Two-time FIFA World Cup champion and former U.S. Women’s National Team star Ali Krieger has joined ESPN to headline the company’s coverage of women’s soccer, including the upcoming NWSL season. Krieger will serve as studio analyst across all soccer programming on ABC and ESPN platforms, offering her analysis for ESPN’s news and information programs, including SportsCenter, ESPN FC, Fútbol Americas, and digital platforms, espnW and ESPN.com.
Krieger served as the lead studio voice for ESPN’s news and information coverage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. She will make her NWSL debut on Saturday, March 16, live on ABC network at 12:30 p.m. ET during the Kansas City-Portland Thorns FC season-opening match.
Krieger will be joined by an all-star roster of broadcasters, including Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster Jenn Hildreth, former England Women’s National Team player Lianne Sanderson, ESPN Deportes’ Cristina Alexander, and seasoned soccer coach Natalia Astrain. Hildreth and Sanderson will pair as the English-language commentary team, while Alexander and Astrain will headline Spanish-language match coverage on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ali, Lianne, and Natalia to our NWSL on ESPN team,” said Rodolfo Martinez, Senior Vice President, International and ESPN Deportes Production. “Their fresh off-the-field insight and in-depth knowledge of the sport will inform, entertain, and elevate our coverage of the league. Collectively, their voices will represent our ambition for the NWSL.”
As NWSL commentators across ESPN’s English- and Spanish-language platforms, Krieger, Hildreth, Alexander, Astrain, and Sanderson will play a significant role in how fans experience the top women’s professional soccer league in the region – North and South America. Their first assignment as a team will be in Kansas City, Kansas, on March 16 for the inaugural match at CPKC Stadium, the first purpose-built stadium for a women’s professional sports team.
ABC and ESPN platforms will combine to showcase 20 matches during the 2024 NWSL season, the 12th season of the premier women’s professional soccer league. ABC will air four games beginning with the Current-Thorns FC season-opener and three playoff matches. ESPN will televise seven matches, ESPN2 will air nine, and ESPN Deportes will broadcast 13 games in Spanish. All 20 games in the ESPN package will stream live in English and Spanish on ESPN+.
NWSL on ESPN Commentators:
Ali Krieger: Krieger retired after an 18-year career in the U.S., Germany, and Sweden as one of the most decorated professionals in the sport. She is a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion (2015 and 2019), playing with the U.S. Women’s National Team, and an NWSL champion in 2023 with NJ/NY Gotham FC. After announcing her retirement last year, Krieger captained Gotham FC in its remarkable “worst-to-first” run – finishing last in the league in 2022 and winning the NWSL title in her final professional match on November 11, 2023. Krieger played several seasons in Germany with FFC Frankfurt, where she won the treble, German women’s football championship, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Women’s Champions League (then UEFA Women’s Cup) in 2007. She played for three NWSL clubs: NJ/NY Gotham FC, Orlando Pride, and the Washington Spirit.
Krieger: “I am so excited for the opportunity to cover the sport I love and celebrate the impact the women’s game has on our culture. It is a thrill to join the gold standard in ESPN as they continue to invest in the future of soccer and women’s sport.”
Jenn Hildreth: Hildreth is an Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster with over two decades of experience as a play-by-play commentator, studio host, and reporter across various sports. She currently serves as a year-round play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ACC Network, regularly covering soccer and other college sports. A prominent voice in women’s soccer overall, Hildreth has been a leading announcer of NWSL since 2015 across several national outlets and has called matches during the last three installments of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for FOX Sports in 2015, 2019 and 2023. Her extensive soccer repertoire spans additional college, professional, and international events, such as the Olympics on NBC, MLS on AppleTV, the NCAA Women’s College Cup, UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, and the U.S. Women’s National Team. Hildreth’s passion for soccer extends from her collegiate days as a goalkeeper for Emory University, where she excelled as a three-sport athlete in soccer, basketball, track & field.
Hildreth: “I am so excited to be a part of ESPN’s coverage of the NWSL. I have called games in this league and watched it grow for close to a decade, and I think ESPN viewers are going to love what they see. The NWSL is the most competitive women’s league in the world, and if you’re not already a fan, you will be soon!”
Lianne Sanderson: Sanderson is a former England Women’s National Team forward. She represented England in the 2007 and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup – a part of the England team that finished third in the competition in Canada. Her national team career spanned 50 international matches, making here one of the most-recognized stars of her era in women’s soccer. Anderson played for several clubs across England, the USA, and Spain, including a short stint in Italy. She joined Arsenal Women’s FC in 1997 in their youth teams. She made her senior team debut in the 2003-2004 season. In 2006-2007, Sanderson scored 40 goals in 41 matches across four competitions – English Women’s Football Championship, Women’s FA Cup, FA Women’s National League Cup, and UEFA Women’s Champions League – all won by Arsenal. After she retired from professional soccer, Sanderson became a sought-after soccer analyst for Sky Sports, BBC, DAZN, talkSPORT, and more.
Sanderson: “I’m really excited to share my insight with the US fans on what will be another amazing season in the NWSL, I can’t wait for the action to start.”
Cristina Alexander: Alexander is one of ESPN’s most versatile bilingual commentators, anchoring SportsCenter’s morning editions. She also hosts ESPN’s Spanish-language soccer shows La Peña de La Liga and Goles y Más. Alexander joined ESPN in 2015 as a correspondent based in Guadalajara, where she provided coverage of Mexican soccer clubs Atlas and Chivas. Over the years, Alexander’s role has expanded to encompass a diverse range of sports, such as UEFA Champions League, LALIGA, MLS, and Liga MX, including serving as the play-by-play voice for Liga MX Femenil for ESPN Deportes and in Mexico since 2021. Before joining ESPN, Alexander gained experience as a reporter, producer, and anchor at the NBC affiliate KOMU 8 News during her undergraduate years at the University of Missouri. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2014.
Alexander: “Women’s soccer in the U.S. has always been a dominant role model and the league certainly reflects that in a tremendous way. I’m honored to lend my voice to a league that’s helping the younger generation dream of having a successful career in women’s soccer at the top level.”
Natalia Astrain: Natalia Astrain, a seasoned soccer coach and analyst, has held notable positions in Spain and the United States. She served as Head Coach of the U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team and assistant coach for NWSL Kansas City Current. In Spain, Astrain coached at esteemed clubs, including FC Barcelona, and worked as an assistant coach for Atletico Madrid and the Spain Women’s National Team. Additionally, she provided soccer analysis for Olympic coverage on Universo’s “Mundo Deportivo” and FC Barcelona TV. Astrain served as Spanish-language color commentator for Telemundo’s coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia New Zealand 2023. Astrain holds a master’s degree in Sport Psychology and High Performance of Team Sports, the UEFA Pro License, and a U.S. Soccer “A” License.
Astrain: “Joining this project is not just an opportunity; it’s a commitment to fuel the exhilarating growth of the women’s game, where excitement meets purpose, and together, I hope to help elevate the playing field for all.”
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