The 2024 NWSL season isn't fully in the books, but the Chicago Red Stars are already running full-tilt into 2025 with a brand new look.

On Wednesday, the club launched their major rebrand, revealing a new name — Chicago Stars FC — as well as a new crest and secondary logo.

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An NWSL crest inspired by the city

Last week,​ Red Stars CMO Kay Bradley told JWS that plans for the rebrand began after the club's 2023 sale to a group led by Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts.

"We gathered input and inspiration from our athletes. We gathered inspiration and input from current fans, our supporters clubs, as well as prospective fans," she said.

In an effort to raise brand awareness around the city, the club explained that dropping "Red" from the name shifts the focus to the word "Chicago." The soccer ball imagery and FC tag help new fans associate the team with the sport.

The curve at the top of the crest is modeled after classic Chicago marquees. The team took inspiration from the Chicago Theatre and Wrigley Field — home to this year's record-breaking Wrigley Field Takeover match. The adjoining shades of blue are a nod to Lake Michigan, with the press release saying they symbolize "meeting between the land and lake."

Limited-edition Chicago Stars FC merch now available

"As the stewards of this club, Laura Ricketts, the ownership group and the leadership team believe it is time to evolve our identity as a symbol of this new chapter," said Karen Leetzow, Chicago Stars FC president. "It is our intent going forward to honor the legacy made by past players, fans and associates, while carving a new path for the club and representing Chicago more authentically on and off the pitch."

As a part of the rollout, Chicago Stars FC is also dropping a limited-edition retail collection highlighting the new name and logo. The gear will be available via Chicago's online team store. In addition, fans can also purchase items at SeatGeek Stadium during the team's November 3rd match with Kansas City.

The original Red Stars name dates back to the club's 2008 founding, though the crest was refreshed in 2017. The team will continue using the Red Stars name and crest for the remainder of the 2024 season, with the full transition coming at the start of the 2025 season.

Brazil officially rained on the homecoming parade of back-to-back Euro winners England on Saturday, when the 2025 Copa América Femenina champions humbled the Lionesses 2-1 in their friendly matchup — despite competing shorthanded for nearly 70 minutes.

World No. 7 Brazil took an early lead behind first-half strikes from forward Bia Zaneratto and attacker Dudinha, before midfielder Angelina received a straight red card for a foul against the Lionesses' Ella Toone in the 21st minute.

No. 4 England did manage a few clear-cut chances, grabbing a goal back from Brazil early in the second half via a sharply shot penalty from attacking midfielder Georgia Stanway, though the effort was not enough to overcome the South American titans.

With two years until the Brazil-hosted 2027 World Cup, both top-ranked teams will look to learn from the weekend result.

"We start slow and we make these mistakes," said England manager Sarina Wiegman. "If I knew why, I would have solved it straight away."

"After the red card there was resilience and maximum effort," said Brazil head coach Arthur Elias. "You have to have that in this national team: spirit and dedication."

How to watch England in action this week

The No. 4 Lionesses' homecoming series continues with a Tuesday friendly against No. 15 Australia at Derby's Pride Park Stadium.

The match kicks off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on Paramount+.

Reigning NCAA basketball champion UConn is facing a change of scenery, with the ongoing government shutdown forcing the top-ranked Huskies to move their November 4th season-opener against the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals from Germany's Ramstein Air Base to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Dubbed the Armed Forces Classic, the game was originally on track to be Ramstein's first-ever women's matchup, with this season's Huskies following in the overseas footsteps of the UConn men, who defeated Michigan State in the inaugural Classic in 2012.

This year's 10th edition would have marked the third Armed Forces Classic at Ramstein, after the 2017 game between Texas A&M and West Virginia also took place at the German base.

Though the move is an unplanned pivot, this season's matchup will not be the first time that the Armed Forces Classic occurs on domestic soil, with previous iterations bringing NCAA games to US military sites in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Texas, Alaska, and California.

"We're excited to have [the] opportunity to play at the academy," Louisville head coach Jeff Walz told The AP after last week's venue change. "It's going to be a great experience for our players. Everyone was excited about going to Germany and playing at Ramstein, but we will make the best of this."

Overseas bases operate at reduced levels during a government shutdown, impacting on-ground access for both the schools and broadcasters.

"We're appreciative of the Naval Academy for helping provide a first-class venue for this first-ever women's college basketball matchup that will showcase perennial powers Louisville and UConn," added ESPN VP of events Clint Overby.

How to watch the UConn vs. Louisville in the Armed Forces Classic

The No. 1 UConn Huskies will tip off the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season by taking on the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals at the US Naval Academy on Tuesday, November 4th.

The clash will tip off at 5:30 PM ET on ESPN.

Another WNBA team has reportedly landed a leader, with the Seattle Storm rumored to have tapped former New York Liberty and Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Sonia Raman as the team's newest head coach.

Building out her early head coaching career in the NCAA's Division III leading the MIT Engineers, Raman spent four seasons as an NBA assistant in Memphis before joining Sandy Brondello's Liberty staff for the 2025 WNBA season.

According to a Friday report, the Seattle Storm have offered Raman a multi-year deal, and the hiring will make her the first-ever WNBA head coach of Indian descent.

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With the Dallas Wings as well as both 2026 expansion teams the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo also recently locking in their new locker room leaders, Seattle's sideline news means that only 2024 champions New York remain without a manager well into the WNBA offseason.

Reports indicate that Raman initially caught the Liberty's eye, after Brondello parted ways with the team following New York's first-round exit from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.

Raman will replace Seattle's 2021-2025 head coach Noelle Quinn, taking over a Storm roster centered around 2025 WNBA Draft overall No. 2 pick and All-Rookie team honoree Dominique Malonga plus an anticipated 2026 lottery pick.

US Soccer is developing new pre- and post-pregnancy protocol plans, USWNT manager Emma Hayes told media on Saturday — hours after star forward Lynn Biyendolo announced on social media that she is expecting her first child.

"It is how to combine the right things in the right ways and the right specialisms around so that players feel supported," said Hayes. "That through their journey of having a baby, that feels like they're doing the right things, but also gets them back in the safest way possible, depending if it's a natural pregnancy or if it is a C-section."

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Described as a 360 approach, the pregnancy protocol and how best to manage new parents has been a point of focus for the national team, with the players union and US Soccer most recently ratifying new protections and resources for parent-athletes into the 2022 CBA.

Multiple USWNT starters have started families in the years since that landmark agreement, with US and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Wilson giving birth to her first daughter last month and Triple Espresso teammate Mallory Swanson expecting her first child later this year.

Hayes said that she expects to share those protocols "with our larger landscape," though she did not specify a timeline for the roll-out.

"I keep reminding the players, whenever things get challenging, lean into the team in every way, shape, or form, whether that's in our game model, whether that's outside of the field," she added. "Healthy culture, great people always is going to represent great progress."