Ex-USWNT star Ali Krieger on women's sports: ‘I want to be an owner and invest fully in an organization'

New York Times

13 hours ago

Ali Krieger retired from professional soccer two years ago after winning the 2023 NWSL Championship with Gotham FC, but that doesn't mean she's stopped playing.
And it definitely doesn't mean she's stopped winning.
The two-time World Cup winner joined her former teammates, as well as some new faces, to form the US Women's team at The Soccer Tournament (TST) in Cary, North Carolina, earlier this month. A goal from the U.S. Under-23 and University of North Carolina midfielder Evelyn Shores, assisted by Krieger's former national team teammate Heather O'Reilly, earned the group a second consecutive title at the seven-on-seven tournament and the $1million prize.
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'It was incredible,' Krieger told The Athletic, describing joining O'Reilly and other former teammates such as Jo Lohman, Carli Lloyd, as well as former Arsenal defender and girlfriend Jen Beattie. 'It's just enjoyable to play with my former teammates again, who I've won championships with over the years, and then just to see the young talent rise.'
Sitting in 100-degree heat in the heart of Manhattan, Krieger spoke to The Athletic while getting ready for another short-side match. This time it was to play in a five-on-five charity match called Showdown, organized by her friend, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and soccer enthusiast Steve Nash, via his eponymous foundation. The mini-tournament featured former and current professional basketball and soccer players to raise money for children in need.
'I miss the game so much, so kind of dabbling in it one weekend at a time every year is enough for me,' Krieger told The Athletic on Tuesday ahead of the event.
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The hunger to grow the game hasn't left her. And while she's no longer lacing up her boots at the highest level, she is expanding her investment portfolio to give back and stay in the game.
Earlier this year, Krieger invested equity in League One Volleyball (LOVB). She said she sees women's sports not just as a place where she used to compete, but as an ecosystem worth investing in.
'I'd love to get into women's hockey as well as basketball, and of course, I want to keep expanding my role in the NWSL,' she said, and not only as an analyst, a job she's had with ESPN since 2024.
'I want to be an owner and invest fully in an organization so that I can have more of an impact on the day-to-day side of things,' Krieger said.
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She's part of a growing wave of former U.S. women's national team players betting on women's sports, particularly on the league they bruised their legs for many years. After retiring from the team, Alex Morgan became a minority investor in the San Diego Wave FC, the club where she closed out her playing career and where her jersey will be retired in the fall. Lauren Holiday joined the ownership group of the North Carolina Courage, while Abby Wambach and Mia Hamm are both part of the high-profile investor group behind Angel City FC. Aly Wagner is part of the Bay FC ownership group, together with Brandi Chastain, Danielle Slaton, and Leslie Osborne.
Krieger retired from professional soccer as the NWSL was hitting a major inflection point, when investors were lining up and franchise valuations were soaring into the double-digit millions. Today, her vision includes helping shape where the game goes next. While the NWSL has announced new expansion teams in Boston and Denver, Krieger believes there's more fertile ground in the U.S.
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'I think Las Vegas would be amazing,' she said. 'Arizona, Atlanta, Austin, these are all amazing cities for soccer.'
One close to the Virginia-native's home is Philadelphia, and she thinks it deserves a team. She also sees room for another team in the New York area, where she finished her career.
'I'd love to see another team in New York someday,' she added. 'Rivalries matter. They grow the game.'
But rivalries alone won't sustain the next phase of women's soccer. For that, Krieger thinks it's time for the NWSL teams to think and act like clubs.
'It would be great to have that model, just like it is in Europe, where you start at the youth level and you move through the ranks. That consistency breeds elite talent. It's not just kids coming to play; there is a structure, but it's going to take some time.'
That development also involves the national team players, like her former TST teammate, Shores, who benefited from a half-year of camps dedicated to developing the under-23 age group.
'That pathway hasn't always been smooth. (U.S. head coach) Emma (Hayes) is fixing that,' Krieger said. 'Giving these young rookies a real chance? It's exciting. And they deserve it if they're showing up in the league.'
The development adds a level of competition, too, Krieger believes. 'No one is guaranteed a spot, and that's how it should be.'
As for Krieger's role, she'll continue to do what she can from the sidelines, even as that desire to be in the middle of the action remains.
'When I'm not playing, I'm more nervous,' she admitted. 'You can't control anything. On the field, at least you feel like you can help. Off it, you're just watching, and yelling doesn't do much.'