We have rosters, we have a schedule, and on Friday the NWSL will officially kick off Year 10 with the third annual Challenge Cup. Almost every team underwent excessive change over the last three months, as two expansion sides joined the league and front office shake-ups prompted more player movement than we’ve ever seen before.

The 2022 Challenge Cup will likely bring unpredictable chaos, but if you’re looking for a rundown on what to watch for as we get our first taste of club soccer in the U.S. in 2022, Just Women’s Sports has you covered.

West Division

Angel City FC

Is their coach brand new: Freya Coombe was named Gotham FC interim manager in September 2019. She then led the club without the interim tag through 2020, and much of the 2021 season before Angel City poached her in August.

Players you may know: Angel City’s star is Christen Press, who makes her return to the league after spending time in England and away from the sport. Dani Weatherholt will likely anchor the midfield, and watch for former Thorns forward Simone Charley.

Players you get to meet: Angel City has brought in several exciting new faces to the league, including Stefany Ferrer Van Winkel of UANL Tigres, Jun Endo of Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza, and Vanessa Gilles, formerly of Bordeaux but best-known internationally for her play with Canada at the Tokyo Olympics.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: Don’t underestimate having a coach that understands the NWSL. Angel City has the element of surprise on their side and has assembled a nicely balanced squad. Expansion clubs sometimes play their best games before their opposition has a chance to adapt.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: The preseason injuries to Sarah Gorden and Paige Nielsen are really unfortunate. For a side that had the setup for a quick transition three-back formation, the losses of two starter-level center backs force the team into Plan B before they’ve ever even played a game.

San Diego Wave FC

Is their coach brand new: Casey Stoney is well-known in England as both a former player and the manager who brought the Manchester United women’s side to life in 2018.

Players you may know: USWNT defender Abby Dahlkemper has been the face of the team as their first official signing. Alex Morgan will be joining her, getting a fresh start after many years with the Orlando Pride. In terms of a big three, the addition of goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is huge for the squad as they try to establish a sturdy defense.

Players you get to meet: San Diego came out of the offseason with a couple of really exciting college draft picks, though not of the same year. In a pre-draft trade with the Chicago Red Stars, the Wave acquired Santa Clara standout Kelsey Turnbow. The team then selected Stanford defender Naomi Girma as the first overall pick of the 2022 draft.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: Good vibes? San Diego still has some serious positional pieces to work out, but signs from camp indicate that the players are gelling in ways they might not have experienced on their former club teams.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: San Diego still has holes to fill in the midfield, and it’s very hard to succeed in the NWSL without a strong one. If the Wave have to resort to long-ball tactics, opponents will likely find them predictable enough to get stuck in and disrupt their style of play.

Portland Thorns

Is their coach brand new: Rhian Wilkinson is a former NWSL player and Canadian international who finished her playing career with the Thorns. Since then, she’s coached the Canada U-20 team and served in an interim position with the England national team.

Players you may know: You can’t talk about Portland without captain Christine Sinclair. Veteran Emily Menges will hold down the backlin in the absence of Becky Sauerbrunn, who recently had surgery for a torn meniscus. Portland will hope for a breakout tournament from third-year forward Sophia Smith, who’s been in great form during preseason.

Players you get to meet: Portland has some tinkering to do in the midfield without Lindsey Horan and Crystal Dunn. Yazmeen Ryan and Sam Coffey, both selected in the 2021 College Draft, will both get playing time as a result. Fans might also see more of Olivia Moultrie; the 16-year-old had a very good U-20 World Cup qualifying tournament this month.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: They won it last year, albeit with a very different group. Portland’s excellence on the backline will make it difficult for other teams to penetrate, and if they play with a more methodical approach in the midfield and let Smith loose up top, they could be one of the most lethal teams early on.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: Lindsey Horan and Crystal Dunn are irreplaceable. Wilkinson will also have a natural learning curve in her first games as an NWSL manager, though signs point to the team taking on a more defensive shape to compensate.

OL Reign

Is their coach brand new: You don’t get more OG than Laura Harvey, who coached the Reign in their first four NWSL seasons. She spent time away from the club, first at the Utah Royals and then within the USWNT youth system, but she returned in 2021.

