Picture: Emily Bader (left) and Zoey Deutch (right)
Netflix is producing a film inspired by the iconic 1999 USWNT team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Titled as The 99’ers, it will be directed by Nicole Kassell and will star Emily Bader and Zoey Deutch. Additional cast members have now been confirmed, and filming is underway. Here’s everything we know so far.
The 99’ers is an upcoming Netflix Original sports drama directed by Nicole Kassell and based on the book by Jere Longman and the real-life events of the USWNT at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The script is written by Katie Lovejoy and Dana Stevents.
The film is produced by Liza Chasin for 3dot Productions, with Ryan Reynolds, Hayley Stool, and Ross Greenburg. The executive producers on the project have been confirmed as Margaret Chernin, Marla Messing, Jill Mazursky, and Krista Smith.
3dot Productions has a creative partnership with Netflix, which produced The Life List starring Sofia Carson. The studio is also producing the upcoming Netflix film The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
What is the plot of The 99’ers?
The film will follow the journey of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, who, in the sweltering summer heat, took on tournament favourites China in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In front of a packed stadium of 93,000 fans, the USMNT took the Chinese ladies to a dramatic penalty shootout, captivating millions of fans worldwide, inspiring the next generation of young stars, and forever changing the landscape of the women’s game.
Picture: The famous 99’ers lifting the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy after defeating China in the final.
What’s so special about the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup?
After winning the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup in China in 1991 and hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup, soccer in the US saw an explosive growth in popularity. While the men’s side of the game trailed behind its European counterparts and other members of the CONCACAF, the women’s had arguably seen the biggest growth.
Picture: A packed Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey for the opening game of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the defending and inaugural champions failed to defend their championship after a 1-0 defeat to eventual champions Norway. Four years later, the USWNT had a chance to redeem themselves on home soil in front of a rampant US crowd. In front of crowds exceeding 50,000, the USWNT put on a show, annihilating the competition in the group stages, putting Nigeria, North Korea, and Denmark to the sword. The knockout stages saw the USWNT face off against a strong Germany team, besting them 3-2 in a five-goal thriller. In the semi-finals, a convincing 2-0 victory against the soccer-mad nation of Brazil ensured a second World Cup final.
In front of a packed Rose Bowl in Pasadena, over 90,000 fans watched the USWNT face their toughest opponents yet, China. The Californian summer heat added to the tension as the two teams went into a dramatic penalty shootout. A perfect penalty shootout from the USWNT would see them defeat the Chinese 5-4, with Brandi Chastain scoring the winning penalty, sending her teammates and the crowd into euphoria.
Picture: One of the most iconic images in Women’s soccer is USWNT star Brandi Chastain celebrating her world cup winning penalty in the 1999 final.
Acknowledged as one of the biggest moments for Women’s sport in US history, it was also a landmark moment for the women’s game as the US became the first team to win two women’s World Cups. While it would take another 16 years for their third World Cup, the USWNT remained one of the fiercest competitors, finishing third in 2003 and 2007, and another dramatic penalty shootout in the 2011 final saw them finish as runners-up, losing 3-1 on penalties to Japan. However, they would dominate the Olympics, winning back-to-back-to-back Gold Medals between 2004 and 2012.
Picture: The USWNT gold medal-winning team of the 2012 Olympics Games
Arguably, the growth of the women’s game in the USA had a ripple effect on the entire world. In the decades since, the sport has grown considerably in popularity, with attendances up across Europe, and a dramatic increase in viewership for international championships and domestic leagues.
Who are the cast members of The 99’ers?
Emily Bader and Zoey Deutch were the first cast members confirmed for The 99’ers.
Emily Bader was the first cast member confirmed and will play the role of Mia Hamm. The actress recently found success in Netflix’s romantic comedy People We Meet on Vacation. She also starred in shows such as My Lady Jane, Charmed, and Henry Danger. As for films, she has starred in Fresh Kills and Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin.
Picture: Emily Bader in People We Meet on Vacation (left) will play Mia Hamm (right)
Zoey Deutch will play Marla Messing, the U.S. Women’s Soccer executive who oversaw the success of the 1999 World Cup. The actress recently starred in Richard Linklater’s Netflix film, Nouvelle Vague. She has starred in films such as The Disaster Artist, The Politician, The Threesome, and Zombieland: Double Tap.
Picture: Zoey Deutch in Nouvelle Vague (left)will play Marla Messing (right)
On February 19, 2026, Emilia Jones (CODA) and Alessandro Nivola (The Brutalist) were confirmed to have joined the cast. Jones will play the role of Julie Foudy, a midfielder for the USWMNT who played for the team between 1988 and 2004, with 274 appearances. Nivola plays Tony DiCicco, the head coach of the USWMNT from 1994 to 1999. On March 3rd, six additional cast members were added to the cast, includingAnnabel O’Hagan (Fallout) as Carla Overbeck.
Picture: (top row) Emilia Jones, Alessandro Nivola, and Annabel O’Hagan – (bottom row) Julie Foudy, Tony DiCicco, and Carla Overbeck
The other five cast members were: Julia McDermott (Up Here) as Brandi Chastain, Shaunette Renée Wilson (Black Panther) as Briana Scurry, Perry Mattfeld (In the Dark) as Michelle Akers, Lizzy Greene (Ransom Canyon) as Kristine Lilly, and Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan) as Joy Fawcett.
Picture: (top row) Julie McDermott, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Perry Mattfield, Lizzy Greene, and Isabelle Fuhrman – (bottom row) Brandi Chastain, Brianna Scurry, Michelle Akers, Kristine Lilly, and Joy Fawcett
What is the production status of The 99’ers?
Development
Filming Scheduled
Filming Ongoing
Post-Production
Filming was originally scheduled to start on March 30, 2026, but was delayed by several days and started on April 9, 2026. Filming is still scheduled to end by May 29, 2026.
When will The 99’ers be released on Netflix?
With filming to take place between April and May 2026, it’s unlikely we’ll see The 99’ers on Netflix before the end of the year.
It’s more than likely the film will be released in time for the2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
For now, we await further updates from Netflix.
Are you looking forward to the release of The 99’ers on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
