How did London City and owner Michele Kang sign Barcelona and women's soccer legend Alexia Putellas?

Hosts Jillian Sakovits and Meg Linehan go behind the scenes to explain how the former Barcelona midfielder and two-time Ballon d’Or winner ended up in England's Women's Super League despite strong interest from several clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. Then, Putellas sits down with The Athletic’s Laia Cervelló Herrero for an exclusive interview about her momentous decision.

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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan

GUESTS: Alexia Putellas, interviewed by Laia Cervelló Herrero

PRODUCER: Karan Lodha

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Referenced on the show:

How Michele Kang convinced two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas to join London City

Alexia Putellas’ London City Lionesses transfer moves the dial for the club and the WSL

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

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Four women are leading four different NWSL teams this season. But are the league and its clubs doing enough to empower women to obtain those positions?

Hosts Jillian Sakovits and Meg Linehan talk to Seattle Reign’s Laura Harvey, Bay FC’s Emma Coates and San Diego Wave’s Becki Tweed to discuss the hiring trends in the NWSL and whether the issues are unique to the United States. The guests also share their perspective on the women who have mentored and supported them and propose improvements to increase the share of female coaches.

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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan

GUESTS: Laura Harvey, Emma Coates, Becki Tweed

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

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The first weekend of the second half of the 2026 NWSL season is in the books. But in classic NWSL fashion, just as we were sitting down to welcome back league play after a 5-week break, there was a major transfer: 2025 Midfielder of the Year and MVP nominee Manaka Matsukubo moved from the North Carolina Courage to Chelsea in the English Women’s Super League.

On this episode of Full Time Review, Jillian Sakovits and Meg Linehan are joined by Chief Soccer Officer for the Courage, Ceri Bowley, to go inside Matsukubo’s move. Bowley candidly talks about how close Matsukubo was to staying in North Carolina and why new arrival, 18-year-old England international Erica Meg Parkinson, is a testament to the team’s transfer strategy and ethos.

PLUS: Meg talks about her moment of the opening weekend and what the implications could be for the U.S. women’s national team in the wake of the U.S. president getting involved with FIFA to aid the suspension of the red card for U.S. men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun at their home men’s World Cup this summer.

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HOSTS: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan

GUESTS: Ceri Bowley

PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes

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Referenced on the show:

Chelsea sign Manaka Matsukubo from North Carolina Courage on five-year deal

Trump’s call to Infantino and plot to ‘free’ Balogun that sparked a huge World Cup controversy

FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s ban damages the integrity of this World Cup

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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It’s official! Lionesses and former Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway is returning to the WSL to join Arsenal. The two-time European champion sat down with The Athletic’s Charlotte Harpur to talk about her journey from Munich to London and which of her England teammates had a part to play in her returning home. Harper also spoke to her former teammates Glodis Viggosdottir and Sarah Zadrazil, as well as her Dad, Paul Stanway.

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits

GUEST: Georgia Stanway, Charlotte Harpur

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Referenced on the show:

Georgia Stanway’s journey to Arsenal: How footballers really move clubs (and countries)

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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Today on the show, host Jillian Sakovits is joined by The Athletic’s Meg Linehan and Tamerra Griffin to dive into one of the biggest questions surrounding the NWSL. The trio discusses if the league should be responsible for developing young players for the USWNT, how head coach Emma Hayes factors into players’ decisions to go abroad and how the league has helped international players grow their game.

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits, Meg Linehan andTamerra Griffin

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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The NWSL is back with the Challenge Cup kicking off the second half of the season. Today on the show, host Jillian Sakovits is joined by The Athletic’s Asli Pelit to recap Gotham FC’s Challenge Cup win, discuss Sam Kerr’s transfer to the New Jersey-based side and explain the league’s new footwear framework.

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits

GUESTS: Asli Pelit

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Referenced on the show:

Gotham FC announces Sam Kerr signing on deal to 2030

NWSL returns with the Challenge Cup, but the question remains: What is its purpose?

Gotham FC captures NWSL Challenge Cup in Ohio’s first pro women’s soccer match

NWSL launches new footwear framework, limiting brands to those who sign deals with league

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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The 2026 men's FIFA World Cup is in full swing.

At the heart of the English-language coverage in the U.S. is the brilliant Rebecca Lowe, host of FOX’s World Cup studio coverage. Today on the show, The Athletic’s Adam Crafton sits down with Lowe to talk about hosting this historic World Cup, how she fell in love with the beautiful game and if she will be part of the 2027 Women's World Cup.

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits

GUEST: Adam Crafton, Rebecca Lowe

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Referenced on the show:

Fox host Rebecca Lowe: Anchoring America’s World Cup coverage is ‘the pinnacle of my life’

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

Subscribe to the Full Time newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠

Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports hub ⁠⁠here

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The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup officially kicks off in one year and we could not be more excited. Today on the show, host Jillian Sakotvits is joined by The Athletic’s Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei, Tamerra Griffin to dig into the biggest questions surrounding head coach Emma Hayes and the USWNT. Then Tamerra gives out her current national team power rankings.

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HOST: Jillian Sakovits

GUEST: Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei, Tamerra Griffin

This podcast was produced by The Athletic.

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Referenced on the show:

The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is a year away: Key questions for the USWNT

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Get in touch: ⁠⁠fulltime@theathletic.com⁠⁠

Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @tafulltime

Subscribe to our Youtube channel: here

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.