's newest expansion team, Bay FC at noon. Tuesday's game was also Bay FC's official inaugural match, as the team debuted in front of hundreds of fans.

The match brought out soccer fans from around the country, who hoped to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. Some of them grew up here in the valley.

“I think it's a really awesome because we have never had this experience here in the Coachella Valley," said Janelle Alfaro, a local high schooler who plays soccer in Palm Springs. "We don't really any opportunities to watch professional soccer players play here. So it's a great chance for us to all watch.”

The tournament is also a great chance for young fans to see their players up close. It's one of the only places where teams of this caliper are only separated from fans by a few feet of fence-line.

  Lily Gorden is one of Alfaro's teammates. She says they came out to see some of their biggest heroes in person. "It's honestly inspiring," said Gorden. "Like, maybe it could be us one day.”

However, as the teams took the pitch, there was one notable player missing: Alex Morgan. Officials with Wave FC told News Channel Three's Tori King that Morgan was in the Coachella Valley with the team on Monday night. The veteran forward was fully ready and expecting to suit up on Tuesday, but an injury on the US Women's National Team meant she was needed elsewhere. Morgan was called up last-minute to replace Mia Fishel on the US Women's National Team roster for 2024, after Fishel tore her ACL in practice on Monday.

Although some fans were sad to learn she wasn't suiting up here, they were happy to hear she was joining team USA.

“Originally I was excited to see Alex Morgan, that's a big part about why I came," said Gorden. "I also came to see the goalkeeper for San Diego, since as I'm a goalkeeper. But honestly, both teams are both really skilled. So I'm excited to see everyone.”

After the match ended, most of the players walked to the sidelines to meet the fans. They spent nearly half an hour taking pictures and signing autographs.

Some young fans say the experience inspired them to dream bigger.

“My dream is to become a professional soccer player," said Alfaro. "And I think this was a great opportunity for us to see these advanced players play to watch and learn from their techniques.”

“I loved getting to see them. It was cool being able to shag balls. I could actually see them up close, like the skills," said MJ Warner. Warner and her mom came to support the Wave.

"We're huge wave fans. We have season tickets," said her mom, Lindsey Littlefield. "We have supported them since their inaugural season. We just love the program. We love all the women who worked for the program and what it means to just have soccer in San Diego. A professional women's soccer team in San Diego is a big deal for us."

Littlefield is happy to she her daughter grow up with such great influences in sports.

"My daughter and this generation will never have to grow up not being able to see women at this level of professional sports. And I think that's super cool. Because to me, I'm like, this is insane. This is amazing. We didn't have this growing up. But she gets it and she gets to have it. And so it's great. It's great that it's normal for her," said Littlefield.

And the players understand the responsibility they have for future generations.

"It means a lot and to play out here in front of such young girls," Wave FC's Amirah Ali after the match. "They're out here supporting us, and looking to do the same thing when they get older. Our goal is to continue pushing the standard and helping the generations behind us to continue get to where we are."

Teammate Elyse Bennett agreed. She says all of the players on the field remember to take time to thank the fans for their support. And they're more than happy to do it.

"I think anytime we can take the time to go meet them and talk to them, it just inspires the next generation of girls that are going to be here eventually. So I think we were all there at one time, said Bennett. "So just being able to get back and talk to them, and reach out, it's just fun for us."

The tournament isn't over just yet, in fact, you can catch two more games on Saturday. Wave FC is set to take on the Portland Thorns, one of Alex Morgan's former teams. Morgan, also not expected to make it back for that match either.