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Happy Monday! We just got an email about three U.S. women’s national team icons on the National Soccer Hall of Fame eligibility list. Now, on to today:
🧤 How to own Hope Solo‘s historic gear
Up first, let’s dive into Smash Mouth’s greatest hit …
All-star games are one of the most American things we have in sports, and yet the NWSL does not have one.
According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the concept was first implemented in 1933, inspired by an editor at the Chicago Tribune lobbying for an interleague competition in his city during the World’s Fair. American League president Will Harridge approved the concept of a one-time event that would eventually evolve into what we know today as the Midsummer Classic in Major League Baseball.
Many other major leagues followed suit, creating their own version of the game and filling weekends with related events. The NHL, NBA and NFL have had various versions of their own competition for decades. The WNBA, which held its first All-Star Game in 1999, just held its 2026 edition last weekend, while MLS gets started this week with its All-Stars facing off against LigaMX All-Stars from Mexico.
Amid the pomp, circumstance and memes is an attempt to answer the question: What if our best players played on the same team?
While soccer is a global game and certainly doesn’t need more soccer games on the calendar, I felt massive FOMO this past weekend watching Azzi Fudd crush the WNBA’s 3-point contest and StudBudz shenanigans on and off the court. Fans were also graced with a signature Barbie doll for Angel Reese, former President Barack Obama and plenty of phenoms being phenomenal.
I took to Slack to see if my jealousy was justified or something to get over. I asked my fellow newsletter editors and writers for ideas from other sports:
⚾ Levi Weaver, The Windup writer: “Call me delusional, but I still like the MLB All-Star Game, and I think it’s the best one in sports. Yes, there’s a growing concern about the sport’s biggest stars not participating, but frankly … that’s not really new. Despite this year’s pitching-dominant dud, it’s still one of the best spectacles in the sport. If we can just remember that it’s an exhibition (and not to be taken too seriously), it’s still worth celebrating.”
🏒 Alex Iniguez, Red Light editor: “The NHL claims that fans love its All-Star Game. I’m not so sure. The product is bland, like most ASGs, and it has been blown out of the water by international competitions the past two seasons (Four Nations Face-Off and the Winter Olympics). So, the league is trying to infuse some international magic (and some dollars) into the upcoming season’s ASG. Will it work? Maybe marginally at best. At least the under-25 skills competition is somewhat interesting. But I’m skeptical the actual ASG is going to move the needle all that much.”
🏀 Jason Kirk, newsletter extraordinaire: “Maybe leagues should pair up across sports instead. ‘Can you imagine what it’d be like if Kevin Durant and Steph Curry were on the same team?’ Yes, yes I can easily imagine that. Instead, NBA/WNBA combined festivities would be fun if there’s somehow a spot in the calendar, but NBA and NHL would line up perfectly for god knows what.”
As much as I would LOVE to see LeBron James on skates, the idea of a mixed-gender All-Star Game kind of rules. What if 22 of the best men and women from MLS and NWSL combined to make two ultimate teams? Sure, Messi is skipping out on the MLS game (again) this week, but maybe he’d stick around for a chance to line up alongside Trinity Rodman or Temwa Chawinga. I’d watch that!
Meg will get into the history of such games in American women’s soccer and why 2028 might be the right time to get things going. But first, we want to know what you think — let us know in the comments.
There are solid arguments both for and against the functionality of all-star games, but I’d happily trade the Challenge Cup for a NWSL All-Star Game even as a one-off experiment.
It’s already too late for this season, and trying to add an All-Star Game into a World Cup year in 2027 would be an act of madness. But what about 2028?
With a new wave of fans arriving after the intercontinental tournament in Brazil, and the league’s ambitions to be the best in the world — now with a fresh dose of star power — it feels like the perfect time to try.
There have been women’s soccer all-star games in leagues past. (It wouldn’t be my corner if I didn’t drop some history.) WUSA managed two before the first pro league folded in 2004. In fact, the first one in 2002 was held a full month after the season ended. Abby Wambach, a rookie, was MVP with two goals, and it was held in Portland when Providence Park was still primarily a baseball stadium.
