It’s July 2nd, 2019 — the Women’s World Cup is in full force, and the U.S. women’s national team is taking on England in hopes of securing their fifth appearance in a World Cup final. With only 30 minutes played, the two teams are deadlocked at 1-1: Christen Press is on the scoresheet for the States and Ellen White has notched one for England. In the 31st minute, Alex Morgan breaks the tie, scoring what will ultimately be the game-winning goal for the Americans.

Alex Morgan just conquered England with the tea sip after the goal ????#WomensWorldCup2019 #USAvENG
pic.twitter.com/gBg6GB8if0

— CGS Podcast: A Boston Sports Podcast (@CouchGuyPodcast) July 2, 2019

In an instantly-iconic celebration, Morgan races to the sidelines and gestures as if she is sipping tea. As you might expect, it’s a controversial move. Following the game, some call the gesture “legendary,” “amazing,” and “all in good fun,” while others call it “utterly classless” and “distasteful.”

Alex Morgan trolling England by sipping tea is LEGENDARY ????????pic.twitter.com/BzIBNx0xzu

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) July 2, 2019

☕ @liannesanderson calls Alex Morgan's tea sipping celebration "distasteful."

???? Live now on HD11#beINWWC #beINSPIRED19 #ENGUSA #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/dwvowkcdK6

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) July 2, 2019

Though it may not have been Morgan’s intention, the celebration certainly ruffled some feathers, being seen as a parody of the English and their love of tea. Morgan later clarified that the celebration was “not a hit to England in any way,” and she didn’t mince words when adding her thoughts on the disparities between what is acceptable from male and female athletes.

“I feel there is some double-standard for females in sports to feel like we have to be humble in our successes and have to celebrate, but not too much,” she told reporters. “You see men celebrating all around the world in big tournaments, you know, grabbing their sacks or whatever it is. And when I look at sipping a cup of tea, I’m a little taken aback, and you have to laugh about it to see all the criticism. So, I’m a little disappointed in that.”

Even with Morgan herself insisting that the celebration wasn’t a jab at England, it is unsurprising that Morgan’s move to the United Kingdom upon signing with Tottenham Hotspur this fall was met with mixed reactions. Many English soccer fans still had a bad taste in their mouth following that World Cup semi-final.

While it is no secret that Morgan has incredible potential with the Spurs, she is off to a rough start with her new club — and most recently, Morgan missed a penalty kick that cost Tottenham a much-needed win against Arsenal on November 18th.

Video clips and photos of Morgan’s “tea-sipping” celebration began to resurface as several Spurs fans took to Twitter to express their disdain for the American, asking “how that tea tastes now.”

Tea was too hot for Alex Morgan ???? https://t.co/0772HBuh0C

— Sumaiya (@SumaiyaVawda) November 18, 2020

WALTI SCORES! MORGAN MISSES!

Arsenal: ✅✅✅✅✅
Tottenham: ✅✅✅✅❌#ContiCup ???? pic.twitter.com/NTVffg53iX

— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 18, 2020

In the eyes of English football fans, Morgan needs to put her money where her mouth is… and quickly. It goes without saying that the expectations are high. But who better to shatter high expectations than Alex Morgan?

Tottenham is in desperate need of an impact player in the attacking third, and given Morgan’s impressive track record with her former teams, she could absolutely fill this void.

It’s worth noting that immediately following the loss against Arsenal, Tottenham head coaches Karen Hills and Juan Amoros were relieved of their duties and later replaced by former Arsenal assistant manager Rehanne Skinner. Hopefully, Skinner will be able to utilize Morgan in a way that allows her to showcase what she does best — getting on the scoresheet. However, a striker like Morgan is only as good as the offense that surrounds her. It will certainly take some tweaks to the Spurs lineup, but the potential to turn the season around is there.

Welcome, @rehanne_skinner! ????#THWFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/dANiRv7Np8

— Tottenham Hotspur Women (@SpursWomen) November 20, 2020

The Spurs take the pitch again on December 6th, where they’ll face off against eighth-place squad Brighton & Hove Albion. Here’s hoping that we will witness Tottenham’s first win in the 2020/2021 season, and that Alex Morgan can be an integral part of it all.

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE FA WSL:

December 5th 

Aston Villa vs. Manchester United @ 7:30 a.m. EST

December 6th

Everton vs. Manchester City @ 8:00 a.m. EST

Arsenal vs. Birmingham City @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Chelsea vs. West Ham @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Tottenham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Reading FC vs. Bristol City @ 9:00 a.m. EST

Mercedes-Benz is getting into the women's game, with the luxury car giant becoming the official automotive partner of England's WSL and WSL2 this week.

The deal showcases Mercedes-Benz's growing commitment to women's sports, with the auto giant also signing on as the presenting sponsor of the WTA Tour last month — adding to a resume that includes serving as the official patron of the LPGA Tour's AIG Women's Open.

"The Mercedes-Benz story began 140 years ago with a bold idea," said Mercedes-Benz UK CEO and managing director Olivier Reppert in the WSL's Wednesday press release. "Now, that same spirit of innovation and ambition drives our partnership with WSL Football."

