Krieger said fans often know more about players than their work on the pitch. Women’s footballers have generally made time for conversations, photographs and community moments, creating a culture that feels more open than the heavily managed access surrounding many leading men’s players.
That openness can make a lasting impression. A brief meeting at a match, training session or public event may give a young supporter a role model and a personal connection to the sport.
It is also a relationship that can work both ways. Ordinary matchday moments, including goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger asking supporters how much time remained when the clock at Meadow Park was not working, show how unusual and human the interaction can be.
The NWSL is moving into a period of sustained expansion. The league says it has recorded a fourth successive year of viewership growth, while audiences among women aged 18-34 rose by 34% during the 2024/25 season.
For Krieger, that growth has not erased the game’s accessibility. She described the originality and inclusivity of women’s football as reasons it continues to appeal to new audiences.
There is, however, a clear challenge ahead. As commercial demands increase and global attention intensifies, players may face more obligations and less informal time with supporters.
Krieger acknowledged that the World Cup “might change now because the World Cup has changed the scene drastically.” Yet the sport’s next stage should not be measured only through bigger audiences or greater investment.
The key question is whether women’s football can grow while preserving the personal connection that made so many supporters feel welcome in the first place.