Women's World Cup

FIFA approves new women's match calendar - what it means for players and leagues

Explaining what the changes mean for player recovery and leagues around the world

Meg Linehan and Steph Yang4

First Women's Club World Cup to take place in January, February 2026

Matt Slater15

U.S. and Mexico's 2027 World Cup bid was set up to fail – 2031 was the right call: Linehan

Meg Linehan11

FIFA report rates Brazil as most qualified to win Women's World Cup 2027 bid

Callum Davis4

Women's World Cup: Why U.S./Mexico pivoted from 2027 to 'record-breaking' bid for 2031

Adam Crafton39

FIFPro, PFA part of project aimed at reducing ACL injuries in women's football

FIFPro, the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), Nike, and Leeds Beckett University have joined forces to launch a research project aimed at reducing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women’s football. An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament — one of the strong bands of tissue that help connect your thigh bone to your shinbone. ACL injuries — which often lead to many months out injured — are more common in women’s football than men’s, with statistics showing that women are two to six times more likely to suffer from such...

Charlotte Harpur1

In Mexico, greater investment in women's soccer is starting to pay off

At international and club level, the strength of soccer in Mexico is thriving thanks in part to support in the U.S.

Melanie Anzidei4

Alyssa Naeher heroics, boos for Korbin Albert as USWNT wins SheBelieves Cup on penalties

Our takeaways from the SheBelieves Cup final

Steph Yang, Meg Linehan, and Jeff Rueter149

Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan on Korbin Albert social media activity: 'Disappointing and extremely, extremely sad'

On Wednesday, USWNT captain Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan delivered a prepared statement to reporters addressing last week’s resurfacing of USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity. “We just want to address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week. We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan began. “Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s...

Meg Linehan327

Frida Maanum: Arsenal midfielder in stable condition after collapsing during Conti Cup final

Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum is in a stable condition after appearing to collapse during Sunday’s Continental Cup final against Chelsea. The Norway international appeared to go down off the ball in second-half stoppage time at Molineux before medical staff entered the field of play to treat her. Play was stopped for seven minutes while the 24-year-old was attended to before she left the field on a stretcher while receiving oxygen. Arsenal confirmed a short time later that Maanum was “conscious, talking and in a stable condition”. The club also confirmed that she would...

Art de Roché14

Luis Rubiales: Prosecutors seeking two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for ex-RFEF president

Spanish prosecutors are seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales. The prosecutors are seeking a one-year sentence for a charge of alleged sexual assault, with a further one and a half years for alleged coercion. The second charge also applies to former Spain Women head coach Jorge Vilda, former RFEF marketing manager Ruben Rivera and former RFEF men’s national team director Albert Luque — the ex-Newcastle United striker. Following the request for imprisonment by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, RFEF have suspended...

Guillermo Rai

How FIFA plan to advance technology in football: From synthetic feeds to skeletal tracking

We spoke to Nicholas – Evans FIFA's leading technology problem solver – about innovation in officiating and where it goes next

Adam Leventhal24

USWNT to host Mexico in New Jersey, Costa Rica in D.C. for Olympic tune-ups

The Mexico match will honor the 25th anniversary of USWNT's 1999 Women's World Cup victory.

Meg Linehan5

Germany switching kit supplier to Nike from Adidas from 2027

The German national team is ending its long-standing partnership with Adidas and has signed a deal that will see Nike make its kits from 2027. Adidas last signed an eight-year contract with the Germany Football Federation (DFB) in 2018, meaning the men’s 2026 men’s World Cup will be one of the last occasions the German team’s kit is manufactured by the country’s most famous sportswear company. During Adidas’ partnership with Germany, which has spanned more than seven decades, the team has won four men’s World Cups, three men’s Euros, two women’s World Cups and...

