Vermont Green Women reach first USL W Finals; Burlington, Vt., venues host watch parties
Bars in Burlington, Vt., are drawing large crowds as the Vermont Green Women prepare for their first-ever appearance in the USL W Finals. The club faces Salmon Bay FC on Saturday night in Seattle, capping what organizers describe as a surge of interest in women’s soccer across the state during a summer of high-profile international matches.
At Ruben James on Main Street in Burlington, staff say turnout has surpassed expectations as the venue joins a slate of official watch hosts partnered with Zero Gravity Craft Brewery. Bar manager Izzy Penberthy said the crowds reflect a community ready to back a local team on a national stage.
“I wasn’t sure how the turn out would be and apparently all the soccer fans just came out of the woodwork so that was awesome,” Penberthy said.
Organizers expect that interest around international fixtures will carry into the Vermont Green Women’s title game. Penberthy noted that patrons arriving for a major Saturday matchup in Europe have been staying on to support the local side later in the evening.
“I think it’ll be super fun if they come and support our local soccer team after supporting the world’s soccer teams,” she said.
Beyond the bar scene, coaches and interns connected to the club point to the wider impact of seeing a women’s team reach a league final in its first full season. Willow Mashkuri, who coaches girls’ soccer in Montpelier and serves as a Vermont Green intern, said the run is resonating with younger athletes.
“It becomes bigger than the sport,” Mashkuri said. “It’s one of those things where the representation of having this women’s team in Vermont, it just shows that these young girls, these young athletes are able to see themselves in these players.”
Supporters also frame Saturday’s final within the context of recent success for the men’s side, which captured a championship last year. Mashkuri said a win on Saturday would be a milestone for the women’s program and a point of pride for the fan base that has rallied behind both teams.
“If they can bring it home, that would be massive because the men’s team have won last year,” Mashkuri said.
How to follow Saturday’s final
The match is scheduled for 8 p.m. The broadcaster has listed availability on WYCI and on Channel 3 News Now over the air on antenna 3.6.
| Fixture | Location | Kickoff | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont Green Women vs. Salmon Bay FC | Seattle | 8 p.m. | WYCI; Channel 3 News Now (antenna 3.6) |
Watch-party momentum and community focus
Penberthy said the partnership with Zero Gravity has helped coordinate official watch events at a handful of bars across Vermont. She added that the atmosphere at Ruben James has highlighted how interest in women’s sports can shift who feels welcome in traditional sports-bar spaces.
“A sports bar would normally be like a bunch of guys, so it’s like really exciting to have a place to support women and make it accessible for the community,” Penberthy said.
In Burlington, Vt., organizers and fans say the energy around the women’s team has matched an active summer of global soccer viewing. For supporters tracking the local club’s progress, the final represents an opportunity to sustain that momentum and deepen community involvement.
- First finals appearance: Vermont Green Women have reached the USL W Finals in their first full season.
- Community turnout: Burlington, Vt., bars report higher-than-expected attendance at official watch parties.
- Broadcast details: Kickoff at 8 p.m., available on WYCI and Channel 3 News Now (antenna 3.6).
While the bars and watch parties referenced are in Burlington, Vermont, the team’s rise has drawn attention well beyond city limits as fans look to cap a season marked by strong community backing and heightened visibility for women’s sport.
