As we head into the knockout stage of the NWSL Challenge Cup, here are 5 young players early in their careers who we’re excited to watch over the next round of games and beyond.

 

BELLA BIXBY, PORTLAND, GOALKEEPER 

Kumi Yokoyama with an opportunity, but is denied @ThornsFC's Bella Bixby ???? pic.twitter.com/aqaZwKAQ0r

— CBS Sports Soccer (@CBSSportsSoccer) July 6, 2020

With Adrianna Franch out of the tournament due to an injury, Britt Eckerstrom was expected to step in as the #1 goalkeeper for the Portland Thorns. However Marc Parsons and second year keeper Bella Bixby had other ideas. Getting the first 4 starts of her NWSL career, Bixby has more than impressed. With two clean sheets and a 78.6% success save rate matching USWNT team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, Bixby is one to keep an eye on for league play and beyond.

 

ASHLEY SANCHEZ, WASHINGTON, FORWARD 

We’re still not over this flick by @ashleynsanchezz #MoneyDontSleep pic.twitter.com/rflhqsGqQM

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 8, 2020

Expectations were high from day one for the fourth overall pick of the 2020 draft, and Sanchez has delivered. The rookie has played in every Challenge Cup game so far, starting three, and been a constant threat around the goal for her side. She’s looked more and more comfortable as the tournament has progressed, and to top it all off, she flicked in one of the craziest assists we’ve ever seen.

 

TZIARRA KING, UTAH, FORWARD 

A debut fit for a ????@tziarra scores her first professional goal.

3-3 | #HOUvUTA

Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/IHsIFh6W07

— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) June 30, 2020

Tziarra King started her NWSL career with a bang, coming in and scoring the game-tying goal in the waning minutes of the Royal’s opening match with Houston. King has appeared late in three of her side’s four group stage matches, and we expect her to continue to be a late-impact player as she grows in her role. Looking beyond the Cup, King will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in Christen Press and Amy Rodriguez. She’s definitely one to keep an eye on in the long run.

 

ADDISYN MERRICK, NORTH CAROLINA, DEFENDER

lindsey horan NUTMEG but addisyn merrick recovers perfectly pic.twitter.com/QI1oXbWjGu

— justin block* (@JBlock49) June 27, 2020

Merrick quietly slid into the right back role, starting and playing nearly every minute of three of the Courage’s four matches. The 28th pick of the 2020 draft hasn’t skipped a beat since stepping up for the champs and, on a team like North Carolina, has proven that even though she’s young, don’t expect her to be the weak link on a seemingly unbeatable side. Her pass completion rate is 73%, and we expect her to continue her steady play as the Courage look to defend their title.

 

BIANCA ST. GEORGES, CHICAGO, DEFENDER 

And here was the chance by St. Georges right before the hydration break!#NCvCHI | 0-0 | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/daI9TBP1d5

— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) July 5, 2020

The 20th pick in the 2019 draft patiently waited 18 months to make her NWSL debut, but has since gone on to start in two of Chicago’s group stage matches. In those games, she’s done more than enough to justify getting further minutes in the knockout stage. St Georges has a 92% completion rate on passes in her own half and poses a threat downfield when she gets forward.

 

BONUS: JENNIFER CUDJOE, SKY BLUE FC, MIDFIELDER 

Proud of you @JenniferCudjoe #OnceANorsemanAlwaysANorseman https://t.co/ssfC0aQEUe

— Lady Norse Soccer (@LadyNorseSoccer) July 1, 2020

Cudjoe isn’t exactly young by NWSL standards, but she is one of our favorite stories and standout performers in the Challenge Cup. After spending three seasons in the WPSL, Cudjoe persevered and impressed the staff and players at the open tryout for Sky Blue. Against Houston, the 26-year-old from Ghana completed 85.6% of her passes and has since become a key player in Sky Blue’s midfield. If the team is going to make a run through the playoffs, they’ll need Cudjoe to continue beating expectations.

Just 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament​ after last week's opening rounds, setting the stage for this weekend's four Regional showdowns.

Hosted by the No. 1 seeds (Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State, and Louisville), each four-team mini-tournament will send one squad to next Thursday's national semifinals in Louisville.

