The Football Ferns’ captain’s career spans nearly two decades, five World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), and four Olympics, as well as numerous leagues across the globe.

Riley has made no regular-season appearances in 2025, as she has been dealing with a chronic nerve injury that has sidelined her since the start of the Paris Olympics in July 2024, causing her to withdraw from the Olympic squad. She was able to return to the training pitch in August.

“I want to thank my family, friends, the teams that I have played for, the teammates I have played with, and the fans who have rooted for me here at home and all over the world,” Riley said in her announcement. “I am leaving with my head held so high and feeling so much support and love. This chapter may be closing, but I know there is so much more to come.”

In college, Riley was a star for the Stanford Cardinal, leading her team to two NCAA semifinals and one final from 2006 to 2009. During that time, she also debuted for the New Zealand women’s national team in 2007 and quickly established herself as a crucial member, eventually earning 163 international caps, the second most in team history. She holds the New Zealand record for most appearances in major tournaments.

Riley’s professional career began with FC Gold Pride in the WPS in 2010. She won a championship and Rookie of the Year with the Pride. In 2011, she joined Western New York Flash and won another championship.

From there, Riley went to Sweden, where she won multiple league titles with FC Rosengård from 2012 to 2018. She spent one season each with England’s Chelsea FC (2018-2019) and Germany’s Bayern Munich (2019-2020) before returning to the NWSL.

She returned to the United States to play with the Orlando Pride in 2020 (though she did not play that year due to the Pride’s removal from the inaugural Challenge Cup), and again in 2021.

When Angel City joined the NWSL as an expansion team, they acquired Riley in a trade, allowing her to play in her hometown for the first time in her career. From there, she was named team captain and has held the title to this day.

“Ali Riley is Angel City. Her heart, grit, and unwavering commitment to lifting everyone around her have shaped the culture of this club,” said ACFC CEO and Co-Founder Julie Uhrman in a release. “Her impact on our team, our city, the global game, and on me personally is immeasurable. Ali has shown us that leadership goes far beyond the pitch; it’s in how you care for others, how you show up, and how you lead every single day. Her love of the game, for Angel City, and for the community is undeniable. And while she may no longer be on the pitch, she will never be far from Angel City. We all need more Ali Rileys in our lives.”

“I can say we’ve never been more focused than we are right now on the things that we think matter most when the world is watching,” Berman said from league headquarters in Manhattan. “In particular when the world’s eyes are on this country and the sport of soccer.”

Berman spoke following a week of NWSL owners’ meetings which she deemed “a really important moment,” with owners coming together in support of the league’s long-term strategy.

As for the four areas of focus, Berman said: “Our four key focus areas are making sure we have the most exciting games, that we are driving the soccer narrative, that we are trusted as a league, and that we are building the talent pipeline. Everything that we are going to be working on in the coming years is going to be focused on those four areas.

“We are future-proofing our league. We are positioning our league for sustained success. We’re in it for the long game. Our owners are investing in the things that demonstrate that they’re here to ensure that our league achieves our mission of being the best league in the world.”

NWSL’s position as the best league on the planet has rarely been challenged — at least not in terms of top to bottom. But that status has never been more tenuous. Alyssa Thompson’s recent transfer to Chelsea at age 20 set off alarm bells around the soccer world. Less than three years after orchestrating her way into Angel City, Thompson orchestrated her way out. Those alarm bells came with suggestions that the league’s salary cap, despite its guaranteed increases through the end of the decade, could be a hindrance as more women’s clubs in Europe and elsewhere open up their pocketbooks.

“While I could understand the focus on the salary cap,” Berman said, “the way that players make decisions about where to play is a complex set of considerations. We will always look at that, not in a myopic way but holistically. We are quite confident that the value proposition that we offer to players is compelling and will continue to attract and retain the best players. Particularly as we look at the focal point in this country over the coming years on the sport of soccer and the Olympics and the World Cup. And the level of investment and infrastructure from media partners and brands that only this country could offer.”

Berman added that the league is consistently analyzing all aspects of its business and is open to pivoting as necessary.

On expansion and emergency procedures

Berman said it would be “anticlimactic” to say that expansion process is ongoing, but did say she had news to share, which is that expansion will now be handled on a rolling basis. This means that, instead of announcing a process with deadlines for proposals and decisions, interested groups are encouraged to make their pitch. Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC will join in 2026 to bring the club membership up to 16, and Berman reiterated that there is no reason NWSL can’t one day reach the 30-team heights enjoyed by all five major men’s leagues over North America. She did stop short of stating that as a goal.

“We pretty much know the universe of people — there’s more than a dozen of them. Those conversations are ongoing. Each of them have a different perspective on how much time they need to launch, the investments they need to make in order to be successful, and we want to not force a a square peg into a round hole. We want to be more flexible so we can get to the best possible result for the next round.

“It is open,” she added of the process. “And we will communicate decisions when we’ve made decisions.”

When asked about the situation last weekend in Seattle — Berman did not bring it up in opening remarks — the commissioner said she was pleased with how everyone involved handled Savannah DeMelo’s medical emergency. The decision to discontinue the match, she said, was “a no-brainer.”

DeMelo fell to the turf near halftime of Sunday’s Reign match against Racing Louisville and was transported from the field via ambulance. It was eerily similar to an incident earlier this year involving Savy King. That match was not stopped but the league said shortly after that it should have been, and would be in the future.

“No one wants to have had to have experience practicing these policies,” Berman said. “But having had the opportunity to play it out earlier this year, assess and learn the things we can do better, and then actually have the chance to do it better the second time around, was a moment that allowed us to show what we’re capable of. The decision-making tree was streamlined. We knew exactly what was happening, and we knew exactly who need to make decisions. And we facilitated them immediately. The decision to not continue the game was a no-brainer and did not require contemplation.”

The changes will come at the two-year mark of the league’s $240 million four-year media rights deal with CBS, ESPN, Prime Video, and Scripps Sports, which was announced in November 2023. Per a league press release, that package multiplied audiences in its first year by a factor of four.

CBS Sports Network will add 17 matches next year, while ESPN and ABC networks will be adding 16. Victory+ will show 57 games, including 25 Sunday primetime broadcasts. ESPN and ABC platforms will host a “Match of the Week” series, as well as all eight Decision Day games. 

With two expansion teams — Denver Summit FC and Boston Legacy FC — joining the league next season, there will be 240 total matches in 2026 and 2027, as opposed to the 182 game schedule in 2024 and 2025. 

In July 2024, the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey league launched Victory+ with A Parent Media Co. as an advertisement-funded local streaming service. Since then, Victory+ has expanded its sport offerings with matches from multiple competitions. The service can be accessed through Roku, Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, and other platforms.

“We believe that by making these games free to fans, we can help build the next generation of fandom and continue the league’s amazing growth,” Katie Boes, Head of Content Partnerships at Victory+ said in a statement.

In a press release, ESPN cited Nielsen Big Data + Panel in noting, “In 2025 to date, the NWSL audience across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 grew by 72 percent compared to 2024, the first year of agreement.” 

In total, for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, CBS networks will show 38 games, ESPN networks will show 36, Prime Video will show 27, Scripps Sports (ION) will show 50, Victory+ will show 57, and NWSL+ will show 40. CBS Sports will show the NWSL Championship.

The match went to halftime early with three minutes remaining in stoppage time. It was later suspended and will be resumed at a date to be determined, from the time of suspension.

“The decision was made in consultation with match officials, medical personnel, and both clubs. Out of respect for the seriousness of the situation and in the best interests of players and staff, the match was abandoned,” the NWSL said in a statement provided to The Equalizer.

As first-half stoppage time began, DeMelo knelt to the ground and then sat down, looking dazed before losing consciousness. Both teams’ medical personnel reacted quickly and soon called for the EMTs. An ambulance was driven out onto the field, which DeMelo was eventually loaded into on a stretcher.

The league received heavy backlash and the Players’ Association called for a league policy change earlier in May for not suspending the game between Angel City and Utah Royals after Savy King suffered a cardiac episode on the field. The players were made to play the rest of the game despite agreeing it should have been suspended.

Sunday’s match marked the first time in league history that a game was suspended because of a medical incident.

Louisville’s players and coaches were visibly shaken in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Head coaches Laura Harvey and Bev Yanez could be seen discussing while DeMelo received medical attention before Harvey motioned to her team that they’d be going to halftime early. Reign players came back out onto the field after the suspension was announced to show appreciation for the fans, looking visibly emotional. Fans continued to mill about the stadium, looking somewhat confused after the suspension was announced over the speakers.

This is the second time this season that DeMelo left an NWSL match on a stretcher. In a March 22 game against Bay FC, DeMelo was stretchered off the pitch late in the first half. During that game, Racing Louisville said DeMelo was taken to the hospital “for a precautionary evaluation after experiencing lightheadedness during the first half.” She said about that incident that her heart rate wasn’t slowing, and she struggled to breathe for about three minutes. In May, DeMelo spoke to ESPN about being diagnosed with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism last fall.

The NWSL Players Association released a statement on Monday morning that said: “Our hearts are with Savannah DeMelo and her family following last night’s game. Her health and well-being remain our top priority, and we are relieved she is receiving the medical attention she needs. Postponing the match was the right decision, as nothing is more important than the safety of Players and staff on the field. This is a challenging time for all those affected, and we ask for continued respect of everyone’s privacy.”

This post was updated to include the statement from the Players Association.

Gotham FC has officially acquired Jaedyn Shaw from the North Carolina Courage for a record-breaking intra-league transfer fee of $1.25 million, the teams announced Thursday. 

Per Gotham, “Gotham and Shaw are now working toward an updated and extended contract.” Founder of The Equalizer Jeff Kassouf originally reported for ESPN that Gotham was looking to sign her through the 2029 NWSL season. Her contract with the Courage was through the 2026 season. 

The $1.25 million fee is the largest of its kind in NWSL history, the previous record having been set in August when the Kansas City Current acquired Ally Sentnor from the Utah Royals for $600,000. The league’s inter-league record was set last month by the Orlando Pride, who acquired Mexico forward Lizbeth Ovalle for $1.5 million from Tigres.

Earlier Thursday, Shaw told reporters that being the subject of a record-breaking intra-league transaction isn’t something she thinks much about. “It’s the club showing that they’re investing in me and they see my potential and they see my value, and that’s something that I’m really grateful for,” she said.

The $1.25 million fee would set an intra-league record for a National Women’s Soccer League trade, more than double the previous record set in August when the Kansas City Current acquired Ally Sentnor from the Utah Royals for $600,000. The fee, which “would be paid over multiple installments and entirely in NWSL intra-league transfer funds,” would also rank among some of the most expensive transfers globally.

The NWSL’s secondary transfer window closed on Aug. 25 for incoming international transfers, but intra-league trades can still be made until the league-wide roster freeze on Oct. 9.

Gotham currently sit in sixth place in the standings with a 7-6-6 (W-D-L) record and were looking to add a creative player to their squad. The club plans to sign Shaw through the 2029 NWSL season. She was previously signed through 2026 with the Courage.

The move will be Shaw’s second of this calendar year as she joined North Carolina in January after requesting a trade from the San Diego Wave. That deal involved the Courage sending $300,000 in allocation money, an international spot for the 2025 and 2026 NWSL seasons, and $150,000 in intraleague transfer fees to San Diego.

Shaw, 20, is one of the brightest young American attacking talents. She signed for the Wave in the summer of 2022 as a 17-year-old and scored in her first three NWSL games. Shaw shone as she helped San Diego make the playoffs as an expansion team that year, then win the NWSL Shield and be named to the NWSL Best XI in 2023.

She has eight career goals in 26 appearances for the senior USWNT and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player in the Americans’ first-place finish at the Women’s Gold Cup in 2024. However, Shaw admitted she struggled to meet high expectations since joining the Courage. The Frisco, Texas-native started 10 NWSL games this season, recording three goals and one assist for the 11th-place Courage.

It isn’t immediately clear where Shaw fits into a stacked Gotham roster that boasts Esther Gonzales, Geyse, Ella Stevens, Gabi Portilho, Midge Purce, Katie Stengel, Rose Lavelle, Sarah Schupansky, and Josefine Hasbo, among others, as attacking options. Given Lavelle’s injury history, however, and the similar role she and Shaw can play, Shaw could slot in well when Lavelle is unavailable or playing restricted minutes.

Alex Morgan’s legacy can be hard to define with one sentence, as her longtime professional career included fighting for equal pay, helping to grow the National Women’s Soccer League, the sport itself, and the wider world of women’s sports.

But one part of her legacy that doesn’t get as much mention is Morgan’s fight to return to playing after giving birth to her firstborn daughter, Charlie, back in 2020. While she benefited from earlier generations of U.S. women’s national team players who paved the way in continuing to play after motherhood, Morgan herself helped secure stronger protections and standards for mothers in the sport.

“One really special moment is when we had five moms on the team at once between myself, Casey [Krueger], Julie [Ertz], Crystal [Dunn] and AD [Franch],” Morgan recalled during her retirement press conference last fall. “That was a really special moment to be able to enjoy with some of my teammates knowing how far we’ve come and the support that we now get as moms and still as professional athletes.” 

While there’s a growing acceptance for mothers returning to elite levels of sport, it wasn’t always that way. And Morgan was very much part of the generation that proved that it was possible to do both, particularly within the NWSL, and changed the way those things look for players as they return. 

Angel City has paid a hefty sum three times over in order to get and keep Alyssa Thompson within their ranks.

First, there was the tangled web of rule-shaping to ensure that Thompson would be available to be drafted, having just turned 18 in late 2022, and with no under-18 signing mechanism formally in place yet in the National Women’s Soccer League. The club gave up three college draft picks, including the No. 5 overall pick in 2023 (not to mention passing Yazmeen Ryan through to Gotham), to acquire the No. 1 overall pick and thus keep the Southern California prospect in her own backyard.

The contract Thompson then signed likely wasn’t cheap, either. As a blue-chip teenage prospect who was the top pick of the 2023 NWSL draft and seemed to become draft-eligible that year to be signed only by Angel City, Thompson held all the leverage. A three-year deal for a player already with two caps for the U.S. women’s national team was sure to tie up a great deal of the club’s payroll.

“The termination stemmed from a combination of compounding performance issues, culture issues, and a perceived lack of fit, that created an environment that club leadership felt was untenable to the point that change was necessary at the head coaching position,” a team spokesperson said.

It was then opened up to questions with an acknowledgement that there would be some about the coaching change. The tone marked a stark contrast to the previous day when sporting director Dr. Ceri Bowley stonewalled every effort to suss out even the most minor detail about why Nahas was fired.

“Definitely a tough week for the team,” Courage captain Denise O’Sullivan said. “We all found out Wednesday. We all got phone calls, and that’s how we found out. There (were) obviously some different reactions.”

On Thursday, Bowley refused to address when or how the players found out about the change.

O’Sullivan went on to thank Nahas, whose tenure at the club predated her arrival in 2017. She added that her relationship with Nahas has always been strong.

The Courage lost 2-1 to the Dash on Friday in Nathan Thackaray’s first match as acting head coach. Thackaray led the team for three weeks before the summer break when Nahas was away from the team for medical reasons. That absence was not related to his termination as head coach.

Coach firings generally require little context. Any professional coach will tell you that getting axed is practically part of the job description. So it was not the change in on-field leadership that got the Courage tripped up, but the way it was presented on Wednesday and defended on Thursday that has raised alarm bells.

When a team releases a statement like this…