Notes Around The World

Man you gotta love soccer – Running Alexi Lala’s take on Boston Marathon. An American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo just won The Copa Del Rey title over Atletico Madrid for Real Sociedad in Spain ala TVs Ted Lasso (Real Sociadad Celebration) .  The Science behind the new EPL ball  -is it leading to the higher scores this season? As the World Cup counts down – who can forget  ‘Hand of God’ and the brilliance of Maradona.  For those who watch We Are Wrexham they are in 7th place just 1 spot away from the Championship playoffs to make the EPL. (Read more below). Cool to see a first in Men’s Soccer – as a female coach Marie-Louise Eta took over on an interim basis for German Bundesliga’s Union Berlin last week. Sad to see many sexist remarks as they lost 2-1 to Wolfsburg however. Games are back on for Rec Programs at Carmel Dad’s Club and Westfield along with the Girls Showcase this weekend at Grand PArk.

US Women Beat Japan in 2 of 3 including 3-0 domination in the Final

The US ladies got goals from ,Rose Lavelle, Naomi Girma and newcomer Kennedy Wesley as they dominated Japan 3-0 (US Highlights) in the final of 3 matches. The US won the 2-1, before losing 1-0 in game 2. That’s a huge series against a top 5 Japan Squad that will certainly make noise next summer in Brazil in the WC. Overall this cycle saw Sophia Smith return to form after 16 months off to have a child, Emily Fox returned on defense off her knee surgery, and young up and comers Claire Hutton and Kennedy Wesley along with the emergence of Claudia Dickey in goal. Good Read on ESPN – What did the US Learn. Turning to the NWSL – it returns this week with a CBS National Game Sat at 1 pm Gothem vs Bay FC and on ESPN2 Sun at 6 pm with Angel City hosting Portland – look for my Daughter Courtney at the Game!!

US Men – Players Dominating – Head Man Steps Down

Sure disappointing to see US Sporting Director Matt Crocker is leaving for Saudi Arabia just 2 months before the World Cup. (Stories below). Our US oversea’s players are rolling as our #9 Falarin Balogun Scored in his 8th straight game in Ligue1 and 10 in his last ten games. Haji Wright and Coventry City secured promotion to the EPL as his team leading 16 goals has helped Frank Lampard’s team advance. Brendan Aaronson played a great cross behind the defense, which assisted in Leeds United’s 3-0 win over Wolves. McKennie delivered an assist for Juventus his second straight game his 15 goal involvement on the season. This sets up the huge showdown between American’s Pulisic for AC Milan (2nd) and McKennie for Juventus (4th) on Sunday 2:45 pm on Paramount+.

FA Cup Semi-Finals Live From Wembley on ESPN+

Down to 4 teams as Man City faces Southampton Sat at 12:15 pm and Chelsea faces Leeds United & American Brendan Aaronson Sun 10 am on ESPNU + ESPN+. While City should handled Championship side Southampton with no issues, the Chelsea vs Leeds Game Sunday should be a doozy.

Indy 11 Remain unbeaten, Return Home Sat at 7 pm vs Union Omaha

Birmingham, Ala. – Indy Eleven rallied with two second-half goals to extend its unbeaten streak to five (2-0-3) with a 2-2 road draw at Birmingham Legion FC.  The five-match unbeaten run is the longest for the Boys in Blue since late in the 2024 campaign. Goalkeeper Eric Dick made three saves, including a diving stop with his left hand in the 78th minute on a shot from inside the area by Gevork Diarbian to keep the match level. Indy Eleven returns home to Carroll Stadium for “Retro Night” and the opening of Prinx Tires USL Cup play vs. Union Omaha on Saturday at 7 p.m. Ticket options available include Family Four-Packs, pro-rated Season Tickets, and Flex Mini-Plans.  The deadline to purchase pro-rated season tickets is Sat. Apr. 25.

