On this week's Full Time Focus, Jillian Sakovits is joined by Elizabeth Ball to talk about life at the top of the NWSL standings with the Kansas City Current.

The experienced defender is one of the longest tenured players at the Current. On the show, she shares what it has been like to see the team rise over the past half decade. Ball calls into the show from her soon-to-be-opened coffeeshop in Kansas City, Pitchside Coffee, and reflects on what her adopted home means to her, as well as how her team is preparing to welcome the defending NWSL Champions, the Orlando Pride, to CPKC Stadium this upcoming weekend.

PLUS: Hear new Chicago Stars head coach Martin Sjögren talking about why he joined the NWSL club. And, get focused with Full Time's 1-2-3 of what to watch this weekend in the NWSL, from that mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash on the banks of the Missouri River, to a desperation game in Utah, and a meeting of old friends in New Jersey.

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Referenced on the show:

NWSL’s Chicago Stars name Martin Sjögren as new head coach

Unbeaten streaks and league-leading goalscorers: Why Current vs. Pride is the match of the season

Marta delivers GOAT goal to lift Orlando Pride to NWSL Championship

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits

GUESTS: Elizabeth Ball

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠here⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being head coach of Angel City FC might just be one of the biggest jobs in soccer. How do you take one of the most well established and highest-performing brands off the pitch and turn them into a winner on the pitch?

Well, this week on Full Time, Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan are joined by ACFC head coach Alex Straus to go inside his vision for the team. Starting with Straus' journey to Los Angeles, from growing up in Norway, the "coincidence" that led to his coaching career, and the three consecutive league titles in the Frauen Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. Straus even touches on the similarities between Bayern and ACFC, what his new life is like in LA, and the difficult task of shaping his NWSL's team's mentality.

Articles referenced on the show:

Curiosity and a new challenge drew former Bayern Munich Women’s coach to Angel City

Angel City bets on future, signing Evelyn Shores: ‘When we break through, it’s going to be spectacular’

How Riley Tiernan’s close relationship with her sister helped the NWSL rookie find success early

Angel City FC moves into ‘new era,’ signing Iceland forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir through 2027

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HOSTS: Tamerra Griffin, Meg Linehan

GUEST: Alex Straus

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The NWSL's first official Rivalry Weekend is in the books. It was a mixed bag until the Portland Thorns took the roof with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Reign, cementing the Cascadia Clash as the must-watch rivalry in the league. On this week's Full Time Review, Jillian Sakovits is joined by Tamerra Griffin to break down that record-breaking rivalry win, and how the young Thorns are coming into their own this season, and dismantled their fiercest rival in a memorable win.

Tamerra also reports from San Diego, where she took vibes of the SoCal Derby at Snapdragon Stadium. Did the San Diego Wave throw away three points? What did we learn about Angel City's potential mentality shift despite the team's winless run?

PLUS: Jillian gets you caught up on all the other major talking points, performances and records from the NWSL weekend, and then closes out the show with her moment of the weekend.

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Articles mentioned on the show:

Courage cite reasons for firing coach Sean Nahas: ‘Performance issues, culture issues’

North Carolina Courage terminates head coach Sean Nahas’ contract ‘effective immediately’

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits

GUEST: Tamerra Griffin

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Full Time Focus, Meg Linehan and Producer Theo discuss the abrupt firing of Sean Nahas as the head coach of the North Carolina Courage, and the combative press conference with the club's sporting director Ceri Bowley that followed. What do we know at this time about the firing? And, why is it unclear what happened? Meg and Theo also talk about what it means for Nick Cushing to be hired as the first-ever head coach of Denver Summit FC, and give their takes on the 2025 Ballon d'Or nominees.

PLUS: Get focused with Full Time's 1-2-3 of what to watch this weekend in the NWSL, from Ally Sentnor returning to Utah for the first time to potentially make her debut with the KC Current, to head coach Alex Straus and Angel City's desperation to win the SoCal Derby.

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Referenced on the show:

North Carolina Courage terminates head coach Sean Nahas’ contract ‘effective immediately’

Denver Summit hires Nick Cushing as manager: ‘I want to embrace’ NWSL expansion challenge

Who should win the women’s Ballon d’Or: Aitana Bonmati, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly?

What makes an NWSL rivalry?

The secret to the Portland Thorns' home form

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HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

GUESTS: Meg Linehan

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠here⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Full Time this week we're talking about NWSL rivalries. Over the last 12 years, we've seen some true, real rivalries, but we've also seen some that raise a few eyebrows. So, how do rivalries happen? Who are they for? Why are they important to the NWSL? And, what are the key ingredients to sustaining them?

