Former England and Manchester City footballer Steph Houghton has announced she and her husband, former professional footballer Stephen Darby, are expecting their first child.
The 38-year-old BBC Sport pundit shared the news on Instagram on Saturday, July 25, 2026, posting a picture with ultrasound photos and a heart-shaped cake.
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The couple married in 2018, the same year Darby was forced to retire from football at age 29 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
Houghton has spoken openly about the emotional challenges of managing her husband's health while adjusting to their new reality.
In a past interview with The Guardian, Houghton reflected on the difficulty of accepting the diagnosis. "In the first few years it was so hard to take in.
You don't want to believe it because you're like: 'Why us? We're only young and Stephen should still be playing football.
It's not fair.' But the more you dwell on it, the more that it harms you.
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So I've learnt how important it is to be positive," she said.
The couple has been active in raising awareness and funds for MND research.
In 2024, they completed a 178-mile fundraising walk from Bradford to Anfield for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, which they helped establish.
Houghton retired from professional football in 2024 after a distinguished career that included captaining both Manchester City and the England national team.
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She won multiple domestic titles and earned 121 caps for England.
