Southern California won’t be hosting a women’s World Cup qualifier

The U.S. will play host to the tournament that will qualify three teams for next summer’s women’s World Cup in Canada. But organizers of the eight-team event, which will run Oct. 15-26, have not chosen Southern California for their games, placing all 16 qualifiers in Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

The tournament, originally scheduled to be held in Mexico, was moved to the U.S. last spring when Mexico decided it could not adequately stage the event.

The eight entrants will be divided into four-team groups for a round-robin first round. The top two finishers in group play will then advance to the semifinals with the top three finishers there advancing to the World Cup alongside Canada, which is guaranteed a spot in the World Cup as the host nation.

All eight teams will play one match in each of the three first-round venues: Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.; Toyota Park in suburban Chicago; and RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

PPL Park will Philadelphia will stage all four playoff games.

Four teams -- the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica -- have already qualified for the women’s World Cup qualifying tournament. The other four entrants will be determined next month.