Full Time: A show about women's soccer

29 games down, 1 to go. The longest NWSL regular season ever is reaching its climax, and two teams, Gotham FC and the San Diego Wave, are left duking it out for top spot in the standings and the chance to lift the NWSL Shield.

So, on the show today, we’re going to be debating what winning the NWSL Shield really means. Should the regular season title mean more than a Championship? How do we increase the value of this trophy? And what would winning it mean to the two clubs left chasing the glory?

The podcast also breaks down all things Decision Day. From what will happen on Sunday in the Shield race, who will win the final playoff spot, and which teams can claim a spot in the top four and the right to host a playoff game.
_______________
HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
PANEL: Meg Linehan, Tamerra Griffin
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
_______________
Referenced on the show:
NWSL Decision Day: Explaining what’s at stake on the final day of the regular season
_______________
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.

On Monday, Alexia Putellas was crowned the best player in the world, as she claimed her third Women’s Ballon d’Or trophy.

But what does the Ballon d’Or really tell us about who the best player in the world is? What is the point of this award? Is it really just an exercise in marketing? Or can it truly be a gauge of success and value on the pitch?

On this episode of Full Time, Theo Lloyd-Hughes is joined by The Athletic’s Meg Linehan and Tamerra Griffin to debate the biggest award in the soccer calendar. Charlotte Harpur also joins the show to share her perspective from being in London at the awards to see the Ballon d’Or handed out. And Gotham FC president of soccer operations, Yael Averbuch-West, also breaks down what the Ballon d’Or means for elite clubs.

PLUS: Theo, Meg and Tamerra give their eulogies for all the NWSL teams that have already been eliminated from the playoffs. Which teams have plenty of hope and which teams don’t?
_______________
HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
PANEL: Meg Linehan, Tamerra Griffin, Charlotte Harpur
GUEST: Yawl Averbuch-West
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
_______________
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.

This week, reports from The Athletic learned that the cities of Chicago and Portland are returning to the table to place bids to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup, which is expected to be hosted in the United States, Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica.

So, on this episode of Full Time, Theo Lloyd-Hughes, Tamerra Griffin, and Meg Linehan debate the case for those two cities to host. What makes a good host city? And what lessons will FIFA and U.S. Soccer have learned from the 2026 men’s World Cup when it comes to making their picks for the women’s edition in five years?

PLUS: The Athletic’s Asli Pelit joins the show to give more details on Portland’s bid. While the pod also discusses the viral video from Angel City FC that riled up the Denver Summit after last weekend’s match in the NWSL, and who is the favorite to win the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or next Monday?
_______________
HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
PANEL: Meg Linehan, Tamerra Griffin
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
_______________
Referenced on the show:
Portland wants to host 2031 Women’s World Cup games. The Bhathal family is helping lead the charge
Chicago want to host the Women’s World Cup after saying ‘no’ to men’s tournament
_______________
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.

On Monday, the England women’s national team announced that head coach Sarina Wiegman had signed a two-year contract extension, through the end of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2029 tournament. So, what does Wiegman’s contract extension mean for Wiegman, the Lionesses, and the rest of global women’s soccer?

On this episode of Full Time, Theo Lloyd-Hughes is joined by The Athletic’s Megan Feringa to unpack Wiegman’s new contract extension as well as all the latest from the English Women’s Super League, including how the teams lower in the table can bridge ‘The Gap’ on those at the top, whether Manchester City will ever lose again, and the latest on Arsenal’s crisis that continues to embroil head coach Renee Slegers.

PLUS: Melanie Anzidei discusses what we learned from the NWSL weekend and gives her predictions on how the top eight places in the league will shake out. Were the San Diego Wave the real winners of the weekend? What happens to Ashley Sanchez’s MVP campaign if the North Carolina Courage miss out on the playoffs?
_______________
HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
PANEL: Megan Feringa, Melanie Anzidei
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
_______________
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.

This week, the Full Time podcast is wondering: Is there such a thing as the biggest game in the NWSL calendar?

And if so, right now, is that marquee matchup between Washington Spirit and Gotham FC?

Well, with the two teams facing off on Saturday at Audi Field – in a rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship – what better time to debate what it means to see these two go head-to-head and unpack why this week’s regular season match has so much on the line. How are these squads looking heading out of the international break and back into league action? And what will this match mean for the Shield, the playoffs and the MVP race?
_______________
HOST: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
PANEL: Meg Linehan, Melanie Anzidei
PRODUCER: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
_______________
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.