The U.S. women’s national team played its first-ever match on Aug. 18, 1985. They lost, 1-0 to Italy. The Americans have been pretty good since, racking up an impressive USWNT record, which hit an unprecedented milestone on Thursday.
If everything goes according to plan — and, as the numbers to come show, it almost certainly will — the USWNT will reach the milestone of 500 wins with a victory over Portugal on Thursday. Having only begun play in 1985, the program has reached the mark at a fiendish pace by rolling off wins at a remarkable clip — the USWNT boasts a win percentage of 84. That certainly puts the USWNT in the discussion for the winningest team in sports history.
Did you get your tickets for the Women’s World Cup semifinals and final in France? If not, you might be out of luck. Women's World Cup ticket sales have been through the roof, with the pack including the semifinals and final having already sold out shortly after going on sale.
With qualification secured and the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup a little over 200 days away, the USWNT countdown to France is well and truly on. The world’s No. 1 ranked side will again be sporting Nike threads at the event (the partnership between the sportswear giant and U.S. Soccer has been going strong since ’95 and has a current deal through 2022), and the team will receive women’s exclusive jerseys for the event.
Marbella “Mar” Ibarra, 44, was found wrapped in plastic and beaten to death in Rosarito, south of Tijuana, early Monday morning. Ibarra was a pioneer for the women’s game in Mexico, using the profits from her beauty salon in Tijuana to start amateur club Isamar FC.
The USWNT has lifted the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship after defeating Canada 2-0 in the final, wrapping up an 18-day competition with a record of five wins, zero defeats, 26 goals scored and zero conceded. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France awaits.