{
  "id": 13596374,
  "title": "USWNT vs. Spain was an overwhelming example of Michele Kang’s influence on women’s soccer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/uswnt-vs-spain-was-an-overwhelming-example-of-michele-kangs-influence",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-11T00:46:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/uswnt-vs-spain-overwhelming-example-004605195.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Saturday, the U.S. women's national team faced off against world-ranked Spain in a match that highlighted Michele Kang's growing influence in women's soccer. Despite Spain's victory with goals from Guijarro and Navarro, Kang's investments played a significant role in both national teams. Five players in the starting lineups were connected to Kang's expanding soccer empire, spanning the United States, England, and France. The U.S. lineup included OL Lyonnes midfielder Lily Yohannes and Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, while Spain featured London City Lionesses players Alexia Putellas and Lucía Corrales, as well as Lyonnes forward Salma Paralluelo. This concentration of talent under Kang's umbrella underscores her impact on elite women's soccer. Kang's journey began in 2022 with the acquisition of a controlling stake in the Spirit NWSL club, valued at around $35 million. The following year, she invested in Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, the club's women's side. In 2023, she took over London City Lionesses, which later promoted to England's Women's Super League. Kang's influence extends beyond club ownership, as she recently pledged $30 million to U.S. Soccer in November 2024, the largest philanthropic commitment in the federation's history. After the match, Kang observed the intense tension between the two clubs, particularly when Spirit's Tara Rudd booked Putellas with a yellow card. Kang, an investor with billions at stake in women's soccer, watched the game closely, hoping for the best for her portfolio. Despite the outcome, Kang and her investments ultimately emerged as the winners of this high-stakes match.",
  "summary": "WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the field, the U.S. women’s national team’s match against Spain at Audi Field on Saturday was one between the top two FIFA-ranked teams. World No. 1 Spain stunned the hosts 2-0 with goals from Patricia Guijarro and Eva Navarro, underlining Spain’s jump from underdogs to world champions. But just beyond the white line in a field-level suite, the game offered a glimpse into…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "SB Nation",
        "title": "USWNT vs Spain: Five NWSL players to watch in both friendlies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/uswnt-vs-spain-five-nwsl-players-to-watch-in-both-friendlies",
        "published": "2026-10-09T14:02:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Spain dominate with clinical finishes while USWNT’s decision-making leaves ‘details’ behind",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/spain-dominate-with-clinical-finishes-while-uswnts-decision-making",
        "published": "2026-10-10T21:16:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}