USWNT captain Sauerbrunn writes open letter to New Zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The captain of the U.S. women’s national team, Becky Sauerbrunn, has written an open letter to Kiwis in which she praises New Zealand for its commitment to gender equality and women’s rights. She says there “could not be a more fitting host for our base camp during the first round” of the Women’s World Cup later this year. Sauerbrunn’s letter was published Tuesday by the New Zealand media organization Stuff. She said the World Cup from July 20 to Aug. 20 in New Zealand and Australia “will demonstrate the value of empowerment and the growth of the women’s game.”