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Fresh off transformative summer, women’s soccer enters age of ambition

Ellen White of England celebrates with teammates during this year’s Euros. (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

For many of its formative years, women’s soccer has been held up as primarily inspirational. Titles won for club and country have been lauded as part of the fight for the next generation of young girls who need to see athletes in women’s sports achieve great things before they push progress along themselves. Even as interest in the present generation of players has risen year after year, the pulse of the sport from the top has been firmly focused on what comes next.

This summer, fans across the world got a glimpse instead at what is happening right now, as record crowds poured in to watch international soccer tournaments on four different continents.

The “little girls of the future” narrative has played out for a long time, and it still got its fair amount of shine during the four major tournaments that concluded with the Euros final on July 31. For the young ones among the 87,192 fans that packed Wembley Stadium for that game, they witnessed an ending for the ages. In a battle between two well-matched sides, England won their first major trophy on home soil, 2-1 in extra time, over a young, disciplined Germany team, and celebrations erupted nationwide.

In the weeks since, England’s Euros win has been compared to the USWNT’s World Cup championship in 1999, with the potential to usher in a brand new era of support for the women’s game. There are certainly some similarities between the two tournaments: home teams, big crowds, media coverage, and a ripped jersey celebration to cap the whole thing off.

But Brandi Chastain, ‘99 penalty kick legend, told Just Women’s Sports just this year that her iconic moment didn’t have the ripple effect off the field that it could have. ​

“You’re winning big tournaments like the World Cup, and yet you’re anonymous,” she said. “You know that you need to continue to push forward, and you feel that your own group is not taking you as seriously or holding your value the same as they hold someone else’s.”

Such is the cost of inspirational platitudes, when those in charge aren’t ready to fully invest in a future that matches the high expectations of those already striving for perfection on the field. Twenty-three years after the USWNT’s moment, similar emotions have emerged in England, which has a long history of suppressing potential. Women’s football was outlawed in the country that invented the sport from 1921-70. Even now, only 63 percent of girls can play football in PE in England. The scars of institutional neglect still show, even in victory.

Those advocating for women’s football have known this for years, but inspiration is not enough. If there’s one thing the 2022 summer of international soccer has shown us, however, it’s that the age of inspiration might actually be behind us.

Now, it’s time to enter the age of ambition.

Ambition can come in many forms: professional standards, long-term investment, smart hiring and talent identification. It requires real vision and respect toward a sporting sector that is no longer emerging, but has shown quantifiable evidence that it has already arrived. TV ratings for the Euros final were through the roof in multiple countries, hitting 17.4 million in the UK, 17.9 million in Germany, and almost breaking a million viewers in the U.S. The English FA marketed the Women’s Euros at the ground level, and both traditional and new media outlets covered it, giving the final result the weight it deserved at face value.

On the field, that ambition played out in many ways, including in the context of the right coaching hire. England had been building the depth of their program for years, helped in large part by the growing competitive cauldron of the Women’s Super League. But the years spent with Phil Neville as manager from 2018-21 never set the team on the trajectory that matched the expectations being placed on them. Neville was not a student of the women’s game when he was hired, nor did it seem like he tactically understood the elements of cohesion and chemistry required to peak at the right time.

When the pandemic delayed the Euros by a year, Neville stepped away from the team to take a job in MLS, and the FA hired the best woman for the job: Sarina Wiegman. Wiegman led the Netherlands to the 2017 Euros title and the final of the 2019 World Cup, and she proved to be the right manager for a deep England squad that showed 100 percent buy-in. In every match, even when facing moments of adversity, the Lionesses showed a confidence that we’d never seen from them on this big a stage before.

Other nations full of footballing talent have not always had that same sense of urgency. Most dramatically, Nigeria had to boycott training prior to their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations third-place game against Zambia in order to be paid wages they’d been promised. Coaches Jorge Vilda in Spain and Corinne Diacre in France received contract extensions through 2024, despite questions surrounding the management of their squads. Mexico’s World Cup qualifying failure at home led to a round of firings, but Concacaf’s lack of desire to properly market the women’s game went far beyond the host country, leaving a massive opportunity on the table.

It would also be remiss to act like the positive sea change is only occurring in Europe.

The WAFCON tournament in Morocco proved a rousing success for the host nation, as they qualified for the World Cup for the first time in a runners-up performance to South Africa. Copa America Femenina host Colombia has also made their return to the world stage, in a similarly successful run to second place against perennial winners Brazil. Brazil, more than three years removed from Marta’s teary-eyed plea to the next generation at the 2019 World Cup, is successfully going through their own generational shift.

In the United States, the new level of ambition worldwide is sometimes framed as a threat, but as NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman told reporters in Chicago this past weekend, it’s also an opportunity. She attended the final knockout rounds of the Euros and also participated in the World Leagues Forum — the first iteration of a women’s professional league counterpart to the annual men’s summit.

“[The Euros] reminded me of how I felt watching the Angel City home opener, where people were really there to watch the soccer, and people were really there because the sport was taking over,” Berman said. “And the fact that it was women’s soccer was just a bonus. It really wasn’t about a social statement or anything like that. It was really more like, this is the sport at its best globally.”

