Latest news with #USWNT
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fox evolved its approach to women's soccer with Euros broadcast. Were the changes enough or too late?
As Euro 2025 comes to a close, all signs point to the tournament finally enjoying its breakout moment in the United States. It culminates on Sunday in a 2023 World Cup final rematch between England and Spain — an ideal clash for attracting an American audience. While the international break still has a few more days to go, there's enough data to assess what's worked, what hasn't and where the growth of women's soccer in America goes from here. There's never been any doubt that this country watches the U.S. women's national team. The 2015 Women's World Cup win over Japan remains one of the most-watched soccer games in the country (26.7 million average viewers), only barely edged out by the 2022 men's World Cup final between Argentina and France (26.73 million). There's a massive difference, however, between casual and new fans tuning in for the USWNT during a World Cup and pulling in viewers for the Euros, or the Women's Africa Cup of Nations or Copa America Femenina, even with the presence of NWSL players at all three tournaments. Ahead of this summer of soccer, I wrote in the 'Full Time' newsletter that these overlapping events — more so than a singular Women's World Cup — would reveal the true growth of women's soccer. The Euros, of the three options, was the most instructive test of how hungry an American audience would be for non-USWNT soccer, largely because of how Fox Sports approached its broadcast presentation. Despite little promotion ahead of the tournament, Fox Sports bet big by putting most games on either the primary Fox channel or FS1, with only one match relegated to FS2. This towers over the approach from ESPN in 2022, which split the tournament between broadcast and streaming (two matches on ESPN, including the final, 21 on ESPN2 and eight on ESPN+). And is also a different world compared to the 2017 edition in the Netherlands, which entirely utilized ESPN3 and their app. Fox, which said that they would air over 130 hours of live women's soccer coverage this summer between the Euros and Copa America Femenina, has supplemented their Euros coverage with a studio show featuring analysts and former players, including Carli Lloyd, Ari Hingst, Jen Beattie and others. (Copa América, compared to the Euros, has gotten a more basic approach, with the games largely split between FS1 and FS2. The dichotomy in coverage between the two tournaments is notable.) Ahead of the Euros, Fox Sports president of insights and analytics Mike Mulvihill told Sports Business Journal that the network was targeting 50 percent growth for viewership. They've easily surpassed that number, averaging over 90 percent through the group stage with a 2025 average viewership of 306,000 compared to 2022's 161,000 viewers. France's 2-1 win over England provided the largest spike of the group stage, with 690,000 viewers, thanks to its placement on Fox and a favorable Saturday afternoon timeslot. The quarterfinals continued the trend, nearly reaching the one million viewership mark with Germany's thrilling 6-5 penalty shootout win over France (925,000 viewers). In 2022, quarterfinal viewership averaged 283,000 viewers; this summer, it has averaged out at 776,000 viewers. The number one driver is increased accessibility, but Fox has gotten other calls right, too, even as their overall strategy for soccer remains disappointingly on brand. Bringing former German international player Hingst back in as the primary expert voice has been the highlight of their studio work — with her well-researched analysis on all of the teams and her emotional connection to Germany (especially while watching Germany survive and advance into the semifinals). Fox has never gone for the banter the way CBS has leaned in on men's Champions League, but Hingst provided a blueprint that knowledge doesn't preclude fun behind a desk. Former Scotland international Beattie was a strong new addition to Fox's team, both at the desk and in the booth for color commentary alongside regular play-by-play analyst John Strong. The only flaw was her departure from Fox's studio in Los Angeles