Regional action kicks off in the ACC

The Pitt and Louisville Regionals will start the Sweet Sixteen action on Thursday, when the Panthers host No. 7 Missouri, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Oregon. Louisville helms the evening party, which includes No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Purdue, and No. 6 Florida.

With Pittsburgh already in full swing, the Wildcats added a third defeat of Missouri to their 2024 tally on Thursday, ousting the Tigers 3-1 and extending their win streak to 14 matches in the process.

About to take the court are two of the nation's best blocking teams, with the overall No. 1 seed Panthers aiming for a repeat of their season-opening sweep of the Ducks.

Thursday night's action starts when Stanford, whose nine NCAA titles dwarf all other Division I programs, takes on a tough Florida side who upset No. 3 Kansas in a gritty five-set thriller last Saturday.

Finally, while no team is immune to upsets at this level, Thursday's closer between Purdue and Louisville is especially vulnerable after the Cardinals barely survived Northern Iowa on Saturday.

The Big Ten begins hosting on Friday

Big Ten courts will serve as the stage for Friday's Regional semifinals, with Penn State hosting No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Texas, and No. 5 Marquette before Nebraska welcomes No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 5 Dayton, and No. 6 Texas A&M to Cornhusker country.

Friday's opener pits two offensive powerhouses who've swept their way through the NCAA bracket against each other. The Bluejays, who are riding a 24-match win streak, will try to harness that momentum to end the back-to-back defending champs Longhorns' hopes of a three-peat.

Soon after, the Nittany Lions will again defend home court — a feat they've accomplished in every 2024 home match — in Friday's second tilt against the Golden Eagles.

Like Penn State, fellow Big Ten behemoth Wisconsin is likely to emerge victorious from their Regional semifinal, a rematch of the Badgers's September sweep of Texas A&M.

Capping the weekend's first matches is a battle of experience against this year's Cinderella squad. In their 40th Sweet Sixteen appearance, Nebraska's superstar-stacked roster will take on Regional debutants Dayton, who outlasted No. 4 Baylor in five gritty sets to earn the trip. The Flyers boast the fifth-best defense in the country, and they'll need every ounce of it to snap the Huskers' 43-match home win streak.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA volleyball Regionals

Thursday's action is in full swing, and No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 3 Texas will jumpstart Friday's slate at 1 PM ET before Saturday and Sunday each feature a pair of Regional finals.

The full schedule will stream live on ESPN+, with ESPN2 also airing all matches through Saturday.

Sunday's games received a broadcast bump, with the Nebraska Regional final airing at 3 PM ET on ABC and the Penn State-hosted finale taking the 8:30 PM ET slot on ESPN.

The 2027 Women's World Cup has officially claimed its calendar spot, with FIFA announcing Tuesday that the tournament's Brazil-hosted 10th edition — the first-ever in South America — will run from June 24th through July 25th.

"The FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 is already taking shape and we can’t wait for the opening match," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Looking to break 2023's record-setting attendance and viewership numbers, Infantino also noted, "This historic tournament will have a massive impact not only in South America, but around the whole world, taking the women's game to the next level in terms of participation and popularity."

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Prepping for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers

The international soccer governing body also allocated the competition's 32 available spots, with CONMEBOL's Brazil earning automatic entry as one of the three slots granted to the continental confederation.

UEFA leads the pool with 11 teams, followed by AFC with six, CAF and Concacaf with four each, and OFC's one.

The final three squads will be determined by a 10-team, two-round play-in tournament taking place in late 2026 and February 2027.

The road to Brazil kicks off in 2025

With details including host cities and venues still to come, the road to the 2027 World Cup is ramping up with qualifying matches looming just around the corner.

Next year's UEFA Nations League play will determine the 11 European teams bound for Brazil, including 2023 world champions Spain. Meanwhile, the path to a fifth star for the world No. 1 USWNT crest begins with Concacaf W Qualifiers in late 2025.

Similarly, 2025 qualifying matches for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off World Cup entrances for teams in those federations. CONMEBOL will look to the 2025 Copa América tournament to determine the remaining two entrants that will compete alongside host Brazil, while OFC is likely to set their World Cup qualifying matches for next year.

Superstar exits pave the way for new World Cup stars

Both expected and surprise entrants will book their 2027 World Cup spots over the next two years, but the Brazil tournament's sidelines are already set to feature fresh faces after a flood of soccer greats called game in 2024.

