US Soccer, WPS to Recognize 10th Anniversary of 1999 Women's World Cup

The year was 1999. A team of inspired women and a tournament of historic proportions captured the hearts and minds of an entire nation. The 1999 Women’s World Cup ran from June 19 to July 10, 1999, in packed stadiums across the United States, raising the profile of women’s soccer globally, creating new heroes in the sport and setting the bar for future FIFA Women’s World Cup™ tournaments. It culminated in an epic final in front of over 90,000 fans at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Now, 10 years later, U.S. Soccer and Women’s Professional Soccer will honor the legacy of that tournament and the legends from the World Cup-winning U.S. Women’s National Team at WPS games throughout late June and early July. Working with U.S. Soccer, all seven WPS franchises will feature a 10th Anniversary Tribute Day at one of their WPS home games coinciding with the anniversary of the tournament dates of the 1999 Women’s World Cup.

Former U.S. Women’s National Team players will make appearances, sign autographs and be recognized for their accomplishments ten years ago. The 1999 World Cup trophy will also travel to WPS venues during this time for photo opportunities with fans and a special collector’s edition 1999 World Cup autograph card will be printed for fans.

“During three weeks in the summer of 1999, fans across the United States got the opportunity to be part of one of the most remarkable women’s sporting events in history and witness our Women’s National Team win the World Cup Final at home,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati.

“Ten years later, this is another chance to celebrate that amazing achievement. We’re looking forward to celebrating the anniversary with as many WPS fans across the country as possible.”

“The 1999 Women’s World Cup is such an important event in the history of our sport in this country and the world,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci.

“We wanted to commemorate it in a special way by bringing back the memories of that great tournament to our WPS fans. We thank US Soccer for their support in this and congratulate all the players from that tournament – some of whom are playing in WPS – on this special 10-year anniversary.”

Remembering 1999 Tribute Schedule

Date                        Match                                  Stadium                   TV Game

Saturday, June 20       Saint Louis vs. Washington       AB Soccer Park                    

Sunday, June 21         Los Angeles vs. FC Gold Pride   Home Depot Center    Fox Soccer Channel

Saturday, July 4          Sky Blue FC vs. Boston           Yurcak Field

Sunday, July 5            FC Gold Pride vs. Saint Louis    Buck Shaw Stadium             

Sunday, July 5            Washington vs. Los Angeles      Maryland SoccerPlex  Fox Soccer Channel

Sunday, July 12          Boston vs. Sky Blue FC             Harvard Stadium       Fox Soccer Channel

Sunday, July 12          Chicago vs. Bay Area                Toyota Park             Comcast

Retired players from the 1999 World Cup team making appearances will include: Mia Hamm, Joy Fawcett, Lorrie Fair, Tiffany Roberts, Tisha Venturini, and Danielle Fotopolous, among others. WPS currently has five 99ers playing in the league: Brandi Chastain (FC Gold Pride), Kristine Lilly (Boston Breakers), Tiffeny Milbrett(FC Gold Pride), Christie Rampone (Sky Blue FC) and Briana Scurry (Washington Freedom).

Beyond the on-site events, the WPS league website (www.womensprosoccer.com) and U.S. Soccer Web site (ussoccer.com), will feature a unique series called “Remembering ‘99”. Each day from June 19-July 10, a different WPS player or U.S. Soccer legend will provide their memory of the 1999 Women’s World Cup in their own words.

Contributions will come from current WPS players – some of whom were not even teenagers yet in 1999 – to others such as Commissioner Antonucci, 1999 WWC CEO Marla Messing, Chinese star Sun Wen and German star Steffi Jones, who is head of the 2011 Women’s World Cup Organizing Committee in Germany. The league site will also feature a special page and message board for fans to post their own memories from the 1999 World Cup.

About U.S. Soccer

Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has helped chart the course for soccer in the USA for more than 95 years as the governing body of the sport. In this time, the Federation’s mission statement has been simple and clear: to make soccer, in all its forms, a pre-eminent sport in the United States and to continue the development of soccer at all recreational and competitive levels. To that end, the sport’s growth in the past two decades has been nothing short of remarkable as U.S. Soccer’s National Teams have continually succeeded on the world stage while also growing the game here in the United States with the support of its members. For more information, visit ussoccer.com.

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

The mission of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is to be the premier women’s soccer league in the world and the global standard by which women’s professional sports are measured.  The Inaugural Season kicked off on March 29 and runs through August 22, 2009, with WPS teams based in the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey/New York, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.  The league’s eighth franchise, Philadelphia, will begin play next season with Atlanta expected to join as the ninth team in 2010, as well. For more information, visit www.womensprosoccer.com.

The previous story is excerpted from a press release from the Women's Professional Soccer League and is reprinted at the request of the league in accordance with their relationship with The Bleacher Report. 

What's News is the alternate profile of freelance writer Todd Civin who writes feature stories for Bleacher Report under his own name. He can be reached at [e-mail] for hire or comments. Todd is also a supporter of "A Glove of Their Own" the award winning children's book that is capturing the heart of the nation. Visit at www.agloveoftheirown.com.