Just Women’s Sports is here with your daily World Cup Digest, breaking down all of the biggest storylines from the first day of action in Australia and New Zealand.

Today’s top news: Sam Kerr misses Australia opener

Sam Kerr missed Australia’s World Cup opener Thursday after picking up a calf injury during training Wednesday. While the Matildas still secured a 1-0 win against Ireland, their all-time leading scorer will be out for at least the next game. The team will “re-assess her following our second group-stage match,” so she could return for July 31 match against Canada.

“Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training,” Kerr said in a statement. “I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from what we came here to achieve. Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight, but I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now.”

Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson called the injury “devastating” and said after the win that the team did not know the extent of Kerr’s injury until 9:30 p.m. local time Wednesday. He asked for understanding on the decision to not reveal that information sooner, explaining that the team didn’t give “too much” away to Ireland.

“Once we came to the stadium, we didn’t play any type of mind games, we just were honest with the team sheet,” he said. “She wasn’t in the starting lineup. We went out with the news saying she’s injured, she couldn’t play. But we wanted to wait until the last second when we come to the stadium to not give away too much in tournament football.”

He also noted he was proud of the way that his team responded to Kerr’s absence, particularly once she stepped away during training Wednesday.

Kerr undeniably was missed in the Matildas’ opening game, but the team still prevailed thanks to a penalty kick from defender Steph Catley that put the home side up 1-0 – which remained the final score despite a number of late challenges by Ireland.

“My heart really breaks for Sammy. I know she wants to be out there, I know she wants to be a part of these two games,” Australia’s Elise Kellond-Knight said. “Luckily there’s another 22 players on this team. The team isn’t just Sam Kerr. … We’ve got so much depth. If anything, it’s kind of great that we can rest Sam and afford to put her on the sidelines and then look at our other players and create our attacks through those players.”

Today’s top highlight: Ali Riley’s reaction to New Zealand’s first WC win

New Zealand got the upset party going Thursday with its 1-0 victory over Norway – the first World Cup win for a New Zealand team, men’s or women’s. Hannah Wilkinson provided the lone goal of the match, a beautiful strike that electrified the crowd of 42,137 fans in attendance.

New Zealand had never won or even hosted a Women’s World Cup match…

Today they upset Norway IN New Zealand with a crowd of 42,137 fans, the largest soccer crowd the nation has ever seen 🤯

(via @FOXSoccer, h/t @FOS) pic.twitter.com/jujm6Hi1jT

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 20, 2023

Following the win, captain Ali Riley gave an emotional interview, noting that she thought the Football Ferns “deserved” the win.

“I’m so, so proud. We’ve been fighting for this for so long and we had a clear goal, that we wanted to inspire young girls, young people around this country and around the world,” she said. “And I really think we did that tonight. Anything is possible.”

Ali Riley reacting after a historic win for New Zealand, and yes we might have cried a little. 🥺

🎥 @FOXSoccerpic.twitter.com/oE7czGzXRc

— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) July 20, 2023

Today’s results:

So far, so good for the host countries, as both New Zealand and Australia prevailed in their opening matches.

• New Zealand 1 — Norway 0
• Australia 1 — Ireland 0

More World Cup news to know:

• A shooting in Auckland, New Zealand, left three people dead, including the gunman, and five others injured. Many players were staying in hotels close to the site of the shooting, which also was not far from the fan zone. Lynn Williams and Crystal Dunn spoke on the USWNT’s mindset following the devastating incident.
• Want to get to know the USWNT’s first group stage opponent before tomorrow night? Take a look at Just Women’s Sports’ scouting report on Vietnam. 
• Want to get a better idea of who could be in the starting lineup for the USWNT? Just Women’s Sports’ Claire Watkins has you covered.

The Tampa Bay Sun became the latest team to announce plans for a purpose-built women's soccer stadium this week, with the 2025 USL Super League champs looking to construct a 15,000-seat venue on the Ybor Harbor waterfront.

"We believe in the power of sport to inspire, unite, and drive meaningful change," said Sun majority owner Darryl Shaw in the club's Tuesday announcement. "By anchoring this historic neighborhood with a vibrant home for women's professional soccer, we're investing in our city's future and honoring the community that makes it thrive."

The state-of-the-art stadium for the top-flight USL club is the star of the proposal, though the 33-acre mixed-use development project also incorporates retail and residential spaces, as well as hotels, restaurants, and offices to house the United Soccer League headquarters.

While the new development has yet to announce a construction timeline or overall cost, the project comes as the USL Super League moves into its second season following a successful inaugural year.

"We're accelerating the growth of women's soccer while creating lasting benefits for Tampa Bay," said USL CEO Alec Papadakis. "The stadium development will be a place where fans and community come together and celebrate our sport."

