The Nneka Ogwumike redemption tour has officially begun.

The Los Angeles Sparks forward returned to game action Sunday for the first time since June 1, when she suffered a knee injury.

In Sunday’s game, Ogwumike played 30 minutes, 59 seconds during which she scored 12 points and had seven rebounds. She was also 6-of-14 from the field.

“It feels amazing,” said Ogwumike. “I just needed to get out there. What helped me, too, is I didn’t have many expectations of myself; I just wanted to go out and help my team. I’m pretty proud of how I felt out there.”

The 2016 league MVP said she feels strong, having done a lot of weight lifting during her rehab.

“But I personally feel I’m not as swift as I want to be,” she said. “That’s going to come with me playing a little bit more.”

On Monday, Ogwumike sent out a tweet where she quoted Beyonce.

“If you feel insignificant, you better think again,” she wrote.

If you feel insignificant, you better think again
Better wake up because you're part of something way bigger
You're part of something way bigger
- @Beyonce pic.twitter.com/oBHFkIUvyw

— Nneka Ogwumike (@nnekaogwumike) August 16, 2021

Ogwumike has been open about how hard it has been for her since being snubbed from the U.S. Olympic team. She’s revealed there have been a lot of moments where she’s felt “unvaluable or unworthy.”

But in her return, Ogwumike factored big into the Sparks’ win, as they beat the Indiana Fever 75-70.

The Sparks next take on the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, Aug. 17 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Mattel is riding the women's rugby wave, with the toymaker celebrating October 11th's International Day of the Girl by transforming "a coalition of four powerful role models and professional rugby players from across the globe" into Team Barbie.

Earning the Barbie doll treatment are Team USA Olympic bronze medalist Ilona Maher, England's newly crowned Rugby World Cup champion Ellie Kildunne, 2021 Olympic silver medalist for France, Nassira Konde, and New Zealand legend Portia Woodman-Wickliffe — a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup champion.

Notably, the four new dolls will feature "an all-new body sculpt" to celebrate the strength of each player "with a straighter, more athletic torso, visibly defined arms, shoulders, and legs, plus sculpted core and back muscles."

"If sharing my story can inspire other young girls to believe in themselves the way I have, then I'll have truly made an impact," said Maher in Monday's press release. "Being part of Team Barbie is about showing girls that confidence isn't something to shy away from, but something to own."

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"We believe that girls can be, and do, anything," added Mattel's SVP of Barbie Krista Berger. "By showcasing the stories of incredible role models whose confidence has fueled groundbreaking success, we're showing girls that the future of sports – or wherever their passion takes them – is theirs to claim, with Team Barbie cheering them on."

Women's rugby is having a moment, with Mattel getting in on the action following England's successful 2025 Rugby World Cup run, which drew record crowds and spiked global interest this summer.

How to purchase the Team Barbie collection of rugby stars

Mattel's Team Barbie collection of rugby stars will hit the shelves in 2026.

The 2025/26 UEFA Women's Champions League begins anew this week, as the European club competition kicks off its first-ever league phase with a blockbuster lineup.

Italian powerhouse Juventus sets the stage against Portugal's Benfica early Tuesday afternoon, before reigning champs Arsenal start their title defense against eight-time winners OL Lyonnes while 2023/24 champs Barcelona face Bundesliga standout Bayern Munich.

"Winning last year hasn't changed that mindset one bit," Arsenal and USWNT defender Emily Fox said this week. "We know that any team on their day is dangerous and, especially with the new format this season, it's not going to be easy."

The debut format Fox refers to replaces the previous group-stage setup, with the new league phase seeing all 18 clubs playing six matches each — three at home and three away — against six different opponents.

While the league phase will eliminate the bottom six teams, the top four finishers will automatically qualify for next spring's quarterfinal round.

As for the 5th- through 12th-place clubs, they must battle in a two-legged knockout playoff round next February in order to punch their quarterfinal tickets.

How to watch the 2025/26 Champions League matches

The league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League campaign opens on Tuesday when Juventus takes on Benfica at 12:45 PM ET.

Arsenal vs. OL Lyonnes and Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich will then snag the spotlight at 3 PM ET.

All UWCL matches will air live on Paramount+.

As the 2025 NWSL season winds down, top players are on the move as teams across the league look to stock their rosters in order to either boost their postseason odds or hit the ground running in 2026.

Incoming expansion side Boston Legacy FC is stocking up their 2026 debut roster, adding 18-year-old phenom Chloe Ricketts to their midfield and Brazilian international Amanda Gutierres — a 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee and two-time Golden Boot winner in Brazil's top-flight league — to their front line last week.

Along with that offensive firepower, Boston is on track to gain one of the NWSL's top veteran goalkeepers, with ESPN reporting last week that NC Courage net-minder Casey Murphy — a longtime USWNT backup to legend Alyssa Naeher — inked a deal to join the Legacy as soon as she becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025 season.

The NWSL newcomer isn't the only club making moves, however.

Angel City and Portland have also been busy, with the Thorns sending midfielder Hina Sugita to the LA club in exchange for defender MA Vignola and $600,000 in intra-league transfer funds last week.

While there's no deadline for finalizing 2026 free agent transactions, the 2025 NWSL trade window officially closes this Thursday, leaving playoff-hopeful teams scrambling to pad their rosters while other clubs shift to focus on the future.

With just three matchdays left in the regular season, Racing Louisville FC is on the brink of franchise history, launching themselves into contention for a 2025 NWSL Playoffs berth at No. 7 on the table behind a 3-1 win over the No. 9 North Carolina Courage on Saturday.

Louisville forward and USWNT rising star Emma Sears notched a brace while midfielder Kayla Fischer — Sears's collegiate teammate — also found the back of the net in the victory, with the Ohio State alums helping lift Racing to sit four points above the postseason cutoff line.

"I'm so proud of this group," Louisville head coach Bev Yanez said post-game. "I think that's a very big win in a very crucial time."

Joining the league as a 2021 expansion team, Racing Louisville is still searching for a first-ever ticket to the NWSL Playoffs, with an October 19th clash against a surging No. 3 Gotham FC marking the club's toughest test still to come in the 2025 campaign.

Notably, No. 8 San Diego's ongoing skid helped Louisville climb the standings, with the Wave suffering their seventh consecutive winless match in a 2-1 loss to the postseason-bound No. 2 Washington Spirit on Sunday.

All in all, the battle for both spots and seeding in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs is tighter than ever, as only four points separate Nos. 3 and 8 on the table — meaning competition will only heat up as the league races toward Decision Day on November 2nd.