Billie Jean King joins Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy for a powerful conversation about equality, leadership, and the confidence sports can build in girls.

Recorded in partnership with Dove, the episode explores how sports, representation, and positive role models can help girls develop body confidence, find their voices, and recognize their own potential.
Billie Jean reflects on the “Battle of the Sexes,” the sacrifices that transformed women’s sports, and the advice she gave that helped inspire the U.S. Women’s National Team’s pursuit of equal pay. Together, they discuss the importance of asking for what you deserve, the responsibility each generation has to move the game forward, and how one person’s courage can create lasting change.

Plus, plenty of laughs—and a reminder that helping the next generation of girls feel confident in who they are can change far more than the game.

This special episode of Welcome to the Party is presented by Dove.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

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Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Keep the Party Going:

From now until December 31st, your Dove purchase keeps girls in sports! Go to http://dove.com/purchasetodonate to learn more.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Dove

Olympic gold medalists, three-time national champions and lifelong best friends K.K. Harvey and Laila Edwards are joining the party—along with tennis icon Billie Jean King.

For more than a decade, K.K. and Laila have trained, lived and won together. Now, after being selected by different PWHL expansion teams, they're preparing to face off as professional rivals. They take us behind their unforgettable Olympic gold-medal run, winning another NCAA championship with Wisconsin just weeks later, and the friendship that gave them the confidence to believe they belonged on the world's biggest stage.

Laila reflects on making history as the first Black woman to win Olympic hockey gold for Team USA and what it means to inspire the next generation of young athletes. K.K. shares why she always knew Laila would make the national team—even before Laila believed it herself.

Plus, they reveal the truth behind their hilariously short-lived attempt at raising a bunny, put their TikTok skills to the test with Julie, Abby and Billie Jean, and answer who is most likely to lose an Olympic medal, miss the team bus or own the dance floor.

In the Party Starter, we celebrate the record-breaking rise of women's rugby, professional women's hockey, and adaptive and para sports.

Come for the Olympic champions. Stay for the bunny drama. Welcome to the Party!

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow

Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow

TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow

Email — [email protected]

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store 

Keep the Party Going:

Follow KK on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kkharvey/ and TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@kkharvey4/

Follow Laila on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/laila_edwards/ and TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@ledwards21

Women’s Elite Rugby Schedule:https://www.womenseliterugby.us/2026-schedule

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

It’s the ultimate World Cup reunion as Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy bring together generations of U.S. Women’s National Team legends, including Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry, Kristine Lilly, Becky Sauerbrunn, Julie Ertz and more.

The group reflects on the joy, energy and community surrounding this World Cup, breaks down the U.S. men’s heartbreaking exit and gets candid about what was missing when the pressure was highest. Then, the ’99ers and 2015 champions share emotional, hilarious and rarely heard stories from their own World Cup runs, from the moment they realized an entire country was behind them to the goals, saves, locker-room memories and lifelong sisterhood that changed women’s soccer forever.

It’s a celebration of the players who built the game, the generations who carried it forward and the unforgettable feeling of representing your country on the world’s biggest stage.

Follow the 99er’s movie and celebrate all things 99ers: https://www.instagram.com/the99ersteam/

Becky Sauerbrunn - Catch Teaming Up With Becky Sauerbrunn weekly podcast (part of Sam Mewis’s The Women’s Game podcast). https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtNimwVrgGBLKQYK-7MgDDmZFIywBhKrx And follow Becky on social @reeba04 https://www.instagram.com/reeba04/ 

Julie Ertz - Listen to Julie’s amazing new podcast Style of Play, co-hosted with Kealia Watt - https://styleofplayshow.com/ - And follow Julie on social @julieertz - https://www.instagram.com/julieertz/ 

Michelle Akers - Co-founder of Storied Sports, a storytelling and athlete IP company - https://www.storiedsports.com/team-2 - And follow Michelle on social at @officialmichelleakers - https://www.instagram.com/officialmichelleakers/ 

Briana Scurry - Follow Briana at https://briscurry.com/ - And follow Briana on social, @briscurry - https://www.instagram.com/briscurry/ 

Mia Hamm - Co-founder of the Mia Hamm Foundation and part-owner of Angel City FC - https://www.miafoundation.org/ - And follow Mia on social, @miahamm - https://www.instagram.com/miahamm/ 

Kristine Lilly - Runs the Kristine Lilly Soccer Academy, Author of POWERHOUSE, and member of the NWSL team Boston Legacy’s Athlete Advisory Board. - https://kristinelilly13.com/book/ and https://kristinelilly13.com/klsa-camp/ - And follow Kristine on social, @kristinelilly - https://www.instagram.com/kristinelilly/ 

Brandi Chastain - Co-founder of NWSL team, Bay FC. - https://bayfc.com/ - And follow Brandi on social, @bchastain6 - https://www.instagram.com/bchastain6/

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

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Instagram — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

TikTok — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Email — [email protected]

Thank you to our sponsors:

Flavor Flav is in the house! The legendary Public Enemy co-founder and self-proclaimed “world’s greatest hype man” joins Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy to share how being a girl dad inspired his passionate support of women’s sports and why he’s calling on more celebrities and brands to step up.

Flavor Flav is in the house! The legendary Public Enemy co-founder and self-proclaimed “world’s greatest hype man” joins Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy to share how being a girl dad inspired his passionate support of women’s sports and why he’s calling on more celebrities and brands to step up.

Flav takes us inside his sponsorship of Team USA women’s water polo and bobsled and skeleton, reveals the Olympic sport he hopes to compete in himself and previews SHE Weekend, his massive Las Vegas celebration bringing together nearly 200 Olympic, Paralympic, professional and collegiate women athletes.