"Tampa is a city of champions — and now we're dreaming even bigger," remarked Tampa mayor Jane Castor. "The stadium would deliver a place that captures our city's energy, inspires the next generation, and stands as a national symbol of what happens when cities invest boldly in women's sports and inclusive economic growth."

The USWNT announced a few welcome returns on Wednesday morning, tapping a roster heavy on NWSL talent for the world No. 1 team's upcoming friendlies against No. 25 Ireland and No. 8 Canada.

Veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle is back in the fold, with the Gotham standout coming off ankle surgery to join her first US camp since November 2024.

Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune is also making a return, as she continues her recovery protocol following an August 2024 knee surgery.

The roster's lone European club player is star center back Naomi Girma, with head coach Emma Hayes opting to give most of the team's Europe-based stars a crucial break.

"[Girma] felt really strongly that she needed the minutes," Hayes explained, referencing the defender's recent months off the pitch due to a calf injury. "She wants to be involved with the national team because she felt she's missed a really key camp for us."

The Europe-based absences carved space for some new faces, with Gotham defender Lilly Reale, Seattle defender Jordyn Bugg, Kansas City defender Izzy Rodriguez, and Seattle midfielder Sam Meza all earning their first senior team call-ups.

With an average of 18.4 caps per player, this NWSL-heavy roster marks one of the least-experienced friendly lineups in the modern history of the USWNT.

"This is a uniquely different situation, different window, where so many senior players will not be with us in this camp," Hayes told reporters. "This is probably the last time I'll be able to do this in the lead-up to qualifying for the World Cup."

With much of the USWNT's trusted core resting during this window, Hayes will snag a critical — and possibly final — look at how lesser-known NWSL players size up against international competition.

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The June/July 2025 USWNT roster

• Goalkeepers: Angelina Anderson (Angel City), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals)

• Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Naomi Girma (Chelsea), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Gisele Thompson (Angel City)

• Midfielders: Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)

• Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City)

How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies

The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their summer friendlies in Commerce City, Colorado, taking on No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on June 26th before the pair clash again in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 3 PM ET on June 29th.

The US will close out the window against No. 8 Canada, facing their longtime rivals in Washington, DC, at 7:30 PM ET on July 2nd.

Live coverage of the first match will air on TBS, with TNT set to broadcast the following two games.

The Indiana Fever advanced to the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship on Tuesday night, clinching their franchise-first Cup final berth following a tense battle with the Connecticut Sun that saw three ejections and two flagrant fouls.

In the game's first half, Sun guard Jacy Sheldon committed a Flagrant 1 on Fever guard Caitlin Clark, with Sheldon and teammate Marina Mabrey receiving a pair of technicals for shoving after the call.

With Indiana dominating late in the matchup, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham committed a Flagrant 2 on Sheldon, spurring a scuffle that ended with Cunningham, Sheldon, and Sun guard Lindsey Allen all being ejected.

The rest of Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup action played out mostly as expected, with New York securing an 86-81 comeback victory over the Atlanta Dream. However, because of the Fever's victory, the Liberty fell just short of returning to the Cup final.

The Minnesota Lynx also launched a comeback to take down Las Vegas 76-62, successfully punching their ticket to defend their 2024 Cup title — despite star forward Napheesa Collier exiting the showdown with an apparent back injury.

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Ultimately, while on-court performances should have driven the narrative, lack of referee control overshadowed the night.

"Everyone is getting better but the officials," Indiana head coach Stephanie White said after the Fever's win. "We need to remedy that. I mean, we've heard every coach talk about it. I don't know what the answer is."

How to watch the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship

The grand finale of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx will tip off at 8 PM ET on July 1st, with live coverage on Prime.

The FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 has arrived, with the 16-team regional tournament tipping off its group stage on Wednesday before the knockout stages begin on June 24th.

Hosted across the continent with games in Czechia, Germany, Italy, and Greece, the 40th edition of the annual competition carries the additional weight of serving as a qualifying event for the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

As a result, the top five teams in this month's EuroBasket contest will earn automatic spots in one of the March 2026 qualifiers.

Leading the charge to this year's trophy are 2023 winners Belgium, who enter the EuroBasket tournament as reigning champions.

However, 2024 Olympic silver medalists France have since stepped into the spotlight, with the always-dangerous Spain also threatening a podium finish.

Familiar faces to WNBA fans will feature on the 2025 EuroBasket courts this month, as several WNBA players have temporarily departed their US clubs to join their national teams in Europe, including Belgium guard Julie Allemand (LA Sparks), Great Britain center Temi Fagbenle (Golden State Valkyries), and Germany forward Leonie Fiebich (New York Liberty).

As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.

How to watch FIBA Women's EuroBasket in the US

The EuroBasket group-stage action tipped off on Wednesday morning, with all games streaming live on Courtside 1891.