Angel City FC continues to grow its roster ahead of next weeks drafts, acquiring USWNT star Julie Ertz and NWSL Defender of the Year nominee Sarah Gorden from the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for full roster protection in the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft.

Forever Red Stars. Forever CHICAGO.@sarahlgorden, @gutinikki7, @katieajohnson33,@makenzy_allyson, @julieertz...Thank You ❤️

— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) December 2, 2021

Additionally, ACFC will receive an international slot from Chicago in 2022 and 2023.

Previously, the club had signed USWNT star forward, two-time Olympian and World Cup Champion Christen Press.

“Julie Ertz and Sarah Gorden are two players that are so important for the defensive foundation we are building on the Angel City roster,” said ACFC Sporting Director Eni Aluko. “We know successful football teams need to have competitive defenses and we are delighted with the addition of two competitive defenders with many years of NWSL experience.”

According to a release by the Red Stars, the moves “prioritize and honor the wishes of select players.”

Chicago has had a roller coaster few months, reaching the NWSL Championship final before head coach Rory Dames resigned ahead of verbal and emotional abuse allegations.

“The level of experience and leadership that both Julie Ertz and Sarah Gorden bring to a team is incredible,” said ACFC Head Coach Freya Coombe. “Julie is such a known leader and competitor on top of being a rock in the middle of the field. Sarah is absolutely one of the league’s best defenders. She was excellent all season and stood out in the NWSL Championship. They are the calibre of player that we want on the field playing for Angel City.”

The Red Stars also saw to a trade with San Diego that sent Katie Johnson, Makenzy Doniak and Kelsey Turnbow to the Wave in exchange for draft protection and allocation money. Additionally, Nikki Stanton has been traded to OL Reign.

While altogether, the trades may appear somewhat lopsided, with Chicago losing a total of six players while taking in zero, it is worth noting that Chicago had five USWNT allocated players and could only protect one in the expansion draft. With the roster protection they received in both trades, the Red Stars will now be able to keep Tierna Davidson, Casey Krueger, Alyssa Naeher and Mallory Pugh.

The 2025/26 UEFA Women's Champions League begins anew this week, as the European club competition kicks off its first-ever league phase with a blockbuster lineup.

Italian powerhouse Juventus sets the stage against Portugal's Benfica early Tuesday afternoon, before reigning champs Arsenal start their title defense against eight-time winners OL Lyonnes while 2023/24 champs Barcelona face Bundesliga standout Bayern Munich.

"Winning last year hasn't changed that mindset one bit," Arsenal and USWNT defender Emily Fox said this week. "We know that any team on their day is dangerous and, especially with the new format this season, it's not going to be easy."

The debut format Fox refers to replaces the previous group-stage setup, with the new league phase seeing all 18 clubs playing six matches each — three at home and three away — against six different opponents.

While the league phase will eliminate the bottom six teams, the top four finishers will automatically qualify for next spring's quarterfinal round.

As for the 5th- through 12th-place clubs, they must battle in a two-legged knockout playoff round next February in order to punch their quarterfinal tickets.

How to watch the 2025/26 Champions League matches

The league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League campaign opens on Tuesday when Juventus takes on Benfica at 12:45 PM ET.

Arsenal vs. OL Lyonnes and Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich will then snag the spotlight at 3 PM ET.

All UWCL matches will air live on Paramount+.

As the 2025 NWSL season winds down, top players are on the move as teams across the league look to stock their rosters in order to either boost their postseason odds or hit the ground running in 2026.

Incoming expansion side Boston Legacy FC is stocking up their 2026 debut roster, adding 18-year-old phenom Chloe Ricketts to their midfield and Brazilian international Amanda Gutierres — a 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee and two-time Golden Boot winner in Brazil's top-flight league — to their front line last week.

Along with that offensive firepower, Boston is on track to gain one of the NWSL's top veteran goalkeepers, with ESPN reporting last week that NC Courage net-minder Casey Murphy — a longtime USWNT backup to legend Alyssa Naeher — inked a deal to join the Legacy as soon as she becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025 season.

The NWSL newcomer isn't the only club making moves, however.

Angel City and Portland have also been busy, with the Thorns sending midfielder Hina Sugita to the LA club in exchange for defender MA Vignola and $600,000 in intra-league transfer funds last week.

While there's no deadline for finalizing 2026 free agent transactions, the 2025 NWSL trade window officially closes this Thursday, leaving playoff-hopeful teams scrambling to pad their rosters while other clubs shift to focus on the future.

With just three matchdays left in the regular season, Racing Louisville FC is on the brink of franchise history, launching themselves into contention for a 2025 NWSL Playoffs berth at No. 7 on the table behind a 3-1 win over the No. 9 North Carolina Courage on Saturday.

Louisville forward and USWNT rising star Emma Sears notched a brace while midfielder Kayla Fischer — Sears's collegiate teammate — also found the back of the net in the victory, with the Ohio State alums helping lift Racing to sit four points above the postseason cutoff line.

"I'm so proud of this group," Louisville head coach Bev Yanez said post-game. "I think that's a very big win in a very crucial time."

Joining the league as a 2021 expansion team, Racing Louisville is still searching for a first-ever ticket to the NWSL Playoffs, with an October 19th clash against a surging No. 3 Gotham FC marking the club's toughest test still to come in the 2025 campaign.

Notably, No. 8 San Diego's ongoing skid helped Louisville climb the standings, with the Wave suffering their seventh consecutive winless match in a 2-1 loss to the postseason-bound No. 2 Washington Spirit on Sunday.

All in all, the battle for both spots and seeding in the 2025 NWSL Playoffs is tighter than ever, as only four points separate Nos. 3 and 8 on the table — meaning competition will only heat up as the league races toward Decision Day on November 2nd.

The No. 2 Las Vegas Aces raced to a 2-0 series lead in the 2025 WNBA Finals over the weekend, opening with a close 89-86 Game 1 victory over the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury on Friday before pulling off a more dominant 91-78 Game 2 win on Sunday.

The Aces' offense ruled the court, with guards Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd putting up a momentum-shifting combined 39 points off the bench in Game 1 before Game 2 saw guard Jackie Young post 32 points — setting a WNBA Finals record with the most points by a player in a single quarter (21).

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Young and 2025 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson — who is averaging 24.5 points per game through the first two Finals matchups — also became the second-most prolific duo in a single Finals game in WNBA history by combining for 60 of Las Vegas's 91 points on Sunday.

"I am so proud of Jackie," Wilson said after Sunday's win. "I'm a pain in the ass sometimes when she's not doing her job, because I know that [potential] is there."

Hunting their third title in four years, Las Vegas veterans Wilson, Young, and guard Chelsea Gray are combining with new signings Evans and Loyd to make things difficult for the new-look Mercury.

"We have weapons," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said. "We want to use them all, because we're harder to guard that way."

"What gives me confidence is we've been down before," countered Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts. "We've been overlooked."

While no WNBA Finals team has ever bounced back from a 0-2 start, the league's new best-of-seven format gives the Mercury a little extra cushioning as the series travels to Phoenix for Game 3 on Wednesday.

How to watch Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals

The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury will hunt their first victory in the 2025 WNBA Finals on home court when they host the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces for Game 3 at 8 PM ET on Wednesday.

Live coverage will air on ESPN.