Open Mic | Mary Harvey on Building the Women’s Game

Mary Harvey has seen the women’s game from almost every angle in her career, as a USWNT goalkeeper to FIFA leader and WPS executive. Today, she leads the Center for Sport and Human Rights, and she joins Open Mic to talk about the evolution of women’s soccer, the lessons of its past and where the game goes next. 0:00 Intro1:26 The 1991 World Cup4:57 Harvey’s Journey to the USWNT7:58 How 1991 Changed Women’s Soccer11:53 Inside the 1996 USWNT16:25 From Player to FIFA Leader24:11 How World Cups Drive Development28:26 What Happened to WPS?35:12 The Future of the Women’s Game41:51 The Responsibility of Each USWNT Generation44:46 Sport, Human Rights & the 2026 World Cup57:30 Harvey’s Favorite Sporting EventsOpen Mic is an Soccerwise interview series that features in-depth conversations with interest soccer voices from around the world. We’ll occasionally share select episodes here on First Touch when the conversation fits. The American home for the global game. Follow the conversation:https://linktr.ee/firsttouchksm