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Celebrating Women’s Equality Day in the world of sports

(Brad Smith/ISI Photos)

Today is Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the 19th amendment and women’s right to vote. As the fight continues for social and economic equality, we teamed up with the investing app Public.com to spotlight women in the world of sports who are making moves to close the wealth gap.

But first, a special gift for you: Claim $10 worth of free stock by downloading the Public app and applying code JWS. Get started.

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Billie Jean King won 39 Grand Slam titles in her career but accomplished much more than that through her activism. (Central Press/Getty Images)

Honoring the Past

In order to celebrate how far women in sports have come, it’s imperative to look back at the pioneers who first pushed for change.

Billie Jean King started the WTA in 1973 to vouch for equal prize money in tennis, paving the way for players like Chris Evert and Naomi Osaka to earn big paydays.

In 1970, King spearheaded the “Original 9,” a group of women’s tennis players who each signed $1 contracts with Virginia Slims to protest unequal prize money. What started as a stand for equal compensation and a fight for more exposure evolved into today’s WTA Tour.

Flash forward to 2021 and Serena Williams has amassed $94 million in prize money, twice the amount of any other female athlete, according to Forbes.

The 99ers, forever immortalized by Brandi Chastain’s jersey-gripping celebration after her game-winning goal in the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, changed the face of American soccer.

The team’s historic penalty-kick win over China inspired a generation of girls to play soccer, with many current USWNT stars citing Mia Hamm, Brianna Scurry and Kristine Lilly as their childhood heroes. The team’s success also gave women’s soccer players critical bargaining power, which they leveraged to establish the first professional women’s soccer league and the first collective bargaining agreement with U.S. Soccer.

Their efforts led directly to the formation of the Women’s United Soccer Association in 2001 as the first step toward a sustainable league. The NWSL, now in its ninth year, can be traced back to the 99ers, who helped secure soccer as an attainable profession for women in the United States.

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Stephanie Gilmore took a stand for equal pay in surfing, pushing the WSL to make a landmark decision in 2018. (Kirstin Scholtz/World Surf League via Getty Images)

Closing the Gap

Today’s athletes have taken the baton from generations past, pushing sports leaders to prioritize equal pay for women.

Venus Williams’ storied career on the tennis court is matched by her tireless activism off of it, picking up the fight from Billie Jean King.

Williams first spoke out about inequality in 1998 when she was competing at Wimbledon as an 18-year-old. In 2005, after Williams had won four Grand Slams, she directly petitioned French Open officials to amend the tournament’s gender pay gap. Williams continued to pen op-eds and meet with the ITF’s Grand Slam Board, pushing for equal compensation at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

The fight paid off in 2007 when Williams became the first female champion at Wimbledon to earn the same prize money as the men’s champion, leaving the sport better than where she found it.

Stephanie Gilmore’s vocal push for equal compensation in surfing not only changed the makeup of the World Surf League but also inspired a conversation across sports.

The seven-time world champion spent much of her career earning less than her male counterparts, including a 2007 competition when the male champion made five times as much as she did. Gilmore’s campaign for pay equality pressed the WSL to make a landmark decision in 2018 — they would begin awarding equal prize money to women and men beginning with the 2019 season.

The WSL has continued to evolve thanks to Gilmore’s activism. In 2022, the organization will combine the men’s and women’s tours in a move to secure equal access to quality waves and tournament resources.

The USWNT has orchestrated arguably the most public fight for equal pay, with the players collectively suing their employer, U.S. Soccer, for gender discrimination two years ago. Over 20 players signed the lawsuit ahead of the 2019 World Cup, the team’s most consequential tournament.

“LFG,” an HBO documentary released in July that chronicles the USWNT’s battle with U.S. Soccer, pulled back the curtain on the team’s push for equality. Their case hit a setback in May 2020 when a federal judge dismissed the suit on the grounds that the players were being compensated in accordance with their agreed-upon contract. The players have since filed an appeal, continuing the team’s pursuit of equal pay.

FIFA prize money remains a sticking point for the USWNT — the 2018 Men’s World Cup awarded $400 million to 32 teams, while the 2019 women’s tournament received just $30 million for 24 teams.

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Naomi Osaka is not only the highest-paid female athlete in the world but a leading athlete investor. (Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Planning the Future

The youngest generation of athletes are savvier than ever, investing in themselves, companies that share their values and other women’s sport teams.