The host nation will compete in their first World Cup since 1999 without legendary attacker Marta, whose 17 goals lead the tournament's all-time scoring list.

Canada is suffering the same fate with 2027 marking the first edition in 28 years without leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.

Two-time trophy-winners Germany — the only team other than the US with more than one world title — recently bid adieu to star Alexandra Popp, who retired as a four-time World Cup competitor.

As for the USWNT, they'll look to follow their 2024 Olympic gold medal with a 2027 World Cup title, but without star striker Alex Morgan, defender Kelley O'Hara, or goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who followed 2023 retirees Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz out the door this year.

The fourth-annual FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup tips off Thursday in Puerto Rico,​ with 2022 winners Canada and three-time silver medalists Brazil aiming to dethrone defending three-time champs Team USA.

The US is led by three WNBA standouts. Veteran Mystics guard Brittney Sykes's 12.2 points per game was second on Washington's 2024 roster, while Sparks forward Azurá Stevens is strong on both ends of the court as LA's best three-point shooter also boasts the team's second-best rebound rate.

Meanwhile, Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist is coming off a shooting hot streak, sinking over 50% from the field in her second WNBA season.

Former record-breaking Ivy League sharpshooter Abbey Hsu rounds out Team USA's roster, with the Belgian league rookie​ earning the spot over nine WNBA players.

The road to the 3×3 podium

Fifteen teams traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but only 12 will compete in the tournament's main draw. Thursday's court is reserved for the four teams vying to qualify, with either Guatemala, Cuba, Costa Rica, or the Cayman Islands surviving.

With the 12 tournament teams split into four groups of three, pool play takes over on Friday and Saturday. Pools B (Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica) and D (Puerto Rico, Argentina, and the final qualifying team) will play their round-robin round on Friday. Then, Pools A (USA, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic) and C (Chile, Brazil, and Colombia) will do the same on Saturday.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to Sunday's knockout rounds. All elimination games will feature on Sunday's court, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place game, and championship showdown.

How to watch Team USA in the 2024 FIBA 3×3AmeriCup

The tournament tips off at 12:30 PM ET on Thursday, but Team USA doesn't feature until Saturday, when they face the Dominican Republic at 3:30 PM ET before taking on Uruguay at 6:35 PM ET.

All FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup games — including Sunday's 8 PM ET championship — will stream live on YouTube.

All 14 NWSL teams issued final​ end-of-year roster decisions on Tuesday, as the 2025 free agency period shifts into full gear.

Athletes who are currently out-of-contract are now technically on the chopping block, faced with either negotiating new terms to return to their teams or taking the leap and brokering a fresh deal elsewhere.

Standouts listed as out-of-contact include 2024 NWSL champion and Orlando Pride captain Marta as well as NC Courage striker and the league's 2023 MVP Kerolin. Several current and former USWNT stars also face offseason negotiations, like Gotham FC forward Midge Purce, Portland Thorns center back Becky Sauerbrunn, and Angel City forward Christen Press.

Multiple teams have already acknowledged an intent to retain top players by announcing ongoing negotiations in their final 2024 roster announcements, with Press, Marta, and Kerolin in talks to stay with their clubs.

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New CBA means more NWSL movement

Under the league's new CBA, when a team declines a player's contract option, that player automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent, guaranteeing roster shakeups despite this year's lack of expansion and college drafts.

Both athletes whose contracts have expired and those whose options have been declined are considered out-of-contract. While those players will be weighing their options on the open market, teams will be doing the same, deciding who to try to retain and who to officially waive.

Clubs will make many of those decisions imminently, as the waiver wire will open and close this week, before the trade window opens again on December 13th.

The league will take a transaction moratorium from December 20th to 27th, after which teams can resume signings.

Between the CBA-induced influx of free agents and the lack of drafts forcing front offices into what could be lengthy recruiting and negotiating processes to attract young talent, the business of building an NWSL roster has become more complicated.

That said, some clubs seem to be capitalizing on the shake-up. After finishing the season in last place, the Houston Dash have already seen significant roster action — including nabbing defender Christen Westphal from San Diego and signing ex-Gotham free agent Delanie Sheehan — setting an aggressive rebuilding example as the NWSL embraces a new era.