to watch the tournament in person in Switzerland (and that Fox had her pulling double duty with Copa America). Fox leaned not just on familiar voices but largely turned to established pairs for its match commentary. Jacqui Oatley and Lori Lindsey have been regular fixtures in the NWSL, as have JP Dellacamera and Lianne Sanderson. It's not surprising that Fox didn't fully invest in this area, keeping the teams in Los Angeles rather than having them in the stadium. It did, at points, cause issues, but understandable ones. It also wouldn't be a Fox Soccer broadcast without the heavy rotation of former U.S. players participating. Lloyd, who was a divisive presence during the 2023 World Cup broadcast, especially in her approach to covering the USWNT, has settled in following a couple of major tournaments' worth of reps behind the desk. Her trademark bluntness hasn't gone anywhere, but she has gotten better at pointing it in a productive direction. If Fox chose to rely solely on Lloyd for an American lens to these international tournaments, I'd find it a justifiable choice. A famous U.S. player helps bridge the gap to American fans, and using her own experience in major tournaments provides familiar reference points for the every-four-years World Cup viewer. It's not just Lloyd, though. Fox continues to stress these voices far too much, with the greatest example continuing to be former U.S. men's player Alexi Lalas. Lalas has always been the most divisive presence in Fox's coverage — the bombastic approach either works for you or it really, really doesn't. Every major tournament that Fox airs, I wonder what value Lalas adds to a broadcast to engage, entertain and inform new and returning viewers. Maybe there are still some women's soccer die-hards who still hate watch to see what Lalas will say next, but most social media commentary I see states time and time again that the existing women's soccer audience in this country is opting out of watching Fox's studio commentary. Of course, it's not a studio analyst's job to protect players or teams, or rely solely on positive commentary throughout a tournament — the 'toxic positivity' of the women's soccer space has long been an element holding the growth of the sport back. The majority of the former women's players serving Fox's studio analysts — including Lloyd — have largely balanced praising what's worked for teams and pointing out what hasn't, all with halftime or full time film. Women's soccer has, however, long outgrown the need for Lalas to serve as the default Fox perspective, shouting for shouting's sake. He has not been ever-present in this tournament, but he regained a prominent role during the Italy-England semifinal (and, presumably, the final) when viewership will peak. I'd like to think that Fox evaluates itself after every major tournament, but with the viewership increases we've seen, I expect the same strategy will persist. At the same time, Fox has lost ground in the rapidly shifting landscape for women's soccer media rights to both traditional competition and new challengers. CBS has been aggressive in signing deals with Concacaf, and most recently, picking up the rights to the women's Champions League to live alongside its men's coverage. But the big loss for Fox was to Netflix, which won the rights to air both the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cup during FIFA's bidding process. Accessibility remains the key to viewership growth, but it is not the only ingredient for sustained growth that benefits the entire sport and media infrastructure. The players and teams of the 2025 Euros have provided exciting matches, plenty of drama and a record amount of soccer to boot, with four knockout stage games going to extra time. That's another crucial piece to keeping new and casual viewers hooked, and looking for more. But so is robust, thoughtful commentary and analysis from the media rights holder. Fox has certainly improved on this front, but has yet to shed its worst impulses. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. International Football, Sports Business, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Fox evolved its approach to women's soccer with Euros broadcast. Were the changes enough or too late?
