The Washington Spirit have landed Leicy Santos, who will join the team after the Liga F season. 

Santos, a midfielder for the Colombian national team, signed with the Spirit on a three-year contract. She’ll join the team after wrapping up her season with Atlético Madrid. 

“I’m so excited to be starting a new journey in a new league with the Washington Spirit,” said Santos. “As an institution, the Spirit has been home to some top players. They are pioneers in the women’s game with an incredible owner in Michele Kang, a talented coach with Jonatan, and I’m ready to join them after finishing up my time with Atletico these next few months to see what I can do to add to the legacy.”

In 43 appearances for Colombia, Santos has seven goals – including a memorable goal in the team’s quarterfinal loss to England at last summer’s World Cup. She also has 17 goals and 16 assists in more than 100 appearances for Atlético since joining the club in 2019. 

Santos will now team up with Jonatan Giráldez, who is wrapping up his time with FC Barcelona and will join the Spirit in June. 

Santos is no stranger to the States, having played for Iowa Central Community College. She won a national championship in 2015 with the team, her only year at the school before turning pro. 

“Leicy is a phenomenal addition for this team,” team president Mark Krikorian said. “Her technical abilities on the pitch are world-class, and she has provided a winning edge to her teams at all levels.”

“Bringing Leicy to the Spirit is an important step in taking this team forward,” Giráldez added. “She is relentless in the attacking third and can create opportunities at will with her passing. We are thrilled to have her.”

The Kansas City Current got their first-ever win over Angel City on Saturday, and remained undefeated in the process. 

They now top the NWSL table three games into the season and are the only team in the league who has yet to drop any points. In their first three games, the Current have had an NWSL-record nine different goal-scorers find the back of the net following their 4-2 win over ACFC. 

It’s a strong turnaround and start to the season after the Current finished 2023 in 11th place. 

Closely behind are the Chicago Red Stars, who currently sit in second place after finishing 2023 in last. The Red Stars drew Orlando on Friday thanks to a goal from Mallory Swanson – her first since returning from the patellar tendon injury that kept her out of the majority of last season.

“I think what I've learned the past three games is that it takes time, and I think I needed to give myself a little bit more grace with where I was at and honestly just take a deep breath,” Swanson said of the goal  postgame. 

Both Chicago and Kansas City’s matches featured long VAR delays, which was an ongoing issue throughout the league during the weekend. In a number of matches, stoppage time extended into double digits as referees were slow to go to the monitors to review tough calls. 

Multiple times, the calls themselves weren’t altered after extensive review.

The result was some late stoppage time comebacks, such as in Portland’s game against Racing Louisville, with Sam Coffey scoring in the 90’+10th minute. 

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In Washington’s match against Utah, three VAR reviews throughout the game led to 13 minutes of stoppage time in the first half, including a long review on a penalty that Andi Sullivan later converted. 

Sullivan spoke about the lengthy reviews post match, calling on them to be “more efficient.”

“Obviously we’re glad about VAR being in the league,” the midfielder said. “But I think we need to figure out a way to make it a little more efficient. I especially think clear and obvious should be clear and obvious and it shouldn’t take a long time to decide if something is clear and obvious

“But obviously I’m not in the booth, I don’t know the demands of that job so I shouldn’t really speak too much on that.”

For her penalty, she called it “a very clear penalty.”

“I don’t really feel like that needs to be checked or checked very long. And I felt like it could have been checked by the time I had set up the first time, so I was a little frustrated about that,” she said. 

Red Stars coach Lorne Donaldson echoed the sentiments after VAR took more than seven minutes to review at one point in their match.

“If it takes that long to make a damn decision, then there’s no decision,” Donaldson said.

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with her club team Angel City. 

Angel City FC coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

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Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL.

Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on."

"Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Midge Purce announced on Wednesday that she has torn her ACL. 

The Gotham FC and USWNT forward went down with the injury on Sunday during Gotham’s 1-0 win after tweaking it earlier in the game. Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós did not have any immediate updates following the match, with further evaluation revealing the tear. 

“It’s a reality I’m still struggling with and has left me with not too much to say,” Purce wrote in a statement on social media. “I’m heartbroken to no longer be available for my season with Gotham FC or for Olympic selection with the USWNT – know I’m rooting for you both all year long. 

“Though you may not see it, I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field.”

