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When American football arrives in London, there’s only one appropriate way to celebrate. Right, Alex Morgan?
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Today:
🏁 NWSL playoff picture
🎤 World Cup voices
🖼️ Monet painting or soccer game?
First, guess who already has a new job …
That Was Fast
Chicago hires Andonovski
A soccer mind like Vlatko Andonovski doesn’t stay out of work for long. Less than a week after we broke down his abrupt “parting of ways” with the Current, the former U.S. women’s national team boss has a new gig.
The NWSL’s last-placed Stars hired Andonovski as chief soccer officer Thursday. Not unlike his role with the Current, or at least what it was intended to be, the 50-year-old will be charged with appointing a technical director and head coach and shaping the 2027 roster now that the Stars are officially out of 2026 playoff contention (more on that in a second).
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As one of the league’s most successful coaches, Andonovski said he had multiple options after his KC exit. Joining a work in progress such as Chicago, which finished last in 2025 and is in the same position this year, seems puzzling from the outside.
But Andonovski was clear about why he made his decision. It started with his conversations with owner Laura Ricketts:
“She shared her story, why she’s in this game, how she sees excellence, taking care of people, integrity,” Andonovski said. “It was something that aligned those values with mine, and it was why I believe that we’re gonna have a great working relationship with the leadership in the club and the owners.”
Subtext or not, one thing is for sure: Andonovski has plenty to dig into in the Windy City.
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No playoffs for the Stars
Andonovski told ESPN he gets “excited with projects, and Chicago will very much be a project.”
He’s not wrong.
The Stars were eliminated from NWSL playoff contention last week with six matches to play. (We should also acknowledge that reigning champions Gotham FC have become the first team to qualify for the 2026 postseason.)
This week, Chicago dropped three points to the Spirit at home on a rainy afternoon on Lake Michigan. Let’s hope Andonovski’s vision for the Stars is clearer than ESPN’s broadcast. Meg will discuss that in a moment.
Chicago conceded 54 goals in 26 matches last year and has exceeded that figure in 25 games this year.But it’s not like the team hasn’t tried to make changes.
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Last April, the Stars fired head coach Lorne Donaldson. The rest of the season was split between three different interim head coaches before settling on Martin Sjögren from the Swedish side Hammarby.
About a year later, in May, Chicago fired general manager Richard Feuz.
By August this year, Sjögren was gone and replaced by yet another interim coach, Karina Báez. Chicago also brought back Donaldson as an “interim director of coaching.”
The team started the season stumbling, but gained a little momentum with the return of U.S. forward Mallory Swanson from maternity leave in May. But the 28-year-old has spent much of this season dealing with injuries.
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Striker Jordyn Huitema, brought in to replace departing forward Ludmila, was supposed to be the answer. That worked for a little while, as the 25-year-old became the team’s top scorer until she suffered an ACL injury in July. Jameese Joseph, 24, showed plenty of promise, but she packed her bags for Utah earlier this month.
This team needs “stability, first and foremost,” Andonovski said Thursday. He’ll need full reign and the resources to make meaningful change at the club. We’ll have to wait until next season to see just how serious the Stars are.
Back to that blurry broadcast …
Meg’s Corner: Why are NWSL broadcasts still so bad?
The impressionist painting ESPN offered as the main camera feed for Chicago-Washington yesterday was just the latest example in a long line demonstrating the pretty fundamental lack of respect for the NWSL TV product. (Do not cite the Deep Magic to me; I was in charge of the NWSL Twitter account when Go90 existed.)
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From Disney princesses to the intrusion of full-screen interviews and half-screen ads during live gameplay, these issues aren’t new.
No one in Chicago could find a dry cloth for the lens? For a game featuring the league’s primary breakthrough star, Trinity Rodman? Who scored a goal, punctuated by the camera zooming in on a celebration in which she looked like a glowing neon-yellow blob?
