Women's World Cup: Why has ACL curse kept so many players at home? 

SIDELINED: Injuried Arsenal stars Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema attend BBC Sports Personality Of The Year in December. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

Some of the biggest names in the game won’t be playing in the Women’s World Cup because of what feels like an epidemic of ACL injuries — and players are asking why.

Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema, England’s Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, Canada’s Janine Beckie and rising U.S. star Catarina Macario are among those sidelined for the tournament starting July 20 in Australia and New Zealand. While ACL injuries cost Ireland internationals Jess Ziu, Ellen Molloy and Savannah McCarthy a chance of playing in this tournament.