MATCH INFO:

Manchester City vs. Everton

Walton Hall Park, Liverpool, United Kingdom

Kickoff: December 6th, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. ET

WHERE TO WATCH: The FA Player

As the FA Women’s Super League returns following the international break, a rematch of the FA Cup Final is in store as Manchester City and Everton face off this Sunday, December 6th at 9:30 a.m. ET at Walton Hall Park in Liverpool.

We can't wait to be back this weekend ????

Which #BarclaysFAWSL matches will you be watching? ????

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 1, 2020

Manchester City currently sits at fifth place in the table, holding a 3-3-1 record and having drawn two, won two, and lost one of their last five contests. Usually known as a “Big Three” team (along with opponents Arsenal and Chelsea), City is now being forced to chart new waters as they struggle to solve their problem with inconsistent performances. City is either dominating their competition, as they did in an 8-1 win over Bristol City in early November, or squandering leads to draw as they did in a recent contest against Manchester United. For City to remain competitive in the race for a top-three finish, Sunday’s match is a must-win.

Who will be ???? this time next week? #BarclaysFAWSL pic.twitter.com/E6BJhXmjlD

— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 29, 2020

City’s last contest took place during the group stage of the Continental Cup, as they faced off against Manchester United. After ending regular time deadlocked at 0-0, the match required a penalty shootout to decide its winner, though each team received a point given the draw in full time. Unfortunately for City, Laura Coombs’s penalty kick was saved by United goalkeeper Emily Ramsey and Alex Greenwood’s attempt ricocheted off of the crossbar, leading to victory for United, 4-3. Though City was unable to clinch the win in penalties, the point was enough to progress the squad to the next round of Conti Cup play.

A point means we progress! ????

???? #ManCity | https://t.co/HkTzfLv0HJ pic.twitter.com/g1VSfsz5Ta

— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) November 19, 2020

As for Everton, the squad has also drawn two, won two, and lost one of their last five matches, with only one win granting them an edge over Manchester City. A loss in Sunday’s contest could mean a demotion into fifth place, which makes the match against City one of the utmost importance.

Everton has yet to defeat their opponent this year, losing by a score of 3-1 in three contests against Manchester City since January 11th. Like City, Everton’s most recent match also took place in the group stage of the Continental Cup, in which the Blues defeated Liverpool 1-0 to secure the Merseyside Derby. Izzy Christiansen notched the game-winning goal in the fifth minute before her squad held on to walk away with the victory.

???? @IzzyChr17 ????

???? 1-0 ???? #ContiCup

— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) November 18, 2020

The last meeting between the two teams took place during the FA Cup Final, which saw Manchester City take home yet another piece of hardware with a 3-1 win over the Blues. Despite a standout performance from Everton goalkeeper Alexandra MacIver, goals from Sam Mewis, Georgia Stanway, and Janine Beckie propelled City to victory. Valérie Gauvin recorded the goal for Everton, battling back from an injury at the beginning of the match to get the Blues on the board, but ultimately it was City who persevered to see the victory through.

This feeling. ????????

Well done, @ManCityWomen!#WomensFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/Ji2XfypUz3

— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) November 1, 2020

Sunday’s match is certain to be a thriller, as City and Everton sit neck-and-neck in the standings. Each team will be looking to set the tone for the rest of their season, so set those alarm clocks early Sunday morning, and roll out of bed for some coffee and FAWSL.

With recent transfers Talia von Oelhoffen and Kiki Iriafen joining first-team All-American JuJu Watkins and the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class at USC next season, the Trojans look to transition from an up-and-coming squad to a legitimate title contender. 

Former Oregon State graduate student von Oelhoffen is the latest collegiate talent to commit to the program, announcing her transfer Monday via ESPN. She follows ex-Stanford leading-scorer Iriafen in the jump to the pair’s one-time Pac-12 rival.

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The 5-foot-11 Washington native was a two-time All-Pac-12 guard during her time at Oregon State. But after the recent dissolution of the Pac-12, the Corvallis side found themselves without a permanent home conference going forward. Many big name players opted to take their skill elsewhere as a result, with von Oelhoffen’s fellow ex-Beaver Raegan Beers announcing her own departure to Oklahoma on Monday.

According to DraftKings, USC is now tied with UConn for the second-best betting odds to win the 2025 NCAA women’s tournament. Dawn Staley’s tested South Carolina side, poised for a repeat performance, holds down the number one spot.

Last year, LSU loaded up in the transfer portal after beating Iowa to win the 2023 national championship. The Tigers were clear favorites coming into the 2023-24 season, but were bounced in the Elite Eight by Caitlin Clark’s Hawkeyes. Shortly thereafter, star transfer Hailey Van Lith opted to transfer a second time, this time signing with TCU. 