Players you definitely know: OL Reign’s original three of Jess Fishlock, Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Barnes illustrate how one the Reign’s biggest strengths is their veteran core. Sofia Huerta is poised for another big step forward, and Bethany Balcer will be tasked with helping generate an attack that is missing a few big names from last season.

Players you get to meet: Defender Phoebe McClernon joined the squad by way of the Orlando Pride, while Ally Watt will get a chance to reintroduce herself after a few lost years due to injury.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: OL Reign have one of the most consistent rosters going into 2022 and are stacked in many areas of the field. They also have the benefit of Harvey’s steady hand as a coach, which could give them a serious edge in the West division.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: They should be one of the top contenders for the trophy, but the Reign haven’t made a Cup or championship final since 2015. It will take shaking off whatever has held them back in recent years to seal the deal. This might be just the right group to get over that hump.

Central Division

Chicago Red Stars

Is their coach brand new: Chicago hired former SMU coach Chris Petrucelli weeks into preseason. He has experience coaching at the USWNT youth levels and has maintained a steady program within the college ranks, but he has no professional level experience.

Players you may know: Expect Morgan Gautrat’s role as midfield maestro to expand. Tierna Davidson may have the most difficult task in the early going, anchoring a defense that will look very different than the group that led the Red Stars to the 2021 NWSL championship game.

Players you get to meet: Second-year defender Tatumn Milazzo will likely take on even more responsibility in the absence of Casey Krueger. Likewise, 2020 draft pick Ella Stevens will have an expanded role in the team’s attack, and 2022 draft pick Ava Cook could also get a look.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: The Red Stars have always been full of surprises. The midfield’s play gives the team a chance at success in every game, and if they advance to the knockout stages, there’s no reason to think they can’t make another final.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: Chicago lost a lot of talent in the offseason and didn’t get much back in return. While the remaining veterans can compete with anybody, depth is a big issue and doesn’t necessarily bode well for getting out of the group stage.

Racing Louisville

Is their coach brand new: Kim Bjorkegren, the Swedish manager who has coached in China and in Cyprus, was hired early in the offseason. Subsequently, he has had more of a hand in Louisville’s roster operations than most other new coaches.

Players you may know: Defenders Gemma Bonner and Emily Fox were named to the team’s captaincy group this week, alongside Nadia Nadim — who, while injured, will be a major presence as a leader. Louisville will also look for further growth from Ebony Salmon, who showed flashes of brilliance last year.

Players you get to meet: Jessica McDonald playing in lavender is a big deal, and she’s going to be key when it comes to linking with Salmon and helping a young group develop behind her. Jaelin Howell, the team’s 2022 No. 2 pick, will be tasked right away with filling in at the No. 6, a space Racing left exposed too many times in 2021.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: In these sorts of Cup competitions, youthful fearlessness can go a long way. Fox has been known to set the tone as a roving outside back/midfielder, and if her energy can make its way to the rest of the squad, they might have a few surprises up their sleeve.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: Louisville is in the process of improving from a 2021 season that started strong and faded over time. It might be in their best interest not to chase results this time around, and take the pressure off the players to build for the long-term future.

Houston Dash

Is their coach brand new: James Clarkson is currently one of the longest-tenured NWSL coaches, having served in the role since 2019. Clarkson has turned the club around with his approach, but he has yet to lead the team past the high of their 2020 Challenge Cup win.

Players you may know: Canadian veteran Sophie Schmidt will pair with Katie Naughton on Houston’s backline. 2020 Challenge Cup hero Shea Groom will be key in the midfield, namely forming connections with England international Rachel Daly.

Players you get to meet: All eyes are on Maria Sánchez, who rejoins the league after a very successful stint in Liga MX Femenil. She’ll be tasked with filling the space left by Kristie Mewis and providing a spark Houston will need to make it out of the group stage.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: When the Dash are at their best, they’re unbeatable. What they struggled with most in 2021 was consistency, but the nice thing about Challenge Cups is a surge of form can make all the difference.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: We aren’t going to know what Houston looks like without Kristie Mewis until we see it, and a new defensive partnership takes time. Depth will be a concern hanging for the Dash.

