The Netherlands women’s national team suffered a blow to its 2023 World Cup hopes as star striker Vivianne Miedema went down with a torn ACL.

The injury, which she sustained last Thursday while playing for Women’s Super League club Arsenal, adds her name to the long list of top players who have suffered knee injuries this year.

In a statement Monday announcing the nature of her injury, she ruled herself out for next summer’s World Cup, which is just 213 days away.

“I won’t be able to help my team anymore this season, no World Cup, surgery and rehab for a long time,” she said.

Miedema is the all-time leading scorer for the Netherlands women’s team, with 95 goals in 115 international appearances. This year, she had 10 goals through 11 appearances; in 2021, 15 goals in 13 appearances.

Vivianne Miedema heeft een zware knieblessure opgelopen en is voor langere tijd uitgeschakeld. Heel veel sterkte, Viv! 🧡 pic.twitter.com/8DZjbrvmpY

— OranjeLeeuwinnen (@oranjevrouwen) December 19, 2022

She played a big role in the Netherlands’ run to the World Cup final in 2019, scoring three goals in the tournament. Just one other Dutch player, Lieke Martens, scored more than one goal in the tournament, in which the Netherlands fell to the USWNT in the championship match.

Miedema’s absence could create more problems for the Netherlands than just a hole in their offense. She also provides a veteran presence for a team that has undergone many changes since that 2019 run.

In 2021, manager Sarina Wiegman departed for the England women’s national team. Mark Parsons succeeded her in the position, but his tenure was short-lived. The team crashed out in the quarterfinals of the Euros in July, and Parsons and the team parted ways soon afterward.

“In the run-up to and at the European Championship, both the games shown and the results were disappointing and we cannot afford that,” KNVB board member Jan Dirk van der Zee said. “The bar is high. The Netherlands was defending champion and also a finalist at the last World Cup, we want to participate for the prizes.”

The issues with Parsons, though, seemingly run deeper than the Euros run. When Danielle van de Donk was asked after the Euros loss what she had learned with Parsons at the helm, she said she would “think about that.”

In his place, Andries Jonker was named head coach. He’ll lead the team in the World Cup in a group that includes the USWNT and Vietnam.

The quarterfinal loss in the Euros had marked the return of Miedema, who missed most of the tournament with COVID-19. She later wrote about the difficulties of the tournament, including playing the full 120 minutes in the quarterfinal against France after she had spent days in bed with a fever.

That tournament became the catalyst for Miedema’s decision to take a step back from the pitch in November, but she had come back rejuvenated before she suffered her ACL injury.

The WNBA blew past viewership records throughout its 2025 campaign, ESPN reported this week, with the league delivering the network's most-watched season in history.

ESPN averaged 1.3 million viewers through 25 regular-season games, accounting for a 6% year-over-year increase, with the full season's 49 broadcasts averaging 1.2 million viewers per game — up 5% over last year's lineup.

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Postseason coverage was especially popular, with the Las Vegas Aces' championship-winning series sweep averaging 1.5 million viewers per game to become the second-most watched WNBA Finals behind the 2024 edition.

The gains also hit the ESPN studio, with the network's WNBA Countdown averaging 437,000 viewers through the 2025 Playoffs — up 30% over last season — while Hoop Streams and The Wrap-Up saw a 60% year-over-year viewership growth across eight postseason episodes.

Overall, the numbers punctuate the stability of the WNBA, with viewership continuing to rise despite superstars like Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese all missing screen time due to injury this year.

The dividends, as well, are already paying off, as the WNBA embarks on a new $2.2 billion media deal promising at least $200 million per year in returns through the 11-year contract.

With the league currently wading through contentious CBA negotiations, this year's soaring ratings seemingly back the WNBA Players Association's arguments for increased investment and revenue sharing.

Professional women's volleyball is officially landing in Los Angeles, with LOVB announcing Wednesday that the league plans to launch an LA expansion team funded by Angel City investor — and Serena Williams's husband — Alexis Ohanian.

Ohanian's Seven Seven Six venture capital firm is behind the new club, adding to a portfolio that also includes track and field competition Athlos and NWSL-focused docuseries The Offseason, as well as the men's Los Angeles Golf Club.

"We're excited to make LOVB the third jewel in Seven Seven Six's LA sports family," Ohanian said in the league's expansion announcement. "Volleyball is such a natural addition for Southern California, which has already proven how warmly it embraces new pro sports teams."

LOVB wrapped its inaugural six-team season in April 2025, with the league's second season set to kick off in January 2026 before LOVB LA becomes the pro venture's seventh squad in 2027.

"We're thrilled to partner with Alexis and the Seven Seven Six team, true women's sports champions," said LOVB Pro president Rosie Spaulding, further acknowledging the impact of Ohanian's sports portfolio and investment acumen. "Their commitment strengthens the entire volleyball ecosystem, and marks an exciting new chapter for LOVB and the sport as a whole."

"We can't wait to work with them to bring professional women's volleyball to Southern California as we continue to grow the sport across the US."

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman is sticking around, with Sportico reporting last Friday that the NWSL Executive Committee voted for a three-year contract extension for the league leader through the 2028 LA Olympics.

The 48-year-old inked her initial four-year deal in 2022, quickly driving commercial growth after joining an NWSL still reeling from a period of league scandals.

Under her purview, Berman led the NWSL through successful CBA negotiations and inked a blockbuster $60 million-per-year media deal, boosting team valuations from the low single-digit millions to upwards of $250 million.

Berman also helped drive the league's ongoing expansion, seeing 12 clubs in action during her debut 2022 season before growing to 14 in the 2024 campaign — with additional expansion sides Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC ballooning the field to 16 squads beginning next year.

Despite those successes, Berman recently faced backlash surrounding the league's handling of on-field medical incidents, with Sportico's sources noting that the board of governors' decision to move forward with the NWSL commissioner's contract extension was not unanimous.

"We're proud to have Jessica Berman's continued leadership," executive committee chair and Gotham FC owner Carolyn Tisch Blodgett said in a league statement. "Under her guidance, the NWSL has reached new heights in attendance, revenue, and global visibility. This extension ensures we can continue building on that momentum."

As the penultimate international window of 2025 kicks off next week, several global soccer stars are announcing their impending retirements, hanging up their national team boots as global attention turns toward next year's 2027 World Cup qualifiers.

Headlining the list of exiting stars is Wales' all-time top scorer and longtime Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock, who will suit up for the world No. 32 Dragons one last time against No. 15 Australia next week, ending a 19-year international career.

The 38-year-old notched 48 goals in her 165 caps for her national team, including scoring Wales' first-ever goal in a major tournament during last summer's 2025 Euro tournament.

"The Euros was the pinnacle of my football career, seeing the dragon on the world stage for the first time will be a memory that will stay with me for a lifetime," Fishlock posted in her Wednesday announcement. "Every minute was a pleasure, a privilege, and an honour."

Also stepping away from international duty is 2022 Euro champion and Chelsea FC defender Millie Bright, retiring from No. 4 England's backline on Monday after previously removing herself from consideration for the Lionesses' successful Euro title defense earlier this year.

Other notable international soccer retirements this week include No. 27 Ireland defender Megan Campbell, No. 6 France midfielder Sandie Toletti and winger Amel Majri, and No. 11 Netherlands midfielder Sherida Spitse and striker Renate Jansen.