OL Reign got their first win of the regular season Wednesday, besting the Kansas City Current 1-0 at Lumen Field in Seattle.

The Reign had a flurry of chances throughout the match, taking 20 total shots. Current goalkeeper AD Franch stood strong, stopping nine shots on goal.

But Bethany Balcer finally put one in the back of the net for OL Reign, breaking a scoreless streak for the club that dated back two matches. No OL Reign player had scored since their game against Racing Louisville on May 8.

It's @bethanybalcer who finally puts one in the back of the net for @OLReign!

Watch: https://t.co/vzgSxG3jWg | #BoldTogether pic.twitter.com/LeRlH270Md

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 26, 2022

While the Reign have struggled to score, though, their defense has impressed in the last few matches. Wednesday’s win marked the Reign’s third clean sheet in a row.

Kansas City was shorthanded for the match, as coach Matt Potter and four players were out due to COVID protocols.

“That’s the game, we’ve got to learn from it, we’ve got to grow from it. We’re not going to make excuses down to our circumstances,“ Current acting head coach Lloyd Yaxley said. “We’re not going to make excuses; we’re going to fight and as a staff we’re going to knock our heads against the wall and come up with some solutions.”

The Current are in 11th place in the league with just one standings point so far, while OL Reign has six points and sits in seventh place.

Yet while the win was much-needed for the Reign, coach Laura Harvey said in the postgame press conference that the hearts of those on the team remained outside of the pitch after the Tuesday’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two adults dead. The team held a moment of silence before the game for those affected by the tragedy.

“As much as we’re really happy to get the win and we know that’s our job to do, we all came here with a heavy heart and wanting things to change,” she said. “I’ve lived in this country now for nearly 10 years and it’s mind blowing to me that this continues to happen.”

OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe called for change in a lengthy postgame monologue in which she said that Americans are being “completely held hostage” by the lack of gun laws.

“It makes it seem pointless to come play,” added Rapinoe.

Members of the OL Reign are looking at what they can do as an organization beyond just speaking out on Twitter, Harvey said.

“When we get here, we have to do our job, which is brutal,” Harvey said. “It’s really difficult to do that.”

The 2025 CAF African Women's Player of the Year nominations dropped last week, with a trio of NWSL stars — including 2024 award winner Barbra Banda of Zambia — topping this year's shortlist.

Calling the nomination "an honour and a privilege," Banda posted about the nod on social media, saying that "To be in the same category with all these amazing talents is truly a humbling feeling."

Joining the Orlando Pride striker in excelling for both club and country in 2025 are two other NWSL standout goalscorers: Kansas City Current star and 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga (Malawi) and Bay FC's Rachael Kundananji (Zambia).

Rounding out the 10-player lineup is Chawinga's older sister Tabitha (OL Lyonnes/Malawi), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto/Nigeria), Rasheedat Ajibade (PSG/Nigeria), Ghizlane Chebbak (Al Hilal/Morocco), Sanaâ Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco), Portia Boakye (Hapoel Petah Tikva/Ghana), and Mama Diop (RC Strasbourg/Senegal).

Based on performances between January 6th and October 15th of this year, the expert panel displayed a more than significant lean toward attacking prowess in their selections, ultimately choosing a roster of all forwards for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year shortlist.

While the exact date is forthcoming, the CAF will announce its award-winners at a ceremony later this year.

Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler is hitting the NWSL pitch, with the Golden State Warriors forward joining the San Diego Wave as a minority investor this week.

"Soccer has been a passion of mine for a long time, and being part of the game in a meaningful way has always been a dream," Butler said in the club's Monday press release. "San Diego has become a city close to my heart, and I'm proud to invest in a club that is pushing boundaries, building something lasting, and setting a new standard for what women's sports can be both on and off the pitch."

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Butler joins retired San Diego Wave star Alex Morgan in an ownership group led by the Levine Leichtman family, after the majority owners purchased the California club at a then-record $113 million valuation in 2024.

"Jimmy is a competitor and visionary who shares our values and our ambition to grow this club," said San Diego controlling owner Lauren Leichtman. "He brings a global perspective, a deep respect for the athlete's journey, and a creative spirit that perfectly complements what we are building here at Wave FC."

Butler isn't the only high-profile men's sports athlete anteing up for the NWSL in recent months, with the NBA star following in the footsteps of NFL quarterback Caleb Williams — who invested in 2026 expansion side Boston Legacy FC — and LA Clippers forward Chris Paul, who joined Angel City's star-studded ownership group.

The 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup spread further around Concacaf on Monday, as Costa Rica and Jamaica officially joined the previously announced Mexico and the US in submitting an uncontested bid to host the international tournament.

"Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to host the biggest and most impactful Women's World Cup in history, one that will inspire a new generation of fans and help grow the women's game across our entire region and around the world," said US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone in a Monday statement.

"This bid is a reflection of our shared belief that soccer can be a force for good," added US Soccer CEO JT Batson. "We're not only creating an unforgettable moment for athletes and fans, we're building a lasting foundation to grow the women's game at every level, in every country."

Parlow Cone also noted that more than 30 US cities have already expressed interest in hosting some of the 104 games during the newly expanded 48-team tournament, with Jamaica poised to make history as the first-ever Caribbean nation to welcome a senior World Cup match.

"This will have a huge impact on the psyche of every single Jamaican," said Jamaican Football Federation president Michael Ricketts. "It is no ordinary feat for a small country like ours to host World Cup matches.... This is huge for Jamaica and for every person who proudly calls themselves Jamaican."

With no other bids on the table, FIFA is on track to ratify its 2031 hosting decision at the next FIFA Congress in April 2026.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon is stepping into the spotlight, with Variety announcing that the three-time WNBA title-winning boss will star in a forthcoming documentary from NFL athlete-backed production houses SMAC and 2463 Entertainment.

"For decades, women on the hardwood [were] underestimated and told to stay in their lane," said SMAC CEO and co-founder Constance Schwartz-Morini. "Becky defied every expectation and broke through barriers that once seemed unshakable."

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Schwartz-Morini, Fred Anthony Smith, Ajay Sangha, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Sean Clifford will serve as executive producers, joined by 2463 founder and Super Bowl champion wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as well as SMAC founder and retired New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.

Through audio diaries, the documentary will provide an inside look at Hammon's rise up the WNBA coaching ranks as well as her experience as the first woman to serve as an acting head coach for an NBA team, with Hammon taking the reins of the San Antonio Spurs in 2020.

A six-time WNBA All-Star during her playing career, Hammon left the NBA for Las Vegas at the end of 2021, leading the Aces to three championships in four years.

The report didn't specify the film's title or scheduled release date, with more details expected in the coming months.