Naomi Osaka is the highest-paid female athlete in the world, earning a record-breaking $55.2 million in 2020, according to Sportico.

Osaka has emerged as the face of brands like Levis and Nike and even launched her own swim line with Frankies Bikinis. Early investments in companies such as Sweetgreen and Hyperice have set Osaka apart as one of the most financially savvy athletes of her generation.

The tennis phenom has used her platform to effect change, advocating for racial justice and mental health awareness in particular. At just 23 years old, Osaka has also invested in the NWSL’s North Carolina Courage, doubling down on her support for women’s athletes.

Sabrina Ionescu quickly became one of the most high-profile athletes in the WNBA, signing a multi-year deal with Nike as a rookie in 2020.

The New York Liberty guard made headlines again when she partnered with Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures and its sports media business, Boardroom. Just last week, Ionescu announced her investment in Buzzer, an app that offers short-form live sports coverage and highlights personalized for fans.

Ionescu’s intentional foray into business is an indicator of the next wave of women’s athletes, where emerging talent has a seat at the table.

While women in sports have come a long way in closing the wealth gap, the fight is not over. Just Women’s Sports is proud to partner with Public.com as they work to democratize the way we invest.

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Lottie Woad Turns Pro Following Near-Win at 2025 Evian Championship

English amateur Lottie Woad plays a shot at the 2025 Evian Championship.
Amateur Lottie Woad finished tied for third at the 2025 Evian Championship. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Amid her historic summer on the links, English amateur and rising Florida State senior Charlotte "Lottie" Woad is officially turning pro, accepting LPGA membership two days after nearly topping the 2025 Evian Championship leaderboard.

One week after becoming the first amateur to win a European Tour tournament since 2022 — with the 21-year-old taking the 2025 Irish Open title by a massive six-stroke margin — Woad came within one stroke of becoming the first amateur to win an LPGA major in 58 years.

Sunday's finale saw world No. 25 Grace Kim emerge as the 2025 Evian Champion, with the Australian taking the title following a playoff with Thailand's No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul.

Both Kim and Thitikul finished the tournament at 14-under-par, while Woad trailed a single stroke behind to tie 2021 Evian winner and Australia's No. 5 Minjee Lee for third-place in the LPGA Grand Slam.

Unlike Lee, who banked $547,200 for her efforts, Woad's amateur status means she had to forgo what would have been her share of the $8 million purse.

"I did have a look after and was like, 'oh no,'" joked Woad about Lee's check.

England's Lottie Woad watches her drive at the 2025 Evian Championship.
Lottie Woad will make her professional debut at the 2025 Scottish Open. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Woad to make pro debut next week

That all changes now, though, as Woad's finish made her the first player eligible to join the LPGA through the governing body's new lite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) program, in which top young golfers amass points to earn pro membership.

While the world's highest-ranking amateur initially said she would take the week to weigh turning pro with returning to Florida State for her final NCAA year, Woad made her decision to turn pro Tuesday morning.

In addition to accepting the LPGA membership, she will also join the European Tour in 2026 — an invite Woad earned with her Irish Open win.

"I have only reached this point in my career through the help and support that I've received from so many people and organisations over many years," Woad wrote in an Instagram post thanking her family and coaches. "I am very excited about this next chapter."

Woad's next chapter is imminent, as the world No. 64 announced her professional debut at the 2025 Scottish Open next week.

The field of established golf pros are already on notice, with Sweden's No. 30 Madelene Sagström warning that "[Woad is] going to take European and American golf by storm very soon."

Young Rosters Clash as LA Sparks Welcome Washington on Tuesday

LA Sparks forward Azurá Stevens celebrates a 2025 WNBA win.
The LA Sparks will face Washington as they look to move up the WNBA standings. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Tuesday's WNBA tilts feature a season-first clash between two young pro cores, as the No. 11 LA Sparks host the No. 7 Washington Mystics in the teams' last tilt before the 2025 All-Star break.

While Washington is a consistent presence above the playoff line in this season's standings — thanks in large part to the Mystics' two All-Star rookies, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen — LA is still finding their way.

Led by champion veterans Kelsey Plum and Azurá Stevens, the Sparks' roster includes youthful talent like forward Rickea Jackson and rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, with this month's return of guard Rae Burrell from injury also boosting the young LA lineup.

"She's just the energizer bunny," Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts said of Burrell. "She puts pressure on the defense. I feel like she's getting in a groove."