Luke Bosher166

Fridolina Rolfo's injury diary: 'I needed help the whole time, I was struggling mentally'

Barcelona's star forward charts her journey back to full fitness after a knee injury that kept her out for six months

Laia Cervelló Herrero2

USWNT drops to a record low in FIFA rankings: What it means and why it happened

The USWNT has dropped to No. 4 in the latest FIFA rankings released on Friday, marking the first time the program has fallen out of the top three since the establishment of the rankings in 2003. In its announcement, FIFA said the USWNT drop is thanks to the team’s 2-0 loss to Mexico in the group stage of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, though the team later went on to win the tournament. Spain retained the top spot in the rankings, with England moving up two spots to No. 2, France staying at No. 3, and the U.S. dropping two spots to fourth. 🇪🇸: 🥇🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿: 🥈🇫🇷:...

Meg Linehan89

FIFA men's U17 World Cup increasing to 48 teams with next five to be held in Qatar

FIFA has announced that the next five men’s under-17 World Cups will take place in Qatar and the tournament will expand from 24 to 48 teams. The tournament, which was founded in 1985, will also be held annually rather than biennially from 2025. The women’s under-17 World Cups from 2025 will also become an annual competition as well as being expanded from 16 teams to 24 teams. The next five editions of the women’s under-17 World Cup will take place in Morocco. The changes were announced ahead of the 74th FIFA Congress, with FIFA saying that the changes: “Follow a global...

Nnamdi Onyeagwara9

USWNT's Sophia Smith, Alyssa Naeher vanquished World Cup demons en route to Gold Cup final

Last summer, a missed penalty and a near-save were part of the USWNT's undoing in Australia. In San Diego, there was some redemption.

Jeff Rueter5

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda interview: "It has not been easy for me to reach this stage"

Plus, the Brazilian teammate Banda is most excited to join in Orlando.

Tamerra Griffin10

Women's World Cup identified as major tournament hosting target by UK

The Women’s World Cup has been identified as a major tournament the UK could aim to host in the next 15 years. The competition has been listed as one of 70 major events the UK has aspirations of holding between now and 2040 to “help retain the UK’s position as a world-leading host nation”. The 2031, 2035 or 2039 Women’s World Cups are the tournaments earmarked as potential targets. The list of future major tournament hosting opportunities was announced by UK Sport, the government-funded agency responsible for investing in and supporting Olympic and Paralympic sport...

Ali Rampling3

ACL injuries: Footwear problems show 'systemic gender inequality' in sport - British MPs

Research into anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injuries in women’s football is indicative of “systemic gender inequality in sports and exercise research”, a report from a committee of British MPs has claimed. The British parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee highlighted the lack of accessibility and affordability for football boots designed for female feet as being “symptomatic of sexism”. The lack of football boots specifically designed for women was a key theme in the parliamentary report titled: “Health barriers for girls and women in sport”,...

Colin Millar18

How USWNT's direct approach exposed Colombia, and what it means going forward

The USWNT returned to a tried-and-true approach vs. Colombia, but flexibility will remain key as a new era begins

Meg Linehan and Jeff Rueter40

Chelsea's Sam Kerr to face trial next year over alleged racially aggravated harassment

Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr will appear in court next year for the alleged racially aggravated harassment of a police officer. The 30-year-old was charged with the offence on January 21 under Section 4A of the Public Order Act. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said that the charge “relates to an incident involving a police officer who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare on January 30, 2023 in Twickenham”. She pleaded not guilty at a hearing at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Monday. Kerr is due to appear at a trial at Kingston upon Thames Crown...

Omar Garrick

USWNT to face Colombia, Brazil playing Argentina in W Gold Cup quarterfinals

The W Gold Cup quarterfinals are set after a re-seeding procedure that involved a drawing of lots.

The Athletic Staff and Emily Olsen50

Grace Clinton and her claim for a regular spot in England's midfield

The 20-year-old has made a big impression in England's two recent friendlies, both on the ball and out of possession

Jessy Parker Humphreys13