“It’s really difficult I think for females in this space to get an interview, get a job, and stay in a job. I’d like there to be more female head coaches.” - USWNT boss Emma Hayes

WNBA drops 2026 All-Rookie Team

The Class of 2026 made its mark, as Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles (Minnesota) and No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd (Dallas) headlined this year’s WNBA All-Rookie team, joined by Flau’jae Johnson (Seattle), Kiki Rice (Toronto), Sydney Taylor (Chicago), and Pauline Astier (New York).

• Miles dropped a rookie-record 790 points while averaging 19.8 points and six assists, while Fudd led all rookies in steals and made threes before a knee injury cut her season short.

• Johnson became the first-ever rookie to post 600 points, 200 rebounds, 100 assists, 50 steals, and 28 blocks, before Rice finished fourth among rookies in scoring for the Canadian expansion side. (See full list)

Rising stars: The lineup’s two undrafted standouts received an equal number of votes, sharing the honor to form the first six-player All-Rookie Team since 2015.

• Sky guard Taylor became the WNBA’s all-time leading undrafted rookie scorer, while Liberty guard Astier posted the highest true shooting percentage of any rookie in history with at least 200 attempts.

• “Pauline is a rookie who came in and earned her spot,” Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu said. “Sky’s the limit for her, it was really fun for us to watch her growth over the year.” (See full report)

US Soccer launches the Crest Cup

A new soccer tournament is on deck, as US Soccer announced the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup, a national club competition pitting pro US leagues against each other in pursuit of a single champion.

• The single-elimination event promises a record $1.1 million grand prize and serve as a pathway to qualification for the Concacaf W Champions Cup.

• Comparable to the men’s US Open Cup or England’s FA Cup, the tournament aims to unite professional, amateur, and other domestic leagues that have historically had little exposure to each other. (See full release)

Stay tuned: The federation said it will set a date for the tournament — named after the owner of incoming NWSL expansion team Atlanta FC — in the coming months.

• “We’re working very closely with both the NWSL and the Gainbridge Super League to figure out what is the optimal time to do this,” said US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “We want to make sure that we’re not overloading the players and allowing enough recovery between their league matches and the Crest Cup matches.” (See full remarks)

16 teams advance in UEFA’s World Cup qualifiers

The European field is narrowing, as 16 teams advanced through the first round of UEFA’s 2027 World Cup playoffs on Tuesday, setting up a high-stakes Round 2 with seven trips to Brazil on the line.

• Poland brought the drama, erasing a 1-0 deficit to Belgium in extra time off an Ewa Pajor equalizer before winning 4-3 on penalties.

• Back-to-back Euros champion England cruised past Greece 8-1 on aggregate, while the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Wales rounded out the list. (See full results)

How it works: League A winners Denmark, France, Germany, and reigning winner Spain have already qualified, leaving 16 teams to battle through two rounds of home-and-away playoffs.

• This week’s victors now move to late November’s Round 2, with the seven top teams qualifying for Brazil while the eighth drops to February's inter-confederation playoffs. (See full format)

Your daily home for women’s sports is here, as the all-new JWS App debuts this week — delivering everything you need to be a women’s sports fan, all in one place.

• Stay on top of who’s playing, follow all the scores, and catch the latest news while keeping up with all your favorite JWS content.

Check it out: Download the JWS App today.

WNBA’s 30th season shatters records

The WNBA is wrapping its biggest year yet, as the league announced record viewership and attendance throughout its milestone 30th regular season.

• More than 90 million viewers tuned in across national networks, with 51 telecasts averaging at least 1 million viewers — up from 19 in 2025 — including the most-watched first-round playoffs in history.

• Attendance hit a record 3.8 million fans at an average of 11,474 per game, up 21% over the prior high, with 212 sellouts led by Toronto’s single-game mark of 20,996 in Montréal. (See full report)

Taking stock: The on-court record book also took a beating, as Atlanta’s Angel Reese set season highs in double-doubles (32) and rebounds (521), while Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell set the single-season scoring record with 1,086 points.

AUSL players form league’s 1st union

Pro softball is organizing, as the newly formed AUSL Players Association announced it’s seeking voluntary league recognition and a CBA before next season.

• A supermajority of players signed on to the union, which called the move “a landmark next step in the growth of our sport” while pushing for a “fully professional system” built on negotiation.

• AUSL players currently earn an average of $35,000 per season, with the chance to make up to $80,000, per the league’s website. (See full report)

Big picture: The push follows a breakout year for the MLB-backed league, which saw viewership rise 181% while logging 25 sellouts across its six-team, 25-game regular season.

Number of the day

$201

The get-in price to see Atlanta host Golden State in Game 3 is $201, making it the most expensive WNBA finals matchup on record.