As Euro 2025 comes to a close, all signs point to the tournament finally enjoying its breakout moment in the United States. It culminates on Sunday in a 2023 World Cup final rematch between England and Spain — an ideal clash for attracting an American audience. While the international break still has a few more days to go, there's enough data to assess what's worked, what hasn't and where the growth of women's soccer in America goes from here. Advertisement There's never been any doubt that this country watches the U.S. women's national team. The 2015 Women's World Cup win over Japan remains one of the most-watched soccer games in the country (26.7 million average viewers), only barely edged out by the 2022 men's World Cup final between Argentina and France (26.73 million). There's a massive difference, however, between casual and new fans tuning in for the USWNT during a World Cup and pulling in viewers for the Euros, or the Women's Africa Cup of Nations or Copa America Femenina, even with the presence of NWSL players at all three tournaments. Ahead of this summer of soccer, I wrote in the 'Full Time' newsletter that these overlapping events — more so than a singular Women's World Cup — would reveal the true growth of women's soccer. The Euros, of the three options, was the most instructive test of how hungry an American audience would be for non-USWNT soccer, largely because of how Fox Sports approached its broadcast presentation. Despite little promotion ahead of the tournament, Fox Sports bet big by putting most games on either the primary Fox channel or FS1, with only one match relegated to FS2. This towers over the approach from ESPN in 2022, which split the tournament between broadcast and streaming (two matches on ESPN, including the final, 21 on ESPN2 and eight on ESPN+). And is also a different world compared to the 2017 edition in the Netherlands, which entirely utilized ESPN3 and their app. Fox, which said that they would air over 130 hours of live women's soccer coverage this summer between the Euros and Copa America Femenina, has supplemented their Euros coverage with a studio show featuring analysts and former players, including Carli Lloyd, Ari Hingst, Jen Beattie and others. (Copa América, compared to the Euros, has gotten a more basic approach, with the games largely split between FS1 and FS2. The dichotomy in coverage between the two tournaments is notable.) Ahead of the Euros, Fox Sports president of insights and analytics Mike Mulvihill told Sports Business Journal that the network was targeting 50 percent growth for viewership. They've easily surpassed that number, averaging over 90 percent through the group stage with a 2025 average viewership of 306,000 compared to 2022's 161,000 viewers. France's 2-1 win over England provided the largest spike of the group stage, with 690,000 viewers, thanks to its placement on Fox and a favorable Saturday afternoon timeslot. Advertisement The quarterfinals continued the trend, nearly reaching the one million viewership mark with Germany's thrilling 6-5 penalty shootout win over France (925,000 viewers). In 2022, quarterfinal viewership averaged 283,000 viewers; this summer, it has averaged out at 776,000 viewers. The number one driver is increased accessibility, but Fox has gotten other calls right, too, even as their overall strategy for soccer remains disappointingly on brand. Bringing former German international player Hingst back in as the primary expert voice has been the highlight of their studio work — with her well-researched analysis on all of the teams and her emotional connection to Germany (especially while watching Germany survive and advance into the semifinals). Fox has never gone for the banter the way CBS has leaned in on men's Champions League, but Hingst provided a blueprint that knowledge doesn't preclude fun behind a desk. Former Scotland international Beattie was a strong new addition to Fox's team, both at the desk and in the booth for color commentary alongside regular play-by-play analyst John Strong. The only flaw was her departure from Fox's studio in Los Angeles to watch the tournament in person in Switzerland (and that Fox had her pulling double duty with Copa America). Fox leaned not just on familiar voices but largely turned to established pairs for its match commentary. Jacqui Oatley and Lori Lindsey have been regular fixtures in the NWSL, as have JP Dellacamera and Lianne Sanderson. It's not surprising that Fox didn't fully invest in this area, keeping the teams in Los Angeles rather than having them in the stadium. It did, at points, cause issues, but understandable ones. It also wouldn't be a Fox Soccer broadcast without the heavy rotation of former U.S. players participating. Advertisement Lloyd, who was a divisive presence during the 2023 World Cup broadcast, especially in her approach to covering the USWNT, has settled in following a couple of major tournaments' worth of reps behind the desk. Her trademark bluntness hasn't gone anywhere, but she has gotten better at pointing it in a productive direction. If Fox chose to rely solely on Lloyd for an American lens to these international tournaments, I'd find it a justifiable