Former USWNT player Allie Long joins Fort Lauderdale in the USL Super League.
Allie Long, a former player for the United States women’s national team, wishes to announce her return — although she never truly departed.
Long has joined Fort Lauderdale United FC for the remainder of the 2025-26 USL Super League season, marking her as the first World Cup champion to affiliate with a team in this league.
As a midfielder, Long was part of the USWNT squad that triumphed in the 2019 World Cup.
“I’ve never been out,” Long stated to ESPN. “I’ve never declared my retirement because it has always been in my heart. I’m incredibly eager to see where this leads and what unfolds. You’ll likely have to roll me off the field when I’m 49 years old. Someone’s going to have to kick me off.”
She will immediately integrate into Fort Lauderdale United as the team aims to re-enter the playoff race ahead of the Super League postseason in May.
At 38 years old, Long last completed a full professional season in 2023 with Gotham FC, which secured the NWSL Championship that year. This was her first season back after welcoming twins in 2022.
Due to that and a torn calf that affected her during the latter part of her 2023 season, she now reflects that she hardly felt like her true self.
“I love the game immensely and I’m a competitor,” Long remarked. “It just never left my heart. Despite contemplating my next steps, the fact that it’s in my heart, it’s always been there — I don’t want to conclude my career due to an injury. I wouldn’t require an announcement or recognition; I simply wish to exit the field that I have devoted my entire life to, in a manner that feels fulfilling.”
Long also claimed two NWSL Championships and an NWSL Shield with the Portland Thorns during the league’s early years, establishing herself as one of the most composed midfielders, which led to her selection for the USWNT.
She was part of the rosters for the 2016 Olympics and the 2019 World Cup.
Her joining Fort Lauderdale, even late in the season, represents a significant moment for the club and is noteworthy for the Super League, which was established in 2024 as a sanctioned first-division league similar to the NWSL.
“Signing Allie Long is a pivotal moment for this club — but more importantly, it signifies the environment we’ve cultivated here,” stated Fort Lauderdale United chairman Tommy Smith.
“When a World Cup champion opts to be part of what you’re building, it carries weight.
“Her influence will extend well beyond the field. She will play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of players in our girls academy, and that is what this is fundamentally about — creating a genuine pathway and establishing a new benchmark for what is achievable in Fort Lauderdale.”
Long also had a stint with Paris Saint-Germain in France and participated in all three seasons of the now-defunct WPS, which preceded the NWSL.
Her contract with Gotham concluded after the 2023 season, and she received a brief opportunity with the Kansas City Current in 2024 as a national team replacement player on a short-term deal.
Long competed in the first two editions of The Soccer Tournament (TST) in 2024 and 2025, aiding a team of former USWNT stars alongside emerging talents to secure the $1 million prize on both occasions. TST is played on a small-sided field, which is part of Long’s origins.
Long is known for spending many of her offseasons engaging in high-stakes amateur futsal with men in New York City. She currently resides in Missoula, Montana, with her partner, Casey, a sports physiotherapist who works with professional tennis players and other athletes.
Long mentioned that she has been participating in indoor soccer and futsal in men’s leagues in Missoula. While it doesn’t quite match the gyms in New York City, it has been adequate, she noted.
However, she completely paused playing in November following her father’s passing.
“I just know that he would want me to never give up,” Long expressed.
“I feel like he believed in me more than anyone else on the planet. For me, not playing, he didn’t really grasp why. He attended TST both years and was always supportive. I felt like this is an opportunity for me, and I’m going to seize it. I believe he’d be really proud of me.”
Long indicated that she was in the Lauderdale area for the Miami Open tennis tournament last month when the opportunity with Fort Lauderdale United presented itself.
She had been looking for a chance to return to the field with a professional team, and she expressed hope that she has a few more years of playing ahead of her.
For the moment, Long is embracing the opportunity in front of her. She intentionally refrained from informing her friends and former teammates about the opportunity as she did not want to be swayed in any direction.
Even this week, while texting with former USWNT teammate Alex Morgan, Long remained discreet about her significant return: “I didn’t tell them. They are going to be so shocked.”
