USA

Two more U.S. national team members joined Megan Rapinoe in deciding to skip a month-long National Women's Soccer League tournament in Utah that will be played in empty stadiums amid the COVID-19 outbreak, it was announced on Tuesday.

Utah Royals forward Christen Press and Portland Thorns midfielder Tobin Heath, who played with Rapinoe on last year's World Cup-wininng U.S. squad, both cited the virus as their reason for skipping the event that begins on Saturday.

The National Women's Soccer League's restart plan took a major hit Monday when the Orlando Pride withdrew from the NWSL Challenge Cup after six players and four staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Challenge Cup, scheduled to start Saturday in Utah, is due to make the NWSL the first U.S. pro team-sports league back in action amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pride wrote in a statement that all of the players and staffers who were found to have the virus were asymptomatic.

Women’s soccer in the U.S. is on the rise, slowly but surely. As the conversation gains traction, questions about the possibilities of National Women’s Soccer League expansion are all the buzz. People love their home teams and want to add a women’s soccer team to their list — come on, who wouldn’t?

The latest news on NWSL expansion comes from The Athletic’s Meg Linehan. On Wednesday, Jun. 17 she wrote an article hinting at a team coming to Los Angeles.

The Japanese Football Association announced on Monday that Japan is withdrawing its bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup, just days before football's world governing body holds a vote to determine the successful candidate.

The NWSL is preparing for its Challenge Cup beginning on Saturday, June 27 at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah. The nine teams participating in the 25-game tournament have been back training, but with the time-crunched preseason, not all the big names will be making an appearance. 

Several USWNT players will not be joining their respective teams due to injury or concern over the possible spread of the coronavirus.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard praised Christian Pulisic as the American forward scored an equalizer five minutes after coming off the bench to help Chelsea earn a 2-1 comeback win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Pulisic leveled on the hour after Kortney Hause had given Villa a 43rd minute lead and Frenchman Olivier Giroud netted the winner two minutes later, tightening Chelsea's grip on fourth place.

Trailing Aston Villa 1-0 with just over half an hour remaining, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard turned to Christian Pulisic off the bench and the American responded by scoring the equalizer just five minutes later.

Although Chelsea dominated possession in the first half, it was Villa center back Kortney Hause who opened the scoring in the 43rd minute following a cross from Douglas Luiz.

Two Atlanta United players and one player on expansion club Inter Miami CF have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Per the Atlanta United, their two unidentified players are asymptomatic and are in isolation.

In a statement Saturday, Atlanta United said the club will continue non-contact training on Monday. If negative test results for all players and staff are received on that day, the club will resume full team training on Tuesday.