feature image photo via Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis’ Instagram
Almost exactly a year ago, we brought you the news that Australian soccer captain Sam Kerr and USWNT/West Ham United player Kristie Mewis were engaged! Now they’ve announced they’re expecting a baby in 2025! This sapphic soccer couple said “November is for ANNOUNCEMENTS.”
The athletes have been in a public relationship since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and made their baby announcement on Instagram early this morning, captioning a series of black and white photos with “Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025!” The photos include the couple kissing, holding up an ultrasound, and Kerr grinning at Mewis’ pregnancy bump. It’s all very wholesome and sweet! They’re on the road to becoming soccer moms in addition to soccer STARS!
Mewis is currently on an 18-month contract with West Ham, which started in December 2023 and led to her exit from Gotham. However, she has only been able to play four times with the team as she has been out on various injuries including a tendon tear and a calf injury. There were rumors circulating that she might be prepping for retirement when she stepped out of the public eye, but it turns out that was likely due to her keeping the pregnancy under wraps until the couple was ready to announce. Kerr, who in addition to captaining Australia’s national team is a striker for Chelsea, has also sustained sidelining injuries this year. She’s currently out on one of the most dreaded of soccer injuries: an ACL rupture. She is Australia’s all-time top goal-scorer, and prior to her injury, she scored 99 goals in 128 matches. The ACL tear took her out of commission for the entire 2024 season, but she’s committed to Chelsea through 2026 even though it’s unlikely she’ll be able to play until 2025.
As for parental protections within the sport, the various football governing bodies have a mixed track record on leave and job security for pregnant players. In 2022, the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association implemented a new maternity policy that guarantees players 100% of their weekly wage for the first 14 weeks of leave, regardless of how long they’ve been at their respective club. There are, however, no regulations in place that require clubs to extend contracts upon pregnancy announcements. Mewis’ current contract carries through to mid-2025, and Kerr has been renewed through 2026.
For the past few years since they stepped out publicly together, Kristie and Sam have been a very out and proud couple on the pitch, often spotted cheering each other on from the stands and frequently documenting their relationship on Instagram, where indeed you can pretty much see the full arc of their journey together from soccer girlfriends to soon-to-be-soccer-moms. It’s a great time to be a soccer gay!!!!
I LOVE THIS FOR THEM