The Chicago Red Stars are locking in their core, signing Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger, Alyssa Naeher and Mallory Pugh to multi-year contracts.

All players will be with the club through 2023, with Naeher’s contract including a one-year option for 2024.

Previously, the players had all been on USWNT allocated player contracts and were paid by the USWNT. With the new contracts, they are contracted by the team and will have their salaries paid by the Red Stars.

“This remarkable group of players, Tierna, Casey, Alyssa and Mallory, are wonderful representatives of the club and have contributed significantly to the team’s success and winning culture during the past few years. We look forward to them and our core leading this team into the future. Signing these USWNT players is a testament to our plans for a steadily advancing professional environment. These new contracts are an essential part of ensuring that the Red Stars’ 2021 NWSL Championship match roster is built upon and continues to improve,” the club said in a statement.

The contract signings come after Chicago was one of the more active teams ahead of last Friday’s trade deadline. The team dealt three players to San Diego Wave FC in exchange for full protection in the expansion draft and allocation money. According to the team, those moves “prioritize and honor the wishes of select players” within the organization.

Sarah Gorden and Julie Ertz were also traded by the club on Thursday to Angel City in exchange for draft protection.

Chicago had a simultaneously successful and tumultuous 2021 season, reaching the NWSL Championship before head coach Rory Dames resigned ahead of emotional and verbal abuse allegations.

Davidson, Krueger and Naeher are all decorated USWNT members, having been part of the team that won bronze in Tokyo this past summer.

Pugh won the 2019 Women’s World Cup alongside Davidson and Naeher and is coming off of a stellar season with the Red Stars that saw her finish second in voting for league MVP.

Team USA is coming in hot, releasing their full 232-player 2026 Olympic roster as the largest US contingent in history gears up for February's Winter Games in Italy.

"Right and left, we have just so many people able to get on the podium at these Games," said speed skater Erin Jackson, as she gears up to defend her 500-meter gold medal in her third Olympic appearance. "I'm really excited."

Between the men's and women's events, 98 of the participating US athletes are returning Olympians, including 33 previous podium finishers — 18 of them gold medalists.

Even more, seven members of Team USA are entering their fifth Winter Games, including decorated alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, hockey captain Hilary Knight, snowboarder Faye Thelen, and bobsled teammates Kaillie Armbruster Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor.

"I think my age is a big advantage actually," Vonn told reporters. "I have been in that start gate more than anyone else that's in the starting gate."

Meanwhile, the 134 fresh faces will look to have an immediate impact on the Olympic medal table for Team USA, including athletes like 20-year-old Stanford soccer defender and US cross-country skiier Sammy Smith and 15-year-old halfpipe freestyle skiier Abby Winterberger — the youngest member of the 2026 US roster.

How to watch Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics officially kick off in Italy on February 6th, though a few events — including curling and women's hockey — will get underway on February 4th and 5th.

Full live coverage of the 2026 Olympic Games will air in the US across NBC platforms.

The world No. 2 USWNT returns to action on Tuesday night, taking the pitch for the first time in Santa Barbara, California, to close out the team's January friendlies against No. 47 Chile.

Tuesday also marks the final match before US manager Emma Hayes begins narrowing her player pool ahead of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup in March, with competition mounting in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup qualifiers in November.

"I have a really good idea of the pool," Hayes told reporters prior to Tuesday's friendly. "I know which group of players we're going to be building around."

With a roster comprised entirely of NWSL players, Hayes will also be managing fitness as the team gears up for their second game in four days.

"One thing I have almost agreed to do, knowing where the players are at this stage of the season with their NWSL club, is to not start a player for two games," Hayes said.

"I'm putting together a whole new lineup," she continued. "Which itself will bring another set of challenges, whether that be first caps, whether that will be inexperience, [or] collectively playing together."

Three January call-ups remain uncapped, as North Carolina Courage midfielder Riley Jackson, Denver Summit defender Ayo Oke, and Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz look to make Tuesday night's starting XI.

How to watch the USWNT vs. Chile

The No. 2 USWNT will close out their January friendlies against No. 47 Chile at 10 PM ET on Tuesday, with live coverage airing on TBS.

WNBA star Breanna Stewart is making her voice heard, with the New York Liberty forward launching her Syracuse-focused Breanna Stewart Foundation one day after protesting Saturday's ICE shooting in Minneapolis on the Unrivaled 3×3 court.

First acknowledging the platform that basketball gave her, the Unrivaled co-founder said in her Monday social media post "my responsibility goes far beyond the game."

"This foundation starts where I'm from, Syracuse, and grows through New York because real impact has to begin at home," Stewart explained.

In partnership with Athletes for Impact, the Breanna Stewart Foundation aims to build "long-term, sustainable systems for women and youth in the community" to combat poverty through initiatives like healthcare services, education and mentoring opportunities, and sports programs.

The news came after Stewart held up a hand-written sign reading "Abolish ICE" during Sunday's Unrivaled introductions, with the Mist BC star calling attention to this month's fatal shootings at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota.

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"I wanted to have a simple message of 'Abolish ICE,' which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence," Stewart said after Mist BC's win.

"All day yesterday, I was just disgusted from everything that you see on Instagram and in the news," she added. "It's scary.... You see it splitting up families and dissecting communities.... It's the worst in all ways."

"We're so fueled by hate right now instead of love."

Gotham FC steps back into the spotlight on Wednesday, when the reigning NWSL and Concacaf W Champions Cup winners take on SC Corinthians in the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup semifinals in London.

"The hunger they have to win is unbelievable. It's in their nature," Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said of his team's continued title quest. "They win one competition and they're already thinking about the next one."

"This is where we want to be: competing in the semifinals, competing in the finals, competing to raise another trophy. That's the standard here at Gotham," defender Mandy Freeman echoed.

Further bolstering the US team is recent rookie signee Jordynn Dudley, who joins the NWSL club fresh off her own title-winning run at Florida State.

Hours after Gotham squares off against Brazil's 2025 Série A1 winners, UWCL champions Arsenal will face Moroccan Women's Championship titans ASFAR in the inaugural four-team competition's other semifinal.

The final and third-place matches will take place on Sunday, with a history-making $3.95 million total prize pool on the line.

The tournament winners will take home $2.3 million, while the runners-up net $1 million and each third-place team leaves with $200,000 — with $100,000 and $150,000 already sent to the clubs eliminated from the competition's play-in round.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup semifinals

Gotham will kick off Wednesday's 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup semifinals against Corinthians at 7:30 AM ET, before Arsenal plays ASFAR at 1 PM ET.

Both clashes will air live on DAZN.