Eight years later, Wambach served as captain in the final women’s pro soccer ASG as part of WPS. Marta’s XI thumped Abby’s XI 5-2, and each of the superstars got to pick their teams like you would on a school playground.
All-star games are never perfect displays of the quality of a league, but a very American reflection of the joy and absurdity of professional sports. For a league that’s had the darkest of days, letting that joy shine through for a weekend would be something special.
The next set of World Cup qualifying games is here, this time in Africa. After an abrupt postponement in March, two weeks before the original start date, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations started yesterday. A continental trophy, four automatic World Cup spots and two FIFA intercontinental playoff spots are all on the line.
Morocco, hosting for the third consecutive time, won their first match 4-0 over Kenya yesterday. Elsewhere, Nigeria is looking to extend their dominance with an unprecedented eleventh title.
For those who are more familiar with NWSL, 12 players from the league are competing for various nations, including the two-time MVP Chawinga and 2024 NWSL Championship MVP Barbra Banda. They will go head-to-head when Malawi takes on Zambia on Aug. 5. There are also six players signed with the Washington Spirit taking part in the competition, including new signing Mélissa Bethi, who scored for Algeria in a 2-0 win over Senegal yesterday.
Get caught up on the basics now, because this tournament, airing on beIN Sports, is must-see TV. In the meantime, we asked Tamerra Griffin for the exclusive newsletter lowdown:
💬 “Without having watched them play yet in this campaign, 10-time WAFCON champions and current title holders Nigeria remain an unstoppable force. But there is arguably no team in this tournament under more pressure than Morocco, who are on their third hosting gig and have twice reached the finals only to lose — to South Africa in 2022 and Nigeria last year.
💬 “Algeria narrowly lost out in last year’s quarterfinals to Ghana and have returned to the continental tournament with even more panache. They displayed sharp organization in their 2-0 win over Senegal to open the tournament, and Spirit fans are surely buzzing over their latest signing in Béthi.”
Three players to look out for, and why?
💬 “Esther Okoronkwo, Nigeria: The AFC Toronto forward’s ice-veined penalty from last year’s WAFCON final is probably still burned in Morocco’s memory, and Okoronkwo is primed for a Golden Boot run with Nigeria this time around with her dynamic runs and slick finishing.
“Kautar Azraf, Morocco: The 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder started Morocco’s opening match against Kenya over veteran star Ghizlane Chebbak and provided an emphatic look at the hosts’ developmental pipeline with her performance.
“Rosemonde Kouassi, Ivory Coast: The Spirit forward has been massive for her NWSL club this season. Ivory Coast were one of the four teams to benefit from the Confederation of African Football’s decision to expand the tournament to 16 teams, but Kouassi is the kind of player to build around for a successful campaign. She assisted one of her team’s four goals in their opening win over Burkina Faso.”
Finally, give the anticipation for this tournament in your classic three words.
🎧 Get more: Spirit sporting director James Hocken joinedTamerra on last week’s “Full Time” podcast to discuss the tournament and its impact.
Going once, going twice: You could own a piece of World Cup history. Former USWNT goalkeeper Hope Solo is auctioning off several items from her illustrious career to, in part, help fund her next TST seven-a-side soccer team. Find out the full story about why the National Soccer Hall of Famer decided to part with the once-priceless memorabilia.
Saying goodbye: NWSL champion and World Cup winner Esther González is leaving Gotham. The club announced that the team and player mutually agreed to terminate the forward’s contract as she “temporarily steps away from soccer to attend to personal matters in Spain.” Wishing her and her family the best.
Esther truly changed the league with her kind heart off the field and villain persona on it. González did not feature in the team’s game on Friday against the Portland Thorns, where her fellow forward Sam Kerr got her first goal of the season.
Making moves: Barcelona lost yet another player last week when Spain forward Salma Paralluelo joined OL Lyonnes on a four-year deal. But they also may have gained former NWSL MVP Kerolin from Manchester City.
Around the world: We recently took you to Mexico, Paraguay and Colombia for our “Soccer In” series, where we go inside the women’s game in different parts of the world in the lead-up to the World Cup. This month, we headed to Canada, following the nation as it co-hosted the 2026 men’s World Cup.
📫 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.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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