Plus, Olympic water polo legend Maggie Steffens and Alana Kloss surprise Flav to thank him for the genuine love, investment and energy he continues to bring to women athletes everywhere. Yeah, boy!

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

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TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow

Email — [email protected]

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Keep the Party Going:

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

The World Cup party continues with a very special crossover.

Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach are joined by Glennon Doyle and Amanda Doyle from We Can Do Hard Things for the ultimate World Cup starter pack. From offsides and yellow cards to why the World Cup feels like one giant global sleepover, Julie and Abby break down the beautiful game for anyone who is watching, pretending to understand, or fully emotionally invested.

Plus, Abby and Julie react to the USMNT’s heartbreaking exit, talk through the grief of a tough World Cup loss, and explain why cheering for the men’s team also supports the women’s team thanks to U.S. Soccer’s equal pay agreement. It’s soccer, feelings, whiteboards, accountability, and just enough chaos to make this a true party.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow

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TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow

Email — [email protected]

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Keep the Party Going:

Get more Glennon and Amanda on We Can Do Hard Things: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-can-do-hard-things/id1564530722

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Abby has officially lost her voice but luckily, Glennon Doyle is here to sub in, translate, and somehow survive being pulled off the bench at Taylor and Travis’s wedding. Julie, Abby, and Glennon kick things off with a hilarious recap of Abby’s weekend of screaming, soccer, wedding small talk, and one very stressful pocket watch.

Then, the crew dives into the World Cup red card controversy that has everyone talking unpacking what happens when politics, power, FIFA, and fairness collide on the biggest stage in sports. Plus, they celebrate record-breaking rower Kelsey Fiedler, react to the 2026 WNBA All-Star starters, check in on Billie Jean King at Wimbledon, and break down the latest tennis headlines from Venus, Serena, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, and more.

And because this is Welcome to the Party, the episode wraps with a psychic cat, a Balogun chant, and one very important reminder: when women in sports win, we all have a reason to party.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:
YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow
Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow
TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow
Email — [email protected]
Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com
Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store

Keep the Party Going:
Follow Kelsey Pfendler: https://www.instagram.com/kelseypfendler/?hl=en
Listen to Glennon on We Can do Hard Things: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-can-do-hard-things/id1564530722
WNBA All-Stars: https://www.wnba.com/news/all-star-starters-2026
Billy the Cat Predictions: https://www.instagram.com/billy_heartnose/

Thank you to our sponsors:
-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

This week, Welcome to the Party gets a full Pride Month takeover as Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy are joined by Jockular’s E.R. Fightmaster and Katie Kershaw for a hilarious, heartfelt crossover episode about queering up the World Cup, the undeniable LGBTQ+ roots of women’s sports, and why the gayest team always wins.

From rewriting FIFA rules with short shorts, “Are We Sure, Babe?” VAR reviews, and Brandi Carlile opening ceremonies, to honoring the queer athletes and fans who helped build women’s sports culture from the margins, this episode is equal parts chaos, comedy, and celebration. Plus, the group debates the gayest USWNT era, the 1999 sports-bra moment, WNBA Pride energy, Abby’s LA Sparks doppelgänger, Jockular’s Queer Madness bracket, and Julie’s official induction as “the gayest non-gay person” they know.

It’s Pride, it’s soccer, it’s women’s sports, and yes, it’s absolutely for the gays.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow

Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow

TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow

Email — [email protected]

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store 

Keep the Party Going:

Follow Jocular Here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jockular/id1732760459

See Jocular’s Queer Madness Bracket: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwKcilEjTo/?hl=en

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Wimbledon is here, and the Party People are going across the pond for a very proper tea party with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss. Abby and Julie kick things off with World Cup fever, breaking down the USMNT’s knockout-round path, Cape Verde’s historic run, Gotham FC’s Challenge Cup win, and the latest NWSL shakeups.

Then it’s all things Wimbledon: Billie’s 65th straight trip to the tournament, the traditions that make it unlike any other Grand Slam, Ilana’s own Wimbledon history, and the stories only these two legends can tell. Plus, Serena and Venus Williams are back, and Billie and Ilana weigh in on what it really takes to return to the sport’s biggest stage in your 40s.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

YouTube — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

Instagram — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

TikTok — ⁠@welcometothepartyshow⁠

Email — [email protected]

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store 

Keep the Party Going:

Learn more about Easter Seals: https://www.easterseals.com/

Wimbledon Schedule: https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/schedule

Foudy’s Football Store: https://foudys.com and on social https://www.instagram.com/wearefoudys/

USA Special Olympics: https://2026specialolympicsusagames.org/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

In this Party People Q&A episode, Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, and Billie Jean King hand the mic over to the listeners and tackle the questions everyone actually wants answered. From the very real challenge of returning to sports in midlife, when your brain remembers one body and your knees remember another, to the eternal mystery of soccer’s offside rule, the trio brings their signature mix of wisdom, honesty, and chaos.

Billie shares why strength, patience, and listening to your body matter more than trying to jump back in at full speed, Abby talks about learning new sports and taking ownership of your own growth, and Julie makes a passionate case for why offside keeps soccer beautiful, strategic, and just confusing enough to keep parents yelling from the sidelines. They also get into youth coaching, how kids can build confidence and skill outside of formal training, what makes a women’s sports league worth investing in, and the story behind the Welcome to the Party theme song. Plus: Billie’s iconic red glasses, Julie’s fancy hats, and a reminder that this party belongs to the Party People.

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow

Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow

TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow

Email — [email protected]

Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store 

SUBSTACK - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC