Women's Soccer

The Canadian women’s national team had an impressive run at the 2016 Rio Olympics. After losing to eventual champions Germany 2-0 in the semifinals, Canada would go on to defeat the host nation Brazil in the bronze medal match, 2-1. 

The result tied their best-ever Olympic performance, which was another bronze in 2012. As the nation’s player pool continues to grow with talent, the success of the last five years will be an encouragement to both young players and investors. 

Last Thursday the NWSL announced a landmark television deal for the young league. A partnership with A+E Networks brings them on as a major sponsor of the league in general, and puts a game of the week each Saturday afternoon on their Lifetime network. Besides landing the league on a cable network on a regular basis, the deal brings a many other improvements. 

League Stability

Even with the shadow of the collective bargaining agreement hanging over the United States Women’s National Team, the 2017 NWSL season is set to be the best one yet. Two new ownership groups and a new stadium in Orlando are positive achievements for the league, but Thursday’s announcement of an agreement between the NWSL and A+E Networks is the biggest news yet.

The 2016 NWSL season concluded on October 6th with the Western New York Flash winning the title on penalties. Meanwhile, on the men's side of the game, the Carolina RailHawks were sitting at home after missing the NASL playoffs and wondering how to rebound in 2017. Now, neither of those teams exist — well, not in their previous form. 

The ninth regular season of the W-League is coming to a close as the top teams will play in the W-League semifinals this weekend.

The 2016/17 playoffs will feature three former champions: Sydney FC, Canberra United and Melbourne City, as well as Perth Glory. The nine team league had a clinch breakaway top four as the season began to wind down, which ended with a five-point gap between fourth and fifth. At one point during the season all four of the top clubs held the first position in the table. 

The growing concern over artificial turf fields and their possible connection with cancer has led to more significant research, including a recent study by the Washington State Department of Health and researchers at the University of Washington, but their findings have concluded that the field surface is not linked to an increased rate of cancer.

Alex Morgan may have left the NWSL on a six-month loan to France’s Lyon, but she’s still the face of the women’s game in America. Recently speaking with British newspaper The Guardian, Morgan stated that a labor strike for the USWNT players is still a possibility in the weeks or months ahead. 

If all of the Seattle Reign’s departures and questions this offseason left anyone thinking that perhaps they would settle for a rebuilding season, those assumptions have been proven incorrect. Manager Laura Harvey has kept Seattle in the hunt for titles ever since her arrival, and 2017 will be no different. On Monday, the club’s latest move confirmed their desire to win now. 

A week out from the 2017 draft and still waiting for the upcoming season’s schedule to be released, clubs were back to work building their squads. Here is a look at some of the player movements and signings over the past few days, as well as the announcement of a big pre-season tournament. 

Seattle Reign

Re-signed defender Merritt Mathias 

Re-signed forward Kiersten Dallstream