Before the rise of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, a group of determined women in 1970s Illinois laid the foundation for the sport’s future. They fought for recognition, defied expectations, and proved that women’s soccer was here to stay. League of Women is the untold story of these pioneers, their triumphs, and their lasting impact on the global game.
SYNOPSIS
League of Women is a compelling documentary chronicling the trailblazing women who
transformed soccer in the United States, long before it was a professional sport. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s women's movement and the passage of Title IX, the film follows the rise of the Illinois Women's Soccer League (IWSL) and the fearless players who shattered barriers.
At the heart of the story is the Roth family, whose patriarch, Julius Roth, escaped East
Germany and helped spread the culture of soccer in the U.S. His daughter, Karen Roth, founded the IWSL in 1974, which was a driving force in establishing women's teams across the country. The league also hosted what is believed to be the first women’s soccer tournament in the U.S.
Through archival footage, firsthand interviews, and never-before-seen stories, League of
Women also captures the historic 1980 trip when the Schwaben Women’s Soccer Club
became possibly the first American women’s team to compete internationally—winning all
eight of their matches in West Germany and proving their place in the sport.
From the early struggles of forming teams to the eventual rise of the U.S. Women's National
Team and the 1991 Women's World Cup, this film reveals the overlooked pioneers whose
vision and persistence changed the landscape of women's sports forever.
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