The Euros Quarter-Finals Are Set 🏆

Happy Tuesday, TWG readers!

The Euros quarter-finals are SET and while the group stage was not without drama, I’m not exactly shocked by any of the teams we have left. The big miss for me is the Netherlands… but their draw into a group with England and France was always going to make for a difficult road. Now all eyes go to Wednesday’s first knockout game… Norway vs. Italy. Following that, Sweden will play England, Spain will take on host nation Switzerland, and the big showdown is Germany vs. France on Saturday. 

We’re talking all about the Euros this week on Good Vibes with Becky Sauerbrunn, which will be up on our YouTube channel later today, and again on Friday with Lindsey Heaps in another check-in pod. The USWNT captain will join us to chat through who she was most impressed by in the group stages and we’ll see where we stand in the middle of the quarter-finals. I have a feeling Lindsey will have a lot to say!

Call me Sammy West Coast this week… I’m in LA for the USWNTPA Player’s Ball where I’ll be catching all the USWNTers on the red carpet for some TWG social content. Make sure you’re following along - we have some great TikToks planned! Then I’m heading to Tahoe for my much-anticipated relay swim across the lake. I feel as ready as I’ll ever be and cannot wait to tell you all about it.

Thank you all so much for being here!

Love,
Sam

Euro 2025: The Quarter-Finals Are Upon Us 🇨🇭🏆

• The group stage wrapped up Sunday with two more dominant displays from France and England in the oft-cited group of death. After the reigning champs, England, succumbed to an ascendant Les Bleues in the opening match, they trounced the 2017 winners (the Netherlands) 4-0 in a statement comeback (with Prince William watching) before beating debutantes Wales 6-1 on Sunday to seal second place ahead of the Dutch. The French finished a well-deserved first, with a perfect three wins from three games, while scoring 11 goals from nine different players. 

• Hosts Switzerland entered the final matchday of Group A with their future achingly uncertain. But the Red Crosses secured their first-ever Euro knockout spot ahead of Finland on goal differential, after grasping hold of a 1-1 draw against the Boreal Owls with a stoppage time equalizer from 22-year-old Riola Xhemaili. 

• After securing their knockout spot early, Spain beat Italy (who placed second behind them in Group B) 3-1 on the final matchday with yet another goal from Gotham striker and NWSL top-scorer Esther González, who now leads the Euros in goals. 

• Germany and Sweden entered the final matchday tied on points, with their spots in the quarter-finals already secured. But Sweden made a statement by beating Germany 4-1 (their first victory against Germany at the Euros, as well as Germany’s largest defeat) to finish in first place, and put the entire tournament on notice. 

And Now, to the Knockout Rounds: 

Norway vs. Italy (Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET, FOX/Fubo) 🇳🇴🇮🇹

The Norwegians will be watching tape of curling strikes like this from Juventus striker Cristiana Girelli as they enter the first match of the knockout round as presumed favorites, but facing a scrappy Italian squad that could certainly sink them. 

• Sam's Take 🗣️: My gut is telling me Italy on this one! While Italy actually has a rich history in this tournament, they haven't had much success since the 90s. In this iteration, however, they seem energized and ready to make a statement. Norway, on the other hand, haven't quite found their fire yet... though they have plenty of players who could change that.

Sweden vs. England (Thursday, 3 p.m. ET, FOX/Fubo) 🇸🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

This matchup is must-watch television, and might be the most fiercely contested of the round. A soaring Sweden squad that just trounced the Germans will test their mettle against the reigning champions in Zurich. 

Spain vs. Switzerland (Friday, 3 p.m. ET, FOX/Fubo) 🇪🇸🇨🇭

La Roja are the ready favorites in their battle with the hosts in Bern. Yet despite their dominant and dazzling style, they’ve shown a few frailties, and playing the home team is never an easy endeavor. 

France vs. Germany (Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, FOX/Fubo) 🇫🇷🇩🇪

France has yet to win a major trophy, but might be the most dominant team across the group stage as they prepare to play the European juggernauts with the most (including eight from this event). Die Nationalef, on the other hand, are missing their captain Giulia Gwinn to an MCL injury suffered in their opening match, and are coming off a humbling defeat to Sweden. This matchup is a fascinating test of talented programs at opposite ends of the trophy count, testing who’s got the stuff to not just play well, but win.

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WAFCON Quarter-Finals Start Now 🇲🇦🏆

The WAFCON group stage concluded Monday with a resounding, statement 4-0 win from the reigning champions South Africa against Mali, who took just five minutes to score and dominated throughout. At the same time, Ghana’s Black Queens concluded Group C with a big 4-1 win against Tanzania. 

Tournament favorites Nigeria, Zambia and Morocco all booked their spots in the knockout phase earlier in the week, while Senegal and Mali earned berths in the quarter-finals from third-place positions. Ahead of the knockouts, Morocco’s captain and Badalona forward Ghizlane Chabbak leads the tournament with four goals alongside Senegal’s Nguenar Ndiaye. While Zambia’s NWSL stars Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride) and Racheal Kundananji (Bay FC) are just behind with three goals each. 

Must-Watch WAFCON Quarter-Finals Up Next: 

Nigeria vs. Zambia (Thursday, 1 p.m. ET, beIN Sports) 🇳🇬🇿🇲

One of the biggest battles of the tournament comes early, as nine-time champions Nigeria face a formidable Copper Queens squad in Thursday’s quarter-final in Casablanca. This matchup features a ton of NWSL talent, as Texas-born manager Randy Waldrum leads a deep Nigerian team against an aspirational Zambian side that’s yet to win a major title.

