The Spain women’s national team played in its first Women’s World Cup in 2015. Eight years later, La Roja have won their first title.

Olga Carmona provided the lone goal of the game for either team in the 29th minute. The Real Madrid defender sent a low strike across the goalmouth and into the far corner past England goalkeeper Mary Earps. While Earps made several spectacular saves from that point to keep the Lionesses within striking distance, they never found the equalizer.

Spain played the entire tournament under the shadow of a dispute between players and the national federation. In September 2022, 15 players sent a letter to the Spanish federation calling out issues within the program, including with the coaching staff; just three of those players were selected to coach Jorge Vilda’s World Cup roster.

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FINAL: Spain 1, England 0

La Roja win their first World Cup title and their first major international trophy, avenging their loss to England in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Euros.

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90′: Alexia Putellas enters as substitute for Spain

The two-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner comes in from the bench for extra time, replacing Mariona Caldentey.

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76′: England’s Lauren James comes close to equalizer

Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll leapt to get a hand on James’ shot from the left side, tipping the ball up and over the crossbar.

Lauren James has been a difference maker for England in the second half 🦁 pic.twitter.com/c2CIeszWY6

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 20, 2023

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69′: England’s Mary Earps stops penalty kick

Spain received a penalty kick courtesy of a handball by England midfielder Keira Walsh, but Earps wrapped up Jenni Hermoso’s shot.

“I do my own research and I’m not going to reveal it here,” Earps told The Athletic earlier in the tournament. “It is a free shot from 12 yards so the striker should score every single time. My job is to make it as difficult as possible and give myself the best chance to save it. We definitely prepared for penalties.”

SHE'S BEEN DENIED ❌

Jenni Hermoso's effort has been saved by Earps 🧤 pic.twitter.com/gNwN1RezFH

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 20, 2023

After a VAR check, a handball is called against England and a penalty is awarded to Spain 🇪🇸

Do you agree with the call? pic.twitter.com/8RbAc9iW5z

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 20, 2023

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46′: England brings in Lauren James as substitute

England manager Sarina Wiegman brings on fresh legs, sending in James and Chloe Kelly in place of Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly. Spain sticks with its first-half lineup.

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HALF: Spain 1, England 0

Spain dominated the first 45 minutes, controlling possession for 64% of the first half. While Hemp managed several chances for the Lionesses, La Roja used their speed and pinpoint passing to get behind the defense.

England’s come-from-behind win against Colombia in the quarterfinal round stands as the only come-from-behind win of the knockout stage. Can the Lionesses repeat that performance in the championship match?

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29′: Spain takes 1-0 lead courtesy of Olga Carmona

Carmona scored the game-winner against Sweden in the semifinal, and she struck first in the World Cup final, giving her team a first-half lead over England.

The 23-year-old forward lifted her jersey in celebration to show a message penned in marker on her Adidas undershirt: “MERCHI,” a tribute to a good friend’s mother who recently passed away.

A goal that Olga Carmona will never forget 👏👏

Spain takes the lead in the first half of the Final 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/NiMRCF0qX4

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 20, 2023

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17′: Spain nearly scores on counterattack

A breakout start for La Roja at the 2023 World Cup, Salma Paralluelo had a look at the goal, but her shot missed wide right. Alba Redondo followed with a shot of her own, but England goalkeeper Mary Earps made the stop.

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16′: England’s Lauren Hemp hits crossbar

The 23-year-old forward created another chance for the Lionesses, but the ball bounced off the crossbar.

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5′: England’s Lauren Hemp notches first shot

Lauren Hemp, who has three goals in the tournament, sent the first shot of the match toward Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll, but Coll handled it easily.

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Starting XI: Spain’s Alexia Putellas and England’s Lauren James start on bench

• Spain
  • Goalkeeper: Cata Coll
  • Defenders: Olga Carmona, Laia Codina, Irene Paredes, Ona Batlle
  • Midfielders: Jenni Hermoso, Teresa Abelleira, Aitana Bonmatí
  • Forwards: Mariona Caldentey, Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo
• England
  • Goalkeeper: Mary Earps
  • Defenders: Alex Greenwood, Millie Bright, Jessica Carter
  • Midfielders: Rachel Daly, Keira Walsh, Ella Toone, Georgia Stanway, Lucy Bronze
  • Forwards: Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo

Each team faced one big question heading into the World Cup final. For Spain: Should two-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who is still working her way back to full fitness from an ACL tear, get the nod? For England: Should Lauren James, who is returning from a two-game red card suspension, move back into the starting lineup?

Each team ended up with the same answer: No. Both Putellas and James are starting the match on the bench in favor of Spain’s Salma Paralluelo and England’s Ella Toone.

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What to know about Spain

• Spain is caught up in World Cup controversy, with players and the national federation at odds. In September, 15 Spanish players declined call-ups until their issues with coach Jorge Vilda and the national team were met. While some players have since returned, others remained off the roster.
• While the controversy has overshadowed Spain’s World Cup run, USWNT star Christen Press still is finding a way to root for La Roja, saying: “I think that the hope is that the more success the team has, the bigger voice and the more respect that they get from their country.”
• Salma Paralluelo has had a magical tournament for Spain. The 19-year-old forward has scored off the bench in each of the last two games, and she’ll look to continue her scoring streak in the World Cup final.

What to know about England

• England head coach Sarina Wiegman is in her second consecutive World Cup final after leading the Netherlands to a runner-up finish in 2019. And she’s planning to stick with the Lionesses, she said Friday, despite her name being connected to the open USWNT head coaching position.
• Lauren James will return for the Lionesses from the two-game ban she received for her red card against Nigeria, which she earned by stepping on the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie in the Round of 16. Before missing the last two rounds of the World Cup, the 21-year-old forward had been electric for England, leading the team with three goals and assisting on three more.
• Alessia Russo represents not just England but also a long legacy of North Carolina Tar Heels legends, including USWNT stars Mia Hamm and Crystal Dunn. She shared the No. 19 Tar Heels jersey with both players, and she honored them while playing for UNC with patches on her sleeves.

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When and how to watch

• Sunday, Aug. 20 @ 6 a.m. ET
  • Spain vs. England (Stadium Australia, Sydney)

The 2023 World Cup final is available to watch on Fox, Telemundo and Universo. It also can be streamed on the Fox Sports app and on Peacock.

Tuesday night's WNBA return was mostly chalk, but the No. 12 Dallas Wings gave fans something to cheer for as they upset the No. 4 Seattle Storm in style.

Though veteran guard Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas with 20 points in the 87-63 victory, the 14 points posted by Paige Bueckers pushed the Wings rookie into the WNBA history books, tying Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark as the league's fastest-ever players to reach 300 points and 100 assists.

"She's a true leader — she always has everybody's best interest at heart," Ogunbowale said of her first-year teammate.

Aces climb the WNBA standings

While Dallas pleased the crowds, the Las Vegas Aces were powering the night's biggest WNBA standings shift, shooting up two spots to No. 6 by downing No. 5 Atlanta 87-72.

Aces forward A'ja Wilson led her squad with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, while guard Dana Evans added 14 points off the bench.

"We're slowly creeping into the right place," Wilson said after the win. "Our chemistry is starting to form in a better way."

Atlanta, however, is slipping in the opposite direction, falling to 13-10 on the season after dropping six of their last nine games.

How to watch the WNBA on Wednesday

The Dream will look to right the ship against the No. 3 Phoenix Mercury at 10 PM ET on Wednesday.

The clash will air live on CBS Sports.

The defending Euro champs have done it again, as No. 5 England advanced to the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 Final with a 2-1 extra-time semifinals victory over No. 13 Italy — pulling off yet another knockout-stage comeback win.

