Have soccer team. Will travel.
This summer, a group of 15- and 16-year-old girls from Eden Prairie will travel not to Owatonna or Osseo, but to Oslo, Norway.
The team – the Eden Prairie Soccer Club 09 Girls Red NPL squad – has earned a spot in the 2025 Norway Cup, the world’s largest international youth soccer tournament. Held annually in Oslo, the tournament hosts teams from 50 to 60 countries. In 2024, more than 2,100 teams participated.
“We were invited because we were runners-up at the USA Cup in Blaine last year,” said team manager Jenn Penney, whose daughter plays on the team. “It’s an incredible opportunity.”
The Norway Cup features players ages 9 to 19 across all genders and offers a cultural and competitive experience for young athletes. The Eden Prairie team is guaranteed four games, with the chance to advance based on results. This year’s tournament runs from July 27 to Aug. 3, with the team traveling from July 23 to Aug. 3.
Chris Bagshaw, director of coaching for the Eden Prairie Soccer Club (EPSC), said this is the first EPSC team ever selected to participate in the Norway Cup. However, the club later clarified that a founding member brought an EPSC team to the tournament in 1990, making this the second known appearance by the club at the event.
The team includes high school freshmen and sophomores from Eden Prairie and surrounding cities in the southwest metro. They’ve played together for years, with recent highlights including a second-place finish at the 2023 Minnesota Cup and a championship in the 2024 edition. The core group has been together for more than six years, steadily developing their skills while competing with top teams in the state.
Kyle Wooten, a volunteer coach with the club, will lead the group.
“We estimate we need to raise $10,000 to cover travel and other expenses for the players, coaches and chaperones,” Penney said.
As of mid-May, the team had raised $6,500 toward the Oslo trip through a combination of fundraising efforts. A portion of that total has come from a GoFundMe campaign, which is still accepting contributions.
To help close the gap, the girls are hosting a youth soccer camp on Sunday, June 8, at Flying Cloud Fields. The event aims to raise funds and share their passion for the game with younger players. Registration is available online here.
For more information about the team or to contribute to the fundraiser, visit the GoFundMe page or call Penney at 763-229-6505.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the date of the youth soccer camp and clarify the team’s history with the Norway Cup.
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