Purce is just the latest women's soccer star to tear her ACL, and joins USWNT teammate Mia Fishel in having torn her ACL in the last couple of months. Other notable players include Catarina Macario and Christen Press, with Macario only just returning to the USWNT lineup after tearing hers in 2022. 

International stars such as Alexia Putellas, Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Leah Williamson have also suffered ACL tears. 

Purce’s injury caused Amorós to call out the international schedule, which has been a growing point of concern as more players fall victim to injuries and the playing schedule becomes more packed. Kansas City’s Debinha suffered a hamstring injury in the team’s opening game, while both Lynn Williams and Rose Lavelle have yet to play for Gotham due to injuries picked up during the W Gold Cup. 

“We lost Midge during the game which for me is a bittersweet flavor,” Amorós told reporters after Sunday’s game. “By the way, it’s another player that came from the Gold Cup. Last week, it was Debinha. We are paying the consequences of a tournament that shouldn’t have happened.”

“We’re talking about protecting the players, [who shouldn’t] go to play an international competition after one week of preseason,” Amorós continued. “We’ve seen the consequences now. We’ve got Rose, Lynn, last week it was Debinha in Kansas [City] and now we have Midge. From my experience, the clubs are going to keep paying for that competition."

In her statement, Purce said that “so many friends, teammates and even players I’ve only ever competed against” reached out to offer support. 

“I am so blessed,” she wrote. “Your messages have meant so much to me throughout this process, you have consoled what, for a moment, felt inconsolable. Thank you for reminding me that our football world is not only full with incredibly talent but also, incredible kindness.”

Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amorós took aim at the timing of the Concacaf W Gold Cup after Midge Purce went down with an injury on Sunday. 

The forward left Sunday’s 1-0 with a knee injury, after tweaking it earlier in the game. More information is expected on Purce’s injury after further evaluation, with no immediate updates after the match. 

But it’s indicative of a larger issue for Gotham, with Purce’s USWNT and Gotham teammates Rose Lavelle and Lynn Williams also on the injury list. Both have yet to be available for the club due to knocks they picked up at the Gold Cup, which took place during NWSL preseason.

“We lost Midge during the game which for me is a bittersweet flavor,” Amorós told reporters after Sunday’s game. “By the way, it’s another player that came from the Gold Cup. Last week, it was Debinha. We are paying the consequences of a tournament that shouldn’t have happened.”

The Kansas City Current confirmed last week that Debinha will miss a number of games with a hamstring injury that she suffered after returning from Gold Cup duty with Brazil. 

Amorós doesn’t yet know the extent of Purce’s injury, but pointed to the Gold Cup as the cause, joining growing concerns over the packed international and club schedule and its relation to injuries.

Concacaf recently announced a new competition that will begin in August with some of the top club teams in North and South America.

“We’re talking about protecting the players, [who shouldn’t] go to play an international competition after one week of preseason,” Amorós said. “We’ve seen the consequences now. We’ve got Rose, Lynn, last week it was Debinha in Kansas [City] and now we have Midge. From my experience, the clubs are going to keep paying for that competition. Unfortunately, in this case, it was Midge and I hope it’s not too serious.”

For the first time in franchise history, the Chicago Red Stars have opened the season with two straight wins. 

They now top the NWSL table, becoming the first team in league history to win their first two matches in a season after finishing in last place the previous year.

They’re joined atop the table by Kansas City, who has also won two straight after finishing last year in 11th place. 

Meanwhile, heavy favorites Portland and San Diego both sit at the bottom of the table, with neither one registering a regular season win so far. The Wave did win the Challenge Cup ahead of the season, beating Gotham FC.

First year Red Stars coach Lorne Donaldson said that he’s happy with the team’s start but noted “there is a long, long, long, long way to go.”

Elsewhere over the weekend, Spirit rookies Hal Hershfeldt and Croix Bethune scored crucial strikes in a 2-1 come from behind win over Bay FC. Utah Royals FC beat the Courage 2-1 to earn their first win since their return to the NWSL. And Brazilian legend Marta had a magnificent strike with two minutes left in regulation to help Orlando secure a draw against Angel City.

The NWSL has announced a new summer tournament in partnership with Liga MX Femenil. 

The intra-league competition will kick off on July 19 and feature all 14 NWSL clubs, as well as the top six Liga MX teams from 2023. The tournament will total 33 matches, including 30 group stage contests. A four-team semifinal will take place the week of Aug. 4.

The championship match will then take place the weekend of Oct. 25-27.

