"Serena Williams & I are letting Olympia stay up past bedtime to watch" - Husband Alexis Ohanian on Alex Morgan and USWNT's World Cup match
Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian has revealed that the couple has allowed a special bedtime exception for their daughter Olympia, so she can watch the United States Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) take on Netherlands in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Ohanian has long been a strong supporter of women's soccer, having made a significant $100 million investment in Angel City FC, an emerging club that became part of the Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2022. He co-owns the club with his wife, Serena Williams, and notable celebrities like Natalie Portman, Jessica Chastain, and Eva Longoria, among others.
Ahead of USA's Women's World Cup campaign, Ohanian also proudly showcased customized USNWT jerseys for himself, Williams, Olympia, and their unborn child, each emblazoned with the number 23, in honor of Williams' Grand Slam tally.
On Thursday, July 27, USA took on Netherlands in the their second match of their World Cup campaign. The thrilling clash ended in a draw with each team scoring a goal apiece.
Ahead of the clash, American soccer star Alex Morgan took to social media and shared her anticipation for USA's match against the Netherlands.
"Game Day number 2. USA v Ned 9pm ET," she captioned the post on Instagram.
Ohanian reshared Morgan's post and stated that he and Williams were allowing their daughter Olympia to stay up past her bedtime so she could watch the USWNT in action.
"Serena and I are letting @olympiaohanian stay up past bedtime to watch some of this @alexmorgan13 @uswnt LFG," she posted on his Instagram story.
Team USA's World Cup campaign got off to a flying start as they secured a 3-0 win over Vietnam. The USWNT will be hoping to carry their good form forward into their match against Portugal on August 1.
"I was watching the 2019 Women's World Cup final and my daughter was running around in an Alex Morgan jersey" - Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian
Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian, the co-owner and lead investor of Angel City FC, credited a dare from his wife as the motivation behind the birth of the club, during an interview in October 2022.
"Angel City [FC] was largely prompted by a dare from my wife [Serena Williams]," Ohanian said.
Ohanian recalled watching the 2019 Women's World Cup final with their daughter Olympia, who was wearing an Alex Morgan jersey. At the time, he had expressed his desire to see Olympia play for the women's national team in the future.
"As I was watching the 2019 Women's World Cup final and my daughter was running around in an Alex Morgan jersey. I was just musing like, 'Hey, wouldn't it be cool if she played for the women's national team one day?'" he said.
He shared that Serena Williams had responded immediately and challenged him to ensure that their daughter is paid what she deserves first. This incident prompted Ohanian to promote women's football.
"And Serena without missing a single beat said, 'Not until they pay her what she's worth.' I was like, alright, challenge accepted, let's see if I can do some things to help," he added.