From the World Cup stage to Kansas City. @sammymewy is ready for her next chapter.

Sam Mewis | #15 | Midfielder pic.twitter.com/6H7kVBQt0A

— KC Current (@thekccurrent) March 1, 2022

Kansas City Current

Is their coach brand new: Matt Potter was hired by the team in the offseason after Huw Williams stepped back into a front-office role. Potter has experience as a college coach and was an assistant in the USWNT system.

Players you may know: This is not the Utah Royals roster Kansas City inherited last year. Goalkeeper Adrianna Franch will provide a steady presence in goal, and Desiree Scott will be key as an anchor in the midfield.

Players you get to meet: It’s hard to imagine Lynn Williams and Sam Mewis playing for any team other than North Carolina, but the “Snacks” duo will provide a huge boost to Kansas City’s ability to move the ball and finish chances.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: Kansas City’s stats looked pretty good by the end of the 2021 regular season, and if they can match results with what they’re generating between the lines, they have a chance to become a real contender.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: An expansion team in spirit if not in name last year, Kansas City reminded us that these kinds of projects take time, and might not be finished ahead of the regular season.

East Division

Gotham FC

Is their coach brand new: Scott Parkinson has more experience than most. He was an NWSL assistant in both Utah and Chicago, and he steered Gotham to the playoffs in 2021.

Players you may know: Gotham held onto many of their stars in the 2021 offseason. Midge Purce and Ifeoma Onumonu will continue their partnership up top, and Caprice Dydasco will look to back up her 2021 Defender of the Year campaign.

Players you get to meet: Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris, welcome to New York. The connections Kristie Mewis forms with Purce and Onumonu will be critical for Gotham’s attack.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: Gotham’s moves this offseason look good on paper, in terms of both positional need and veteran leadership. They’ll want to go for every available trophy with this group, and they have a prime opportunity to improve upon their Cup final appearance in 2021.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: Similar to Mewis’ place in Houston, I don’t know what Gotham’s defense looks like without Kailen Sheridan. They had a method to their madness last season that led to an outsized ability to block shots. Harris’ ability to gel with Gotham’s established backline will be key.

North Carolina Courage

Is their coach brand new: As a head coach, yes. Sean Nahas is a longtime North Carolina assistant coach who had the support of the player pool in the wake of Paul Riley’s dismissal last year.

Players you may know: North Carolina is Debinha’s team now. The Brazilian wunderkind will have to take over a midfield that is now permanently missing Sam Mewis, and score goals with a frontline that no longer features Jessica McDonald and Lynn Williams. The Courage will rely on Abby Erceg and Casey Murphy to steady the defense.

Players you get to meet: This will hopefully be fans’ first real look at 2021 draft pick Brianna Pinto, who never fully settled in at Gotham before joining North Carolina in the offseason. Malia Berkely and Kiki Pickett could also prove to be savvy pick-ups.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: The Courage are underdogs in this competition, and that could prove to be a galvanizing force. The Courage have also built a roster of undervalued talent that might shock a few opponents.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: This is as close to a full rebuild as the Courage have ever attempted, and trying to force the whole package together this early in the year might be a risky strategy. North Carolina will benefit from the new players getting minutes and learning from them.

Orlando Pride

Is their coach brand new: To the professional game, yes. Amanda Cromwell took something of a leap of faith this year, jumping from a very comfortable position as UCLA’s longtime coach to guide the Pride through their rebuild.

Players you may know: Sydney Leroux returns after a resurgent 2021 season, and Marta will continue to make things happen in the midfield.

Players you get to meet: Not as many as the Pride might have liked. They picked up Megan Montefusco (née Oyster) from the Houston Dash, and the 29-year-old will be an anchor on their defense, alongside Celia Jimenez Delgado. The larger story of the offseason was Orlando’s loss of top 2022 draft pick Mia Fishel, who chose to play for Tigres instead.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: The Pride actually played quite well in a direct style in the early stages of the 2021 regular season, and they might be able to pull off a few upsets using that same style this year.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: The Pride are mid-rebuild, and not every break has gone their way in player retention. The group will get valuable experience before preseason begins, and the goal has to be as much about evaluation as results.

