NWSL ups the pressure | Fever eyes Clark's return | Player unions address ICE raids
NWSL teams are amping up the competition, with just two matchdays left before the break, plus Caitlin Clark shoots for a Saturday return and more news to know
Thorns on the rise
The Thorns sit in seventh place going into this weekend’s regular-season action. (Eakin Howard/NWSL via Getty Images))
The clock is ticking in the NWSL, with just two regular-season matchdays remaining before the league hits pause to make way for the summer’s major international tournaments.
Only five points stand between No. 2 and No. 6 in the NWSL standings, with a slim goal differential determining which club sits above the playoff line.
Bolsted by news of midfielder Sam Coffey’s contract extension, No. 7 Portland is starting to turn heads, steadily climbing the table despite star striker Sophia Wilson sitting out the season due to pregnancy.
What to watch: Plenty of heat awaits this weekend, with middle-of-the-pack teams looking to make their mark as the season approaches its midway point.
No. 8 Bay FC vs. No. 2 Orlando, Friday at 10 PM ET (Prime): Bay FC has once again pushed into playoff contention, with the 2024 expansion team aiming to humble the reigning champion Pride in front of a home crowd.
No. 1 Kansas City vs. No. 6 Louisville, Saturday at 7:30 PM (ION): Louisville is still hunting their first-ever postseason berth, as the Southern side looks to prove themselves against a surging No. 1 Kansas City.
No. 7 Portland vs. No. 3 Washington, Sunday at 4 PM ET (CBS): The league’s seventh-place team squares off against the 2024 championship runners-up, with the rising Thorns looking to steal a point (or three) off a Spirit team mired in injury and personnel shifts.
Bottom line: While one result could change the game, clubs are on borrowed time with a lengthy break looming over the next two match weekends.
Fever keep up the fight
Indiana guard Caitlin Clark could return to the court as soon as Saturday. (Daniel Bartel/Getty Image)
After making progress at practice this week, injured Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark could potentially return to the court this Saturday against the undefeated New York Liberty — providing a much-needed burst of energy to a skidding Fever side.
Struggling to get results without their central playmaker, the seventh-place Fever has fallen to 4-5 on the season after Tuesday’s steep 77-58 loss to the Dream.
What to watch: Indiana could seriously flip the script with the opportunity for a high-profile win on Saturday, as they go up against the best of the best.
New York vs. Indiana, Saturday at 3 PM ET (ABC): The unbeaten reigning champions take on an early postseason favorite, with Caitlin Clark’s availability the key to Indiana/s chances.
Seattle vs. Golden State, Saturday at 8:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Both Seattle and Golden State enter the weekend on multi-game winning streaks, with each team looking to separate themselves from the pack as the Western Conference Commissioner’s Cup race narrows.
Phoenix vs. Las Vegas, Sunday at 6 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The third-place Mercury will meet their match in an Aces squad struggling to keep up with league’s contenders — though anything’s possible when reigning MVP A’ja Wilson takes the floor.
Bottom line: Injury returns could define the next few weeks of WNBA play, with no team happier to see their roster whole again than the currently Clark-less Fever.
Player unions address ICE raids in LA
The NWSLPA and the WNBPA put out a joint statement addressing this week’s ICE raids in Los Angeles. (Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
The NWSL and WNBA Players Associations teamed up on Thursday to release a joint statement in solidarity with “all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity” after the recent ICE raids and ensuing political unrest in Los Angeles.
The move comes days after Angel City published their own social media post linking to community resources and noting “We know that our city is stronger because of its diversity and the people and families who shape it, love it, and call it home.”
In their words: “Across the country, families are facing fear, hardship, and uncertainty tied to immigration,” wrote the NWSLPA and WNBPA.
“Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” it continued. “We know not every situation is simple. But offering compassion should never be up for debate.”
ON GROUND AT WITH PRIME VIDEO |  |
Prime was on the ground in San Diego, teaming up with JWS to put NWSL fans to the test and hand out some exciting prizes as the Wave took on the Seattle Reign.
NWSL personality Duda Pavão was on ground to hype up the Wave faithful and quiz them on their soccer knowledge, while also handing out merch and — for one lucky winner — a pair of upgraded seats.
Headed to a Friday night NWSL match on Prime? Keep an eye out for the JWS crew for your chance to show off your team knowledge and win big.
Tune in: Catch all the On Ground At action on JWS YouTube.
Shopping. Streaming. Live Sports. It’s on Prime.
NWSL Championship goes back to Cali
San Jose’s PayPal Park will host the 2025 NWSL championship this November. (Eakin Howard/NWSL via Getty Images)
The NWSL Championship is headed back West, with the league announcing this morning that Bay FC’s PayPal Park in San Jose, California will host the 2025 title match.
The game will take place on November 22nd, and will include a variety of supporting events like NWSL Fan Fest and the Skills Challenge competition.
“We’re thrilled to bring the NWSL Championship back to the West Coast and to a region with as rich a history in women’s soccer as the Bay Area,” said NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman in a statement.
Primetime return: The NWSL Championship will air in primetime for the second straight season, with CBS Networks set to broadcast the event live at 8 PM ET.
McIntosh makes a splash
Summer McIntosh recorded three world records in just five days at this year’s Canadian swimming trials. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Teen swimming phenom Summer McIntosh made a splash at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, Canada this week, breaking three world records in just five days of competition.
McIntosh broke her own 400-meter IM world record by 0.73 seconds, set a new high mark in the 200-meter IM, and shaved more than a second off her own 400-meter freestyle record.
Big picture: The 18-year-old is the first swimmer to shatter three different individual event records at one meet since Michael Phelps’s historic 2008 Olympics run.
“Going into tonight, I knew I could do something really special because this has probably been the best meet of my career,” McIntosh told reporters.
Wimbledon ups the stakes
Wimbledon competitors could win up to 7% more prize money this year. (Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Wimbledon is leveling up, as the annual London-based Grand Slam announced it’s raising its purse by 7% across the board in 2025, pushing the total prize money to £53.5 ($72.59 million) ahead of tournament’s June 30th kick-off.
Men’s and women’s singles champions are set to earn £3 million ($4.07 million) each — the most across all Grand Slams and an 11.1% increase over 2024 winner Barbora Krejčíková’s payday.
“We’re immensely proud of the fact that if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and 7% this year,” All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club chair Deborah Jevans said. “And we have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players.”
Number of the day
35
After Wednesday’s career-high performance, Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers joins Caitlin Clark as the only WNBA rookies to ever record 35+ points and 5+ three-pointers in a single game.
