Spirit extend Wiesner, NWSL to vote on calendar shift, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
It’s Friday! This week has really flown by for me, but to be honest, I’m looking forward to some cooler weather coming in over the weekend. Over 90 is way too hot for April.
Washington Spirit and Defender Kate Wiesner Agree to New Contract (Washington Spirit)
I love to see the Spirit extending contracts! The end of 2026 has loomed large for this team, with many contracts set to expire, and renewing players like Wiesner, who’s improved a lot with the team and has an intriguing skillset, is essential to their long-term project.
Sources: NWSL expected to vote on calendar shift this month (ESPN)
I can’t say I would be crazy about this change. Conditions at some of the mid-summer matches are truly dire, but with MLS moving to a new window, the NWSL could have more flexibility to schedule evening games, while avoiding the coldest months.
Loudoun United’s Thor Úlfarsson won Goal of the Week for the second in his brace against Louisville City FC. Watch it below:
USWNT vs. Japan April friendly part III: Three soccer three furious (Stars and Stripes FC)
The final match of the series between USWNT and Japan is tonight. Will the US go back to their apparent first-choice squad from last weekend, or will we see a new XI?
The World Cup is coming. The soul of American soccer is already playing in the U.S. Open Cup (Yahoo! News)
If you’re not absolutely sick of reading about D.C. United’s Open Cup game (or maybe are ready for a positive spin?), Steven Goff wrote about how the match represents the soul of American soccer.
Both D.C. and Loudoun United may be out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, but DID YOU KNOW there’s another tournament about to begin? I did not, but the USL Cup begins next weekend, and the USL has provided a helpful explainer video on how that works.
The USL PA, meanwhile, posted a reminder yesterday that they’re still fighting for a new CBA, showing some pretty… unusual training facilities for one team. New Mexico United President Ron Patel proceeded to not only out that team as his own, while arguing their typical facilities are much nicer, he also tagged a player to help him make his claim that they are being invested in. So it seems like bargaining is going really well.
Finally, here’s your match schedule for the weekend. Just the U.S. Women’s game tonight, but there’s plenty going on on Saturday.
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| USWNT vs. Japan | Fri., Apr. 17 at 9 p.m. | Commerce City, CO | TNT, etc. |
| DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks | Sat., Apr. 18 at 12:30 p.m. | Washington, DC | ABC |
| Old Glory DC vs. Anthem RC | Sat., Apr. 18 at 4 p.m. | Charlotte, NC | ESPN+ |
| Loudoun United vs. Hartford Athletic | Sat., Apr. 18 at 7 p.m. | Hartford, CT | ESPN+ |
| D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union | Sat., Apr. 18 at 7:30 p.m. | Chester, PA | Apple TV |
Have a good weekend!
I also am not wild about a NWSL calendar change. I think it made more sense because of the player transfers (both ways) between MLS and Europe. And even then, I’m a bit doubtful. Yeah, some July-August matches are tough. But the US is a big country with a wide range of climates at any given time. I just don’t see a compelling rationale for NWSL to make the switch.
I think they are using the same logic as the MLS switch or at least attempting to.
Re-signing Weezy is great work. She’s definitely got a unique profile as a left footed defender with wicked set piece delivery. Hoping we get Hal on a new multiyear contract soon.
On the Rugby 7s front, this weekend is the first stop on the HSBC 7s World Championship Series in Hong Kong. Yesterday saw the US Women defeat Spain 24-7 in their first pool play match. So far today the US Women defeated Argentina 27-5. The US Men fell to New Zealand 19-12 earlier today in their first pool play match. Then they lost to Australia 38-5. Tonight the US Women play France at 9:53 PM ET on Paramount+. Then the US Men play Kenya at 1:24 AM tomorrow on Paramount+. They’ve already beaten Kenya twice and lost once in the past 2 months. Then the knockout rounds will be set.
For the US Women 15s they have their 2nd match of the Pacific 4 series tonight at CPKC Stadium, home of the NWSL Kansas City Current, at 9:00 PM ET on Paramount+. They will take on Australia after keeping it tight last week against New Zealand in the first half before being demolished in the 2nd half. They will take on Canada next week in their final match of the Pacific 4 Series.
Coach seemed pretty pieved at a couple of players yesterday in his pregame press conference. He said several players were laughing during Knoxville game and by implication taking them lightly. He said it was unprofessional.
Glad he is telling it like it is.
I haven’t seen that one yet, but he was straight up mad after the game. Last year he was mostly “it is what it is, we’ll make changes,” this year he has kept an even keel. It’s not a good sign of on-field leadership that he’s angry at their attitudes.
https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-signs-romanian-international-louis-munteanu-from-cfr-cluj-as-a-designated-player
So it looks like Louis is locked up with a 3 and a half year contract. This DP signing is going to hurt DCU bad.
I wonder if there is anyway we can get out of it early.
My fear is that his salary would make a straight transfer a non viable off ramp. Even if the owners went in with an understanding that they’re gonna eat several million as a net loss, if another club won’t pay him the salary, it’s not gonna happen.
It’s likely that a full buyout is the only way to disentangle fully early. But we’ll see.
If I’m Louis, I might be persuaded to mutually come to some termination agreement, cuz this is going to be as humiliating for him as it will be aggravating for those he works with.
If I’m a DP and I’m far worse in training than anyone else, I’d cry uncle just because of the social aspect sooner rather than later.
A disaster signing.
The Saudis got Matt Crocker from US Soccer but have fired their head coach Hervé Renard with less than 2 months before the World Cup.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48514555/saudi-arabia-fires-coach-herve-renard-2026-world-cup
Dutch Eredivisie side N.E.C. Nijmegen’s “Attack, Attack, Attack” modern day version of Total Football has to be seen to be believed.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48474602/nec-nijmegen-attacking-tactics-seen-believed
NJ Transit says $150 for a round trip train ticket from Penn Station or an $80 bus ticket to MetLife Stadium…I mean New York New Jersey Stadium.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48514008/world-cup-fans-metlife-stadium-pay150-dollar-train-fares-nj-transit
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7205423/2026/04/17/world-cup-news-met-life-train-tickets/
A 20 year old Ghanain soccer player has died after being shot when the team bus was attacked by armed robbers on the way home from a game.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7192478/2026/04/13/football-ghana-armed-robbery-dominic-frimpong/