Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz each will suit up for the U.S. women’s national team one last time.

On Tuesday, the USWNT revealed the 27-player roster for its September friendlies against South Africa. Ertz and Rapinoe both feature on the list, and each will receive her own final hurrah — Ertz in the first match in Cincinnati on Sept. 21, Rapinoe in the second match in Chicago on Sept. 24.

Ertz announced her retirement from professional soccer at the end of August, but she is returning to play in one more match for the USWNT before she hangs up her cleats. It will mark Ertz’s 123rd appearance for the national team.

“I expected to just walk away after retirement, but to have the opportunity to say goodbye to my teammates and the fans one last time is something special that many players dream of,” Ertz said in a news release.

Rapinoe announced her impending retirement ahead of the World Cup. While her final USWNT appearance will come at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the OL Reign forward will retire at the end of the 2023 NWSL season.

The USWNT’s September roster mirrors the 2023 World Cup roster, minus Sophia Smith and Kristie Mewis. Smith, the USWNT’s lone 2023 Ballon d’Or nominee, went down with an MCL sprain in late August during an NWSL match. Mewis also is recovering from an injury.

Mia Fishel, who is on the hunt for her first cap with the senior national team, joins the roster after signing with Chelsea this summer. And Jaedyn Shaw, the San Diego Wave’s 18-year-old phenom, received her first nod for the senior national team.

Chicago Red Stars defenders Tierna Davidson and Casey Krueger, Portland Thorns midfielder Sam Coffey and Washington Spirit forward Ashley Hatch return to the roster after missing out on the World Cup.

So far in 2023, the USWNT has a record of 9-0-3 (W-L-D), including the disappointing World Cup run. While the Round of 16 shootout loss to Sweden officially counts as a draw, it stands as the worst World Cup showing in program history and led to head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s resignation. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore will lead the team against South Africa.

USWNT schedule: September 2023

• Thursday, Sept. 21 — 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Universo, Peacock)
  • United States vs. South Africa (TQL Stadium, Cincinnati)
• Sunday, Sept. 24 — 5:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Universo, Peacock)
  • United States vs. South Africa (Soldier Field, Chicago)

USWNT roster: September 2023

Goalkeepers (3)

• Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit)
• Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)
• Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

Defenders (9)

• Alana Cook (OL Reign)
• Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars)
• Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC)
• Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage)
• Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC)
• Sofia Huerta (OL Reign)
• Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars)
• Kelley O’Hara (Gotham FC)
• Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)

Midfielders (7)

• Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns)
• Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC)
• Julie Ertz (Angel City FC)
• Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyonnais)
• Rose Lavelle (OL Reign)
• Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit)
• Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

Forwards (8)

• Mia Fishel (Chelsea)
• Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit)
• Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC)
• Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
• Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
• Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC)
• Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC)
• Lynn Williams (Gotham FC)

Incoming NWSL expansion team Denver announced more infrastructure news on Thursday, naming the squad's first-ever employee in decorated sports executive Jen Millet, who will serve as club president.

"Jen stood out amongst an extensive list of qualified candidates," said controlling owner Rob Cohen in a club statement. "Jen’s understanding of soccer, building world-class brands, ability to engage the community, and passion for creating a culture of excellence made her the ideal fit to run our club."

Previously, Millet served as the chief operating officer for 2024 expansion team Bay FC, a club she led to the league's top in merchandise sales and top-three in ticketing revenue in the franchise's inaugural season.

The Denver post, in which Millet will lead all of the club's business operations, will return Millet to her hometown as she takes on another NWSL launch.

"People might say I'm crazy to do back-to-back builds," Millet told The Athletic. "But I actually love this kind of work, and so I'm excited to get going."

With a new dedicated stadium and training facility in the works, plus record season ticket sales and, now, NWSL-savvy leadership, Denver looks prepared to hit the ground running as the league's 16th team in 2026.

The 2025 PWHL Takeover Tour was a smash hit, with the second-year league’s nine-game out-of-market series drawing record-breaking crowds across North America.

Built as both a marketing push and a way to size up cities for future expansion, the Takeover Tour has given hockey fans access to the PWHL from Seattle to Québec City.

