England striker Kelly Smith will join the world’s best female football players in the first WUSA Soccer Festival.

England striker Kelly Smith will join the world’s best female football players in the first WUSA Soccer Festival in Minnesota on June 18 and 19 at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

The world’s first professional women’s football league WUSA was launched in America in 2001 and Smith was the only English player in the league, starring for Philadelphia Charge.

Smith quickly became a fans’ favourite with her skilful displays in midfield (she plays up front for England), but various injuries hampered her first three seasons.

WUSA suspended operations in September 2003 due to a shortfall in sponsorship, but are hoping that the interest in this summer’s festivals will help them to relaunch the league next year.

Smith will be a guest player for the Boston Breakers, which will take on Mia Hamm’s Washington Freedom at 5 pm on June 19.

She has recently been starring for new team, the New Jersey Wildcats, as well as putting in a Player of the Match performance in mid-May as England beat Iceland 1-0 at Peterborough United FC.

The Watford-born forward scored twice as the New Jersey Wildcats secured their third straight victory at the weekend to open the season – a 4-0 victory over the New York Magic at New Dorp High School.

Smith, who was named to the W-League’s Team of the Week for May 17, is now tied for the team’s lead in scoring with eight points. She has three goals and two assists in the three matches.

The two WUSA festivals will feature the best women’s soccer players in the world; WUSA athletes include US stars Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry, Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly, Shannon Boxx Julie Foudy and dozens of international stars alongside Smith such as Germany’s World Player of the Year Birgit Prinz and France’s Marinette Pichon.

"The WUSA Soccer Festival at the National Sports Center provides an excellent opportunity for soccer fans to preview many of the athletes who will compete in the Athens Summer Olympic Games," said Tony DiCicco, chairman of the WUSA’s Reorganization Committee.

"These four teams are loaded with talent, and we expect to see two very entertaining matches in Minnesota."

Tickets are available from: http://www.nscsports.org/soccer/sss.html and are priced from $12-$35 for each night of the WUSA Soccer Festival.

To find out more about Kelly Smith visit: www.kellysmithsoccer.com