Another USWNT legend is hanging up her boots, as 2019 World Cup champion and 2024 Olympic gold medalist Crystal Dunn announced her retirement from professional soccer on Thursday.
"This decision has not come easily, but I am at peace and deeply fulfilled with all that I have accomplished," Dunn wrote in her Instagram retirement post. "I've achieved nearly everything I dreamed of in this sport and gave all I had to give. I'm ready to embrace the life that awaits me on the other side."
"I look forward to spending more time with my family and being a more present mom," she continued. "This was not a decision made lightly, but was one made with immense gratitude for everything I've experienced as a professional soccer player."
The 33-year-old won her two major trophies in her 160 caps with the USWNT as an outside back, though the breadth of her talents as a forward and midfielder saw Dunn pick up both the 2015 NWSL MVP and Golden Boot awards with her first pro club, the Washington Spirit.
Across her tenures with the North Carolina Courage and the Portland Thorns, Dunn also amassed three league championships (2018, 2019, 2022), and three NWSL Shields (2018, 2019, 2021).
Most recently competing in the NWSL for Gotham FC before capping her career with top-flight French club PSG, Dunn also retires as one of the USWNT's most prominent Black voices, with US Soccer calling her "a role model to many young players of color across the country who aspired to reach the highest levels of the game" in the federation's Thursday tribute.
"I've grown through challenges, celebrated incredible triumphs, and cherished every part of the journey," added Dunn.
Orlando has landed a new front office leader, as the Pride announced on Tuesday that they've hired former Kansas City Current GM Caitlin Carducci as the Florida NWSL club's new VP of soccer operations and GM.
"Caitlin is a proven leader whose experience across every level of women's soccer and history of building championship-caliber rosters set her apart," said Pride owner and chairman Mark Wilf in the team's Tuesday statement. "She emerged as the clear choice in our search with her deep expertise, strong reputation, and a vision that aligns with our culture."
Carducci, whose resume also boasts roles developing the women's game at both the NWSL's headquarters and for US Soccer, stepped away from the Current after two seasons, departing after Kansas City's historic 2025 Shield-winning run.
She replaces outgoing VP of soccer operations and sporting director Haley Carter, who left the Pride in November prior to becoming the new president of soccer operations for the Washington Spirit.
Rather than instigating significant changes, Carducci plans to bolster the recent accomplishments of the 2024 Shield and championship-winning Orlando Pride with a goal of creating ongoing success for the club.
"The chance to work with the Wilf family, whose leadership and investment reflect their commitment to a world‑class organization, along with a championship‑level roster and technical staff, made this an easy decision," said Carducci. "I'm eager to begin this next chapter, strengthen the inclusive and ambitious culture that defines this club, and help push the Pride toward new heights."
The USWNT is gearing up for the new year, with US Soccer announcing Tuesday that the world No. 2 team will take on No. 45 Chile in the second of their two January friendlies.
Three days following their 2026 debut against No. 41 Paraguay in Los Angeles, the USWNT will face Chile some 100 miles north at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara on January 27th — the senior national team's first-ever match in the California city.
"Playing in a city for the first time is not a common occurrence at this point in our history, so I know our players will enjoy being in beautiful Santa Barbara," US manager Emma Hayes said in Tuesday's press release.
"Our staff are really looking forward to January camp and these matches against two tough South American countries," Hayes continued. "This is the start of an important year for our team and, as always, we're focused on maximizing every minute we get with the players."
While Chile already began their 2027 World Cup journey in their confederation's ongoing qualifying tournament, the USWNT will spend much of 2026 gearing up for November's final eight-team Concacaf competition to punch their ticket to the Brazil-hosted world championship.
The most recent of the US's three total clashes with Chile came at the the 2019 World Cup in Paris, resulting in a 3-0 group-stage win for the USWNT.
How to buy tickets to the January 2026 USWNT friendlies
A myriad of presale opportunities for both January 2026 friendlies will become available starting at 1 PM ET on Wednesday, with general sales opening at 1 PM ET on Friday.
Fans can purchase tickets to both matches via US Soccer.
US Soccer officially launched the Kang Women's Institute on Tuesday, creating a new platform dedicated to "advancing health, performance, and development for women and girls across the sport" funded by $55 million from multi-team owner Michele Kang.
"For far too long, women and girls have trained under systems and standards built for men, and the Kang Women's Institute is an essential first step in changing that," US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a federation statement. "By grounding our work in real research and evidence, we can finally give female players the support, care, and understanding they deserve.
"This is the beginning of a much larger effort, and Michele has helped us take a huge leap forward in reshaping the future of the women's game for generations to come."
After adding a $25 million investment last April to her original $30 million pledge to US Soccer in 2024, Kang is going all in on addressing the stark lack of sports medicine and exercise science research into women athletes — and female physiology at-large.
"This Institute will put female athletes at the center of US Soccer's scientific research and build the evidence, systems, and standards that will allow women and girls to reach their full potential," promised Kang.
The Institute also outlined its early initiatives in Tuesday's press release, with injury prevention and workload management, developmental best practices, and physical and mental player well-being headlining the projects.
"This is not just about closing a research gap," said Kang. "It's about creating a future where every player has the knowledge, care, and opportunity to thrive."
The USWNT is eyeing another 2025 victory, with US Soccer announcing the finalists for the federation's end-of-year awards on Monday, including the five women nominated for US Soccer Female Player of the Year.
After stellar runs for both club and country, Arsenal defender Emily Fox, Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey, Gotham FC midfielder Rose Lavelle, and Chelsea FC forwards Alyssa Thompson and Catarina Macario headline the 2025 shortlist.
