It was 2016. Chicago. A book launch for a memoir called Love Warrior. Abby Wambach, the soccer GOAT with two Olympic golds and more international goals than most small countries have people, walked into a room. Glennon Doyle, the "Christian mommy blogger" whose life was ostensibly a guidebook for suburban perfection, looked up.
She saw Abby. She didn't just see a famous athlete. She felt a "lightning bolt."
People love a good "lightning bolt" story. It’s cinematic. It’s easy to package into a TikTok reel. But if you think the story of Abby Wambach and wife Glennon Doyle is just about two famous women falling in love at first sight, you’re missing the actual point. Their marriage isn't a fairy tale; it’s a radical, often messy experiment in what happens when you decide to stop living for other people.
They were both married to other people when they met. Let’s not gloss over that. Abby was married to Sarah Huffman. Glennon was married to Craig Melton. The "scandal" could have buried them, but instead, they turned their personal overhaul into a billion-dollar brand of radical honesty.
The Meeting That Broke the Internet (and Two Marriages)
When Glennon describes meeting Abby, she says three words popped into her head: "There she is."
Kinda dramatic, right?
But honestly, the timing was terrible. Glennon was literally on tour for a book about fixing her marriage. Abby was dealing with the fallout of retirement and a very public DUI that forced her to confront years of addiction. They weren't exactly in "ready for a new relationship" mode.
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They became pen pals. They wrote emails every single day. Long, soul-baring stuff. It wasn't about soccer or blog stats. It was about sobriety, shame, and the fear of being "untamed." By the time they actually held hands, they already knew the darkest parts of each other's closets.
Why the "Momastery" Fans Freaked Out
You have to remember where Glennon came from. She had a massive following of conservative-leaning women who looked to her for "warrior" inspiration within the traditional family structure. When she announced she was in love with a woman—the Abby Wambach—it wasn't just a status update. It was a cultural earthquake.
Some fans felt betrayed. Others felt liberated.
Abby and Glennon didn't just get married in May 2017; they merged their lives into a "blended family" that actually works. We’re talking about family dinners with Craig, Glennon’s ex-husband. They call it "the village." It’s not always pretty, but it’s real.
Moving to California and Building an Empire
Fast forward to 2026. The couple has long since traded Florida for a $6.5 million home in Hermosa Beach, California. They didn't just move for the weather. They moved to build something bigger than themselves.
If you’ve listened to their podcast, We Can Do Hard Things, you know it’s basically the heartbeat of their partnership. It’s not just a chat show. It has over half a billion plays. They talk about everything:
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- Anorexia and recovery
- The crushing weight of youth sports (even for a pro like Abby)
- The politics of "enoughness"
- Gender identity and "queering" the family
Abby has shifted from being the world’s most dominant striker to being the "bonus mom" and the emotional anchor. She often jokes that she’s Glennon’s "wife-manager," but in reality, she’s the one who brought the "Wolfpack" mentality to their business. She’s a co-owner of Angel City FC. She’s a New York Times bestselling author in her own right with WOLFPACK.
They don't just share a bed; they share a board of directors at Together Rising, their nonprofit that has raised over $55 million.
The 2026 Shift: Why They’re Going Back to Audio
Recently, the couple made a move that confused some of their digital-native fans. They decided to pull back from the constant video grind of YouTube and return to audio-only for the podcast.
Why? Because they felt like they were "performing" their relationship for the cameras.
That’s the thing about Abby Wambach and wife Glennon Doyle—they are obsessed with the idea of "internal authority." If something feels "off" or "performative," they kill it. Even if it’s a lucrative revenue stream. They’d rather be authentic and less visible than visible and fake.
The Parenting Paradox
They are raising three kids—Chase, Tish, and Amma. You’d think having an Olympic champion as a parent would be a dream for a kid in youth sports.
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Actually, Abby and Glennon have been very vocal lately about how toxic youth sports have become. In early 2026, they shared a story about a scary incident at their daughter’s soccer game. It wasn't about the kids; it was about the parents. The pressure. The performance.
Abby, who spent her life winning, is now the one telling parents to back off. She wants her kids to have "fun," a concept she says she’s still learning to prioritize herself.
What You Can Learn from Their "Hard Things"
If you’re looking at this couple as just "celebrity goals," you’re doing it wrong. Their value isn't in their wealth or their fame. It’s in their blueprint for a "modern" life.
- Sobriety is the Foundation: Both women are open about their histories with addiction. They don't hide the "recovery" part of their lives. It’s the reason they can have such intense conversations—they don't have a buffer.
- The Ex-Husband Factor: The relationship with Craig Melton is the real MVP of this story. By including him instead of erasing him, they’ve shown that "divorce" doesn't have to mean "destruction."
- The Power of No: They constantly talk about "burning old scripts." If a tradition doesn't fit, they drop it.
Honestly, it’s kinda exhausting to follow their level of emotional labor. But you can't deny it works for them. They’ve built a life where the "soccer star" and the "writer" have somehow become a single, unified voice for a generation of people who feel a bit lost in the "correct" way to live.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Own "Wolfpack"
You don't need a gold medal or a bestseller to apply their logic to your life.
- Audit your "shoulds": Sit down and list the things you do because you "should" versus the things you do because you want to. Glennon calls this finding your "knowing."
- Embrace the "Bonus": If you’re in a blended family, stop trying to replace people. Be the "bonus" person. Abby’s success as a stepmom comes from the fact that she didn't try to be Craig; she just tried to be Abby.
- Talk about the hard things: It sounds like a cliché, but the "Pod Squad" (their fans) proves that there is a massive hunger for people to just say the quiet parts out loud.
Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle aren't finished. They’re currently working on their latest project, We Can Do Hard Things: Answers to Life's 20 Questions, which they’re calling a "guidebook for being alive." Whether you’re a soccer fan or a bookworm, their story is a reminder that you’re allowed to change your mind—and your life—at any time.
Next Steps to Deepen Your Understanding
If you want to understand the actual mechanics of their relationship, start by listening to the "First Meeting" episode of We Can Do Hard Things. It’s raw, it’s funny, and it explains the "lightning bolt" in a way that feels less like a movie and more like a nervous breakdown. From there, check out Abby’s book WOLFPACK to see how she translated her soccer leadership into a manual for modern women.