For this discussion, hosts Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan are joined by esteemed NWSL journalists Susie Rantz, Jason Anderson and Jenna Tonelli to help discover what makes an NWSL rivalry. From the historic Cascadia Rivalry, to the burgeoning SoCal Derby, the newly dubbed East Coast Rivalry, and the lesser-known rivalries that may have come and gone along the way.

Articles referenced on the show:

NWSL teams are embracing tension, new and old: ‘People love a good sports rivalry’

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HOSTS: Tamerra Griffin, Meg Linehan

GUEST: Susie Rantz, Jason Anderson, Jenna Tonelli

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fresh from the weekend, it's Full Time Review -- Producer Theo is joined by Tamerra Griffin and Melanie Anzidei to break down the incredible Copa America Femenina final between Brazil and Colombia that saw Marta further etch her name into the history books with a legacy-defining display. How close was Colombia to a first-ever title? What does a ninth title mean for Brazil? How can South American women's soccer build off this tournament?

Then, Theo and Tamerra get into first NWSL weekend after the summer break. From Trinity Rodman's emotional return at Audi Field after four months out with a back injury, where the U.S. women's national team star scored the winning goal off the bench in the dying moments, to Ally Sentnor's blockbuster trade from the Utah Royals to the Kansas City Current.

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Articles mentioned on the show:

Trinity Rodman nets a game winner for the Washington Spirit in her first match since April

Copa America Femenina: The players delivered, will those in charge now do the same?

A head-butt, penalty kick and Marta magic: How Brazil topped Colombia for 9th Copa América title

Kansas City Current acquire Ally Sentnor from Utah Royals: Sources

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HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

GUEST: Tamerra Griffin, Melanie Anzidei

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Full Time Focus, Seattle Reign midfielder Angharad James-Turner joins the show to talk to Asli Pelit her summer captaining Wales at its first-ever major tournament, Women's Euro 2025. Then attentions turn to the return of the NWSL. This week, James-Turner signed a new two-year contract extension with Seattle, and the 31-year-old explains why she is so committed to the team and how the Reign has turned things around after a disappointing 2024.

Asli and producer Theo also unpack the business side of the NWSL's summer break, how teams are increasing marketing efforts this August, and what could change in the future to help the league retain more momentum.

PLUS: Theo gets focused with Full Time's 1-2-3 of what to watch this weekend in the NWSL, from Jess Carter's speedy to return to Gotham and a potential goal-fest in the Bay.

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Referenced on the show:

How NWSL teams plan to beat the annual mid-summer miasma

Jess Carter on missing Euros celebrations: It was my decision to return to club side Gotham

Women’s soccer summer returns stateside

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HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

GUESTS: Asli Pelit, Angharad James-Turner

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠here⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time to say goodbye to the ‘summer of soccer’ because what’s that on the horizon? Yes, the return of the NWSL.

On this week's Full Time, Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan have their feelings heard on the finals of Women's Euro 2025 and Women's Africa Cup of Nations, as well as hear from Charlotte Harpur who was amongst all the fun outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday when England paraded its Euros trophy in front of 65,000 people. From Burna Boy and Sarina Wiegman, to what the legacy of the Lionesses's back-to-back trophies will be? It's the ultimate final chapter to a historic summer.

Then, it's time to turn the focus to the NWSL. As the league's summer break concludes, Tamerra and Meg answer all the biggest questions and discuss the major talking points ahead of the first weekend of games. Can anyone catch the Kansas City Current? Will Mia Fishel or Sveindis Jónsdóttir have the bigger impact? How will Racing Louisville build on a strong first half to make the playoffs for the first time?

Articles referenced on the show:

Jess Carter on missing Euros celebrations: It was my decision to return to club side Gotham

Sarina Wiegman, Burna Boy and how England celebrated becoming proper football royalty (again)

How NWSL teams plan to beat the annual mid-summer miasma

Women’s Euro 2025 final draws 1.35 million viewers, breaks U.S. audience record

Lucy Bronze, the Euro 2025 winner who played with a leg fracture: “Was it worth it? Absolutely!”

Is Morocco’s plethora of tournament hosting duties helping its investment or stalling others’?

Trinity Rodman details pain that kept her out of action as she nears return to Spirit

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HOSTS: Tamerra Griffin, Meg Linehan

GUEST: Charlotte Harpur

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes, with additional work on England parade feature by Abi Paterson

VIDEO PRODUCER: Lia Griffin

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Emily Olsen

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.