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Watch out for robots on the pitch today. Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei, Asli Pelit and Tamerra Griffin — welcome to Full Time!
Welcome to Euro 2025
Everything to know about the Euros
It’s time for another summer of soccer! (We need to find a different way to describe this. Camp Soccer, Summer Soccerfest, Socapalooza?)
Even if the NWSL is on a break (play resumes Aug. 1), there are plenty of matches to watch between the Women’s European Championship, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina. Most NWSL teams also have friendlies and mini-tournaments lined up.
Things kick off Wednesday with the Euros, so let’s start there.
Reigning champions England are hoping to successfully defend their title, and Spain are attempting to complete a treble of major tournament wins — and will be relieved to have star midfielder Aitana Bonmati back after she was hospitalized with meningitis. Keep an eye on Meg and Tamerra’s picks to win it all: Germany and France. Watch more here.
Switzerland are hosting the tournament that runs from July 2 until July 27 and have a good chance to get out of their group. Want to …
We have team guides for all 16 competing nations, which you can find here — and be sure to hit “follow” on that page to stay updated throughout the tournament.
How to watch: You’ll hear familiar voices calling and commentating on the matches via Fox, which will air 19 games on its main channel, 11 on FS1 and one on FS2. (You can stream the tournament on Fubo — try it for free.)
There will be two matches daily at 12 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET through July 9, then two matches happening simultaneously at 3 p.m. ET to round out the group stage by July 13. Full schedule here.
Summer Camp
USWNT youth looks strong vs. Ireland
If the U.S. women’s national team’s last two matches — both against the Republic of Ireland, both 4-0 victories — have taught us anything, it’s that the present and future of this squad will be powered by the youth. In keeping with her development manifesto, coach Emma Hayes brought six more uncapped players to this camp, four of whom earned their first call-ups.
Three of those first-timers (defenders Jordyn Bugg and Lilly Reale, and midfielder Sam Meza) last trained with the under-23s and competed in a pair of bangers against Germany a month ago. Those performances, in addition to their strong club contributions, earned them invitations to the senior side — and their experience with U-23s primed them to thrive in their USWNT debuts.
Bugg was the epitome of composure in both games, and Meza controlled the tempo of the U.S. midfield with supreme maturity. Reale played the full 90 in the first match, her senior debut, and assisted Alyssa Thompson’s 63rd-minute goal.
Next up: The U.S. concludes its three-match FIFA window with a clash against Canada on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., at Audi Field (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, TruTV and Universo). The continental rivals’ last two meetings in 2024 were decided by penalty kicks, with the U.S. triumphant each time. This will be a huge test for the team’s rotating roster.
Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA Today Network via Imagn Images
Meg’s Corner: Biyendolo gets well-deserved recognition
Youth generally stole the show at the USWNT’s pair of friendlies against Ireland, but in addition to Rose Lavelle’s strong return to the team with a goal and assist in the first match, Lynn Biyendolo got her moment in the sun in the second — serving as the team’s captain for the first time and adding a goal with the armband on.
With so much focus on the missing Triple Espresso and the rise of talent like Thompson, the 32-year-old Biyendolo has been a steady presence for the USWNT and a crucial leadership voice in this camp. Since Hayes arrived last year, she has had nothing but praise for Biyendolo. Originally named as an alternate for the second time for the 2024 Olympics, Biyendolo got promoted to the 18 following an injury to Cat Macario.
“A player who epitomizes everything you want in a squad, someone who cares, someone who trains with great intensity, someone who’s intentional,” Hayes said in Marseille last year.
Biyendolo finally getting the captain’s armband, then going on to score, was a truly lovely full-circle moment. After the match, Biyendolo recounted her first pregame speech as captain to the TNT desk: “Everybody’s meant to be here. If you were not meant to be here, you wouldn’t be here.”
She ended it on a note that drew from her own experience. “Take a deep breath and let’s just play, and play with joy.”
Need to Know
WAFCON, Copa up soon
The next several weeks will be filled with some of the biggest international competitions outside of North America. Beyond the Euros, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations begins this weekend, followed by Copa America Femenina next week.
WAFCON
The 2023 World Cup served as a gentle yet urgent reminder that women’s football in Africa continues to rise, and this summer’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will showcase the best of what the continent has to offer starting Saturday.
Hosts Morocco fell short of a title in the last tournament, which they also hosted, but will need to get through the likes of Nigeria and Zambia, whose rosters shimmer with international stars and homegrown talent champing at the bit for their breakout moments.
The Super Falcons of Nigeria are bolstered by Europe-based players — including Christy Ucheibe of Benfica and Rasheedat Ajibade of Atlético Madrid — while the Copper Queens of Zambia will be led by NWSL standouts Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, not to mention Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya, who are also gaining footholds in the league.
Copa America Femenina
The South American competition begins July 12 in Ecuador, with some of the region’s brightest stars vying to dethrone eight-time champions Brazil. While Brazil remains a heavy favorite, the slow but growing investment in professional women’s soccer across the continent has the potential to shake things up.
Argentina is only the second team besides Brazil to have won the competition. While La Albiceleste could be the tournament’s dark horse, the Colombian national team is a top contender to earn its first Copa America crown after finishing second in 2022. Las Cafeteras are headlined by promising rising stars in Real Madrid’s Linda Caicedo and Chelsea’s Mayra Ramirez.
With Marta coming out of international retirement at 39 to join Brazil for Copa America, the competition is must-watch television. How often are we given a second chance to watch a women’s soccer icon on the world stage? (Crossing our fingers for World Cup 2027, too.)
Catching up with Ali Krieger
Two years after retiring as an NWSL champion with Gotham FC, Ali Krieger isn’t exactly slowing down. She’s still lacing up for special occasions, but Krieger’s focus has shifted from playing to building: The 40-year-old is investing in women’s sports with the same intensity she once brought to the pitch, as Krieger shared with Asli over the weekend. From their conversation:
You’re already investing in LOVB, the volleyball league. Are there any other women’s sports you’re interested in getting into?
💬 Absolutely. I would love to get into women’s hockey, ice hockey, as well, basketball, of course, and then broaden my journey within the NWSL. I want to be an owner and investor fully into an organization so that I can have more of an impact on the day-to-day side of things. I think there’s a lot on the table in the future, and I’m hopeful that women’s sports will continue to grow and that I can kind of pick out little pieces here and there along the way that can benefit not only the women, you know, playing, but just the fan experience as well.
Full Time First Looks
Kang’s new role: Michele Kang was just named the president of Olympique Lyonnais … men’s team? It’s unclear how, if at all, this will affect OL Lyonnes as the two teams were split up, but if you need to understand it from the men’s side, we’ve got a long read on John Textor.
Gotham in NYC: The NWSL break is firmly on, but teams are working to give us something to look forward to this summer. Gotham FC will head to Manhattan at Icahn Stadium to kick off their Concacaf W Champions Cup action against CF Monterrey Femenil. Sure, it’s a smaller stadium, but it’s a rare treat to see Gotham in NYC proper.
Women’s sports 📈: And while it’s not soccer, we’ve got to shout out the three new expansion teams coming to the the WNBA in Cleveland, Detroit and Philly. Expansion fees? $250 million. It will bring the league to a record 18 teams by 2030. Keep an eye on what this could mean for expansion in the NWSL in the long term.
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(Photo: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