choice. A famous U.S. player helps bridge the gap to American fans, and using her own experience in major tournaments provides familiar reference points for the every-four-years World Cup viewer. It's not just Lloyd, though. Fox continues to stress these voices far too much, with the greatest example continuing to be former U.S. men's player Alexi Lalas. Lalas has always been the most divisive presence in Fox's coverage — the bombastic approach either works for you or it really, really doesn't. Every major tournament that Fox airs, I wonder what value Lalas adds to a broadcast to engage, entertain and inform new and returning viewers. Maybe there are still some women's soccer die-hards who still hate watch to see what Lalas will say next, but most social media commentary I see states time and time again that the existing women's soccer audience in this country is opting out of watching Fox's studio commentary. Of course, it's not a studio analyst's job to protect players or teams, or rely solely on positive commentary throughout a tournament — the 'toxic positivity' of the women's soccer space has long been an element holding the growth of the sport back. The majority of the former women's players serving Fox's studio analysts — including Lloyd — have largely balanced praising what's worked for teams and pointing out what hasn't, all with halftime or full time film. Women's soccer has, however, long outgrown the need for Lalas to serve as the default Fox perspective, shouting for shouting's sake. He has not been ever-present in this tournament, but he regained a prominent role during the Italy-England semifinal (and, presumably, the final) when viewership will peak. I'd like to think that Fox evaluates itself after every major tournament, but with the viewership increases we've seen, I expect the same strategy will persist. Advertisement At the same time, Fox has lost ground in the rapidly shifting landscape for women's soccer media rights to both traditional competition and new challengers. CBS has been aggressive in signing deals with Concacaf, and most recently, picking up the rights to the women's Champions League to live alongside its men's coverage. But the big loss for Fox was to Netflix, which won the rights to air both the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cup during FIFA's bidding process. Accessibility remains the key to viewership growth, but it is not the only ingredient for sustained growth that benefits the entire sport and media infrastructure. The players and teams of the 2025 Euros have provided exciting matches, plenty of drama and a record amount of soccer to boot, with four knockout stage games going to extra time. That's another crucial piece to keeping new and casual viewers hooked, and looking for more. But so is robust, thoughtful commentary and analysis from the media rights holder. Fox has certainly improved on this front, but has yet to shed its worst impulses.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Halfway to the 2027 World Cup, here's where the USWNT stands
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Why wait for 'Wicked' part two when you can tune into the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland to watch Germany's goalkeeper defy gravity and the odds? I'm Emily Olsen here with the whole crew — *Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba riff* welcome to Full Time! (And especially if you're new here!) Coming up: Two years to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil A goalkeeper bending the space-time continuum Summer's soccerpalooza recap Halfway to the World Cup Exactly two years ago today, around the time that we launched this newsletter, the U.S. women's national team beat Vietnam 3-0 to open the 2023 World Cup. Sophia Wilson (then Smith) scored twice, followed by Lindsey Heaps (then Horan). It was the last time they'd capture a victory in the competition, before crashing out in the next round. It's not just the players' last names that have changed since. Here's where we stand two years from the next one in Brazil: What's happened since? If you haven't paid attention to the USWNT since the last World Cup, brace yourself for some vertigo; very few aspects of this program will look like you last remembered. Since Sweden forward Lina Hurtig scored the penalty kick that goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (who is now retired) will always swear never crossed the line, Vlatko Andonovski resigned from his position as head coach, and then-assistant coach Twila Kilgore stepped into the interim role while U.S. Soccer scouted for a permanent replacement. Then, in November 2023, the Emma Hayes era began. The former Chelsea manager started her job as USWNT head coach in May 2024, two months before the Summer Olympics in France. That's where 'Triple Espresso' — the attacking trio of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman — entered the women's soccer lexicon and powered the USWNT to a gold medal. How much has changed since then? The starting XI from that gold medal match against Brazil in Paris has not played together since. Two shots of Triple Espresso, Swanson and Wilson, are pregnant. And Rodman has been resting and rehabilitating her back. But perhaps most profoundly, Hayes (21-2-2 with the U.S.) has enacted one of the most radical transformations to the U.S. youth and women's national team talent development pipelines the program has ever seen. What's ahead? Despite being the competition's most successful competitor, with four World Cup titles, the U.S. isn't guaranteed a spot in the field. Over 30 Concacaf teams will contend for four guaranteed places at the 2027 Women's World Cup, with the U.S. and Canada as heavy favorites. These places will be earned at the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, an eight-team bracket which will be held in November 2026. (While there is a qualifying period for the W Championship, the U.S. is expected to bypass that gantlet as one of the region's two highest-ranked nations.) Last year, after the U.S. and Mexico withdrew their late joint bid to host the 2027 tournament, FIFA members threw their support behind Brazil, selecting it over a European proposal. The decision marked a historic milestone: For the first time, the biggest event in women's soccer will be staged in South America. The 1950 and 2014 men's World Cups drew millions to Brazil's white sand beaches and samba-charged streets, turning the country into a global soccer festival. The question now: Will the world return with the same passion for the women's game, 13 years later? Meg's Corner: USWNT triage is over — but urgency persists Two years ago, I wrote that the U.S. looked toothless and lost during the group stage of the World Cup, but that everything going wrong in New Zealand was actually a symptom of the USWNT's larger problem, not the illness itself. Helpfully, Hayes came in from day one calling herself a 'heart surgeon in the middle of emergency surgery' as she tried to prepare the team for the 2024 Olympics. Speaking as someone on the ground for the last World Cup and the Olympics, the difference in mood around the team couldn't have been more stark. The pressure was still on, but the next generation was ready for it. Now, the days of emergency surgery are behind the team, but the federation, the program and Hayes are still working on fixing all of those underlying issues. They've found investment via Michele Kang, owner of the Washington Spirit, among other clubs, who has invested millions to address pipelines for players, coaches and referees in the women's game. Hayes told me shortly after taking the USWNT job that if the team had won the 2023 tournament, she wouldn't have been interested. It was the project of taking over a team at one of its lowest points, and building again — building something new — that interested her. Gold medals in Paris can never be overlooked, but this project has always been about 2027. Hi, My Name Is: Germany's flying goalkeeper Call her Elphaba, because she defied gravity. Call her Ice because that's what's in her veins. Call her 'OMG DID YOU SEE THAT?!' Or you could just call her German goalie Ann-Katrin Berger, because that's now synonymous with putting up stone-cold performances in big moments. Down a player and a goal in the first 15 minutes versus France on Saturday, hurting their already depleted backline, Germany could have easily been counted out. And yet they went into halftime tied, held on through extra time and sealed the deal in a penalty-kick shootout. And it was due in large part to Berger, the Gotham FC goalkeeper whose resume speaks for itself. The 34-year-old won 10 trophies in five seasons with Chelsea and earned NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in her first season with Gotham in 2024. Berger notoriously 'loves' facing penalty kicks (and isn't bad at taking them, either). In 2023, she denied Lindsey Heaps in Chelsea's Champions League quarterfinal penalty shootout against Lyon, and at the 2024 Olympics she turned away former Ballon D'Or winner Alexia Putellas' ninth-minute penalty to help Germany reach a bronze-medal finish. Berger has also twice overcome thyroid cancer, including a recurrence during the 2022 Euro run where she was the backup keeper. 🎧 Listen to the latest 'Full Time Euros' podcast to relive the wild shootout. What to Watch: Soccerpalooza races toward a finale 📺 Euros: SemifinalsEngland vs. Italy tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET (Fox)Germany vs. Spain on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET (Fox) Cristiana Girelli's brace in stoppage time pushed Italy through to the semifinals for the first time since 1997, where they will face defending champions England. The Lionesses will be entering the fixture in protest in support of defender Jess Carter, who said she has been subject to racial abuse all tournament long. The second semi is a must-watch as Gotham FC teammates Esther Gonzalez (Spain) and Berger (Germany) go head-to-head. 📺 WAFCON: SemifinalsNigeria vs. South Africa at noon ET tomorrow (beIN Sports)Morocco vs. Ghana at noon ET tomorrow (beIN Sports)The Nigeria and South Africa fixture is a repeat of the 2018 championship match, with this semifinal clash further cementing the two sides' budding rivalry. The Super Falcons have a record nine championships, with Banyana Banyana eager to defend their 2022 crown. Then there's host nation Morocco, which will look to top Ghana in hopes of securing their return to the finals stage for a second year in a row. 