NWSL consulted players with kids in developing tournament

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When the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) was plotting its course for a summertime tournament to return to action, it reached out to a select group: moms.

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There are just a handful of mothers who play in the NWSL. But with the league asking players to travel to Utah and be sequestered for more than a month, moms’ voices are important.

Take North Carolina Courage forward Jessica McDonald, whose son Jeremiah is 8. She spoke up when new league Commissioner Lisa Baird got the moms on a call to discuss the tournament.

“I’m raising my hand immediately and, I’m like, ‘Well, first and foremost, I can’t live in a hotel for a month with an 8-year-old!’ No thank you,” McDonald said, laughing. “He bounces off walls.”

The moms made sure that caretakers for their kids would be allowed to come along. McDonald, who will have a family member with her, said she was glad the league took the time to address her concerns and those of other parents.

“They answered, or if they didn’t have the answer to some of the questions, they were able to get back to us immediately. So that was kind of cool,” McDonald said. “They handled it really well and they’ve been just very helpful overall with this entire process.”

Amy Rodriguez, who plays for the Utah Royals, has two kids.

“I think that what relieves that concern is the confidence of our medical staff and the confidence I have in them, Utah, the NWSL, the players’ association, we’ve all put in a lot of effort to make a really good plan to address concerns and hopefully tackle them,” she said.

The NWSL is scheduled to be the first U.S. pro team league to return play during the coronavirus pandemic. Its month-long tournament will be held in the Salt Lake City area starting June 27 with no fans in attendance.

The league’s nine teams will play four preliminary round games, with eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The opener and the final match on July 26 are set to be aired nationally on CBS, the league’s new broadcast partner.

For the return to play the players will be sequestered in facilities used by the NWSL side Utah Royals and Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake, including a stadium and several training fields. The league’s 230 players and support staff will be housed either in dormitories or at a hotel.

A 15-physician panel helped develop a testing and safety protocol. The league consulted the NWSL players’ union, U.S. Soccer and the national team’s players association before going forward with the return to play.

And the league checked in with the moms.

“This is something that’s pretty close to my heart. When we asked the players, in particular the moms, to come for a month to Utah, I know what that’s like because I spent time away from my kids for many weeks at the Olympic Games,” said Baird, a former chief marketing officer for the U.S. Olympic Committee. “So what I can tell you right now is that we’re working to develop specific solutions for them. I’ve been on one call with the moms so far. We’re going to have more as we really develop a plan that helps them.”

McDonald and Rodriguez plan to play in the tournament. Other mothers in the NWSL include Sydney Leroux, who had her second child last June, and Chicago’s Sarah Gordon.

The union made sure the league’s players will get paid and are insured for the season – even if they choose not to play in the tournament out of health and safety concerns.

“If players feel as though they are unsafe or uncomfortable, this is not something that we are required or mandated to participate in. So for players who have concerns that aren’t being addressed or needs that are not being met, I’m happy that at this point time they can opt out,” Rodriguez said. “At the end of the day, I just want everybody safe and comfortable and happy.”

McDonald said one of Jeremiah’s first questions when she told him about the tournament was: “Did the coronavirus stop now?”

“I said no, not necessarily, but we’re going to be very careful. I had to tell about doctors being there and things like that to obviously make him feel more comfortable,” McDonald said. “But he’s overall very excited.”

When is the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place? When are the USWNT playing?

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This summer, Australia and New Zealand will host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Women’s World Cup takes place every four years and the United States is the two-time defending champions, having won the tournament in both 2015 and 2019.

When is the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup?

This year’s tournament will span one month, with the first matches being played on Thursday, July 20. The final will be held on Sunday, August 20 and will played at Stadium Australia in Sydney, which has a capacity of 83,500 and hosted both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2000 Olympic Games.

RELATED: When and where is the 2026 World Cup?

When does the United States play?

The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) has a chance to become the first team to win three consecutive Women’s World Cups. This year, the USWNT has been drawn into Group E alongside the Netherlands, Portugal and Vietnam. The United States’ schedule for the group stage is below:

  • Friday, July 21 (9:00pm ET): USA vs. Vietnam
  • Wednesday, July 26 (9:00pm ET): USA vs. Netherlands
  • Tuesday, August 1 (3:00am ET): USA vs. Portugal

2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup schedule, start time, dates, how to watch live

  • When: July 20 to August 20
  • Location: Australia and New Zealand
  • TV channels en Español: Telemundo, Universo, Peacock
  • Streaming en Español: Peacock

Follow along with ProSoccerTalk for the latest news, scores, storylines, and updates surrounding the 2023 World Cup, and be sure to subscribe to NBC Sports on YouTube!

USWNT release 2023 World Cup jerseys

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The USWNT 2023 World Cup jerseys have arrived and the Stars and Stripes will certainly stand out from the crowd at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

[ MORE: Schedule, how to watch, bracket for 2023 World Cup ]

Vlatko Andonovski’s side are going for a third-straight World Cup title, something which has never been achieved in the history of the men’s and women’s game.

Led by Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn, this USWNT side have so much experience but there are also exciting young talents coming through with Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman excelling in recent months.

Below is a closer look at the the new USWNT 2023 World Cup jerseys, with the away kit also to be worn by the USMNT.


USWNT 2023 World Cup jerseys

U.S. Soccer say that the inspiration for the jerseys are “from abstract expressionism, an international art movement that started in the 1940s in New York and shifted the art epicenter from Europe to the U.S., similar to what the USA team has done for women’s soccer.”

They add there is “a custom USA ‘signature'” as the “bespoke mark is hand painted with ink on paper, and is a nod to the abstract expressionism movement, where each artist would sign their painting. Lastly, the USA’s inner pride mark celebrates the USWNT’s four Women’s World Cup championships in 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019.”

When it comes to the home kit, U.S. Soccer say it is “an unexpected take on the tradition of wearing white at home and features a bespoke drip paint technique pattern. Highlighting the energy of the USWNT and how they are diverse players and personalities, but always united, the action painting method pattern features a distinctive placement, making every single jersey unique.”

USWNT
Courtesy: US Soccer

For the blue away kit, which will be worn by both the USWNT and USMNT, there are “bespoke stars and stripe print on the sleeve cuffs – a diagonal stripe with intersecting stars – and a neckline that also features red blades, formed to look like the tip of stars.”

They add that those shapes are “subtle, patriotic nods to the hidden shapes that are inspired by abstract expressionism art.”

USWNT
Courtesy: US Soccer

Here is a look at both USWNT World Cup jerseys in a little more detail, plus the USMNT showing off their new away kits.


Women’s World Cup: USWNT results at each tournament

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This summer, Australia and New Zealand will serve as joint-hosts of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This is the ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup, which takes place every four years.

How many Women’s World Cups has the United States won?

The United States Women’s National Team is the two-time defending World Cup champions and is the most successful team in the history of the tournament. Overall, the USWNT has won four of the first eight Women’s World Cups, while they have never finished worse than third place.

MORE: Articles and videos from On Her Turf

When has the United States won the Women’s World Cup?

The USWNT has won four World Cups: 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019. They won the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991, beating Norway in the final behind two goals from Michelle Akers. The USWNT won as the host nation in 1999, beating China on penalty kicks in the final at the Rose Bowl, with Brandi Chastain scoring the game-winning penalty.

READ: Indonesia stripped of hosting U-20 World Cup

The United States enters this summer’s tournament as the two-time defending champions as they look to become the first team, male or female, to win three straight World Cups. The U.S. defeated Japan in the 2015 final, winning 5-2 behind a hat trick from Carli Lloyd in the game’s opening 16 minutes. In 2019, the U.S. won 2-0 against the Netherlands in the final behind goals from Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle.

United States Women’s National Team: World Cup Results

1991: Champions (won vs. Norway in final)

1995: Third place (lost vs. Norway in semifinals)

1999: Champions (won vs. China in final)

2003: Third place (lost vs. Germany in semifinals)

2007: Third Place (lost vs. Brazil in semifinals)

2011: Runners-up (lost vs. Japan in final)

2015: Champions (won vs. Japan in final)

2019: Champions (won vs. Netherlands in final)

2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup schedule, start time, dates, how to watch live

  • When: July 20 to August 20
  • Location: Australia and New Zealand
  • TV channels en Español: Telemundo, Universo, Peacock
  • Streaming en Español: Peacock (all 64 matches)

Follow along with ProSoccerTalk for the latest news, scores, storylines, and updates surrounding the 2023 World Cup, and be sure to subscribe to NBC Sports on YouTube!

Manchester City vs Inter Milan: How to watch Champions League Final, odds, predictions

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Manchester City is on the chase for a historic treble and standing in the way is Inter Milan, one of Europe’s precious few clubs to claim such an honor.

[ LIVE: Manchester City vs Inter Milan ]

The Premier League winners three times running have an FA Cup under their belt after beating Manchester United on June 3 and the final jewel in their treble crown awaits with a win in Istanbul on June 10.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]

Pep Guardiola could lead a second club to a treble after he did it with Barcelona in 2008-09, and they would give heated rivals United domestic company on the treble stage right down the road.

Guardiola says it’s now okay to talk about the treble. We agree, and we’ve laid out why the achievement is so special after the jump.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Manchester City vs Inter Milan.


How to watch Manchester City vs Inter Milan live, stream link and start time

Dates: 3pm ET June 10, 2023
Online: Live updates via NBCSports.com
How to watch: TUDN, Paramount+


What Premier League clubs have won the treble?

Manchester United won the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in 1998-99.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils are the lone Premier League club to win it.

That’s it. For now.


How many times has the treble been won?

Nine times in history has a team won its domestic league, top domestic cup, and the European Cup.

Bayern Munich and Barcelona have each done it twice, with Bayern doing it in 2012-13 and 2019-20 and Barca pulling it off in 2008-09 and 2014-15.

Celtic was the first to win a treble, doing it in 1966-67, while Ajax was the next in 1971-72.

PSV Eindhoven then won it in 1987-88 before Man United made it happen 11 years later. Inter Milan is the only Italian team to pull it off, winning in 2009-10.

(UEFA.com)


Champions League Final odds (Betting odds provided by our partner, BetMGM )

BetMGM is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on BetMGM for the first time after clicking our links. 

Man City (-250) vs Inter Milan (+625) | Draw over 120 mins (+380)

Over 2.5 goals (-160). Under 2.5 goals (+110)


Champions League Final predictions

Joe Prince-Wright: Man City 2-1 Inter Milan
Andy Edwards: Man City 3-1 Inter Milan
Nick Mendola: Man City 2-0 Inter Milan


Manchester City team news, injuries, lineup options

QUESTIONABLE: None

Inter Milan team news, injuries, lineup options

QUESTIONABLE: Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Joaquin Correa. OUT: Dalbert.