Australia
Australian soccer lovers everywhere can take a deep breath — Sam Kerr is still your women’s team captain.
After Kerr was charged with racially aggravated harassment in January 2023 for calling a London police officer “fucking stupid and white,” she was tried in court and ultimately cleared of the charge. The yearslong legal proceedings wrapped up just a few days ago, when the Australia Football organization took the final steps to clear Kerr of their imposed sanctions. Once she recovers from her ACL injury, Kerr will be free to return as the national team captain.
“Kerr’s professional and sincere acceptance of responsibility, as well as her acknowledgment of the far-reaching implications of on and off-field actions, warranted no further action,” said the Football Australia board in response to their decision, as first reported on by The Guardian.
In 2023, Kerr and her wife, Kristie Mewis — midfielder for West Ham and previous member of the U.S Women’s National Team — claimed they were locked in a taxi after a night out in London, fearing they were being “held hostage.” After Mewis smashed the taxi’s window to escape, they both made claims to the police at the Twickenham station — claims that were outright dismissed — prompting Kerr’s frustrated comments, which led to her arrest.
The 31-year-old striker, who is widely recognized as Australia’s best football player, has captained the Matildas since 2019. Kerr became widely recognized during the 2023 World Cup, where she led the team to their best tournament finish in history, losing to Sweden in the third place match to finish in an unprecedented fourth place.
UK
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced this week that the United Kingdom is the only standing bid to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup, placing them as the near-certain pick. Infantino also announced the United States as the host for the 2031 tournament.
“We are honored to be the sole bidder for the Women’s World Cup 2035,” Mark Bullingham, CEO of the English Football Association, said in a statement. “Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year.”
The United Kingdom’s joint bid, which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, is unopposed and will seek formal confirmation from FIFA congress next year.
“Having experienced a home tournament, it’s exciting news for players to know potentially that’s on the horizon,” Leah Williamson, captain of the England women’s soccer team, the Lionesses, said.
Spain
This week, professional women’s footballer Antonela Romoleroux scored a goal in seven-a-side indoor that went viral, notching possibly the most-watched goal in women’s soccer social media history, according to The Athletic.
Romoleroux, a striker for the PIO FC team in the Queens League, joined the professional game after trying out for the league that Gerard Piqué founded in 2023. Piqué’s game design has garnered national attention through the installation of 40-minute games — instead of the standard 90-minute — with many wild-card rules, such as allowing spectators to vote on in-game calls typically made by referees. Romoleroux’s five-touch goal brings national attention to the Queens League and its unique presence in both football and social media spheres.“Three hundred million people watching a goal from a female player, commenting, celebrating, this shows the power of the Queens League platform and the potential audience for the women’s game,” Piqué said in an interview with The Athletic.
Contact Levi Langley at [email protected].
