The Week in Women's Football: Speaking with Seattle Reign's Holly Ward and U-17 Asian Cup Review

We discussed her first professional season in Vancouver, her move to Seattle and hopes for Canada’s WNT ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. We also continue our review of the teams qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, focusing this week on the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Finals in China.

Canadian international forward Holly Ward Interview

Canadian international forward Holly Ward scored the winning goal in the 2025 Northern Super League Final as Vancouver Rise FC came from a 1-0 halftime deficit to defeat AFC Toronto 2-1. I asked her about her first professional season in Vancouver and specifically about that championship match:

“Honestly, I don’t really have words to describe it because I think just overall, that whole season, my first professional season was a bit of a whirlwind in the best way…

"That game meant so much to me. We were losing in the beginning and the momentum was not going our way… It brought us together. That game was a reflection of 1) our team’s mentality in general and 2) I think it is a Canadian mentality of ‘we never give up’… For me personally, it was a dream to score the winning goal.”

She added: “At halftime, it was a reset of ‘Okay, this isn’t going our way but we know it can.’ We knew we had the quality to win the game.”

Regarding the first season of the NSL, Ward said: “Overall, it’s pretty amazing what the league accomplished in its first year.” She pointed particularly to the local support around the league: “Everything about the league was so passionate. It was so needed in Canada—the Canadian women’s soccer community needed it and it filled a gap that was definitely there.”

That point is significant. Since following the Canadian women’s national team in the late 1990s, a professional women’s league in the country has long been viewed as a necessity. The success of the Canadian Premier League increased the urgency for a women’s professional pathway at home rather than forcing players abroad to the NWSL, Europe or Australia.

Ward discussed her recent move to Seattle Reign FC and the NWSL: “For me it’s been a personal goal to come to the NWSL. Being in Vancouver, I wouldn’t have wanted anything different for my first year, being able to come home and play for my home team. But when the opportunity arose to come to Seattle, it felt right. I thought the environment and coaching staff really fits my vibe.”

She added: “The talent in this league is insane—so many talented players on every team. Being able to train and play with the best of the best only helps me get better.”

Seattle began the season playing home games in Spokane while Lumen Field underwent renovations ahead of the men’s World Cup. Ward praised the support in both cities: “Spokane was a pretty amazing community that came and showed up for us… Lumen is really cool. It’s important for women’s soccer to have those spaces to play in because people want to watch.”

We ended the interview discussing the Canadian national team, for whom she has scored twice in ten senior appearances since debuting in 2025: “Ultimately we want to win a World Cup, we want to win another Olympics. Individually it’s what you’re doing at your club to get ready and to be the best version of yourself.”

Ward, who played collegiately at the University of Texas from 2021-24, is a young, high-quality international player whom Seattle was able to recruit from nearby Vancouver. She now has the opportunity to compete for another league title with one of the NWSL’s most consistent clubs.

AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup and FIFA U-17 WWC Qualifiers

The AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup was held in Suzhou, China from May 1-17. Twelve teams participated, including automatic entrants China, DPR Korea, Japan and Korea Republic, alongside qualifiers Australia, Chinese Taipei, India, Lebanon, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

China dominated Group A with three wins, 15 goals scored and none conceded. Vietnam and Thailand both finished on four points, with Thailand advancing as the best third-place side. In Group B, Japan topped the group with 21 goals scored and none allowed. Australia finished second while India reached the knockout stage for the first time after a decisive 4-0 win over Lebanon.

India’s progress was particularly noteworthy. Coached by former Italian international Pamela Conti, the Young Blue Tigresses were appearing in their first AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup in 21 years. Midfielder Pritika Barman scored twice against Lebanon, while forwards Alva Devi Senjam and Joya added goals. India had spent much of their earlier matches defending against Australia and Japan, but against Lebanon they attacked throughout and secured a historic quarterfinal berth. Women’s football in India at senior, U-20 and U-17 levels has shown significant progress over the past year.

In Group C, defending champions DPR Korea topped the standings with 21 goals scored and none conceded, ahead of Korea Republic. Philippines edged Chinese Taipei for third place.

The quarterfinals saw China defeat India 3-0, while DPR Korea overwhelmed Thailand 6-0. Japan edged Korea Republic 1-0 through a Rara Higuchi goal, while Australia defeated Vietnam 2-0 through goals from Friderici Karaberis and Leyla Hussein. The four semifinalists also qualified automatically for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco later this year.

In the semifinals, Japan defeated Australia 4-0, while DPR Korea beat host China in a dramatic 4-2 match after China had recovered from a two-goal deficit. Yu Jong-hyang scored a hat-trick for DPR Korea.

The final on May 17 saw DPR Korea retain the title with a dominant 5-1 victory over Japan as Yu Jong-hyang scored four goals. DPR Korea has now won five Asian titles at this age level, including four of the last five tournaments.

Most squads relied heavily on domestic-based players. China, Myanmar and Vietnam selected entirely home-based squads, while Australia, Japan and India also leaned primarily on domestic talent. Philippines continued the diaspora recruitment model used successfully at senior level, bringing in 19 North American-based players.

One notable player was Thailand’s Supansa Danique, who plays for Netherlands-based Hera United, an independent women’s club that successfully fought for admission into the Dutch top flight. Hera United has stabilised after a difficult start to the season and remains clear of automatic relegation.

DPR Korea’s Yu Jong-hyang finished as the tournament’s Golden Boot winner with 15 goals, while teammate Kim Won-sim scored six and Japan’s Rara Higuchi added five. Jong-hyang also won the Golden Ball at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and is regarded as one of the brightest young players in Asia, though DPR Korea rarely allows its players to move abroad.

The four Asian qualifiers for Morocco are Australia, China, DPR Korea and Japan. They will join Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. from CONCACAF; Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Venezuela from CONMEBOL; New Zealand and Samoa from Oceania; and France, Germany, Norway, Poland and Spain from UEFA. Morocco hosts the tournament from October 17 to November 7.

- Read the full version at Tim Grainey's Substack. His latest book is Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women’s football. Get your copy today. Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey