After disappointing 2023, defending Olympic champion Canada has steadied heading into Paris Games

Even coach Bev Priestman acknowledges the Canadian national team lost its way last year. Two years after winning Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games, the Canadians were humbled by a poor performance at last summer's Women's World Cup. Canada failed to advance out of the group stage for...

Paris Olympics: What to know and who to watch during the women's soccer competition

A roadmap to follow for the women's soccer competition during the Paris Olympics: Athletes to Watch —Sophia Smith, United States: The former U.S. Soccer Player of the Year and NWSL MVP is heading into the Olympics in peak form. The 23-year-old forward had a...

Teenager Lily Yohannes scores to help the US down South Korea 3-0 as the Olympics loom

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Sixteen-year-old Lily Yohannes scored in her national team debut and the United States defeated South Korea 3-0 in an exhibition on Tuesday night. Crystal Dunn and Sophia Smith also scored for the U.S., playing its second game under coach Emma Hayes. ...

FIFA adopts new protocols to support players during pregnancy, following the birth of their children

Soccer's international governing body is implementing new measures designed to further support the well-being of players and coaches during pregnancy and after the birth of their children. The FIFA protocols give both players and coaches a minimum of 14 weeks of paid maternity...

Young women in Rio favela hope to overcome poverty and violence to play in Women's World Cup in 2027

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A 20-minute drive separates the historic Maracana Stadium from the Complexo do Alemao, the biggest complex of favelas in Rio de Janeiro and one of the most impoverished and violent. One of its residents, 15-year-old soccer player Kaylane Alves dos Santos,...

Brazil picked by FIFA to get soccer's 2027 Women's World Cup, a first for South America

BANGKOK (AP) — Brazil will host the 2027 Women’s World Cup after a vote of FIFA’s full membership chose the South American bid over a joint proposal from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. The FIFA Congress on Friday voted 119-78 for Brazil in the reduced field of two candidates...

Brazil is chosen to host soccer's 2027 Women's World Cup following a vote by FIFA's 211 members

FIFA members to vote on the host of the 2027 Women's World Cup

The FIFA Congress will pick from a winnowed field of two candidates to host the 2027 Women's World Cup at its meeting in Bangkok this week. A joint bid by the United States and Mexico was pulled late last month, and South Africa withdrew its candidacy in November. That left only two...

FIFA sets date for first Women's Club World Cup. Tournament due to launch in January 2026

BANGKOK (AP) — FIFA finally set a date Wednesday to play the first Women’s Club World Cup tournament in January and February 2026. The first edition should involve 16 teams though FIFA’s ruling council did not specify how they would qualify or where they could play. ...

FIFA meets with women's soccer decisions, anti-racism pledge and retreat from key reforms on agenda

FIFA’s gravest crisis erupted with police raids at its annual meeting in 2015 and nine years later international soccer’s 211 member federations gather this week in Thailand with some of the resulting anti-corruption reforms now in retreat. During three days of meetings starting...