Allie Long is back on the field — and bringing her experience to the USL Gainbridge Super League.
The former USWNT midfielder signed with Fort Lauderdale United FC for the remainder of the 2025/26 season. This makes Long the first World Cup champion to join the US league.
Long's arrival marks a significant moment for the USL Gainbridge Super League, which launched in 2024 as a top-flight pro league alongside the NWSL.
At 38, Long made clear she had no plans to slow down.
"I've never been out," Long told ESPN. "I've never announced my retirement because it was always on my heart. I'm super excited to see where this goes and what comes of it. You'll probably have to roll me off the field when I'm 49 years old."
She joins Fort Lauderdale as the club pushes toward the postseason, adding veteran leadership and championship pedigree to a roster still developing its identity.
Long last played a full professional season in 2023 with Gotham FC, helping the club win the NWSL Championship after returning from maternity leave. Prior to that, she played key role on the USWNT's 2019 World Cup win.
"When a World Cup champion chooses to be part of what you're creating, that means something," Fort Lauderdale chairman Tommy Smith said in a team statement.
The signing highlights the growing pull of the USL Super League as it continues to establish itself as a top-level women's soccer option in the United States.
But for Long, it's all for love of the game.
"I love the game so much and I'm a competitor," she said. "I just want to walk off the field that I dedicated my whole life to in a place where I feel good leaving."