Even more, the Sparks are eyeing the return of their 2024 No. 2 overall draftee Cameron Brink, with the forward inching close to competitive play just over a year after an ACL tear ended her rookie campaign.

Currently sitting in a lottery position, LA will aim to dig out a win — and some much-needed midseason momentum — in their last game before the All-Star break:

  • No. 7 Washington Mystics vs. No. 11 Los Angeles Sparks, Tuesday at 10 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Fresh off a Sunday victory over the No. 13 Connecticut Sun, the Sparks will look to claim their first back-to-back home wins this season when they try to upend a Mystics side that's comfortable playing in the clutch.
  • No. 6 Indiana Fever vs. No. 13 Connecticut Sun, Tuesday at 8 PM ET (ESPN): The Fever are on a roll, hoping to tack on a third-straight win as they eye a deep post-All-Star run.

NWSL Teams Take on New Competitors in Summer Friendlies

Palmeiras's Gaby Santos tries to slide tackle Kansas City attacker Michelle Cooper as she dribbles the ball during a 2025 Teal Rising Cup semifinal.
The KC Current defeated Brazil's Palmeiras in their 2025 Teal Rising Cup semifinal. (Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)

The 2025 NWSL season is on summer international break, but many clubs aren't stopping play, with teams competing in strategic friendlies to test their depth and prowess during the long July window.

Last Tuesday, the Houston Dash hosted Liga MX side CF Monterrey, storming past Las Rayadas 4-0 behind goals from defender Avery Patterson and midfielders Delanie Sheehan, Maggie Graham, and Kiki Van Zanten.

The North Carolina Courage then played Liga MX titans Tigres UANL to a scoreless draw in a weather-shortened match on Wednesday.

On Sunday, Racing Louisville tested new and returning players — including star Bethany Balcer — in a domestic clash with regional USL Super League rivals Lexington SC, with the 1-1 draw serving as the NWSL side's tune-up to The Women's Cup, which kicks off this weekend in Brazil.

Meanwhile in Kansas City, the Current kicked off its inaugural four-team Teal Rising Cup tournament on Saturday, securing a 3-0 win over Brazil Série A1 club Palmeiras thanks in large part to forward Haley Hopkins's first-half brace.

The Current will next play in Tuesday's tournament final against Série A1's Corinthians, a team that defeated the Chicago Stars 1-0 in their Saturday semifinal with a last-gasp stoppage-time goal.

How to watch the Teal Rising Cup finale

The first-ever Teal Rising Cup will conclude on Tuesday, with the Chicago Stars and Palmeiras facing off in the mini-tournament's third-place match at 6 PM ET before the KC Current battles the Corinthians for the trophy at 9 PM ET.

Both matches will stream live on ESPN+.

Boston Legacy FC Plans Performance Center as WNBA Star Aliyah Boston Buys In

A rendering of the performance center being constructed for the NWSL expansion team Boston Legacy FC.
The Legacy intend to move into their exclusive performance center by 2026. (Boston Legacy FC)

Incoming 2026 NWSL expansion team Boston Legacy FC is making big moves, with two key Monday announcements shoring up the club's place in the larger New England sports ecosystem.

Buying into the Legacy on Monday was Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, with the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year investing in the club after playing high school ball at Massachusetts's Worcester Academy.

"I'm proud to join the ownership group of the Boston Legacy. This city helped raise me, and the support I felt here shaped so much of who I am," the three-time WNBA All-Star said in a club statement. "And yes... Boston repping Boston just felt right!"

With her investment, Boston joins a growing roster of current and former WNBA stars buying into the NWSL, including Angel City investor Candace Parker, Bay FC advisor Sabrina Ionescu, and Gotham FC minority owner Sue Bird.

Along with their famous new investor, the Legacy also revealed plans on Monday to construct a privately funded, $27 million purpose-built team performance center in nearby Brockton, Massachusetts.

Slated to open prior to the 2026 preseason, the center boasts a fully outfitted 30,000 square-foot training building, a bubble dome for year-round practice, and six fields of various surfaces — some of which will be available to youth teams in the community.

"Competing at the highest level demands an environment that elevates every aspect of performance — and this new facility is a major step forward in how we support our players every single day," said Legacy controlling owner Jennifer Epstein.

A couple of those incoming players were announced earlier this month, as the Legacy welcomed Bundesliga free agent and midfielder Annie Karich as the team's first signee before inking French Première Ligue forward Aïssata Traoré — the first-ever NWSL player from Mali — late last week.

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