📺 Copa America Femenina: Group stageVarious times, watch on VIX and FS1Thankfully, we still have two more weeks of South American football. As a growing number of players have called on their federations and Conmebol for better working conditions, they've managed to juggle protesting off the pitch with beautiful football on it. Watch Mayra Ramirez's banger for Colombia or Linda Caicedo's brace against Paraguay, as Las Cafeteras begin to settle in the competition after a rocky start. Full Time First Looks With the match schedule quite heavy, we thought it'd be nice to revisit some of our deeper reads. Twinning: Ever want to switch places with your sibling? These identical twins in England's top division have bamboozled rivals and their coaches alike with their similar skills and matching features. Teen sensations: Before, playing in college was one of the few paths to the pros for women. Now, more players are getting started before they even graduate high school, including 14-year-old star Mak Whitham. Just a feeling: NWSL partnered with podcaster Alex Cooper's Unwell brand earlier this year, but is the relationship an 'incredible platform' to grow the game or an existential risk? Broken-foot goals and building worlds: We still aren't over having to say goodbye to former USWNT star Tobin Heath's playing career, so you can find us reading Meg's recent interview with her again … and again. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters. (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images) This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Women's national team, NWSL, Full Time Newsletter 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Halfway to the 2027 World Cup, here's where the USWNT stands
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic's weekly women's soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Why wait for 'Wicked' part two when you can tune into the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland to watch Germany's goalkeeper defy gravity and the odds? I'm Emily Olsen here with the whole crew — *Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba riff* welcome to Full Time! (And especially if you're new here!) Coming up: Exactly two years ago today, around the time that we launched this newsletter, the U.S. women's national team beat Vietnam 3-0 to open the 2023 World Cup. Sophia Wilson (then Smith) scored twice, followed by Lindsey Heaps (then Horan). It was the last time they'd capture a victory in the competition, before crashing out in the next round. Advertisement It's not just the players' last names that have changed since. Here's where we stand two years from the next one in Brazil: What's happened since? If you haven't paid attention to the USWNT since the last World Cup, brace yourself for some vertigo; very few aspects of this program will look like you last remembered. Since Sweden forward Lina Hurtig scored the penalty kick that goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (who is now retired) will always swear never crossed the line, Vlatko Andonovski resigned from his position as head coach, and then-assistant coach Twila Kilgore stepped into the interim role while U.S. Soccer scouted for a permanent replacement. Then, in November 2023, the Emma Hayes era began. The former Chelsea manager started her job as USWNT head coach in May 2024, two months before the Summer Olympics in France. That's where 'Triple Espresso' — the attacking trio of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman — entered the women's soccer lexicon and powered the USWNT to a gold medal. How much has changed since then? What's ahead? Despite being the competition's most successful competitor, with four World Cup titles, the U.S. isn't guaranteed a spot in the field. Over 30 Concacaf teams will contend for four guaranteed places at the 2027 Women's World Cup, with the U.S. and Canada as heavy favorites. These places will be earned at the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, an eight-team bracket which will be held in November 2026. (While there is a qualifying period for the W Championship, the U.S. is expected to bypass that gantlet as one of the region's two highest-ranked nations.) Last year, after the U.S. and Mexico withdrew their late joint bid to host the 2027 tournament, FIFA members threw their support behind Brazil, selecting it over a European proposal. The decision marked a historic milestone: For the first time, the biggest event in women's soccer will be staged in South America. The 1950 and 2014 men's World Cups drew millions to Brazil's white sand beaches and samba-charged streets, turning the country into a global soccer festival. The question now: Will the world return with the same passion for the women's game, 13 years later? Two years ago, I wrote that the U.S. looked toothless and lost during the group stage of the World Cup, but that everything going wrong in New Zealand was actually a