The youth national teams' Young Female Player of the Year award also tapped top finalists in Angel City forward Riley Tiernan, Chicago Stars forward Micayla Johnson, Seattle Reign defender Jordyn Bugg, Gotham FC defender Lilly Reale, and University of Virginia freshman defender Pearl Cecil.
The USWNT also earned a Game of the Year nomination, with US Soccer recognizing the team's dominant 3-0 victory over North American rival Canada in July.
While national team play is paramount in determining the honorees, club performances also factor into the awards, with several Player of the Year nominees significantly adding to their resumes away from the international pitch in 2025.
In May, Fox helped Arsenal to the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League title and Macario lifted the WSL trophy with Chelsea, while Gotham stars Lavelle and Reale finished their NWSL season as league champions late last month — with Reale also taking home the 2025 NWSL Rookie of the Year trophy.
How to vote for the 2025 US Soccer Player of the Year Awards
Players, coaches, media, the US Soccer board, and fans will determine the ultimate winners, with fan picks making up 15% of the final tally.
Fans can submit their votes online now through Friday, December 12th, with US Soccer slated to announce the winners in January.
US Soccer submitted its World Cup bid book to FIFA last week, naming 14 US stadiums among the 2031 tournament's 20+ proposed North American host venues.
The four-country joint bid for the 2031 World Cup spanned cities across host nations USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica, with the quartet collectively identifying 50 potential stadiums while also designating their proposed core of 20 venues.
In the US, stadiums in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City, and Seattle made the proposed shortlist, as well as Arlington, Texas, and East Rutherford, New Jersey, among others.
Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Torreón made Mexico's primary proposal, while Costa Rica and Jamaica put forward San Jose and Kingston, respectively.
The bid includes both soccer and football venues, with secondary venues also listed as possible options in eight of the first-choice US cities.
Additionally, the bid book pegged Atlanta as the World Cup draw host and Dallas as the tournament's international broadcast center, though FIFA will likely not make final decisions on 2031 venues until after the 2027 competition in Brazil.
"By proposing more than the required 20 sites, the joint bidders demonstrate a commitment to securing the best possible hosting conditions and ensuring the tournament represents the full diversity of our region on a global scale," FIFA stated.
Atlanta is reportedly next in line to join the NWSL, with sources telling The Athletic on Sunday that the Georgia capital has won the bid to field the league's 17th franchise, with the newest expansion club aiming to take the pitch in 2028.
AMB Sports & Entertainment — the parent company to MLS side Atlanta United and the NFL's Falcons — shelled out a record $165 million expansion fee to enter the league, a significant jump from the $110 million Denver Summit FC owners paid to snag the 16th NWSL club in January 2025.
With the Atlanta United routinely drawing some of the largest crowds across MLS, the move to Georgia allows the NWSL to tap into both the area's existing soccer fanbase as well as the United's pitch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the anticipated downtown home of the incoming women's club.
Also setting up shop in Atlanta in the near future is US Soccer, after AMB founder Arthur Blank donated $50 million to help fund the federation's 2026 relocation.
If confirmed, the Atlanta expansion will continue a wave of growth for the NWSL, with new teams kicking off their inaugural campaigns in Denver and Boston next year — despite rising concerns about dwindling attendance across several key markets.
US Soccer is developing new pre- and post-pregnancy protocol plans, USWNT manager Emma Hayes told media on Saturday — hours after star forward Lynn Biyendolo announced on social media that she is expecting her first child.
"It is how to combine the right things in the right ways and the right specialisms around so that players feel supported," said Hayes. "That through their journey of having a baby, that feels like they're doing the right things, but also gets them back in the safest way possible, depending if it's a natural pregnancy or if it is a C-section."
Described as a 360 approach, the pregnancy protocol and how best to manage new parents has been a point of focus for the national team, with the players union and US Soccer most recently ratifying new protections and resources for parent-athletes into the 2022 CBA.
Multiple USWNT starters have started families in the years since that landmark agreement, with US and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Wilson giving birth to her first daughter last month and Triple Espresso teammate Mallory Swanson expecting her first child later this year.
Hayes said that she expects to share those protocols "with our larger landscape," though she did not specify a timeline for the roll-out.
"I keep reminding the players, whenever things get challenging, lean into the team in every way, shape, or form, whether that's in our game model, whether that's outside of the field," she added. "Healthy culture, great people always is going to represent great progress."
Forbes tapped the most powerful women in sports this week, ranking the Top 25 players, executives, and others pushing the needle in the ever-growing sports — and women's sports — sector.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark is the highest-ranked athlete at No. 4, joined by Unrivaled co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart at No. 9, as well as tennis stars Serena Williams (No. 11) and Coco Gauff (No. 13), reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson at No. 15, gymnastics titan Simone Biles at No. 18, and world No. 2 golfer Nelly Korda at No. 21.
Also making the 2025 Forbes Most Powerful Women in Sports roster are tennis legend Billie Jean King (No. 23), NCAA basketball coaching icon Dawn Staley (No. 20), and Las Vegas Aces sideline leader Becky Hammon (No. 22).
Women's sports multi-team owner Michele Kang came in at No. 5, with NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman (No. 7), New York Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai (No. 10), US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone (No. 14), and more representing the off-field lineup.
According to the publication, the new annual list honors leaders "who are transforming one of the world's most influential industries, shaping strategy, driving innovation, and expanding the role of women across the sports economy."
Investments, influence, and growth drivers were all taken into consideration, with Forbes also dividing selectees into five categories: owners/investors, business executives, front office leaders, athletes, and amplifiers.
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.