Because it keeps happening during NWSL games, the most charitable reason I can offer is that these broadcast partners — who have paid money to air these games — don’t understand the nuances of airing women’s soccer. They continue to get the basics wrong. I don’t think they’re actively being malicious; I just think the NWSL is not a top priority.
Sure, the NWSL is light-years ahead of where it started when it comes to media rights and broadcasts. But with the frequency of these issues, I hope upcoming negotiations for the next deal actually include some guardrails for the TV and streaming product.
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They’re desperately overdue.
News to Know
Louisville midfielder sues after cardiac arrest
Racing’s Savannah DeMelo is suing University of Louisville Health and two of its doctors, alleging they failed to properly diagnose and treat a heart condition that led to her suffering a mid-game cardiac arrest last year.
The match, against the Reign, was abandoned after DeMelo collapsed on the pitch. The 28-year-old shared for the first time last week that she collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia. She has not played since, but a source told The Athletic that she is nearing a return to play.
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DeMelo alleges in the lawsuit that the University of Louisville Health and its doctors, Sarabjeet Suri and Jennifer Daily, “failed to properly diagnose and treat her medical conditions,” leading DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries.
Though Daily is listed on Racing’s website as chief medical officer, a source said Louisville will use a new provider next year.
England‘s weekend of tributes
In the Women’s Super League, Manchester City are soaring in their title defense, thanks in large part to Lauren Hemp. The midfielder is well on her way to a 2027 Ballon d’Or campaign. The 26-year-old scored City’s first and last goals in a 4-2 win over Liverpool this weekend. But, as Megan Feringa writes, her impact extends far beyond the scoresheet.
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Elsewhere, defender Smilla Holmberg saved Arsenal from disaster by scoring a last-minute equalizer against Manchester United, who have stumbled out of the gates this season.
But football wasn’t the only thing on people’s minds this weekend. All across the league, teams paid tribute to former WSL manager of the year Matt Beard, who died a year ago yesterday. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend Katie Whyatt’s chat with Beard’s brother from over the summer.
More news
Netflix gave us the first glimpse at who will be on the call for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, announcing Andrés Cantor as the first member of its Spanish-language play-by-play team. The streamer is also in “exploratory” talks with former U.S. star Megan Rapinoe and Brazilian legend Marta.
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Women’s soccer is headed to Miami’s new Nu Stadium for the 2027 Women’s Champions Cup. While all dates have yet to be announced, the final of the intercontinental club tournament will take place on Jan. 31. FC Barcelona and Club America have already qualified for the final four.
The U.S. bowed out of the U-20 Women’s World Cup to Brazil in penalty kicks during the round of 16 last week. What does the loss say about the development of young players in this country? Find out here.
First Looks
Everyday I’m Hustlin’: Last week’s “Ted Lasso” tackled side hustles, from childcare-juggling and university studies to food delivery jobs. These obstacles aren’t unique to the fictional AFC Richmond Women. This Hollywood drama is still very much real for many second-division women’s soccer players. The Guardian also wrote about how NWSL players now have the agency to pursue side hustles they want to, not because they have to. My personal favorite: being a waitress at a saloon.
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NWSL Nostradamus: Last week, we wrote about four free agents that teams must prioritize keeping in 2027. Within 24 hours of publication, two of those players signed new deals. Coincidence?! 🤔
Platform with a purpose: After Lorena Isceri was murdered in Squinzano near Lecce in Italy, her death left a local Serie A team president and his wife so shocked that they decided to do something about it. You’ll want to check out their powerful message.
Welcome back: My moment of the weekend came from Thorns forward Morgan Weaver, who scored this absolute banger in the 74th minute of her team’s 4-1 win over the Pride. Aside from the masterclass of a finish, it was also Weaver’s first goal since Nov. 1, 2024, after missing last season with an injury. Her postgame interview on Ion had it all, including her no-nonsense response to the classic celebratory shower.
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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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