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ACC Women’s Soccer Championship Opens Sunday With Duke At Wake Forest And Virginia At Florida State

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1 week ago

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Notre Dame women's soccer players celebrate a goal during the 2026 ACC season.
Notre Dame celebrates during the 2026 ACC women's soccer season. Photo via the ACC.

Postseason soccer arrives in the ACC on Sunday, and the field is loaded, with all six championship teams ranked in the top 15 nationally as Duke, Wake Forest, Virginia and Florida State open the first round and top seeds Notre Dame and North Carolina wait in Cary.

Postseason play begins on Sunday, November 8, with the first round of the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship. Sixth-seeded Duke heads to third-seeded Wake Forest at 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU, followed by fifth-seeded Virginia visiting fourth-seeded Florida State at 8 p.m. ET on ACC Network.

This season marks the 39th edition of the Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship and the 20th time a champion will be crowned in Cary, North Carolina. First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park has hosted the previous eight ACC Women’s Soccer Championships.

The first-round winners will advance to the semifinals in Cary, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, where top-seeded Notre Dame and second-seeded North Carolina await their first postseason opponents. Kickoff times for the semifinals will be set following the first-round matches.

Led by No. 2 North Carolina, all six teams in this year’s championship field are ranked in the top 15 of the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll. Every team is also in the top 25 of the latest NCAA RPI.

Ticket books are $40 for all six matches of the ACC Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships. Single-game tickets for the semifinal matches are $10 in advance and $15 on gameday, while championship game tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on gameday. Tickets only are available online and no walk-up sales will be available.

Exclusive group pricing is also available for groups of 10 or more, along with unique on-field opportunities. For details, visit theACC.com/groups or contact tickets@theacc.org.

Upcoming Schedule (All Times ET)

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship (All Times ET)

First Round | Sunday, Nov. 8 – Campus Sites

#6 Duke at #3 Wake Forest | 6 p.m. | ESPNU

#5 Virginia at #4 Florida State | 8 p.m. | ACC Network

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

Florida State/Virginia Winner vs. #1 Notre Dame | 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. | ACC Network

Wake Forest/Duke Winner vs. #2 North Carolina | 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. | ACC Network

Final | Sunday, Nov. 15 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner | Noon | ESPNU

Noting ACC Women’s Soccer

  • The 40th season of ACC Women’s Soccer got underway on Wednesday, August 12.
  • The ACC has eight teams in the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll, the most in the nation.
  • The poll includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 10 Florida State, No. 14 Virginia, No. 15 Duke, No. 17 Stanford and No. 24 Louisville. Clemson is currently receiving votes.
  • The ACC also has nine teams ranked among the top 30 in the RPI, the most in the nation.
  • The RPI top 30 includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 12 Virginia, No. 13 Florida State, No. 15 Duke, No. 17 Stanford, No. 22 Clemson and No. 27 Boston College.
  • Four ACC teams were named to the initial NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee Top 16, announced on Monday, October 26: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 11 Stanford.
  • ACC teams have combined for 86 non-conference wins and a .801 winning percentage, both of which lead the nation.
  • A total of 12 ACC standouts were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, the most among all conferences. The next-closest conference had six.
  • Florida State earned the ACC’s 27th national championship (24th since the ACC began sponsoring women’s soccer) a season ago, bringing the total to 33 national championships among current ACC institutions. No school outside the ACC has won more than two championships.
  • The Seminoles defeated Stanford, 1-0, in the 2025 national championship match, marking the second straight year that two ACC teams met for the national title and the third consecutive championship match featuring current ACC members.

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North Carolina Faces Virginia Sunday for the 2026 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

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23 hours ago

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November 14, 2026

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North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer players in white warmup tops laughing together on the field before a match at Dorrance Field

North Carolina chases a record 23rd ACC tournament title and Virginia chases its first since 2012 when the Tar Heels and Cavaliers meet Sunday at noon ET in Cary on ESPNU.

Second-seeded North Carolina and fifth-seeded Virginia will play for the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship Sunday at noon ET from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will meet in the title match for the fifth time, with previous matchups in 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2019. North Carolina is 3-1 in those matchups, with UVA’s lone win coming in 2004. It will also be the first time since a No. 2 seed has faced a No. 5 seed in the final since 2012, when fifth-seeded Virginia defeated second-seeded Maryland, 4-0. That season was the last time the Cavaliers have won the ACC title.

UNC is in the ACC Championship final for the 30th time and seeks its record 23rd tournament title. The Tar Heels have dropped their last three final appearances (2020, 2022 and 2024) and have not won the ACC crown since defeating Virginia in the 2019 title match. UNC looks to become the first No. 2 seed since Florida State in 2022 to win the women’s soccer championship.

Virginia returns to the ACC title match for the first time since 2021, having won the championship twice (2004 and 2012). The Cavaliers have not allowed a goal in their last four matches and five of their last six contests. It marks the first time a team has advanced to the title match from the first round without allowing a goal since 2020.

Sunday’s final will be broadcast live on ESPNU at noon ET. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on game day and are available online only; no walk-up sales will be available.

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

First Round | Sunday, Nov. 8 – Campus Sites

#6 Duke 5, at #3 Wake Forest 4 (OT)
#5 Virginia 3, at #4 Florida State 0

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#5 Virginia 1, #1 Notre Dame 0
#2 North Carolina 1, #6 Duke 0

Final | Sunday, Nov. 15 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#2 North Carolina vs. #5 Virginia | Noon | ESPNU
All times Eastern

Noting ACC Women’s Soccer

• The 40th season of ACC Women’s Soccer got underway on Wednesday, August 12, while the 39th Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship concludes Sunday, November 15, with the championship final from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

• The ACC has seven teams in the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll, the most of any conference.

• The poll includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 Wake Forest, No. 10 Virginia, No. 12 Duke, No. 16 Florida State and No. 16 Stanford (tie). Clemson and Virginia Tech are receiving votes.

• The ACC has eight teams ranked among the top 30 in the RPI, also the most of any conference.

• The RPI top 30 includes No. 1 North Carolina, No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 11 Virginia, No. 13 Duke, No. 15 Stanford, No. 28 Florida State and No. 29 Clemson.

• Four ACC teams were named to the initial NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee Top 16, announced on Monday, October 26: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 11 Stanford.

• ACC teams have combined for 86 non-conference wins and a .801 winning percentage, both of which lead the nation.

• A total of 12 ACC standouts were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, the most among all conferences. The next-closest conference had six.

• Florida State earned the ACC’s 27th national championship (24th since the ACC began sponsoring women’s soccer) a season ago, bringing the total to 33 national championships among current ACC institutions. No school outside the ACC has won more than two championships.

• The Seminoles defeated Stanford, 1-0, in the 2025 national championship match, marking the second straight year that two ACC teams met for the national title and the third consecutive championship match featuring current ACC members.

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