While financial terms of the partnership are not public, Mercedes-Benz is just the latest big-name sponsor to back WSL Football, with some reports saying that the two-league outfit has tripled its commercial revenue since splitting with the FA in 2024.

"Bringing a brand of this calibre…will help us elevate the game, deepen engagement with fans and players, and accelerate long-term growth across both leagues," said WSL Football CRO Zarah Al-Kudcy.

Mercedes-Benz will also present this spring's inaugural interleague playoff, in which the third-place WSL2 club will battle the last-place WSL team for a chance at promotion as a part of the top flight's planned 14-team expansion for 2026/27.

The PWHL is coming to the Garden, as the No. 2 New York Sirens announced on Thursday that they'll host the No. 6 Seattle Torrent at Manhattan's legendary Madison Square Garden (MSG) on April 4th.

While MSG staged a fan-less PWHPA game in February 2021, this year's PWHL takeover marks the iconic arena's first-ever ticketed pro women's hockey event.

"Madison Square Garden has a storied women's sports history," said Sirens GM Pascal Daoust in the team's announcement. "New York doesn't just watch moments; it lives with them. This is one of those nights meant to be experienced together, in the building, as part of the history of our team, our league, and everyone who helps bring it to life."

The April showdown will serve as the pair's final regular-season clash, with the 2025/26 series currently tied at 1-1.

Seattle took the first meeting 2-1 behind goals from captain Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter on December 3rd, before New York stole the second game 4-3 as NYC local Casey O'Brien's hat trick lit up the league's Takeover Tour stop in Dallas on December 28th.

The Torrent and Sirens will next face off in Chicago on March 25th before closing out their four-game slate by making history at MSG at 8 PM ET on April 4th.

How to attend the PWHL clash at Madison Square Garden

While New York season ticket-holders can currently access tickets to the MSG clash, the presale for Sirens newsletter subscribers will begin on Monday before general sales opens at 10 AM ET on Tuesday via Ticketmaster.

Just one week into the 2026 NCAA season, UCLA women's gymnastics is the nation's No. 1 team for the first time since 2018, with senior Jordan Chiles — a two-time Olympic medalist in her final year of collegiate competition — leading the charge.

"It is really easy to be at the end of your career thinking, 'Okay, I am good with where I am at,' but they do not have that mentality," Bruins head coach Janelle McDonald said of her senior-heavy squad.

Winning the all-around in UCLA's January 3rd opening meet, Chiles is the current all-around No. 1, while also topping the rankings in the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor events, while sitting second in the vault.

"I've got the cutesy, I've done the hip hop," Chiles said of her updated senior floor routine. "This is more like the passionate, confident last year of being a Bruin."

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Notably, Chiles and UCLA have a leg up in the scores-based national gymnastics rankings considering they began their 2026 NCAA campaign before most other top programs: Only 14 Division I squads — 10 from the Power Four conferences — have started their seasons so far.

This allowed the Bruins to lead the ranks before the rest of the field could earn any points to challenge UCLA's top spot — though that will change this weekend when the majority of the NCAA's gymnastics squads enter the fray.

Pitting some of the NCAA's best squads against each other, the annual Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad will officially kick off the 2026 season in style this weekend, welcoming 2025 champions Oklahoma, finalists UCLA and Utah, semifinalists LSU and Michigan State, and regional contenders Cal, Kentucky, and Michigan across two four-team sessions on Saturday.

How to watch UCLA at the 2026 Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad

The Bruins will aim to keep their No. 1 spot in the first session of Saturday's the 2026 Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, where UCLA will battle Oklahoma, Utah, and LSU at 4 PM ET on ABC.

The second session will begin at 8 PM ET, when Michigan State, Cal, Kentucky, and Michigan will compete head-to-head, airing live on ESPN2.

The winter of change is revving up for the Kansas City Current, with the 2025 NWSL Shield-winners announcing both a new manager and key player departures this week.

Former MLS head coach Chris Armas will officially take over as manager, after the Current's former sideline leader Vlatko Andonovski became the club's sporting director in November.

"[Armas] brings an abundance of experience at the highest levels," said Kansas City co-owners Angie and Chris Long in a Wednesday club statement. "We are confident he will further cultivate and enhance our competitive environment as we continue to pursue championships and expand our global footprint."

Armas will have his work cut out for him, however, as Kansas City will attempt to defend their Shield in the 2026 NWSL season despite major on-field contributors continuing to jump ship.

Most notably, Brazil national team star and 2025 NWSL MVP candidate Bia Zaneratto departed the club to pursue free agency, the Current announced on Wednesday.

"The impact that Bia had in Kansas City over the past two years is immeasurable," said Andonovski about the 32-year-old attacker. "Her quality, both on and off the field, will be greatly missed. On behalf of everyone at the Current, we thank Bia for everything she has given to this club and to this city."

All in all, Kansas City is turning over an untested leaf, committing to rolling the dice in 2026 after falling short of the NWSL championship in 2025.