Women's Soccer

Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush Hager are buying a stake in the National Women's Soccer League's (NWSL) Washington Spirit, along with Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Dominique Dawes, the team said on Wednesday.

The daughters of former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are among more than 30 people in the new investor group, which also includes former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

NEWS | Washington Spirit Announces New Investor Group

Seven-time champion and holder Olympique Lyonnais will play Brøndby in the last 16 of the Women's Champions League, while Chelsea will face Atlético Madrid following Tuesday's draw.

Manchester City will meet Fiorentina, Barcelona entertains Fortuna Hjorring and Paris Saint-Germain has been drawn against Sparta Prague.

Last season's finalist Wolfsburg faces Norwegian side LSK Kvinner, while Bayern Munich faces Kazakhstan's BIIK Kazygurt.

The two-legged last-16 ties will be played on March 3-4 and 10-11.

Injured captain Christine Sinclair, soccer's most prolific goal scorer, is among seven national team players unavailable for next week's SheBelieves Cup in Orlando, Canada Soccersaid on Saturday.

Sinclair and midfielder Diana Matheson did not travel to Orlando due to injury while goalkeeper Erin McLeod and defender Bianca St-Georges returned to their clubs after picking up injuries at camp, Canada Soccer said in a news release.

Manchester United has arguably been the biggest surprise in women’s football this season. Casey Stoney’s side, with new signings Tobin Heath and Christen Press, surged to the top of the table in just its second season in the Women’s Super League. It looked like the Red Devils could actually challenge the established elites — Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal — for the league crown.

Those hopes were dashed on Friday as Man City humbled United 3-0 in a one-sided Manchester Derby, capped off by a stunning chip shot from Caroline Weir.

England Women's newly appointed interim coach Hege Riise named her first squad on Tuesday ahead of the team's friendly against Northern Ireland this month.

Riise, a World Cup winner with Norway in 1995 and an Olympic gold medallist in 2000, was named the Lionesses caretaker manager after head coach Phil Neville stood down to take over at Major League Soccer men's side Inter Miami last month.

Reports this week in Spain and abroad suggested Kosovare Asllani, one of the most recognizable and prolific forwards in the game, was on the outs at Real Madrid. The club, in its first season, reportedly wanted more from the Swede, who had yet to score in 2021 despite scoring eight in eight to start the campaign. Spanish daily AS wrote that the star striker had “dried up,” having failed to score since Dec. 13. 

LONDON — Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has dismissed speculation that she might move to men's professional side AFC Wimbledon, saying it would be no step up and they could not afford her wages anyway.

Wimbledon are 21st of 24 in League One, the third tier of English soccer, while Chelsea are at the peak of the women's game — Super League champions whose players have won the highest honors.

Mallory Pugh has unfortunately had a few injuries that've set her back, causing her to miss out on USWNT play, NWSL play and falling behind in fitness and performance. As a top-tier athlete, injuries can make or break players, and with the immense amount of young talent joining the USWNT senior squad, this leaves Pugh’s future on the squad unknown.