Asli Pelit
@aslipelit.bsky.social
Sports business reporter covering women’s soccer for @theathletichq | @columbia_biz alum📍New York | Past lives in Buenos Aires & Rio de Janeiro
The NWSL is expected to start its 2027 season in February, nearly a month earlier than previous years, per @melanieanzidei.bsky.social and @aslipelit.bsky.social. In the draft schedule, preseason begins in January, with playoffs running through the weekend before Thanksgiving. nyti.ms/44Tiaul
Turns out hydration breaks and the halftime show at the final weren’t peak FIFA greed after all. www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
FIFA’s $4.2bn World Cup stake sale: Who will invest? Who is the money for? Who could stop this? (Gift Article)
World football's governing body could sell a percentage of a new subsidiary that "consolidates FIFA's commercial and event operations"
nytimes.com
Speaking with visible emotion, Turkey’s head coach Vincenzo Montella stood firmly behind his players and his approach to the tournament, dismissing any suggestion that he might step down, insisted he still has much more to contribute, delivering a message to his critics: he is not going anywhere.
What an incredible result for CPV! They really showed they deserve to be here. And shout out to Vozinha! At least seven magical saves!
Why almost every player is wearing a pink cleat at the World Cup? www.nytimes.com/athletic/735...
Why are so many players wearing pink footwear at the World Cup?
Inspiring confidence, visibility on television and differentiating from kit colors were all considerations for Nike
nytimes.com
Kudos to Eloy Room for saving some of Germany’s fiercest attacks!
Further details tomorrow, but the major news (first reported by @aslipelit.bsky.social) is that the NWSL championship is coming back to Audi Field. More on what could be a wild week for soccer in D.C. from Green Line Soccer:
Audi Field to host 2026 NWSL Championship
The NWSL is bringing its biggest occasion back to Rowdy Audi.
green-line-soccer.ghost.io
I generally prefer football without the manufactured spectacle, but The Killers opening Arsenal’s first Champions League final in two decades is objectively pretty sick.
There might have been no WSL, but fear not! Chloe and Rach are here to help ⬇️ 🗞️ Tanya Oxtoby takes the reins at Newcastle! How will she get on? 🇺🇸 @aslipelit.bsky.social joins us to discuss the NWSL Final! 🏴 The Lionesses are back! And there's a new face in camp Join us! 🎧 📺 lnk.to/upfront
Upfront - A Women's Football Podcast
Welcome to Upfront, the dedicated women's football podcast brought to you by the Football Ramble! Join Chloe Morgan and Rachel O'Sullivan every week for reaction and analysis throughout the season. H...
lnk.to
Curious what NWSL Atlants might look like? This is the best primer yet. From @aslipelit.bsky.social breaking the story to ATL’s deep women’s soccer roots via @longshoe.bsky.social - plus I know a thing or two about the game in the A 😉 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
What it means for Atlanta to be the next NWSL expansion team
Podcast Episode · Full Time: A show about women's soccer · 11/14/2025 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
🏀"The Atlanta club will be owned and operated by Arthur Blank’s AMB Sports + Entertainment, the holding company of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, MLS’ Atlanta United FC and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the new team will play its home matches." (@aslipelit.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...
Atlanta lands NWSL expansion franchise backed by Arthur Blank for record $165 million: Sources
The team will be the 17th in NWSL and operated by Blank’s AMB Sports + Entertainment.
nytimes.com
Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Emily Fox. The list of U.S. NWSL players going abroad is growing. A warning sign or part of something bigger? Current and former USWNT players say it is part of women’s soccer's evolution. ✍️ @aslipelit.bsky.social, @henrybushnell.bsky.social
USWNT players going to Europe isn’t an exodus. It’s an evolution
The growing global nature of women's soccer is giving players a choice and forcing the NWSL to keep pushing its standards higher
nytimes.com
On Sunday, San Diego Wave will retire Alex Morgan’s No.13 jersey, a chapter of her legacy will close. But her other trademark, the pink pre-wrap headband will live on, worn by countless players who have mimicked her since 2012.
The New York Times@nytimes.com · 11mo agoFrom @theathletic.com: Alex Morgan is one of the most financially successful women’s soccer players - and it all began with a simple pink headband. nyti.ms/3JL9YFa
From @theathletic.com: Alex Morgan is one of the most financially successful women’s soccer players - and it all began with a simple pink headband. nyti.ms/3JL9YFa
Away from soccer, Gotham FC forward Esther González hardly fits the image of a ruthless striker. But when she's on the pitch, she only has eyes for goal. @aslipelit.bsky.social spoke to Esther about how she balances ruthless instinct with her soft-spoken nature. www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...
Gotham FC forward Esther Gonzalez is kind and soft-spoken – until she gets in front of goal
The Gotham forward scores goals wherever she goes, but off the field she prefers a quieter life.
nytimes.com
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman threatened to fine the Kansas City Current after a disagreement over extreme heat procedures that delayed a match against Orlando Pride roughly three and a half hours, sources told The Athletic.
Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati has been diagnosed with viral meningitis ahead of this summer’s European Championship, her head coach Montse Tome has confirmed. More from @laiacervello.bsky.social & @aslipelit.bsky.social ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/645...
"In the NWSL, Kansas City Current’s CPKC Stadium marks a major milestone as the first purpose-built venue for a women’s team in the league and a bold bet that a women’s club can deliver a return on investment." (@aslipelit.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...
Down to Business: Stadiums have long been built for men, but that’s starting to change
Down to Business with Asli Pelit takes you through the exciting, fast-paced (and sometimes confusing) corporate side of women's soccer.
nytimes.com
The Soccer Tournament (TST), a winner-takes-all competition, has become something of a post-retirement playground for the U.S. women’s national team. But with a $1 million prize on the line, the hunger for glory and spirit of competition is ever-present. 📝 @aslipelit.bsky.social
Carli Lloyd’s game-winner, USWNT reunion and a $1 million prize: TST balances fun with fire
US Women take on Bumpy Pitch FC in the TST women's final on Monday night. The winner takes home $1 million.
nytimes.com
A piece with @aslipelit.bsky.social and @meganferinga.bsky.social on Alexis Ohanian, the enthusiastic investor who believes Chelsea Women will be a “billion-dollar franchise” one day. 👇 www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...
Who is Alexis Ohanian? The tech mogul turned Chelsea investor set on backing women’s sports
Alexis Ohanian's passion is evident, but how involved with Chelsea will he be given the scale of his sprawling sports portfolio?
nytimes.com
Alex Morgan is back with the Wave—this time as an investor. I’ve spent the past few days talking to former players who helped build the NWSL with their talent, now putting their money where their legacy is. Why are they betting on the league they helped create? www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...
NEWS: Angel City’s Savy King underwent surgery after collapsing on field, prognosis ‘excellent’ www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...
Marta, who last year retired from international football, has been named in the Brazil squad for their upcoming fixtures. She had announced her intention to call time on one of the most iconic international careers in the history of the women’s game back in April 2024. 🔗 bit.ly/3F7Ogcj
At 37, most soccer players see the finish line. For FC Como Women captain Alia Guagni, retirement wasn’t just about age — it was about finally pursuing a long-delayed dream: becoming a mother. Here is my latest for: www.nytimes.com/athletic/634...
As Angel City FC defender Savy King begins her recovery after collapsing on the field last night against the Utah Royals, the focus remains on why the remainder of the match was played. @meglinehan.com and @aslipelit.bsky.social examine the NWSL's policies ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/634...