symptom of the USWNT's larger problem, not the illness itself. Helpfully, Hayes came in from day one calling herself a 'heart surgeon in the middle of emergency surgery' as she tried to prepare the team for the 2024 Olympics. Speaking as someone on the ground for the last World Cup and the Olympics, the difference in mood around the team couldn't have been more stark. The pressure was still on, but the next generation was ready for it. Advertisement Now, the days of emergency surgery are behind the team, but the federation, the program and Hayes are still working on fixing all of those underlying issues. They've found investment via Michele Kang, owner of the Washington Spirit, among other clubs, who has invested millions to address pipelines for players, coaches and referees in the women's game. Hayes told me shortly after taking the USWNT job that if the team had won the 2023 tournament, she wouldn't have been interested. It was the project of taking over a team at one of its lowest points, and building again — building something new — that interested her. Gold medals in Paris can never be overlooked, but this project has always been about 2027. Call her Elphaba, because she defied gravity. Call her Ice because that's what's in her veins. Call her 'OMG DID YOU SEE THAT?!' Or you could just call her German goalie Ann-Katrin Berger, because that's now synonymous with putting up stone-cold performances in big moments. THAT incredible AKB save 🤯 #WEURO2025 — UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 19, 2025 Down a player and a goal in the first 15 minutes versus France on Saturday, hurting their already depleted backline, Germany could have easily been counted out. And yet they went into halftime tied, held on through extra time and sealed the deal in a penalty-kick shootout. And it was due in large part to Berger, the Gotham FC goalkeeper whose resume speaks for itself. Berger has also twice overcome thyroid cancer, including a recurrence during the 2022 Euro run where she was the backup keeper. 🎧 Listen to the latest 'Full Time Euros' podcast to relive the wild shootout. 📺 Euros: Semifinals England vs. Italy tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET (Fox) Germany vs. Spain on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET (Fox) Cristiana Girelli's brace in stoppage time pushed Italy through to the semifinals for the first time since 1997, where they will face defending champions England. The Lionesses will be entering the fixture in protest in support of defender Jess Carter, who said she has been subject to racial abuse all tournament long. The second semi is a must-watch as Gotham FC teammates Esther Gonzalez (Spain) and Berger (Germany) go head-to-head. Advertisement 📺 WAFCON: Semifinals Nigeria vs. South Africa at noon ET tomorrow (beIN Sports) Morocco vs. Ghana at noon ET tomorrow (beIN Sports) The Nigeria and South Africa fixture is a repeat of the 2018 championship match, with this semifinal clash further cementing the two sides' budding rivalry. The Super Falcons have a record nine championships, with Banyana Banyana eager to defend their 2022 crown. Then there's host nation Morocco, which will look to top Ghana in hopes of securing their return to the finals stage for a second year in a row. 📺 Copa America Femenina: Group stage Various times, watch on VIX and FS1 Thankfully, we still have two more weeks of South American football. As a growing number of players have called on their federations and Conmebol for better working conditions, they've managed to juggle protesting off the pitch with beautiful football on it. Watch Mayra Ramirez's banger for Colombia or Linda Caicedo's brace against Paraguay, as Las Cafeteras begin to settle in the competition after a rocky start. With the match schedule quite heavy, we thought it'd be nice to revisit some of our deeper reads. Twinning: Ever want to switch places with your sibling? These identical twins in England's top division have bamboozled rivals and their coaches alike with their similar skills and matching features. Teen sensations: Before, playing in college was one of the few paths to the pros for women. Now, more players are getting started before they even graduate high school, including 14-year-old star Mak Whitham. Just a feeling: NWSL partnered with podcaster Alex Cooper's Unwell brand earlier this year, but is the relationship an 'incredible platform' to grow the game or an existential risk? Broken-foot goals and building worlds: We still aren't over having to say goodbye to former USWNT star Tobin Heath's playing career, so you can find us reading Meg's recent interview with her again … and again. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo's women's sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Abby Wambach on evolution of women's soccer, what's next for USWNT
Legendary USWNT forward Abby Wambach reflects on how much the women's game has grown since her 2015 retirement, and shares thoughts on head coach Emma Hayes as the team builds their roster for the 2027 World Cup. Abby Wambach on evolution of women's soccer, what's next for USWNT originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