"The PWHL Takeover Tour has been one of the most rewarding initiatives since our inception — for our fans, our athletes, and our staff," said PWHL EVP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford.

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Record-setting crowds packed PWHL Tour stops

According to a Friday press release, a total of 123,601 fans visited the Tour, setting a new US attendance record for professional women’s hockey with 14,018 cheering in Denver on January 12th — a mark that fell just over two months later when 14,288 fans filled Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on March 16th.

More than half the games rank in the PWHL’s Top-10 most attended matchups, with the Takeover Tour's January 8th Vancouver stop registering fourth on the list with its 19,038-strong sellout crowd.

Even more, the league estimates that 80% of the Tour's attendees witnessed their first-ever PWHL game, making the series a rousing success in expanding the league's reach and growing the game beyond its six home markets.

"Across the nine stops, we connected with new fans, grew the game, and gave audiences the opportunity to experience the unparalleled excitement of a PWHL game live," said PWHL EVP of business operations Amy Scheer.

"This Tour created core memories for our fans and players and its success is a true testament to the passion and support we’re seeing across North America."

Already looking deep into the future, the Tour also gave 945 hockey-playing girls access to clinics and meetings with PWHL stars — a move that Hefford hopes inspires the young athletes to aim for pro careers of their own, now that the league has paved the path into "an achievable goal."

Projected 2025 WNBA Draft overall No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers announced her first pro deal on Friday, signing with new league partner Ally Financial as the bank gears up to help launch the WNBA’s first-ever Rivalry Week.

"I think the biggest lesson I've learned is to give with what you've been given," Bueckers said during a Friday morning press conference. "A lot of my partnerships, we have values aligned of giving back."

As draft prospects weigh the factors behind the decision to turn pro, Bueckers's early endorsement splash challenges the idea that NIL opportunities end the moment college players exit the NCAA.

The brand-new NCAA champion has been out of the college game for less than one week, but by cashing in with a deal immediately, Bueckers is proving that her value isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

"I think at times there's too much made about salary, and too much made about what's going on in college," Dallas GM Curt Miller told reporters on Thursday. "The top players that we're talking to, their endorsements are going to travel with them."

Ally backs debut WNBA Rivalry Week

In line with the deal, the Ally-sponsored inaugural WNBA Rivalry Week will run from August 9th through the 17th, highlighting matchups with a significant amount of recent history.

Key games will include Midwest regional foes Indiana and Chicago battling it out on CBS, new expansion team Golden State hosting a California clash against the LA Sparks, and a pair of WNBA Finals rematches featuring the NY Liberty, Minnesota Lynx, and the Las Vegas Aces.

Monday’s 2025 WNBA Draft could seriously shape the future for the three teams at the helm of this year’s lottery, as top pick-holders Dallas, Seattle, and Washington all prepare to make major moves after a rollercoaster offseason.

The Wings currently hold the overall No. 1 pick, while Seattle will select second after a blockbuster three-team trade with LA and Las Vegas sent star Jewell Loyd to the Aces and the No. 2 pick to the Storm.

Washington also wields significant draft capital following another series of trades, which sent top guard Ariel Atkins to Chicago in exchange for the No. 3 pick. Meanwhile, the Mystics also hold Monday's fourth and sixth first-round selections.

While Dallas and Seattle wield the highest picks, Washington’s wealth of selections gives them the most first-round influence — especially over expansion franchise Golden State’s No. 5 pick.

"I think it actually creates an opportunity for us to build strength in a couple of different ways," said Mystics GM Jamila Wideman.

Flexibility is key in navigating the WNBA Draft

Uncertainty has reigned supreme in recent months, as team executives find out alongside the public exactly which college stars are entering the WNBA’s talent pool as some eligible standouts opt to remain in the NCAA for one final season.

"We're always nimble as GMs in this league," Dallas GM Curt Miller told media on Thursday. "You don’t truly know who is declaring and coming into the draft until the very end."

As for teams outside of the lottery, they'll have to cross their fingers and wait patiently on Monday, as last year’s lowest record-holders raid the draft pool first.