Welcome to the Party

Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy are back from vacation with family reunions, wakeboarding injuries and one very bold Tahoe bear, then it’s straight into a packed week in women’s sports. They break down the biggest moments from WNBA All-Star Weekend, celebrate new champions in softball and women’s tackle football, catch up on the U.S. track and field championships and unpack the World Cup Google searches that had everyone asking the important questions…like whether Europe has ranch.

Then, live from Gotham FC’s record-breaking Queens Classic at Citi Field, Abby and Julie sit down with English football legend Lucy Bronze. The most decorated English footballer of all time opens up about watching the women’s game transform around her, the childhood Google search that led her to UNC, playing through the Euros with a broken leg and why “Tough” is quite literally her middle name. Lucy also reflects on her autism and ADHD diagnoses, the response she received after speaking publicly about them, the future of women’s football and whether an NWSL chapter could ever be in the cards.

It’s a conversation about toughness, visibility, untapped talent and the barriers women’s sports continue to smash, one record-breaking night at a time.

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In Part 1 of this special three-part series, Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach and Billie Jean King take on one of the most complex and emotionally charged conversations in sports today: transgender athletes and the future of women's sports.

Joined by Fair Game: Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports authors Dr. Anna Baeth and Ellie Roscher, they explore the facts, science, history and policy behind a debate that has become deeply politicized. Together, they examine questions of fairness, inclusion and opportunity while challenging common misconceptions with data, expert research and the lived experiences of transgender athletes.

From the role of Title IX and the realities of elite competition to youth sports, body autonomy and what fairness in sports truly means, this conversation invites listeners to slow down, ask questions and engage with empathy. Even when the answers aren't simple.

Whether you're uncertain, curious or firmly opinionated, this episode offers space to listen, learn and better understand one of the defining issues in sports today.

*Since this episode was recorded, the WTA announced that all players will be required to undergo one-time SRY gene testing to compete on the women’s tour, bringing tennis into compliance with the IOC’s eligibility requirements ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.*

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If you want to learn more or go deeper on some of the things we discussed today, here are a few resources we recommend:

1. Chris Mosier's website is the place to go for action steps and the most up to date policy information: https://www.transathlete.com/

2. Fair Game by Ellie Roscher and Anna Baeth: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fair-game-trans-athletes-and-the-future-of-sports/

3. There are free resources to pair with the book-- a book discussion guide for folks who want to read FAIR GAME in groups and go deeper and writing prompts for cis folks to explore their cis identity: https://ellieroscher.com/books/fair-game

4. Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Rebecca Jordan-Young and Katrina Karkazis: 

5. Fair Play by Katie Barnes: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fair-play-how-sports-shape-the-gender-debates_katie-barnes/ 

Thank you to our sponsors:

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

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.

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

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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!

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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/

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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!

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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.

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

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-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.

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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.

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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