Emily Bader to Portray Soccer Icon Mia Hamm in Netflix Film ‘The 99’ers’

Netflix has officially cast rising star Emily Bader to portray American soccer legend Mia Hamm in its upcoming sports drama The 99’ers, a film centered on the U.S. Women’s National Team’s historic 1999 World Cup triumph.

The movie is based on Jeré Longman’s book The Girls of Summer: The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and How It Changed the World. It revisits the unforgettable final in which the U.S. defeated China in a dramatic penalty shootout before more than 93,000 fans, a moment that reshaped the future of women’s sports.

Bader’s casting follows her breakout success in Netflix’s People We Meet on Vacation, which debuted at No. 1 on the Global Top 10 English Films chart. The project strengthens her growing relationship with the streaming platform as she moves into more high-profile roles.

Mia Hamm is widely considered one of the greatest players in women’s soccer history. She joined the U.S. national team at just 15, won multiple World Cups and Olympic gold medals, and was twice named FIFA World Player of the Year. She retired as the world’s top international goal scorer and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007.

Today, Hamm remains deeply involved in the sport as a co-owner of Los Angeles FC and Angel City FC, while also serving as a global ambassador for FC Barcelona.

The 99’ers will be directed by Emmy winner Nicole Kassell, known for Watchmen and Sirens. The screenplay is written by Katie Lovejoy, Dana Stevens, and Peter Hedges. Production is led by Liza Chasin’s 3Dot Productions alongside a team of veteran producers.

Netflix has not yet announced a release date, but the film is already being viewed as one of the platform’s most anticipated sports dramas.