Ahead of Saturday’s friendly between Ireland and the USWNT, Ireland head coach Vera Pauw appeared in front of U.S. reporters for the first time since the NWSL-NWSLPA joint investigation was released in December. The report found that Pauw, who was the head coach of the NWSL’s Houston Dash in 2018,  had “shamed players for their weight and attempted to exert excessive control over their eating habits.”

Pauw has staunchly denied the allegations, including in Friday’s media availability.

“These allegations in the report are absolutely ridiculous and false. There is no truth in it, and I know I find a lot of safety in the truth,” said Pauw, who has been head coach of the Irish women since 2019.

“In that report, there’s things said like body shaming, which is absolutely false. If there’s one thing that I don’t do, it is body shaming. There is no scale in my dressing room, there’s no fat percentages taken.”

Pauw also claimed a double standard existed in the investigation. “If I would have been a man, who would even care about something like that?” she said. “People would say, ‘It it is you task to prepare the players to be the best on the pitch. It’s your task as a coach to educate yourself, to study and bring over your knowledge to your players.’”

Body shaming was a major topic in the NWSL-NWSLPA joint investigation and Pauw was not the only person accused. Other former NWSL coaches, including Farid Benstiti, Paul Riley, Craig Harrington, Rory Dames, and Amanda Cromwell were also alleged to have made comments to players about their weight and/or body image.

Also on Friday, Pauw addressed the impact of being named in the report given her own experience in the sport. Last year, the former Dutch national accused multiple Dutch football officials of sexual abuse.

“Can you imagine what it does to a person? Can you feel what that does to a person? … I have been raped. I have been sexually assaulted,” she said Friday. “I have perceived power abuse, intimidation, isolation, everything, the worst thing that a woman can get in an organization. I am absolutely aware of the power that I have as a coach.”

The NWSL and NWSLPA joint investigation began in October 2021 after a report in The Athletic detailed allegations of sexual harassment and coercion made then-Portland Thorns head coach Paul Riley. Following the release of the joint investigation, the NWSL in January permanently banned four coaches (Riley, Christy Holly, Rory Dames, and Richie Burke), suspended two others (Craig Harrington and Alyse LaHue), and said that six individuals (Pauw, Benstiti, Clarkson, Cromwell, Sam Greene, and Alise Reis) would only be eligible for future employment in the NWSL if they acknowledged responsibility for their wrongdoing, participated in training, and demonstrated a commitment to correcting their behavior.

The host of the 2022 Men's World Cup is back in the headlines, with Middle East nation Qatar reportedly in talks with FIFA to house the inaugural Women's Club World Cup in January 2028.

Despite recent gains on the men's side, the Qatar women’s national team is currently unranked due to a lack of official matches — founded in 2009, the squad has not competed in any official capacity in 12 years.

The lack of support for the nation's women's team is unsurprising given Qatar's concerning human rights record — one that the soccer world has long called into question, particularly concerning the treatment of women, migrants, and the LGBTQIA+ population.

The reported aim to host the 2028 Women's Club World Cup would constitute another example of Qatar sportswashing those international human rights concerns using the country's close relationship with the international soccer governing body — one bolstered by the fact that FIFA president Gianni Infantino resides in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Despite this week's reports, FIFA said they have yet to receive a formal bid for its first-ever women's club competition.

With 16 teams expected to compete from January 5th through 30th, 2028, European clubs are already bracing for calendar disruptions thanks to the Women's Club World Cup's winter kick-off.

At least five teams from Europe and two each from Asia, Africa, South America, and North America will compete, with the remaining three clubs determined by a 2027 qualifying tournament.

US Figure Skating is hoping to make Olympic history this year, naming powerhouse trio Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito to the official 2026 Winter Games roster on Sunday as Team USA aims to end a 20-year medal drought in Milan next month.

Glenn earned her spot after winning her third-straight national title on Friday, with reigning world champion Liu and 18-year-old 2024 Worlds runner-up Levito chasing her onto the 2026 US Figure Skating Championships podium.

"Just so grateful. That was terrifying," Glenn said after her win. "And I had to skate after two incredible ladies brought down the house."

Liu is the only US women's singles skater returning with Olympic experience — at just 16 years old, she took sixth place in Beijing — but the group's national podium tally adds to Team USA's renewed confidence.

"All we've got to do, is do our job," said 26-year-old Glenn. "I think the US ladies have come so, so far in the last two decades that if all three of us do our jobs in Milan, then more than likely someone's going to be up there [on the Olympic podium]."

How to watch the 2026 Olympic figure skating competition

While the US women will first take the ice in the team competition on February 6th and 8th, the trio will begin contending for individual glory by skating their short programs at 12:45 PM ET on February 17th, airing live on USA Network.

The 2026 Olympic podium will then be finalized in the free skate competition at 1 PM ET on February 19th, with live coverage on NBC.

Incoming Denver Summit FC rookie Jasmine Aikey capped her Stanford career by earning the top honor in NCAA women's soccer, lifting the 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy last Friday.

Aikey is now the sixth Cardinal to win the award, joining fellow alums and USWNT standouts like Kelley O'Hara (2009), Christen Press (2010), Catarina Macario (2018, 2019), and Andi Sullivan (2017).

"I am so happy that Jasmine's hard work and dedication paid off, as she is one of the most talented and competitive student-athletes I have ever coached," said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe in the school's Friday announcement.

The 20-year-old topped both Stanford and the ACC in goals scored this season with 21, tallying 11 assists as she led the Cardinal to both the 2025 ACC Championship and last month's College Cup Final.

Even more, her dominant season saw Aikey claim the 2025 MAC Hermann Award over fellow finalists and ACC stars Jordynn Dudley, a junior forward for reigning NCAA champion Florida State, and Izzy Engle, a Notre Dame sophomore attacker and the 2025 ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

With her Friday win, Aikey also made history as just the second student-athlete to win both the Hermann Trophy and the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, joining Portland alum and international soccer's all-time leading scorer, Canada legend Christine Sinclair.

The forward won't be resting on her laurels for long, however, with Aikey now gearing up for next month's NWSL preseason after signing a two-year deal to join 2026 expansion side Denver Summit last Thursday.

"I'm ready to get to work and help set the standard in Denver," remarked the newly minted pro in a club statement.

As top tennis talents turn toward the 2026 Australian Open, this week's WTA rankings refresh hints at the drama to come as the year's first Grand Slam nears.

Following her strong 2026 United Cup showing against world No. 2 Iga Świątek, Team USA favorite Coco Gauff jumped to No. 3, leapfrogging fellow US star No. 4 Amanda Anisimova along the way.

Meanwhile, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys hit a slight skid, falling two spots to No. 9 after unwavering No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ousted her from last week's Brisbane Open quarterfinals.

Sabalenka aside, Switzerland's No. 10 Belinda Bencic might have the hottest hand heading into Melbourne, busting into the Top 10 after winning all five of her 2026 United Cup singles matches — including a dominant three-set victory over Poland's Świątek.

Bencic also made history in this week's rankings update, becoming the first returning mother to crack the WTA's top tier since US tennis icon Serena Williams did so in 2021.

"I think it's been a huge goal, maybe a huge ride after the whole comeback, to come back and prove this to myself, that it's possible," Bencic said this week.

How to watch top WTA ranked tennis players this week

Next up for the WTA rankings' elite will be the record-breaking 2026 Australian Open, with the main draw of the season's first Slam kicking off down under on Sunday.

Live coverage from the Melbourne hardcourt will air across ESPN platforms beginning at 7 PM ET on Saturday.