Crisis in the National Women's Soccer League: A Story of Predation and Power

The systemic failure of the NWSL would have remained hidden if not for the courage of Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly and the solidarity of the league’s players.

Female Soccer Players Are Done Taking Abuse. Let’s Stop Dishing It Out.

Players in the National Women’s Soccer League are demanding the respect all female athletes deserve but rarely get.

Cherish the Feel-Good Stories. They Won’t Last.

Enjoy the underdogs now, because money will restore Europe’s usual order soon enough.

N.W.S.L., Reeling in Scandal, Cancels a Weekend of Games

Under pressure for its handling of abuse accusations, the top U.S. women’s soccer league called off five games and announced its commissioner had resigned.

Accusations of Abuse Shake U.S. Women’s Soccer League

Paul Riley became the third N.W.S.L. coach fired for misconduct since August. All were men, leading prominent women’s players to demand action, and protection.

In One Moment, Messi and P.S.G. Make It All Work

The Lionel Messi goal that completed a Champions League win over Manchester City offered a flash of his past, and a glimpse of his new club’s future.

Marcos Alonso and the Genius of Thomas Tuchel

There is no such thing as a good or a bad player, only one in the right (or wrong) system.

M.L.S. and Liga MX Fill a Hole In Soccer’s Schedule With Themselves

The Leagues Cup, part of an effort to capitalize on global interest in the game, will likely raise new concerns about soccer players’ exhausting schedules.

At Barcelona, a Feeling Worse Than Sorrow: Pity

The Camp Nou’s reaction to a humbling defeat in the Champions League was a measure of how far and how fast a mighty team has fallen.

Why Is Everyone Talking to Ibai Llanos?

A 26-year-old Spanish streamer counts Lionel Messi as an admirer and Gerard Piqué as a business partner. His interviews might be a glimpse into the future of sports media.

When a Fairy Tale Is Disputed Territory

Sheriff Tiraspol, a team from Moldova (sort of), has made the Champions League. But whether the club’s story is wonderful or worrying depends on the light.

A New Sports Star Showcases the Diversity of a More Complex Britain

Emma Raducanu, 18, galvanized the nation with her triumph in the U.S. Open, drawing congratulations from royalty and inspiring pride in her hometown outside London.

‘Football Is Like Food’: Afghan Female Soccer Players Find a Home in Italy

Members of a team from Herat left behind the lives they had built in Afghanistan in hopes that they can build a future where they can play, and thrive.

A World Cup Every Two Years? Why?

Soccer is in love with the Big Idea. But a focus on fundamentally changing the game’s calendar leaves no room for a necessary debate about fixing it.

Cristiano Ronaldo Is Back and So Is Manchester United

A star returns with two goals in a resounding victory, restoring a sense of confidence to a club accustomed to sure things.