Valkyries lift the WNBA Finals trophy after Game 7 thriller

“We’re really proud of them overall, for a great tournament and how they showcased themselves.” - U-17 USWNT coach Ciara Crinion after Sunday’s 3-0 World Cup loss to North Korea.

Golden State wins 1st WNBA title

Golden State keeps making history, as the 2025 expansion team downed Atlanta 68-63 in Saturday’s winner-take-all Game 7 to lift a franchise-first WNBA trophy.

• Valkyries guard Gabby Williams took over in another defensive battle, scoring a game-high 30 points on her way to winning Finals MVP.

• “The team already had a culture and relationships established, but I walked into a group full of love,” Williams said of her squad. “That changed the entire trajectory of my career.” (Watch full highlights)

Post mortem: The Dream will likely be searching for answers, coming up just short of its own first championship after a fourth trip to the Finals.

• All five of Atlanta’s starters are set to return next season, as the team continue to build under second-year coach Karl Smesko.

• “This is the most fun I’ve had with a group. It’s the most competitive team I’ve been part of,” said forward Angel Reese. “Just because we didn’t win today doesn’t mean that we won’t be champions in the future.” (See full remarks)

Gotham lifts NWSL Shield in Decision Day shutout

The NWSL playoff picture is complete, as Sunday’s high-octane Decision Day slate crowned a Shield winner and set the 2026 postseason bracket.

• No. 1 Gotham clinched its first NWSL Shield with a 2-0 win over No. 7 Utah, holding off No. 2 San Diego despite its own 1-0 victory over No. 14 Bay FC.

• “It has taken every single person on our roster to get to this point,” said Bats defender Tierna Davidson. “We’re not done yet, but we’re very proud.” (Watch full highlights)

Around the horn: No. 8 Seattle punched the last playoff ticket with a 1-0 win over No. 11 Orlando, clinching the postseason in legend Jess Fishlock’s home farewell.

• No. 9 North Carolina’s 1-0 win over No. 10 Denver secured Ashley Sanchez’s 2026 Golden Boot — but it wasn’t enough break into the playoffs.

• “Every start has an end, and with that end you have a new beginning,” said Courage manager Mak Lind. “I’m excited to keep this journey moving forward.” (See full bracket)

USC headlines 2026/27 NCAA season tipoff

College basketball is back, as the 2026/27 NCAA season tips off this week with several revamped contenders ready to start down the road to the 2027 Final Four.

• Projected No. 1 WNBA draft pick JuJu Watkins makes her long-awaited return for No. 3 USC, leading a highly touted recruiting class as the Trojans look to rejoin college basketball’s elite.

• “The second she stepped back on the floor, our competitive nature raised,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb told JWS. “That’s the impact she has on people: the competitiveness and the leadership.” (See full rankings)

Stacked lineup: USC isn’t the only team shooting for the top, as fully refreshed No. 11 UCLA eyes a second title after losing five NCAA champions to the WNBA.

• No. 1 South Carolina looks to bounce back from last season’s second-place finish, while No. 2 UConn rebuilds around All-American Sarah Strong.

• No. 4 Duke continues to stress defense under coach Kara Lawson, while No. 5 Michigan showcases one of the best guard rotations in the game. (See full schedule)

Tune in: South Carolina opens today’s Top 25 slate against No. 20 Maryland at 12 PM ET (ESPN).

USA Hockey drops World Championship roster

USA Hockey is hitting the ice, dropping its 25-player roster ahead of Friday’s 2026 IIHF World Championship in Denmark with many familiar faces in tow.

• The lineup returns 20 players from February’s Olympic gold medal squad, with MVP Caroline Harvey and veteran Hilary Knight leading the charge.

• A few big names were left off, including newly pregnant winger Kendall Coyne Schofield and forward Britta Curl-Salemme. (See full roster)

Scouting report: The US will aim to defend its 2025 title against arch rival Canada, after the North American hockey titans split last week’s two-game friendly series 1-1.

• USA Hockey bounced back in Friday’s 4-0 win, with four different goal-scorers avenging Wednesday’s 5-3 loss.

Tune in: The IIHF World Championships kick off Friday at 9 AM ET (NHL Network).

FIFA proposes doubling Women’s World Cup purse

FIFA is doubling down, as soccer’s governing body submitted a proposal to double the Women’s World Cup prize money ahead of the 2027 tournament in Brazil.

• FIFA’s 2023 World Cup purse totaled $150 million — including $110 million in direct prize money — marking a 300% increase over 2019.

• The proposal also boosts preparation funding for all participating countries to $2.5 million, equaling the 2026 Men’s World Cup. (See full report)

Missing the mark: The payout still falls short of FIFA’s stated equity goals, after the men’s competition awarded $871 million total in 2026.

• “This is the objective we set to ourselves,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in 2023. “FIFA is stepping up, but unfortunately this is not the case for everyone across the industry.”

Quote of the day

Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase
after leading the Valkyries to a franchise-first WNBA title on Saturday.