After a record-setting season, the 2024 NWSL Playoffs have landed, with​ the expanded eight-team lineup kicking off the weekend's do-or-die quarterfinals with a clean slate.

No. 1 Orlando, whose Shield-winning year ended in a skid, begins the postseason action on Friday, hosting a No. 8 Chicago side that just barely made the postseason cut. The Pride will notably do so without defender Rafaelle, who landed on the season-ending injury list with a partial quad tendon tear on Tuesday.

Adding another hurdle to Chicago's gargantuan Orlando task is the fact that the Red Stars will be without some key firepower. Striker Ludmila, the club's third-most prolific goal scorer on the season, is serving an extended red card suspension that will keep her sidelined through the semifinals, should the Red Stars advance.

After finishing last season second-to-last on the NWSL table, No. 4 Kansas City earned quarterfinal hosting rights this year. The Current, who scored a league-record 57 goals this season, haven't lost since September 1st, when they fell to the No. 5 North Carolina Courage — the same team they'll face on Saturday.

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The biggest question-mark for the Current, however, is the status of 2024 Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, who was sidelined last weekend after a knock to the knee.

"She’s progressing well," KC coach Vlatko Andonovski said of Chawinga's status on Wednesday. "Hopefully, we have more answers closer to the game."

That said, Andonovski made it clear that expectations won't change regardless of Chawinga's availability. Pointed to KC’s 3-1 win over Chicago last Sunday, he noted that while "the success that this team has enjoyed this season is a team success, and it’s not just the 20 goals that Temwa scored."

Sunday doubleheader will finalize NWSL semis

This Sunday afternoon is all about the NWSL, beginning when No. 7 Bay FC, the winningest expansion team in league history, head to DC to play a No. 2 Spirit squad still bouncing back from injuries.

While Washington has star forward Trinity Rodman and defender Casey Krueger back on the pitch, they'll be without midfielder Andi Sullivan, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear last month. Also missing will be forward Rosemonde Kouassi as she finishes serving her extended red card suspension.

To cap things off, defending champs No. 3 Gotham FC will host perennial contenders Portland. The Thorns snagged their lowest postseason seeding ever at No. 6 after a shaky season put their now eight-straight playoffs streak at risk.

Even so, Portland could be poised to surprise a Gotham side that boasts one of the best defenses in the league. The Thorns' final regular-season match displayed their best attacking performance in NWSL play since May, with prolific scorers Christine Sinclair, Sophia Smith, and Morgan Weaver all finding the back of the net.

NWSL MVP, Rookie of the Year awards come into focus

As the season ends, the NWSL's individual award frontrunners are emerging — and none more so than KC's Chawinga. The Kansas City striker is poised to run away with the league's MVP honors thanks to her speed, technical skill, and record-breaking 20 goals on the season.

Though Orlando’s Barbra Banda made her MVP case by keeping pace with Chawinga in the season's first half, she quieted after the Olympics while Chawinga upheld her unbelievable consistency, blasting eight more goals across nine post-break matches.

Instead, the Pride could likely see Coach of the Year honors after Seb Hines led the Shield-winners​ on a record-breaking 23-match unbeaten streak this season.

In the Rookie of the Year race, the NWSL’s 2024 class impressed, from Louisville ringer Emma Sears to KC defensive midfielder Claire Hutton to Washington’s absolutely stacked group of six debutants.

That said, Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune tops the competition with five goals and a record-tying 10 assists, despite playing in just 17 matches before a torn meniscus ended her season.

How to watch the 2024 NWSL Playoffs this weekend

Orlando and Chicago kick off at 8 PM ET on Friday, live on Prime, with KC battling NC on Saturday at 12 PM ET on CBS.

On Sunday, Washington hosts Bay FC at 12:30 PM ET before Portland visits Gotham at 3 PM ET, with live coverage on ABC.

Nike is sending Team USA to Italy in style, with the sportswear giant's ACG (All Conditions Gear) brand releasing the designs for a special 2026 Winter Olympics collection this week.

Branded with Nike ACG badges alongside Team USA patches, this year's collection builds off a traditional red, white, and navy color scheme to outfit the country's Olympic and Paralympic athletes, as well as fans, ahead of the 2026 Games' February 6th opening ceremony in Milan.

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The designs include a long-sleeved T-shirt displaying an animated, winter sports-bound bald eagle and a zipped fleece sherpa and Therma-Fit skirt, both emblazoned with a bald eagle soaring over mountains.

Additionally, the collection boasts multiple T-shirts, long-sleeved sweat-wicking shirts, Polartec® jackets, and accessories including a baseball cap and winter beanie.

Nike is just one of many major brands outfitting Team USA for this year's competition, with the athletic corporation joining J.Crew in inviting fans to gear up for the Games after the fashion retailer dropped its own Winter Olympics capsule collection earlier this month.