For two days in London, each league presented to the group what they currently consider their unique value proposition. They also shared best practices and, as Berman put it, “really [had] a discussion about how we can work in tandem to make this a global movement.” The NWSL has unique challenges and strengths in the global market as a non-men’s league-affiliated property, and the best approach for the four-time World Cup-winning nation has to be to meet the rising tide head on.

With the established success of Barcelona and Real Madrid, growing interest in the German Frauen Bundesliga, Lyon and PSG’s dominance in France, and a whole host of English WSL clubs poised to pounce on the Euros momentum, the NWSL has to have a clearer vision than what we saw in the league’s first 10 years. Internationally, the USWNT should always invite the opportunity to play other teams at their best. We’ve seen that this month with the scheduling of a friendly against England at Wembley in October, which was clearly in the works before the final Euros whistle blew.

More than anything, this summer presented enough evidence that if there was ever a time for a new golden era of the sport, it’s not for the girls of the future — it’s actually right now. Players have been ready for this opportunity for a long time, as have fans. It’s time for the rest of the world to catch up.

Claire Watkins is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering soccer and the NWSL. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

US Tennis Stars Advance as Wimbledon Field Narrows

Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates her first-round win over Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships
World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini fell in the second round of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on Wednesday. (Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships wrapped its second round on Thursday, with the grass court Grand Slam seeing just 15 of the tournament's 32 seeded players advance to the Friday and Saturday's third round.

A full half of the WTA's Top 10 players did not survive the week, with 2024 Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini joining four first-round star exits by falling to unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova in a three-set, second-round battle on Wednesday.

At the same time, unseeded fan favorites like Japan's No. 53 Naomi Osaka and England's own No. 40 Emma Raducanu secured third-round spots at the London Slam, joining top surviving contenders like No. 4 Iga Świątek and defending Wimbledon champion No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková.

Notably, a full five US players managed to move ahead, tied for the largest national contingent still standing at the tournament.

Led by 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, the US group also includes No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 12 Amanda Anisimova, as well as unseeded players No. 54 Danielle Collins and No. 55 Hailey Baptiste.

With matches against Świątek and No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, respectively, Collins and Baptiste have a tough third round ahead — though Navarro's battle against the 2024 champ Krejčíková arguably headlines Saturday's slate.

US tennis star Emma Navarro eyes a return during a 2025 Wimbledon match.
US star Emma Navarro will face 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková in Wimbledon's Round of 32. (Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)

How to watch Wimbledon this weekend

While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still holding strong in the dwindling field, this year's Wimbledon play is proving that the London Slam is anyone's to take, as the grass court humbles even the sport's top stars.

Expect the twists and turns to continue as tennis's best battle for spots in Sunday's Round of 16.

Round-of-32 Wimbledon play kicks off at 6 AM ET on Friday, with live continuous coverage of the tournament airing on ESPN.

Finland Opens Women’s Euro 2025 with Upset Upset Win Over Iceland

Finland's Katariina Kosola and Emma Koivisto celebrate a goal during their opening 2025 Euro match.
Finland earned a surprise 1-0 win over Iceland in their 2025 Euro opener on Wednesday. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.

Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.

Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.

"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."

"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."

Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.

Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.

Spain jersey hang in lockers ahead of the team's 2025 Euro opening match against Portugal.
Reigning World Cup champions Spain will open their 2025 Euro account against Portugal. (Aitor Alcalde - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action

Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.

While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.

Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.

Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.

Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.

Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.

USWNT Caps Summer Friendlies with 3-0 Canada Shutout

Yazmeen Ryan, Michelle Cooper, Claire Hutton, Mandy McGlynn, and Izzy Rodriguez and the rest of the USWNT huddle after their July 2025 friendly win over Canada.
The USWNT finished the summer international window with 11 goals, conceding none, across three matches. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.

Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.

Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.

Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.

Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.

"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."

With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.

The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.

"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."

Seattle Storm Looks to Climb the WNBA Standings in Weekend Gauntlet

Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike high-fives teammates as she's introduced before a 2025 WNBA game.
The No. 5 Seattle Storm will face No. 4 Atlanta and No. 3 New York this weekend. (Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA regular season returns on Thursday night, with teams at the top of the league standings looking to prove their mettle against close competition across the long holiday weekend.

The No. 5 Seattle Storm have arguably the toughest weekend assignments, taking on the No. 4 Atlanta Dream on Friday before tackling the No. 3 New York Liberty on Sunday.

Four middle-of-the-pack teams will look to close in on a double-digit season win tally while the league's frontrunners strive to maintain their advantage in this weekend's slate:

  • No. 7 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Thursday at 7 PM ET (Prime): Though still without star Caitlin Clark, the Fever hope to harness their 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup victory momentum against an Aces side tied with Indiana with an 8-8 season record.
  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Atlanta Dream, Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Seattle will look to make strides against a strong Atlanta side while putting last Sunday's stinging 84-57 loss to up-and-comer Golden State in their rearview.
  • No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, Saturday at 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The rising Valkyries must face a Lynx side hunting redemption, as the league-leaders look to bounce back from their stifling Tuesday Commissioner's Cup upset loss.
  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 1 PM ET (CBS): With injured Liberty center Jonquel Jones still sidelined, the Seattle Storm will have a chance to steal a weekend game against the reigning champs, as New York struggles to re-find their footing.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming, early top performers must keep standards high if they want to hold the line when the season crosses the midway point.

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