Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe announced on social media that they have ended their ten-year romantic relationship. The former basketball and soccer stars said the decision to separate was made jointly.

"There really is no smooth or easy way to share this news," Bird and Rapinoe said in a joint statement. "After a lot of thought, we've made the decision to separate as a couple."

"This hasn't been an easy decision, but it's one we've made together, with so much love, respect, and care for each other," they said. "We've shared a whole life over the last decade, through big moments and in quiet ones, and that is something we'll always carry with us."

Bird, 45, and Rapinoe, 40, met at the 2016 Rio Olympics and began dating that year. They went public with their relationship in July 2017 and announced their engagement in October 2020. Throughout their relationship, the two advocated for social issues including equal pay, transgender rights, and racial justice.

Bird was the No. 1 pick in the 2002 WNBA draft and played 19 seasons with the Seattle Storm, winning four WNBA titles before retiring after the 2022 season. She also won five Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team and two NCAA titles with the UConn Huskies. Bird was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2025 and serves as managing director of the U.S. women's national basketball team. She will join NBC and Peacock as a studio analyst for the 2026 WNBA season.

Rapinoe played for the United States women's national soccer team that won the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015 and 2019, and won the 2012 Olympic gold medal with the team. She retired from the National Women's Soccer League at the end of the 2023 season.

"We are so grateful for this incredible community that has held us up, welcomed us in, and supported us exactly as we are," Bird and Rapinoe said in the statement.