Yet while history proves that an excess of star power doesn’t always translate to on-court chemistry, on paper, USC sure looks ready to hold their own — in 2025 and beyond.

The United States and Mexico have withdrawn their joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, per a Monday afternoon release from U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation.

According to the statement, they will instead focus on developing a "more equitable" bid for the 2031 tournament, with the ultimate goal of "eliminating investment disparities" between the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The federations went on to cite the upcoming 2026 Men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico as an opportunity to build support for local infrastructure, improve audience engagement, and scale up media and partnership deals in preparation to "host a record-breaking tournament in 2031."

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"Hosting a World Cup tournament is a huge undertaking — and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe," said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. "Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record-breaking Women’s World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women’s game both here at home as well as across the globe."

The decision leaves just Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands in the running for the 2027 host spot. Brazil — the rumored frontrunner — has never hosted a Women’s World Cup, while Germany hosted the 2011 tournament as a solo venture. 

Furthermore, this postponement doesn’t mean the U.S. is a shoo-in for 2031, as it's been previously reported that 2022 UEFA Women's EURO host England is considering their own Women's World Cup bid. FIFA is scheduled to confirm the winning bid after the FIFA Congress votes on May 17th.

Former Stanford leading-scorer Kiki Iriafen is set to join star rising sophomore JuJu Watkins at USC next year, reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. 

The 6-foot-3 forward is coming off a breakout season with the Cardinal, where the then-junior led Stanford to the Sweet 16 with an average of 19.4 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Walking away with the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player award and a spot on the All-Pac-12 team, Iriafen entered the portal at the close of last season and was subsequently ranked second on ESPN’s 2024-2025 transfer ranking list.

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At USC, Iriafen will play out her senior year alongside the Women's Basketball Coaches Association’s 2024 National Freshman of the Year JuJu Watkins, forming what could be an explosive partnership for the Trojans as they look to build momentum going into next season. The Southern California side advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994 this year, ultimately falling to UConn in a heated 80-73 battle.

Iriafen wasn’t the only one making choices this past week. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith officially announced her own transfer to TCU on Friday, while Princeton standout Kaitlyn Chen committed to UConn for her final year of college eligibility. Other big names still weighing their options are Oregon State's Talia Von Oelhoffen and Raegan Beers, as well as UNC's Deja Kelly.

With conference realignment on the horizon and team fit a contending factor, the NCAA women's basketball transfer portal has been busier than ever. And while transfers can bolster many types of college programs, this particular offseason has seen talent-rich programs growing even richer.

Legendary WNBA superstar Candace Parker announced her retirement from professional basketball on Sunday, effective immediately.

"I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it," she wrote in an Instagram post. "The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it."

The Las Vegas Aces forward was in the midst of rehabbing a right ankle injury and a left foot fracture after missing part of the 2023 season.

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One of women's basketball's most prominent trailblazers, Parker popularized the play of a "big guard." A back-to-back NCAA National Championship winner with Tennessee, she was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. She was named both WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in her debut season with the league. 

Parker exits the pros a three-time WNBA champion, a two-time league MVP, seven-time WNBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time NCAA champion, in addition to many more individual accolades. Throughout her 16-year career, she averaged 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, and four assists per game. She remains the only player in WNBA history to earn three WNBA titles with three different teams: LA in 2016, Chicago in 2021, and Las Vegas in 2023. 

In her announcement, the 38-year-old implied the physical toll of league play was a driving factor in her ultimate decision to walk away from the game, despite recently signing a one-year deal with Las Vegas.

"This offseason hasn’t been fun on a foot that isn’t cooperating," she wrote. "It’s no fun playing in pain (10 surgeries in my career) it’s no fun knowing what you could do, if only…it’s no fun hearing 'she isn’t the same' when I know why, it’s no fun accepting the fact you need surgery AGAIN.

"I’m grateful that for 16 years I PLAYED A GAME for a living & DESPITE all the injuries, I hooped," she continued. "I’m grateful for family, friends, teammates, coaches, doctors, trainers & fans who made this journey so special."

Fans weren’t the only ones shocked by Parker’s surprise retirement. In a reaction captured on video, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart responded to the news with a jaw-dropped, eyebrow-raised "What? Wow." 

Yet while the Naperville, Illinois native’s time on the court might be over, Parker says she isn't leaving the world of basketball anytime soon.

"This is the beginning," she wrote. "I’m attacking business, private equity, ownership (I will own both a NBA & WNBA team), broadcasting, production, boardrooms, beach volleyball, dominoes (sorry babe it’s going to get more real) with the same intensity & focus I did basketball."