NWSL

NEW YORK — The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has agreed a four-year media deal with broadcasters ESPN, CBS, Prime Sports and Scripps' ION Network, the league said on Thursday.

The NWSL described the deal, worth a reported $60 million annually, as the "largest media investment in women's sports history", promising "record-breaking distribution and revenue" for the top-flight American league.

New NWSL broadcast deal

Deal is DONE.

The game has changed.

Two-times Women's World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe has added one final stop on her farewell tour, with her OL Reign side beating the top-ranked San Diego Wave to reach the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Championship on Saturday. 

The 2019 Ballon d'Or winner bid a bitter goodbye to the global stage as the United States crashed out in the last 16 of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in August. 

Two of the biggest players in United States women’s national team history will face off in search of NWSL glory. Alex Morgan’s San Diego Wave FC will host Megan Rapinoe’s OL Reign in the NWSL semifinals at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium.

It could be Rapinoe’s final professional game.

Rapinoe has already retired from the USWNT and will hang up her boots at the end of the 2023 NWSL season. The 38-year-old forward has spent the last 10 years with OL Reign but has never won a championship.

While the United States women’s national team continues the head coach search, ex-manager Vlatko Andonovski has found his new gig with the Kansas City Current.

Prior to becoming USWNT head coach in 2019, Andonovski was coaching in the NWSL with FC Kansas City and OL Reign. During his four-year tenure with Kansas City, he led them to back-to-back NWSL Championship titles in 2014 and 2015.

Alex Morgan and San Diego Wave FC finished top of the NWSL table on Sunday in the club’s second-ever season. Morgan and the team were awarded the NWSL Shield trophy and to say the silverware was underwhelming is an understatement.

NWSL Shield trophy disappoints

After 22 games San Diego Wave triumphed after a hotly contested season with just six points separating first and seventh.

Finishing top of the table is a remarkable reward and deserves a trophy that reflects that. The NWSL Shield is reflective alright, but that’s because it’s a pie platter… not a shield.

Former United States women’s national team players Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris are getting a divorce after marrying in 2019. “Krashlyn” is no more after many years together. Harris filed for a divorce from Krieger last month with fans discovering the news this week.

Megan Rapinoe might have played her final home game for the OL Reign on Friday, and the numbers are in. The people showed out in person and tuning in.

Friday’s 0-0 draw between the OL Reign and the Washington Spirit had 683,000 viewers which set the record for a regular season NWSL game. Inside Lumen Field the all-time NWSL attendance record was set with 34,130 fans.

Megan Rapinoe will bid farewell to international football with no regrets about her time on and off the pitch, she told a news conference on Saturday ahead of her last game on Sunday, highlighting her support of social causes throughout her career.

Alex Morgan got in some hot water with the National Women’s Soccer League after she publicly called out a referee’s decision over Twitter after a game. Her USWNT teammate Sophia Smith her decision and disagreed with the fine.

The incident took place during San Diego Wave’s game vs. KC Current on Saturday, Sept. 16. Morgan was in KC’s box when defender Stine Ballisager Pedersen came flying in with a crunching challenge.

Portland Thorns and United States women’s national team forward Sophia Smith received her first Ballon d’Or nomination in her career on Wednesday. The 23-year-old was the only American player to make the 30-woman nomination list.

For those who don’t know about the Ballon d’Or here’s a quick explanation. The annual award is given to the best women’s and men’s player in the world and is presented by France Football, a French news magazine. It’s the highest individual award a soccer player can earn.