"We're going to make a movie someday," manager Sarina Wiegman told BBC Radio 5 after the Lionesses' unlikely turnaround. "Well, this is a movie. My goodness, it's unbelievable."

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The Italian underdogs had the upset dialed in for most of the match, as veteran midfielder Barbara Bonansea put the Azzurre ahead 1-0 in the 33rd minute while the team locked into a sturdy defense that carried them through the end of regulation time.

However, 19-year-old England Euro super-sub Michelle Agyemang played hero in final minutes of stoppage time, scoring her second late equalizer in as many games to force the match into extra time.

As extra time drew to a close, England were awarded a controversially soft penalty, and though Italian goalkeeper Laura Giuliani originally denied the shot, second-half sub Chloe Kelly buried the rebound to give the Lionesses their 2-1 game-winning scoreline.

"Four years ago, I was just a kid throwing balls to some of these girls, now I'm playing with them," said senior team newcomer and breakout star Agyemang, who served as a ball girl during the 2022 Euro Final at London's Wembley Stadium.

How to watch the second match of the 2025 Euro semifinals

Eight-time European title-winners No. 3 Germany will close out the 2025 semifinals against 2023 World Cup champions No. 2 Spain at 3 PM ET on Wednesday.

The clash will air live on FOX.

The newest NWSL team officially has a name, with the Colorado addition announcing Tuesday that they've landed on Denver Summit FC ahead of the franchise's 2026 debut season.

"Denver Summit FC" earned top billing in the team's "Name the Club" community outreach campaign, which generated over 15,000 fan votes.

"It was vital for us to name our club in collaboration with our community," president Jen Millet said in the club's Tuesday statement. "Our crest, colors, and brand are representative of Denver and all of Colorado. It embraces our aspirational goals and pioneering spirit to build the best soccer club in the world."

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Along with a sunset the same hue as Colorado's famed red rocks, the Denver Summit crest also features a green and white mountain, reflecting the city's geographic surroundings.

"Our goal is to build a club that is always pursuing excellence on and off the field," said controlling owner Rob Cohen. "Much like the picturesque Rocky Mountains, our charge is to stand apart while always reaching for new heights."

Awarded a new NWSL team in January 2025, Denver is navigating a shorter runway than fellow 2026 expansion side Boston Legacy FC, though the club is already breaking sales records and has plans for a dedicated training facility and stadium in the works.

Denver has also been busy on the soccer operations side, with ex-Manchester City manager Nick Cushing reportedly close to becoming the club's inaugural head coach.

The success of the 2025 WNBA All-Star festivities extended beyond the court, as ESPN announced strong viewership across both nights of the midseason weekend's programming on Tuesday.

First on Friday, the 2025 All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge claimed a viewership average of 1.3 million fans — an 89% increase over the 2024 edition.

Even more, Friday's viewership made it the most-watched All-Star contests in the events' history.

The competitions also ranked first in primetime viewership across several key demographics, winning the day for women aged 18 to 34, all adults aged 18 to 34, as well as all viewers under 35 years old.

Then on Saturday, the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game claimed an average of 2.2 million viewers, a slight dip from last year's 3.44 million with superstar and team captain Caitlin Clark stuck on the sidelines with a groin injury.

Trailing only that 2024 matchup, Saturday's matchup did become the second-most watched WNBA All-Star Game on record.

Additionally, it earned a significant 158% audience bump over the 2023 edition — the season prior to Clark's rookie campaign.

The 2025 WNBA All-Star competitions are reflective of the league's overall rise in viewership, coming less than one week after the first-ever pro clash between Indiana Fever sophomore Clark and Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers became a Top-4 all-time most-watched matchup.

On the heels of impressive viewership during the league's first-ever fully broadcast preseason, the 2025 campaign has put up steady increases over last year, with ESPN reporting last week that WNBA numbers across all the broadcast giant's platforms are up 7% over 2024.