Washington Spirit

Is their coach brand new: Not anymore. Kris Ward joined the Spirit on an interim basis midseason last year after the removal of Richie Burke. In something of a miraculous run, the team has yet to lose under his tenure, and his interim tag was removed in the offseason.

Players you may know: The Spirit have retained almost every player from their 2021 NWSL championship team. Kelley O’Hara, Sam Staab and Emily Sonnett all return to the backline. The midfield and attack are similarly stacked: Andi Sullivan leads the team from the No. 6 position, and Trinity Rodman, Ashley Sanchez and Ashley Hatch are all in peak form after stints with the national team.

Players you get to meet: By nature of a steady offseason, fewer than other teams. They did pick up some veteran depth in goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and defender Amber Brooks, and they signed 2022 14th overall pick Tinaya Alexander.

Why they’ll win the Challenge Cup: In my opinion, anything less is a disappointment in D.C. The Spirit are riding the momentum of their 2021 championship win, and that group remains almost completely intact, led by a coach whom they trust.

Why they won’t win the Challenge Cup: There was an element of magic to the Spirit’s unbeaten run last year, and they’re going to have to get used to being the favorites. They’ll also miss the playmaking ability of Tori Huster, forcing other players to step up.

Claire Watkins is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering soccer and the NWSL. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships wrapped its second round on Thursday, with the grass court Grand Slam seeing just 15 of the tournament's 32 seeded players advance to the Friday and Saturday's third round.

A full half of the WTA's Top 10 players did not survive the week, with 2024 Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini joining four first-round star exits by falling to unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova in a three-set, second-round battle on Wednesday.

At the same time, unseeded fan favorites like Japan's No. 53 Naomi Osaka and England's own No. 40 Emma Raducanu secured third-round spots at the London Slam, joining top surviving contenders like No. 4 Iga Świątek and defending Wimbledon champion No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková.

Notably, a full five US players managed to move ahead, tied for the largest national contingent still standing at the tournament.

Led by 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, the US group also includes No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 12 Amanda Anisimova, as well as unseeded players No. 54 Danielle Collins and No. 55 Hailey Baptiste.

With matches against Świątek and No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, respectively, Collins and Baptiste have a tough third round ahead — though Navarro's battle against the 2024 champ Krejčíková arguably headlines Saturday's slate.

How to watch Wimbledon this weekend

While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still holding strong in the dwindling field, this year's Wimbledon play is proving that the London Slam is anyone's to take, as the grass court humbles even the sport's top stars.

Expect the twists and turns to continue as tennis's best battle for spots in Sunday's Round of 16.

Round-of-32 Wimbledon play kicks off at 6 AM ET on Friday, with live continuous coverage of the tournament airing on ESPN.

The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.

Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.

Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.

"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."

"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."

Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.

Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.

How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action

Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.

While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.

Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.

Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.

Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.

Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.

The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.

Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.

Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.

Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.

"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."

With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.

The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.

"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."

The 2025 WNBA regular season returns on Thursday night, with teams at the top of the league standings looking to prove their mettle against close competition across the long holiday weekend.

The No. 5 Seattle Storm have arguably the toughest weekend assignments, taking on the No. 4 Atlanta Dream on Friday before tackling the No. 3 New York Liberty on Sunday.

Four middle-of-the-pack teams will look to close in on a double-digit season win tally while the league's frontrunners strive to maintain their advantage in this weekend's slate:

• No. 7 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Thursday at 7 PM ET (Prime): Though still without star Caitlin Clark, the Fever hope to harness their 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup victory momentum against an Aces side tied with Indiana with an 8-8 season record.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Atlanta Dream, Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Seattle will look to make strides against a strong Atlanta side while putting last Sunday's stinging 84-57 loss to up-and-comer Golden State in their rearview.

• No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, Saturday at 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The rising Valkyries must face a Lynx side hunting redemption, as the league-leaders look to bounce back from their stifling Tuesday Commissioner's Cup upset loss.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 1 PM ET (CBS): With injured Liberty center Jonquel Jones still sidelined, the Seattle Storm will have a chance to steal a weekend game against the reigning champs, as New York struggles to re-find their footing.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming, early top performers must keep standards high if they want to hold the line when the season crosses the midway point.