Injuries and extended absences have taken a toll on the U.S. women’s national team as the reigning world champions prepare for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

As head coach Vlatko Andonovski continues to evaluate players before naming a final roster next summer, we take a look at recent USWNT mainstays on the outside looking in and where they stand in the run-up to the biggest tournament in women’s soccer. Next up: Lynn Williams.

Position: Forward
Total caps: 47
Most recent USWNT appearance: Feb. 23, 2022, vs. Iceland (SheBelieves Cup)

What is her track record with the USWNT?

Williams has racked up 14 goals and 10 assists in 47 appearances with the national team.

In her first match, a friendly against Switzerland in October 2016, she entered as substitute and scored a goal 49 seconds later — fastest debut goal in USWNT history at the time, though Kealia Watt broke the record four days later by scoring in 48 seconds.

While she did not receive a roster spot for the 2019 World Cup under coach Jill Ellis, she fit well in Andonovski’s system after he took the helm in late 2019. She made the cut for the 2021 Olympics and started the quarterfinal and semifinal matches.

What is keeping her off the roster?

The 29-year-old tore her hamstring at the start of the NWSL’s preseason Challenge Cup tournament.

Williams played 81 minutes and notched an assist for the Kansas City Current during their Challenge Cup opener, but more than a week later, the team announced that Williams had sustained an injury in the match and would require surgery.

In May, Williams discussed her injury on the Snacks podcast with co-host and USWNT and Current teammate Sam Mewis, who is working her way back from her own injury. Williams revealed that she has been dealing with pain in her hip and hamstring since tearing her labrum in college.

“The [doctors] said that my tendon has probably been hanging off slightly for the past couple of years and it was too much,” Williams said.

When will she be back?

While Williams has not shared a timeline for her return, she did train with the Current ahead of the NWSL championship match.

Kansas City coach Matt Potter said he “wouldn’t anticipate seeing her” in the title game, but just seeing her on the pitch is an encouraging sign. And in late October, Andonovski said he expects her return in January 2023.

Still, on top of her recovery, she will need to compete with a crowded group of forwards for one of six or seven roster spots.

Alex Morgan, Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith have gelled on the forward line, with Megan Rapinoe, Trinity Rodman and Ashley Hatch as substitutes. Midge Purce was left off the October roster due to what Andonovski called a “dip in form,” but 17-year-old Alyssa Thompson stepped in, and Catarina Macario, Christen Press and Tobin Heath are working their way back from injuries.

What other players are missing from the USWNT roster?

• Where is… Julie Ertz?
• Where is… Tobin Heath?
• Where is… Catarina Macario?
• Where is… Sam Mewis?
• Where is… Christen Press?

PWHL fans can now own a piece of hockey history, as the third-year league unveiled a new memorabilia collection with auction site The Realest on Thursday morning.

According to a release, the partnership creates "the first-ever witness-based, fully-authenticated collection of game-used and player-sourced PWHL hockey jerseys, equipment, and one-of-a-kind artifacts."

"As we enter our third season of unprecedented growth and record-shattering fan support, it was important to preserve our league's history and share those moments with our fans," PWHL VP of merchandising Kate Boyce also added.

The debut collection features memorabilia from all six original franchises as well as the two new 2025/26 expansion teams, with fans able to bid on game-used collectables like Montréal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin's game-worn 2025 PWHL Playoffs jersey, a stick from then-Boston Fleet star and now-Seattle Torrent captain Hilary Knight, and Minnesota Frost defender Natalie Buchbinder's helmet.

Additional items include 2025 PWHL Draft selection cards as well as autographed posters and pucks, among other exclusives.

"From day one, we set out to make women's sports memorabilia a true category, not an afterthought, and our record-setting work across women's leagues proves the demand," said The Realest CEO Scott Keeney.

How to score PWHL memorabilia

The PWHL collection is now open for bidding via The Realest, with all items in the league's debut auction set to close on Sunday, December 28th.

The WTA scored a major victory this week, entering into a multi-year partnership with luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz that has the potential to become the largest deal in women's sports history.

Mercedes-Benz signed on as the pro tennis association's premier partner on Wednesday, committing $50 million per year to the WTA for up to 10 years — a possible lifetime value of half a billion dollars.

What's more, the deal's intention is to help the WTA Tour reach its goal of achieving equal prize money across all men's and women's tournaments and standalone tennis competitions by 2031.

While the four Grand Slams already achieved equal purses nearly two decades ago, this week's partnership allowing the WTA to recommit to adopting that prize money parity across all its events.

The move also reflects the growing global investment in women's sports, building on the WTA's expiring four-year, $20 million-per-year contract with Hologic.

"From the day we founded the WTA, our mission was to ensure that every girl, every woman, could have a place to compete... and make a living playing the sport she loves," legend Billie Jean King said in a press release. "Seeing a global brand like Mercedes-Benz stand with us sends a message that echoes far beyond tennis. It says women's sport matters."

One NWSL legend isn't hanging up her club boots just yet, as former USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher signed a one-year contract to remain in net for the Chicago Stars this week.

The 2026 NWSL season will mark the 37-year-old's 11th season with the Stars, where she holds the club record for regular-season starts and appearances (165), minutes played (14,821), and saves (512).

"I feel like I still have more to give and want to be out there competing with my teammates and continue to push this organization forward," Naeher said in a Wednesday club statement. "We made a lot of positive strides to close out last season and I want to build on that."

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Naeher and her veteran presence will be a boost for Chicago as the team welcomes new head coach Martin Sjögren, with the Stars aiming for consistency after cycling through three interim sideline leaders following Lorne Donaldson's April firing.

The Stars finished the 2025 season in last place, and have not made it past the first round of the NWSL Playoffs since 2021.

"If you feel like you can still give 100% to what you're trying to do, then keep going," Naeher told fellow NWSL vet Ali Riley on Monday's episode of BFFR. "If you don't think that you can, then it's not fair to yourself or the team to do that."

With just one league-phase matchday left, a trio of unbeaten clubs — Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, and Chelsea — stand alone atop the 2025/26 Champions League table, leading the 18-team pack after all three squads notched midweek wins.

No. 1 Barcelona and No. 2 OL Lyonnes each have 13 points, with the Spanish contenders earning the edge over their French counterparts with a +15 goal differential.

Meanwhile, Chelsea sits in third with 11 points following a 6-0 drubbing of No. 17 AS Roma on Wednesday, though the Blues will need a result against No. 7 Wolfsburg next week to secure a spot in March's quarterfinals with a top-four finish.

Though the byes into the quarterfinals are still up for grabs, with just one matchday left before the knockouts, several of Europe's biggest teams have qualified for February's playoffs.

Wolfsburg alongside No. 10 Paris FC, No. 9 Manchester United, No. 8 Arsenal, No. 6 Juventus, No. 5 Real Madrid, and No. 4 Bayern Munich have already racked up enough points to advance out of the league phase.

Three clubs — No. 13 Vålerenga, No. 12 Oud-Heverlee Leuven, and No. 11 Atlético de Madrid — are fighting for the two remaining playoff tickets, with December 17th's simultaneous kickoff set to determine the winners.

How to watch the final 2025/26 Champions League league-phase matches

Determining both the first four UWCL quarterfinalists and the eight teams entering the playoffs, the final league-phase matchday will see all 18 clubs kicking off at 3 PM ET next Wednesday.

All 2025/26 Champions League matches will stream live on Paramount+.