Mexico women’s national team coach Monica Vergara maintains a tenuous hold on her job after the country’s soccer federation fired its sporting director and national teams director, the federation announced Wednesday.

ESPN initially reported that Vergara had been dismissed alongside general sporting director Gerardo Torrado and men’s U-20 team coach Luis Pérez.

Torrado, Pérez and national teams director Ignacio Hierro have been relieved of their duties, but Vergara’s future will be determined by new leadership, federation president Yon de Luisa said in a press conference.

Vergara was named head coach of the senior national team in January 2021 after stints with Mexico’s youth national teams.

“In the case of Monica Vergara, women’s national team head coach, it will be the new sports department that will evaluate and take decisions accordingly,” said de Luisa, who added that “new members of the sports department” will be announced “in the following days.”

"In the case of Mónica Vergara, #Women's National Team Head Coach, it will be the new Sports Department that will evaluate and take decisions accordingly."

🎙 Yon de Luisa.#FMFporNuestroFútbol

— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) July 13, 2022

The dismissals of Torrado and Hierro make space for Mexico’s federation to restructure its women’s program in particular. Women’s teams will move to their own department, and the federation will hire two national team directors — one for the men’s side, another for the women’s side, The Athletic’s Felipe Cárdenas reported.

“These changes are made in order to avoid the results that we had in the past weeks,” de Luisa said.

The moves come after the women’s national team failed to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. Mexico lost all three of its group stage matches this month as hosts of the Concacaf W Championship, which leaves the country on the outside looking in for the premier international tournaments.

“I’m not a person that gives up on things. Evidently, I’m going to be evaluated,” Vergara said following the team’s loss to the USWNT. “If the cycle finishes here, it’s been a spectacular ride.”

Mexico had been viewed as a favorite for one of Concacaf’s four direct spots into next year’s World Cup, which will take place in New Zealand and Australia. Headed into the W Championship, the team had a 10-game undefeated streak under its belt, with 52 goals scored during that time.

The first two group-stage losses knocked Mexico out of contention for one of the direct berths. The team still could have reached an inter-confederation play-in tournament with a third-place finish in four-team Group A, but a 1-0 loss to the USWNT closed the door on Mexico’s World Cup chances.

Vergara took full responsibility for the team’s fourth-place finish, saying she considered it a “personal failure.”

“We must salvage the good things that are developing in our country,” she added. “This women’s soccer project in our country is growing and it’s taking many solid steps.”

The host of the 2022 Men's World Cup is back in the headlines, with Middle East nation Qatar reportedly in talks with FIFA to house the inaugural Women's Club World Cup in January 2028.

Despite recent gains on the men's side, the Qatar women’s national team is currently unranked due to a lack of official matches — founded in 2009, the squad has not competed in any official capacity in 12 years.

The lack of support for the nation's women's team is unsurprising given Qatar's concerning human rights record — one that the soccer world has long called into question, particularly concerning the treatment of women, migrants, and the LGBTQIA+ population.

The reported aim to host the 2028 Women's Club World Cup would constitute another example of Qatar sportswashing those international human rights concerns using the country's close relationship with the international soccer governing body — one bolstered by the fact that FIFA president Gianni Infantino resides in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Despite this week's reports, FIFA said they have yet to receive a formal bid for its first-ever women's club competition.

With 16 teams expected to compete from January 5th through 30th, 2028, European clubs are already bracing for calendar disruptions thanks to the Women's Club World Cup's winter kick-off.

At least five teams from Europe and two each from Asia, Africa, South America, and North America will compete, with the remaining three clubs determined by a 2027 qualifying tournament.

US Figure Skating is hoping to make Olympic history this year, naming powerhouse trio Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito to the official 2026 Winter Games roster on Sunday as Team USA aims to end a 20-year medal drought in Milan next month.

Glenn earned her spot after winning her third-straight national title on Friday, with reigning world champion Liu and 18-year-old 2024 Worlds runner-up Levito chasing her onto the 2026 US Figure Skating Championships podium.

"Just so grateful. That was terrifying," Glenn said after her win. "And I had to skate after two incredible ladies brought down the house."

Liu is the only US women's singles skater returning with Olympic experience — at just 16 years old, she took sixth place in Beijing — but the group's national podium tally adds to Team USA's renewed confidence.

"All we've got to do, is do our job," said 26-year-old Glenn. "I think the US ladies have come so, so far in the last two decades that if all three of us do our jobs in Milan, then more than likely someone's going to be up there [on the Olympic podium]."

How to watch the 2026 Olympic figure skating competition

While the US women will first take the ice in the team competition on February 6th and 8th, the trio will begin contending for individual glory by skating their short programs at 12:45 PM ET on February 17th, airing live on USA Network.

The 2026 Olympic podium will then be finalized in the free skate competition at 1 PM ET on February 19th, with live coverage on NBC.

Incoming Denver Summit FC rookie Jasmine Aikey capped her Stanford career by earning the top honor in NCAA women's soccer, lifting the 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy last Friday.

Aikey is now the sixth Cardinal to win the award, joining fellow alums and USWNT standouts like Kelley O'Hara (2009), Christen Press (2010), Catarina Macario (2018, 2019), and Andi Sullivan (2017).

"I am so happy that Jasmine's hard work and dedication paid off, as she is one of the most talented and competitive student-athletes I have ever coached," said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe in the school's Friday announcement.

The 20-year-old topped both Stanford and the ACC in goals scored this season with 21, tallying 11 assists as she led the Cardinal to both the 2025 ACC Championship and last month's College Cup Final.

Even more, her dominant season saw Aikey claim the 2025 MAC Hermann Award over fellow finalists and ACC stars Jordynn Dudley, a junior forward for reigning NCAA champion Florida State, and Izzy Engle, a Notre Dame sophomore attacker and the 2025 ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

With her Friday win, Aikey also made history as just the second student-athlete to win both the Hermann Trophy and the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, joining Portland alum and international soccer's all-time leading scorer, Canada legend Christine Sinclair.

The forward won't be resting on her laurels for long, however, with Aikey now gearing up for next month's NWSL preseason after signing a two-year deal to join 2026 expansion side Denver Summit last Thursday.

"I'm ready to get to work and help set the standard in Denver," remarked the newly minted pro in a club statement.

As top tennis talents turn toward the 2026 Australian Open, this week's WTA rankings refresh hints at the drama to come as the year's first Grand Slam nears.

Following her strong 2026 United Cup showing against world No. 2 Iga Świątek, Team USA favorite Coco Gauff jumped to No. 3, leapfrogging fellow US star No. 4 Amanda Anisimova along the way.

Meanwhile, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys hit a slight skid, falling two spots to No. 9 after unwavering No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ousted her from last week's Brisbane Open quarterfinals.

Sabalenka aside, Switzerland's No. 10 Belinda Bencic might have the hottest hand heading into Melbourne, busting into the Top 10 after winning all five of her 2026 United Cup singles matches — including a dominant three-set victory over Poland's Świątek.

Bencic also made history in this week's rankings update, becoming the first returning mother to crack the WTA's top tier since US tennis icon Serena Williams did so in 2021.

"I think it's been a huge goal, maybe a huge ride after the whole comeback, to come back and prove this to myself, that it's possible," Bencic said this week.

How to watch top WTA ranked tennis players this week

Next up for the WTA rankings' elite will be the record-breaking 2026 Australian Open, with the main draw of the season's first Slam kicking off down under on Sunday.

Live coverage from the Melbourne hardcourt will air across ESPN platforms beginning at 7 PM ET on Saturday.