XV Foundation Champions Brunch Follows On From USA-England Women's Test Match

10.11.2026Eagles

This is the 2nd Champions Brunch.

Author: Alex Goff

The USA Women's National Team will play England October 30 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ, but there's more going on than that.

The day after there will be a Champions Brunch hosted by the XV Foundation designed to raise funds to help support the USA-level women's players.

In this the 7th year of the XV Foundation, the purpose remains the same, relieve the financial pressure on USA Women's National Team players, and players close to USA selection.

"When we started in 2020, our goal was to create parity and to remove all the financial burdens from the players that were not even able to make it on tour," said Kristine Sommer, co-founder of the Foundation along with Alycia Washington.

This meant doing things like helping players with rent or a mortgage payment or a car payment—with players having to take time off from work or having to change jobs in order to play for the Eagles, sometimes bill come while a player is on tour, or not in a position to take care of it.

"And that's still happening," said Sommer. "Alycia was on tour and with the players two weeks ago, and we had one USA player reach out to her saying that she was going to have to buy her ticket home and leave because she supports her family and she couldn't afford to be away from home anymore."

The Foundation was able to help with that. They have launched an adopt-an-Eagle program where donors can track specific assistance they provide for a specific player.

"There are still financial burdens," said Sommer. "Even though the players are on contract now they're not making a ton of money—maybe $100 a day. Now we have parity with the men's team, which is great, but that means that players in both programs aren't making enough money."

With many of the women's Eagles traveling abroad to play, they often have to give up on that crucial second career (unless they can work remotely) because they are abroad.

It's a choice they make, but the XV Foundation makes it easier.

Saturday, October 31, at the Newark Museum of Art in Newark, NJ the XV Foundation will host a Champions Brunch. Tickets and sponsorships are still available. This event will include players and coaches from the current Eagles, as those attending will be able to interact with the USA team and learn more about them.

This is the follow-on from events the XV Foundation held for the World Cup, including the first Champions Brunch in 2025.

Why Not Do It Again?

"It went so well we thought, why now hold it again?" said Sommer. "There's not a there's not a lot of women's fundraising events only for the women's team. And today people are flocking towards supporting women's sports. So let's hold it. And now let's truly create champions in the pathway, the younger generation. That is our intention, to make sure that that younger group is financially funded, and with the players there, the feeling of the event is you're in the locker room. You have the entire women's team at the event. You don't get that at other fundraising events, usually."

"We will have a players panel. We will have Jack Hanratty, the head coach, speaking. We have [HP Director] Tamara Sheppard there. The players will be dispersed at the different tables. So you can have a conversation with players about the team, how they are doing, what do they love about being on tour, and what the challenges are.

"Our biggest feedback last year was people have never been to an event like that where they got to be that up close and personal with the players and also just feel like they could have conversations and talk about real needs, but also just get to know the players they're supporting."

And that's the key thing about the XV Foundation. It doesn't work with teams to buy equipment or pay for logistical stuff. That's up to USA Rugby and their partners. The XV Foundation deals with the personal challenges of the players. Fans all want players to be paid well to play, but that's not the reality. Right now players usually can afford to play and carry (often) an additional job. But when ends don't meet, or life happens, or a car breaks down, or rent goes up, then the Foundation can make sure a player doesn't have to think about quitting high-level rugby in order to pay the bills.

If you are interested in their mission, go see the Eagles in New Jersey October 30. Tickets Here>>

Then check out the Champions Brunch on October 31.

And if you can't make that, learn how to support the XV Foundation's programs here>>