Mana Shim, Sinead Farrelly and Alex Morgan spoke on The Today Show on Tuesday in their first public interview since Shim and Farrelly came forward with their accounts of abuse under former NWSL coach Paul Riley.

The Athletic released a report last week in which the former players accused Riley of sexual coercion and harassment and emotional abuse. The North Carolina Courage fired Riley hours after the story was published.

“It’s bigger than the sport. This is about safety in our own lives ... the players deserve that.”

Watch @SavannahGuthrie’s full interview with soccer stars Mana Shim, Sinead Farrelly and Alex Morgan on the sexual abuse allegations rocking the National Women's Soccer League. pic.twitter.com/2RD98k7lWp

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 5, 2021

“It is the whole spectrum of emotions,” Farrelly said about how she’s felt since The Athletic article came out. “The support and the validation of this story by everyone globally has just been … it has blown me away and really has felt like it has given my pain purpose. That has been a liberation for me that I have not been able to feel for almost 10 years.”

Shim echoed Farrelly’s comments and added that there is still work to be done.

“I want more,” Shim said. “I want more justice. I want policies. I want players to be protected. At the same time, I feel like we’re on the right path.”

The support, both said, has been critical.

“I just feel speechless about it,” Farrelly said. “I don’t have words. They have truly amplified our voices and just made this what it should be. Which is a huge deal.”

Morgan addressed the league’s inaction, which allowed for another NWSL team to hire Riley five months after the Portland Thorns investigated his conduct and terminated his contract in 2015. The Orlando Pride and U.S. women’s national team star called the sequence of events a “systemic failure.”

“Something we ask is for the league to start being proactive and not reactive,” Morgan said. “We ask for transparency.”

In the days following the initial report, Lisa Baird resigned as NWSL commissioner and no games were played over the weekend while the league addressed the situation. In addition to Riley’s NWSL firing, U.S. Soccer suspended his Pro Level coaching license in response.

Both U.S. Soccer and FIFA have opened up investigations into the league and the NWSL has announced  a “commitment to systemic transformation,” including reopening the 2015 investigation into Riley.

Shim said Tuesday that change will not happen immediately.

“I’m still damaged,” she said. “This isn’t something that just goes away overnight because we talk about it. It’s extremely vulnerable and detailed what we’ve gotten into this week. It brings up a lot.

“I’m just so grateful for this opportunity to get these bad people out of the league and really shine a light on this issue because it’s so prevalent. It’s not just this team. It’s not just this coach. It’s across the league, it’s across the sport, and we have to do something about it.”

“It’s bigger than the sport,” Farrelly added. “This is about safety in our own lives and our bodies. The players deserve that. We all deserve that. That’s something that we will fight for.”

The 2025 NWSL Championship claimed a major viewership milestone on Saturday, as Gotham FC's 1-0 title win over the Washington Spirit became the first-ever league match to record an average of more than one million viewers.

The CBS evening broadcast averaged an impressive 1.184 million fans and peaked at 1.55 million viewers, making it the most-watched NWSL match of all time.

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The 2025 final marked a 22% viewership increase over the 967,900 fans who watched 2024's Orlando Pride victory — the previous NWSL viewership record-holder — and a 45% ratings gain over Gotham's 2023 championship win, which averaged 816,800 viewers.

Saturday's gains both matched the 22% viewership increase the NWSL regular season saw this year and also far exceeded the 2025 postseason's pre-final year-over-year increase of 5%.

Calling the one-million viewer mark "an extraordinary achievement" in Tuesday's league statement, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman also noted that the "record-setting audience demonstrates the deepening connection fans have with our players, our clubs, and the world-class competition on the field, and it underscores the growing demand for women's soccer on the biggest stages."

"We're incredibly proud of what this moment represents for the NWSL and for everyone who continues to invest in and believe in the future of our game," Berman added.

Incoming offseason league Project B scored more major WNBA signings this week, as the upstart venture continues stacking its roster ahead of a planned November 2026 launch.

Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham have both publicly signed on with Project B, joining already announced talent like Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd.

Also inking deals to join the inaugural season of Project B are Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün, and Li Meng, a former Washington Mystics guard and current player in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association.

The multi-continent, Formula One-style traveling tournament circuit will ultimately sign 66 international stars, as Project B looks to field six 11-player teams in its debut 2026/2027 campaign.

Project B player signings will undoubtedly impact other offseason leagues like Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited, but the new venture is also looming large over the ongoing WNBA CBA talks.

With negotiations racing toward this Sunday's extended deadline, Project B is putting WNBA compensation offerings under increased pressure, as the new league is reportedly anteing up multimillion-dollar salaries to its signees — far exceeding the 2025 WNBA maximum as well as the $1.1 million-max currently on the negotiating table.

World No. 1 Spain will take aim at a second-straight UEFA Nations League title this week, as La Roja take on No. 5 Germany in the first leg of the 2025 tournament's final at 2:30 PM ET on Friday.

The defending Nations League champions booked their spot in the 2025 final by dismantling No. 3 Sweden 5-0 on aggregate in the semifinal round, while Germany advanced after a tense 3-2 aggregate win over No. 6 France.

Germany must also contend with availability issues during Friday's match, as 28-year-old Bayern Munich forward and senior national team leading scorer Lea Schüller will be out due to family reasons.

To overcome that disadvantage, German head coach Christian Wück is reinforcing the team's back line, adding Athletic Bilbao defender Bibi Schulze Solano to the roster on Wednesday.

Also aiming to shut down Spain's offensive firepower on Friday is new NWSL champion goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who joined her German compatriots late following Gotham FC's title celebrations in New York this week.

While Spain and Germany will contend for the 2025 Nations League trophy this week, the pair — along with ousted semifinalists Sweden and France — have already booked spots in the top group of teams battling for tickets to the 2027 World Cup, with UEFA qualifying set to begin in 2026.

A full 19 months removed from their back-to-back Final Four runs, No. 11 Iowa basketball refuses to go away, with the Hawkeyes already notching one Top-25 win in the young 2025/26 NCAA campaign so far.

The still-unbeaten Hawkeyes took down No. 15 Baylor 57-52 last Thursday, with Iowa starting post players Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden combining for 28 points while guard Taylor Stremlow added another 12 off the bench in the marquee win.

"We have nice pieces," said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen this week. "But it's knowing when to play which pieces and with whom, and we're six games in."

The Hawkeyes have been finding their new identity under Jensen after a transformative period saw Iowa's longtime head coach Lisa Bluder retire while superstar guard Caitlin Clark joined the WNBA.

"Jan's been amazing," Stuelke told JWS at the Big Ten Media Day in October. "She stepped up like she needed to, and she's been growing every day since she's been the head coach, which it's really cool to see she cares. And it's a great environment for all of us."

"I have a year under my belt," Jensen echoed. "I know what this chair feels like now, and I have a little better of understanding of what that first road trip feels like, what that first big win feels like, or the tough loss feels like."

Iowa's season heats up with a ranked rivalry matchup against No. 10 Iowa State on Wednesday, December 10th.

The state rivals will tip off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.