"Today's announcement marks a historic milestone for women's soccer in North America and another significant step in the continued elevation of our global game," said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. "We're excited to partner with LIGA MX Femenil to create additional competitive opportunities for our athletes, unlock new rivalries, tap into our collective fanbases and continue our shared mission of raising the value, visibility and global standard of our sport."

It comes a little over a week after Concacaf announced a continental club competition that will launch in August of this year. 

The tournament takes place over the course of the Olympics, when a number of international players will be away with their national teams. The NWSL regular season will break from July 7 through Aug. 24. All along, the league made clear its intention to launch a tournament during the gap in play. 

There are five total groups in the tournament, but of the five group winners, only the top four with the most points will advance to the semifinals. That makes it so that one team will win their group and not make it to the knockout stage.

"The alliance we are announcing today is a great achievement for women's football in our region and around the world - two great women's professional football leagues coming together to advance the sport in our area, expand and grow the industry, build a new sporting identity and rivalry, strengthen partnerships beyond the pitch, inspire more people to join the movement, build community and open up new opportunities for players to have new windows of internationalization," said LIGA MX Femenil Director Mariana Gutierrez. "LIGA MX Femenil is proud and privileged to work together with the NWSL. Let us celebrate that this is a historic moment for women and sport." 

The groups are as follows:

Broadcast details are to be announced at a later date. The schedule for the group stage can be found here.

Sophia Smith took no time to get on the scoresheet in the NWSL. 

In Saturday’s 5-4 loss to Kansas City, Smith had two goals for the brace, nearly leading the Thorns to an astonishing comeback after they fell down 5-1.

Ahead of the opener, Smith spoke with ESPN FC about the difficulties of the start of the season, particularly given the transition back from time with the USWNT in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. 

“It’s always hard. This time in particular, I would say it’s a little bit harder just because you know we missed basically all of preseason with the Gold Cup,” she said. “And you kind of look around and we have some new faces, so it’s a matter of getting to know your teammates while also realizing you have to turn around and play a game together.

“So it’s hard, but we have the best group right now. The new players have come in and played their role, and it’s exciting.”

Ahead of the season opener, Smith says she had just two training sessions with Portland where the team was together in its entirety. 

“It’s definitely not ideal, but I think for the players that got to play in the Gold Cup, we do have games under our belt now,” she added. “Which I think can only help us going into season. It’s not like we’re coming off of doing nothing, we were doing a lot while we were away and I think we can contribute to the game in that way.”

Smith had a solid Gold Cup, scoring a goal and a penalty in the team’s semifinal game against Canada. It was her first PK taken since missing one in the World Cup, where the team suffered its earliest exit ever in the round of 16. 

"It's been an emotional ride for me personally since the World Cup, so this is just a big relief and I couldn't be more proud of our team,” Smith said after that game. "To miss a PK in the World Cup takes a toll on you mentally and then I feel like since then, I've just been trying to work my way back. 

“I obviously hadn't had a goal this tournament and as a forward, it's hard to not get that and help the team in that way. So I think that goal was just a relief of a lot of emotions."

After getting the scoring going in the Gold Cup, Smith has immediately translated her talent for finding the back of the net to the NWSL. On Sunday, she became the third player in league history to score in her team’s season opener in four different NWSL seasons – and the first to do so in four-straight season openers. 

Mallory Swanson made her NWSL return on Saturday, after having missed the majority of last season with a knee injury. 

It was her first game with the Red Stars in 349 days, after she tore her patella tendon playing with the USWNT last April. She made her return to the USWNT earlier this year, coming in as a training camp player ahead of the Concacaf W Gold Cup. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore said that Swanson looked “phenomenal” in training. 

On Saturday, Swanson got to showcase just how far she’s come in her recovery, being named to the Red Stars’ starting lineup. 

Chicago got the 2-0 road win over Utah, and perhaps more importantly, Swanson looked like she hadn’t missed a beat. She wound up playing 80 minutes, which included two shots (one on target), passing accuracy of 81%, four crosses, four possession wins and two clearances. 

All in a day's work for the USWNT and Chicago striker.

Lorne Donaldson, who coached Swanson during her time with youth club team Real Colorado, took over as the Red Stars coach in the offseason. 

‘‘I haven’t seen the toughness in any player that I have seen in Mal,’’ Donaldson told the Chicago Sun-Times  ahead of the match. 

The fact that Swanson played 80 minutes means that she could be back to a full 90 sooner rather than later, which itself could lead to a full USWNT call-up and cap.