Morocco vs. Mali (Thursday, 4 p.m. ET, beIN Sports) 🇲🇦🇲🇱

Back-to-back tournament hosts Morocco, who finished the last WAFCON in second place behind South Africa, start their knockout phase in Rabat against Mali, who emerged from Group C in third after beating Tanzania, drawing Ghana, and getting trounced by the reigning champs.  

Algeria vs. Ghana (Friday, 1 p.m. ET, beIN Sports) 🇩🇿🇬🇭

Algeria secured their first-ever quarter-final appearance at WAFCON after drawing continental juggernauts Nigeria 0-0 in the final match of the Group B. They’ll place a strong Ghana squad next in Berkane. 

South Africa vs. Senegal (Friday, 4 p.m. ET, beIN Sports) 🇿🇦🇸🇳

The reigning champions topped Group C with ease, but face Group A’s third-place Senegal next, who fell to title contenders Morocco and Zambia by just a goal each in Group A.

🥤 Olipop power everything we do here at The Women’s Game. You can use code TWG20 for 20% off your first order at drinkolipop.com/TWG20.

Copa América Femenina Is Underway 🇪🇨🏆

Ecuador 2-2 Uruguay 🇪🇨🇺🇾

The opening match took place between hosts Ecuador and Uruguay, with La Tricolor coming back to claim two late goals (including an own goal from Uruguayan defender Yannel Correa) to clinch a last-gasp point after still trailing 2-0 in the 53rd minute. 

More: Uruguay’s squad went on strike ahead of the tournament to protest their conditions.

• Sam's Take 🗣️: These players are incredibly brave for standing together in solidarity to demand better treatment. Reading more about their situation, they are asking for basic respect as footballers. I empathize with them in their struggle between wanting better conditions and wanting to represent their country, and I hope this step brings them closer to equality.

Brazil 2-0 Venezuela 🇧🇷🇻🇪

The eight-time champions (out of nine editions) launched their quest for an incredible ninth title with a 2-0 win against Venezuela on Sunday. 

Elsewhere at Copa América: Peru 0-3 Chile, Bolivia 0-4 Paraguay

The Group Stage Continues this Week with Some Enticing Clashes:

Uruguay vs. Argentina (Tuesday, 5 p.m. ET, FOX/Fubo) 🇺🇾🇦🇷

After starting the tournament with a draw against the hosts, Las Celestes play their second test against one-time winners Argentina, who remain the only team to claim the trophy outside of continental giants Brazil. 

Venezuela vs. Colombia (Wednesday, 8 p.m., FOX/Fubo) 🇻🇪🇨🇴

The 2023 World Cup quarter-finalists Las Cafeteras are among the favorites in this edition, and start their campaign against Venezuela midweek.

News and Notes 🗞️

• NWSL’s season footprint for 2026 is here. Next year, the league will expand to 16 teams for the first time, and feature a 248-match season schedule. 

• We haven’t seen enough of Trinity Rodman on a field this year, as the star Washington Spirit forward focuses on rehabbing her chronic back pain. But we DID see her at Wimbledon alongside U.S. manager Emma Hayes this week. 

• USWNT World Cup champion Tobin Heath has officially retired. The 37-year-old New Jersey native was a wizard with the ball at her feet as she worked magic from the wing, adding a necessary spark to multiple title winning teams, from her time at UNC, through to multiple NWSL championships and NWSL Shields, two Olympic gold medals, two World Cups, and so much more. 

• The first £1 million ($1.4 million) transfer in women’s football is looming, as Arsenal seeks 20-year-old Canadian forward Olivia Smith from Liverpool for a record sum.

It’s TWG Trivia Time 🤔

Welcome back to our weekly trivia game!

This week’s question: Tobin Heath ends her career with 36 goals and 42 assists in 181 appearances for the USWNT. That includes two goals during a World Cup match in one of the two tournaments Heath won with the program. Which game and tournament was that?  

Respond to this email (or reply here) for a chance to win a coveted TWG patch.

Last week’s answer: Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema scored her 100th goal for Le Oranje in their opening match at this year’s Euros. At the 2020 Olympics, Miedema scored twice in regulation time to help send the United States and Netherlands into a quarter-final penalty shootout after finishing the match 2-2. The two U.S. players who scored for the USWNT before the penalty shootout? That would be our very own Sam Mewis and Lynn Biyendolo!

This week’s winner is Keanna Haney, and thanks to everyone who responded.

Good Reads 👩‍💻

i. From Beth Lindop at ESPN, ‘Switzerland’s late show captures the imagination of a country’

ii. From Emma Hayes in The Guardian, ‘Coffees, cabin fever and social media: the dos and don’ts of a tournament bubble’

iii. From Jeff Kassouf, also at ESPN, ‘Can the NWSL expand to 32 teams like the NFL? Should it?’

Moment of Joy 🤸

Emily and Eva write: Hi Sam and Lynn (and Becky!),

We heard your recent conversation about how rotini is the ideal pasta shape for pasta salad, and we couldn't agree more. We had to reach out because our dog is named Rotini (she's a cavapoo like Finn!) and she was so excited to hear her name on the pod! 

Thanks for doing what you do — listening to y'all is always a bright spot in our week.

- Emily, Ava, and Rotini

Sam writes: Hey Emily and Ava and of course ROTINI! Thank you so much for writing in and sharing her with me. It always makes my day to see another cavapoo, especially one that is named after the ideal pasta shape. I hope your summer is full of pasta salad and plenty of pup memories.

Sam

📝 Want to be featured in next week’s TWG newsletter? Send Sam an email! All your questions, comments, and dog (or wedding) photos can be sent to [email protected]

Correction: In last week’s edition, we mentioned that the Copa América Femenina was kicking off in Chile on July 11. However, that tournament is actually being played entirely in Ecuador. Thanks to reader Steve Wiegman for catching that!