Women's Soccer

After the U.S. women’s national team won its fourth Women’s World Cup this summer they spent most of their celebratory parades and interviews discussing the gender pay gap. Women across the nation earn 79 cents for every $1 men earn and for the USWNT and female athletes everywhere, this is not acceptable. Not only did the USWNT start campaigning for its equal pay movement, but they have influenced other athletes both male and female, as well as younger generations to take a stand and help make a difference. 

As the NWSL season is coming to an end, two teams will go head-to-head for the NWSL Championship on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Cary, North Carolina, at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The North Carolina Courage defeated Reign FC 4-1 in extra time on Sunday to advance to the NWSL championship game with a chance to defend their title. Additionally, the Courage won the NWSL Shield for the third straight year with a league-best 15-5-4 record. The NWSL Championship is nothing new for the Courage, and manager Paul Riley said he believes they are ready to compete and win.

On Monday, France Football (over the course of five ridiculous hours) released its 30-man shortlist for the 2019 Ballon d’Or prize, as well as a 20-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or Féminin. Last year, Luka Modrić broke Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s combined 10-year stranglehold on the game’s most prestigious individual award, but Messi is again the favorite this year after leading Barcelona to the Spanish league title while capturing his sixth European Golden Shoe.

Colorado native Lindsey Horan recently shared her story about how she started her journey to achieve her dreams with The Players’ Tribune. Horan had her goals set from a young age, when she dreamed of being the best football player in the world. Her mindset remains the same today, except now she’s living out her dream. 


The numbers are officially in, and the 2019 Women's World Cup viewership totals are astronomical — double what they were in 2015 by some of the most important metrics.

Megan Rapinoe was named Team Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation on Wednesday night, becoming the fifth USWNT player to earn the annual honor that dates back to 1993. Marta, meanwhile, became the second footballer to win the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award. 

As Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi continue their collective assault on the record books for the men’s game, Ada Hegerberg is quietly racking up an impressive résumé of her own in the women’s game. She now tops the list of Women's Champions League top scorers — and she’s only 24.

After Sydney Leroux made her return for the Orlando Pride after giving birth to her second child, the Pride continue to prove they breed powerful and strong women. 

One section of Azadi Stadium in Tehran burst with colors, enthusiasm, joy and revelry.

The rest of the stadium echoed, empty and still.

The first men’s soccer match attended by women in Iran in nearly four decades was a stark reminder of where fans have come from and where they still have to go.

Iran smashed Cambodia 14-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, but the match was of little significance compared to what happened in the stands at Azadi Stadium.