How to purchase items from the Nike ACG x Team USA collection

The Nike ACG x Team USA line will hit shelves on Friday, January 23rd, with fans able to snag pieces prior to the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The collection will be available for purchase via nike.com.

Stars of the 2025 Euro stole the EA FC 26 spotlight this week, as the video game giant's fan-voted 2026 Team of the Year recognized some of international soccer's top achievers on Thursday.

Champions England fielded four honorees as forward Alessia Russo joined a trio of Lioness defenders — Leah Williamson, Millie Bright, and Team of the Year captain Lucy Bronze — on the 11-player list.

"Being named the first-ever Women's EA Sports FC TOTY Captain is an honour," Bronze said in a statement. "2025 was an amazing year — winning the Euros again and picking up my first BWSL with Chelsea — so much of that success is thanks to our fans, and it's great to see them recognize my efforts with this award."

The rest of the EA FC 26 Team of the Year also favored European titans, as Euro runners-up and Nations League winners Spain also saw a quartet of players make the roster. La Roja fully owned the Team of Year midfield as stars Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, and Alexia Putellas joined forward Clàudia Pina on Thursday's lineup.

Rounding out the squad were three other European club standouts as EA FC 26 also tapped Chliean goalkeeper Christiane Endler (OL Lyonnes), French defender Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes), and Polish forward Ewa Pajor (FC Barcelona).

The first Grand Slam of 2026 has arrived, as the main draw of the Australian Open hits the court on Saturday evening, promising some early-round fireworks.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka enters as the tournament favorite, though the rest of the WTA Top 10 promises to give her a run for her money — as No. 2 Iga Świątek chases the only major tournament title still eluding her.

Meanwhile, No. 9 Madison Keys will attempt to defend her 2025 crown, as fellow US products No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, and No. 6 Jessica Pegula also locked down top seeds.

Another US superstar will return this weekend, with 45-year-old Venus Williams following up her impressive 2025 performances by accepting a wild-card entry to her first Australian Open in five years.

"Even though I've been on tour for a long time, this is also still my first experience as [reigning champion]," Keys said. "I'm really just trying to soak in all of the really cool fun parts."

How to watch the 2026 Australian Open

The 2026 Australian Open begins at 7 PM ET on Saturday, with Williams as well as top-seed Sabalenka and world No. 7 Jasmine Paolini set to face their first opponents on the first day of the Slam's main draw.

The second day of first-round matches will see the rest of the WTA elite in action, as No. 2 Świątek, No. 3 Gauff, No. 4 Anisimova, No. 6 Pegula, and No. 9 Keys — as well as No. 5 Elena Rybakina, No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, and No. 10 Belinda Bencic — will hit the hardcourt in Melbourne starting at 7 PM ET on Sunday.

All matches in the 2026 Australian Open — from the first round through the women's final on Saturday, January 31st — will air live across ESPN platforms.

Monday's NCAA basketball action will put two of the nation's top guards to the test, as No. 10 TCU faces No. 14 Ohio State in Newark, New Jersey's Coretta Scott King Classic — part of a stacked MLK Day slate.

Buckeye sophomore Jaloni Cambridge is on a tear in this season, averaging 21.8 points per game — good for No. 10 in the country — and tallying 102 points, 20 rebounds, and 20 assists across Ohio State's last three games.

At the same time, TCU has seen similar stylings from Notre Dame transfer Olivia Miles, with the senior putting up a career-high 19.2 points per game while sitting at No. 9 in the nation behind her 7.3 assists average for the Horned Frogs.

Even more, Miles is lapping her collegiate cohort in triple doubles on the season, posting four of the elite stat-sheet performances while all other NCAA players have a maximum of one.

Both teams are meeting expectations head-on this season, impressing following 2025 NCAA tournament exits that spurred significant offseason roster changes.

Ohio State star forward Cotie McMahon transferred to Ole Miss after the Buckeyes' second-round ousting, while TCU graduated standout starting guard Hailey Van Lith and center Sedona Prince.

With Miles and Cambridge leading the charge, however, both squads are flourishing: TCU faltered just once in their 2025/26 campaign so far — a January 3rd overtime loss to unranked Utah — while Ohio State's two season losses came at the hands of titans No. 1 UConn and No. 3 UCLA.

"Ultimately, [TCU forward] Marta [Suarez] and Miles are two of the best players in college basketball," Horned Frogs head coach Mark Campbell said after Sunday's win over Arizona State. "But for our team to reach our full potential, we need these other players to show great growth. And I think we have."

How to watch TCU vs. Ohio State basketball on Monday

The No. 10 Horned Frogs will take on the No. 14 Buckeyes at 12 PM ET on Monday, airing live on FOX.