(Content warning: This story addresses suicide and other mental health issues and may be difficult to read and emotionally upsetting.
If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.)
U.S. women’s national team players are using their World Cup platform for a new mental health initiative alongside Common Goal, a charity organization focused on helping global soccer players create social impacts. FOX Sports, the English-language broadcast rights holder in the United States for the tournament, has also promised to dedicate 1 percent of the tournament’s air time to mental health.
On Wednesday, USWNT defender Naomi Girma released a first-person essay via The Players’ Tribune dedicating this World Cup to her Stanford teammate Katie Meyer, who died by suicide in March 2022.
“This is personal for me, and for everyone who knew Katie,” Girma wrote. “I’ll be honest, it’s not easy to talk about this on the eve of a World Cup. It’s still very raw for me. I know what an honor it is to be a part of a World Cup team. I know all about the pressure and expectations.”
Girma said the project’s mission is to help people feel less alone. Ten USWNT players, including…
, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.) U.S. women’s national team players are using their World Cup platform for a new mental health initiative alongside Common Goal, a charity organization focused on helping global soccer players create social impacts. FOX Sports, the English-language broadcast rights holder in the United States for the...){kind=link}