CARMEL FC

Carmel FC is proud to welcome John Simmonds, Head Girls Soccer Coach at Carmel High School, as our new Technical Advisor for the Middle School Boys and Girls Program. In this volunteer leadership role, John will work closely with our coaching staff to elevate player development, strengthen the overall learning environment, and help build an even clearer pathway for Carmel FC players as they pursue their long-term soccer goals. A key part of John’s impact will be helping connect the important years of middle school development to the demands of the high school game. His involvement will provide players and coaches with valuable insight into the standards, habits, and tactical understanding needed to continue progressing within the Carmel pathway.

John’s presence also represents an exciting opportunity to continue strengthening the relationship between Carmel FC and Carmel High School, creating greater alignment in philosophy, expectations, and player preparation as athletes move through the club and chase their dreams.

His work with Carmel FC will include:
• Supporting training sessions
• Providing feedback on coaching and match performance
• Assisting with tactical development
• Helping align methodology across age groups
• Providing insight into the high school pathway and player expectations

We are excited to add John’s leadership, experience, and soccer knowledge to our environment and look forward to the impact he will have on our players, coaches, and the continued connection between club and school. John we welcome you back to Carmel Club Soccer!

TV Schedule – Games on TV

Wed Apr 22
2:45 pm ESPNU Bayer Leverkusen (Tilman) vs Bayern Munich
3 pm NBCSN Leeds United (Aronson) vs Bournemouth (Tyler Adams)
3 pm USA Burnley vs Man City
7:30 pm Apple NYCFC vs Cincy
7:30 pm Apple Columbus vs LA Galaxy
Fri Ap 24
3 pm USA Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest
3 pm ESPN+, D Real Madrid vs Real Betis (US coach)
Sat
7:30 am USA Fulham vs Aston Villa
10 am NBCSN Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (Richards)
10 am USA Wolverhampton vs Tottenham
12:!5 pm ESPN+ Man City vs Southampton FA Cup Semi
12:30 pm ?? Arsenal vs Newcastle United
1 pm CBS Gothem FC vs Bay FC NWSL
7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Union Omaha US Open Cup
Sun, Apr 26
10 am  ESPN2 Chelsea vs Leeds United (Aaronson) FA Cup
11:30 am ESPN+ Dortmund vs Freiburg
12 noon Para+ Torino vs Inter Milan
2:45 pm Para+ Juventus (Mckennie) vs AC Milan (Pulisic)
6 pm ESPN2 Angel City vs Portland Thorns NWSL
7 pm Apple LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake
8 pm Victory Seattle Reign vs Utah Royals NWSL   

Sun, May 31
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal

Sat, June 6
2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago Tix
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP
9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup
Fri, June 19
3 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
Thur, June 25
10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup

Complete 2026 World Cup schedule featuring match dates and start times
NWSL Schedule

USMNT midweek viewing guide: Three cup semifinals

Follow along with all the USMNT action this week. by Justin Moran Apr 21, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

London, United Kingdom – March 17: Malik Tillman of Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Bukayo Saka of Arsenal FC battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Arsenal Stadium on March 17, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Midweek action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. All MLS games are available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, as well as any other networks listed. Let’s get into it!

Tuesday

• Coventry vs Portsmouth, 2:45p on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City host Portsmouth in the EFL Championship.
• Lens vs Toulouse, 3:10p on FS2, FOX Deportes, Fubo: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse visit Lens in a Coupe de France semifinal.
• León vs América, 11:06p on ViX: Alex Zendejas and Club América visit León in Liga MX.

Also in action:

• Hajduk Split vs Osijek, 12:45p: Rokas Pukštas and Hajduk Split host Osijek in Croatia’s top tier.
• Leuven vs Westerlo, 2:30p: Bryan Reynolds and Westerlo visit OH Leuven in the Belgium Pro League Conference League Group.
• Standard Liège vs Antwerp, 2:30p: Marlon Fossey and Standard host Antwerp in the Belgium Pro League Conference League Group.
• Norwich vs Derby, 2:45p: Patrick Agyemang is out injured for Derby County.
• West Brom vs Watford, 2:45p: Daryl Dike, George Campbell, and West Brom host Watford in the EFL Championship.

Wednesday

• Elche vs Atlético Madrid, 1p on ESPN Select, ESPN Deportes Select, FuboTV: Johnny Cardoso and Atléti visit Elche in La Liga.
• Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich, 2:45p on ESPNU, ESPN Select, Fubo, Onefootball: Malik Tillman, Monty Culbreath, and Bayer Leverkusen host Bayern in a DFB Pokal semifinal.
• Bournemouth vs Leeds, 3p on Peacock: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds visit Tyler Adams and Bournemouth in the Premier League.
• Atalanta vs Lazio, 3p on Paramount+: Yunus Musah and Atalanta are even 2-2 with Lazio going into the second leg of this Coppa Italia semifinal.
• NYCFC vs FC Cincinnati, 7:30p: Miles Robinson, Roman Celentano, and FC Cincinnati visit Matt Freese and the Pigeons in MLS.
• NY Red Bulls vs DC United, 7:30p: Ethan Horvath, Cade Cowell, Adri Mehmeti, Julian Hall, and the Red Bulls host DC United in MLS.
• Toronto FC vs Philadelphia Union, 7:30p: Josh Sargent and Toronto host Quinn Sullivan, Cavan Sullivan, and the Union in MLS.
• Atlanta United vs New England Revolution, 7:45p on FS1, FOX Deportes, Fubo: Matt Turner, Peyton Miller, and the Revs visit the Five Stripes in MLS.
• Real Salt Lake vs Inter Miami, 9:30p: Diego Luna, Zavier Gozo, and RSL host Inter Miami in MLS.

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US Americans Abroad Weekend Update

Another huge weekend across Europe with a lot of Americans involved — goals, promotion, and history on the line 👇

Folarin Balogun
Balogun scored again, now up to 8 straight Ligue 1 matches with a goal and 10 in his last 10 overall. His penalty (that he also drew) helped AS Monaco come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Auxerre — and he’s now one game away from tying a historic Ligue 1 scoring record. He is the most in-form American right now.

Weston McKennie
McKennie delivered an assist in Juventus F.C.’s win over Bologna, marking his second straight game with a goal contribution. He now has 6 Serie A assists on the season and continues to produce from midfield.

Haji Wright
Wright and Coventry City F.C. officially secured Premier League promotion with a 1-1 draw vs. Blackburn. While he didn’t start, his 16 goals this season have been key to getting them there.

Joe Scally
Scally got on the scoresheet in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 1-1 draw with Mainz, continuing a quietly productive season with 5 goal contributions from defense/wing-back.

Tyler Adams
Adams put in a strong midfield shift to help AFC Bournemouth secure a 2-1 win over Newcastle, playing a key role in controlling the game.

Brenden Aaronson
Aaronson played a great cross behind the defense, which assisted the opener in Leeds United F.C.’s 3-0 win over Wolves, continuing his push to help Leeds secure Premier League safety.

Quick hits:

• Christian Pulisic featured in AC Milan’s 1-0 win over Hellas Verona as they strengthened their top-four push. He had a quiet game, and his lack of productivity is slightly concerning at this point of the season.
• Antonee Robinson played 25 minutes in Fulham’s 0-0 draw with Brentford.
• Tanner Tessmann came off the bench as Lyon beat PSG.
• Daryl Dike scored his first goal since May 2025 in West Brom’s match vs. Preston.
• Malik Tillman saw limited minutes in Leverkusen’s 2-1 loss to Augsburg.
• Tim Weah came on at halftime in Marseille’s 2-0 loss to Lorient.
• Gio Reyna saw action for about 20 minutes in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 1-1 draw with Mainz
• Aidan Morris impressed, but Middlesbrough drew 2-2 with Ipswich after conceding late.

Big-time performances across the board — and with the World Cup approaching, the momentum is building 🇺🇸🔥

American Captain Midfielder Tyler Adams Talks about Hosting the World Cup

How big of a deal could the 2026 World Cup be for soccer in the U.S.? That’s what Tyler Adams was asked during his recent interview with NBC Sports. Adams is not only a key player for the USMNT, but he’s also a part of the ownership group for USL League One side Westchester SC and USL League Two side Hudson Valley Hammers— clubs located near his hometown in upstate New York.“For me, I want the biggest benefit to be to the grassroots, right? I want more kids that are picking up a soccer ball and wanting to play soccer and stick with it,” Adams said. “I think in the U.S., it’s such a money driven sport at this moment in time, which part of it I understand, and part of it I don’t, because I play in Europe and I see how easy it is to get involved in this sport. “But at the same time, it really is the only sport. So like, compared to the U.S., where you have five major sports and kids can play anything and everything is at your fingertips, it’s a little bit understandable. “But we want to be the reason that more kids want to play the game. “I think now, having played in a World Cup, knowing what it means to our country and how we can really help the game grow at a faster pace, this is going to be a monumental change for U.S. Soccer. “I think it’s a huge opportunity and we want to be able to grasp it so I think for me, I know that I can play an integral role in that. “I want to make sure that I do play that role.” The 1994 World Cup had a big impact on soccer in this country. Let’s see what the 2026 World Cup can do. Hopefully, Adams can help the USMNT make a deep run in the tournament. Watch the full interview https://youtu.be/Vn_BNxgNvpk?si=DyxFENnFf9_DgaA4vv

US Women

What did the USWNT learn ahead of World Cup after Japan series?
USWNT close out Japan series with statement win in Colorado
USWNT Win Over Japan Highlighted by Kennedy Wesley Performance Off the Bench
Wesley leads USWNT past Japan with goal, assist in 3-0 win
USWNT vs. Japan, the sequel: What We Learned
US Soccer Federation Sporting Director Matt Crocker resigns
Lindsey Heaps Returns to Colorado with USWNT Ahead of Summit NWSL Debut
USWNT gets sneak peak at WC grass at Lumen
USA Soccercast, Episode 183: WNT finishes strong, Crocker leaves, and World Cup price gouging
Japan wins second game of 3-match set with USWNT
USWNT Shuts Out Japan 3-0 to Clinch 2-1 Friendly Series Victory

US Men

USMNT roundup: Folarin Balogun chasing Ligue 1 history
USMNT roundup: Red-hot Folarin Balogun chasing Ligue 1 history as Americans’ World Cup form takes shape
Cesena’s Jonathan Klinsmann breaks neck in game
Life after Pochettino: USMNT needs ambitious post-World Cup succession plan
Aaronson: Not true that USMNT players don’t care

England

Arsenal are still Premier League title favorites, and here’s why
Premier League Awards: Derby drama and Arsenal agony rule the weekend
Is the Premier League now Man City’s to lose? PLUS: Bayern clinch Bundesliga, more
Should Arsenal fire Mikel Arteta if they end the season trophy-less?
How Man City’s win vs. Arsenal could actually decide the title
Van Dijk hands Liverpool a UCL boost and reason to believe after more late drama
Arsenal’s loss means only one Premier League team yet to suffer back-to-back defeats
Chelsea boss Rosenior refuses to give up Champions League hopes
Bruno Fernandes opens up on assist record and importance of Chelsea win
Panic on the streets of London? Five times Arsenal have let the Premier League title slip away
Is the new Premier League ball behind all the long-range goals? We asked a scientist
Pep: We cannot drop any points
Title race to the wire: Who do Manchester City and Arsenal play in the run-in?
‘Three reasons’ that edge City towards title
Wolves relegated aWhat happened to Leicester City? Why Foxes face back-to-back relegations 10 years on from historic Premier League titlefter West Ham draw with Palace
Bournemouth’s 13 Game Unbeaten Streak Alive
Who’s going up to the Premier League? Ipswich, Millwall, a fourth promotion for Wrexham?

NWSL

San Diego Wave’s Strong Comeback & NWSL Season Insights
Report: NWSL Board to Vote on Shifting Schedule to Match European Calendar
Crew owners get 18th NWSL team for record fee

World Cup

52 days to the World Cup: The ‘Hand of God’ and the brilliance of Diego Maradona
FIFA opens sale of more WC tickets to all games

Reffing

Call Fouls Early
Dogso yes or no?
 Ref Abuse

Goalkeeping

Great Saves Final Leg UCL Quarters
Matchweek Three: Best Saves ‍♀️ NWSL
Week 7 Save of the Week Nominees | USL League One
USL Championship Save of the Week – Week 7
Great save/Premier League week 32.
The Best Premier League Saves So Far In 2026
MLS: Best Saves of the Week

Champions League Enters the Semi-Finals Tues/Wed 4/28, 4/29

Tues 4/28 PSG vs Bayern Munich 3 pm Para+
Wed 4/29 Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal 3 pm Para+

Championship promotion race: Ipswich, Millwall, Wrexham – who’s going up to the Premier League?

• ESPN Apr 21, 2026, 01:57 AM ET

s we head into the business end of the season, the Championship is well and truly heating up with promotion places, playoff spots and relegation scraps to be decided.

England’s second division is often the most dramatic in the Football League with so much at stake. This season Frank Lampard’s Coventry have already secured automatic promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, while Wrexham’s Hollywood story could still see a fourth straight promotion.

Millwall are also looking to reach the Premier League for the first time with Ipswich vying for a quick return.

Here’s everything you need to know from the Championship.

Who’s going up as things stand?

The current state of play sees Coventry sit atop the table with 86 points, enough to confirm their promotion after a late Bobby Thomas header secured the draw that they needed away at Blackburn on Friday night. They have three games left to secure the Championship title but already have Premier League status in the bag for next season, ending a 25-year hiatus from the top flight.

– Frank Lampard’s Coventry City promoted to Premier League

Frank Lampard has spearheaded Coventry’s title charge this term after guiding them to the playoff semifinals last season despite being appointed with the club in relegation trouble early on in the 2024-25 campaign. The likes of Victor Torp, Ellis Simms, Haji Wright and Brandon Thomas-Asante in Coventry’s forward line have torn up the league at times, with Lampard’s side having been the top goalscorers in the division throughout and now have their reward for it. Ipswich sit second in the league, behind Coventry. Kieran McKenna’s side were relegated from the Premier League last season and are the favourites to make a quick return alongside the Sky Blues thanks to their game in hand over the rest of the chasing pack.

Who looks good for a playoff spot?

Millwall, on 76 points, are in third on goal difference. They have been in and out of the top two in recent weeks and will see Ipswich’s failure to beat Boro at home as a huge boost to their own automatic promotion chances, nevertheless they are essentially guaranteed a playoff spot in their attempt to reach the Premier League for the first time in their history.

Southampton are fourth, on 75 points.

Middlesbrough, fresh from a 2-2 draw at Portman Road and Hull, who most recently drew 1-1 with Birmingham, are in the playoff spots.

Wrexham are seventh, one spot and two points outside of the playoff picture. They beat Stoke 2-0 to maintain the pressure on sixth-placed Hull with Derby remaining in the mix to steal the final playoff spot.

Often regarded as football’s most lucrative single game with not only the reward of Premier League football but a sum upwards of £100 million ($136m) on the line, getting to the playoff final is the goal for those who finish 3rd to 6th, but with the race for second so tight, a few sides will still harbour ambitions of an automatic promotion spot.

When are the playoffs?

After the final day of the Championship season on May 2, clubs that have secured their spot in the top six will have one week before the all-action playoffs begin.

6th vs 3rd will play their first leg on Friday May 8 and the second leg on Monday May 11, both evening kick-offs (8 p.m. GMT).

5th vs 4th will play their first leg on Saturday May 9 and the second leg on Tuesday May 12.

The side that finishes lower in the regular season will host the first leg while the team with the higher league position earns a home game for the all-important second leg.

There is a sizeable gap between the semifinals and final though, with football’s most lucrative game gracing the sunshine of Wembley once again on Saturday May 23, almost two weeks after the semifinals are completed.

Wrexham watch

Despite currently sitting outside the playoff spots, there is the sense that anything other than a top-six finish would be a huge missed opportunity for Wrexham. They are sitting on a commercial and footballing goldmine and a fourth straight promotion into the Premier League would launch the club well and truly into the stratosphere.

The Welsh side are on the cusp of the Premier League, here’s all the latest coming out of the Racecourse.

– Phil Parkinson vows Wrexham will take promotion push ‘to the wire’
Manager Phil Parkinson underlined Wrexham’s determination to take their Championship playoff push “to the wire” after beating Stoke got them back on track.

– Swansea raise concern after Wrexham coverage: We felt like ‘afterthought’
Swansea will raise concerns over television coverage of their all-Welsh affair against Wrexham with the EFL after saying the team owned by Hollywood stars Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds “were given priority at every opportunity.”

– After five years of Reynolds and Mac, Wrexham are on cusp of Premier League
It has taken five years to get to this point, but Wrexham might now reach their ultimate destination in less than five months.

– Wrexham boss Parkinson welcomes Mac’s backing in club’s ‘fantastic story’
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has welcomed co-owner Rob Mac’s suggestion that he has the job for life, revelling in his role in the club’s “fantastic story.”

– Ben Foster: Wrexham’s journey under Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac ‘ridiculous’
Ben Foster has hailed Wrexham’s “ridiculous” journey as Hollywood owners Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds celebrate their fifth anniversary in charge of the Welsh club.

The relegation battle

From one end of the Championship table to the other, just like the fight to get out of the league, the battle to stay in England’s second division will go right down to the wire.

One side who won’t be involved in the drama though are Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls sit rock bottom in 24th, and are already relegated, miles away from ever leaving the foot of the table after having 18 points deducted this season for financial breaches linked to previous owner Dejphon Chansiri. They remain in administration and in the process of finding a buyer and defeat against bitter rivals Sheffield United on Feb. 22 saw them relegated in record time. They did manage to take a point from champions-elect Coventry though, a result that delighted their ever-enthusiastic travelling supporters.

However it may be more of the same next year for Wednesday after their preferred bidder Arise Capital Partners, a consortium led by David Storch, announced that they had been informed by the EFL that the club will start League One with a 15-point deduction, a decision that the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust want the Independent Football Regulator to intervene over.

– Wednesday fan group seek review on 15-point penalty

Leicester City, champions of the Premier League a decade ago, are staggeringly 23rd after losing to Portsmouth. They are eight points from safety.

Oxford United are also in the relegation zone, five points adrift.

Whilst fighting for their spot in the Championship, West Brom also have the unnecessary distraction of reports of financial wrongdoing that could bring a potential points deduction, which the club strongly denies.

“West Bromwich Albion acknowledges media reports relating to the club’s compliance with the EFL’s Profitability & Sustainability (P&S) rules,” the club said in a statement.

“The club considers that it has fully complied with the P&S rules. The club will continue to co-operate with the EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit and looks forward to resolving this matter.”

Former Premier League winners Leicester (and at one point in time, European regulars) find themselves in danger of dropping down to England’s third division after being docked six points for EFL financial breaches, just five years after finishing fifth in the top-flight. They sit 23rd and four points from safety after the defeat to Swansea City on April 11.

What are the next key games on the calendar?

April 21 — Oxford vs Wrexham
April 24 — Leicester vs Millwall
April 26 — Coventry vs Wrexham

USWNT coach Emma Hayes’ undefeated Hello Kitty hat, plus: 16 NWSL things to watch

USWNT Watch: Don’t mess with the chef

Two things became clear during the last international window: Emma Hayes loves a good food metaphor, and she might not lose when she’s wearing the Hello Kitty cap pictured above (more on that in a sec).

The United States women’s national soccer team put itself through a proper three-game test against fifth-ranked Japan over the last 10 days: a 2-1 win in San Jose, Calif., on April 11, a 1-0 loss in Seattle on April 14 and a 3-0 statement in Commerce City, Colo., on April 17. Takeaway: Still very much a work in progress, but the potential is obvious when it clicks.

Hayes, meanwhile, explained everything in relation to a kitchen. Not any kitchen, the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant. The team, in her telling, is still learning the recipe, not just starters and a decent main, but the  “dessert,” too. Our translation: She wants her players to be consistent and ruthless, but with a dash of surprising edge, all at once. The kind of performance that leaves nothing on the plate.

In her big test against another strong team, Hayes curated her squads for each game like a chef who refuses to serve the same dish twice:

• She used a heavy rotation, different combinations and had center backs getting involved. Naomi Girma and Kennedy Wesley both found ways onto the scoresheet across the window.
• Up front, two-thirds of the “Triple Espresso” (Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman) kept knocking, but could not score. Hayes called it what it looked like: more bad luck than bad form.

All of it aimed toward 2027. She’s still searching for the “secret sauce”: chemistry, structure, timing, the stuff that turns a good side into a champion.

But the real star in Colorado? The hat.

A navy USWNT cap with a tiny Hello Kitty stitched on the front, and apparently, an undefeated charm. “I love Japan, I love Sanrio,” Hayes said, casually, as if she hadn’t just stumbled into a superstition.

We looked for the hat, but it’s not exactly easy to find from verified sellers. It’s seemingly not available to the public on the official U.S. Soccer site, but we found these options instead.

Might be for the best. Some things, you don’t mess with.

What constitutes a rivalry?

Is there a word in any language for “a rivalry that oozes mutual respect such that even though one side has won about three-quarters of their 40-plus meetings, their styles of play complement each other in ways that guarantee they’ll make everyone better when they compete and also provide lots of entertainment”? No?

Well, that’s the best way to describe the USWNT-Nadeshiko relationship after this month’s friendlies. Now that Japan has begun to incorporate more gritty physicality into its game, these matchups have taken on more of the appearance of a traditional rivalry. But ultimately, these are two sides that have known a lot about each other and continue to learn from each other each time they play. To me, that’s the best kind of rivalry.

What do you think: Is USWNT-Japan a true rivalry? Email us your thoughts at fulltime@theathletic.com.

2027 World Cup roster impact

USWNT Watch: U.S. good but not great vs. Japan, Round 1

We (Melanie and Tamerra) released the third edition of our USWNT World Cup roster predictions last week, and while there haven’t been many changes to the players we’ve selected or swapped, it’s worth digging in now. We are witnessing an intensifying battle for the No. 1 goalkeeper position in real time, and the returns of key players including Wilson, Michelle Cooper and Tierna Davidson have shifted the bench a bit for the defenders and forwards.

That’s partly why we both left Washington Spirit center back Tara Rudd off our rosters this time around. Cooper’s return to the national team also solidified her place above Emma Sears, but still behind Rodman on the wing, which is also reflected in our latest prediction. See our full predictions here.

NWSL Check-In

Players oppose calendar flip

It’s been a years-long debate: Should the NWSL flip its calendar to a fall-to-spring format? Last year, commissioner Jessica Berman said the league was “on notice,” and last month, she repeated that the league was analyzing the potential change. But, as ESPN first reported, the question is expected to be put to a vote later this month when the NWSL’s board of governors convenes.

• Flipping from a spring-to-fall format better aligns the NWSL with its European competitors, but it would also mean playing more matches in cold-weather conditions.
• Most players polled by the NWSL Players Association oppose flipping the calendar. The union argues that the “right conditions to do so responsibly” simply do not exist “right now.”

Meanwhile, the NWSL said Friday that “no decision has been made at this time” to flip the calendar. This is an ongoing story that is likely to evolve over the next two weeks — stay tuned.

What to follow this week

The NWSL is back after what felt like a looong international break. We’re running back our “16 things” bit for some storylines to follow.

First, 1) will Racing Louisville get their first season win against Orlando Pride? Or will 2) Barbra Banda score and reclaim her place at the top of the Golden Boot race? She is currently in 3) a seven-way tie for second. That brings us to 4) theleague-leading Kiki Van Zanten, with four goals. Will she and 5) the fifth-placed Houston Dash keep their hot start against the North Carolina Courage?

We also have 6) appointment viewing with the Kansas City Current facing the Washington Spirit at Audi Field on Friday. What makes this one interesting: 7) Both teams have had a sluggish start to 2026, with 8) the Spirit hoping to build on their first win on April 5.

9) Thirteenth-placed Gotham are clawing their way back from the bottom of the table as they return home to face Bay FC. 10) Guro Reiten is expected to join the reigning NWSL champions following her call-up to Norway for European World Cup qualifiers. 11) The San Diego Wave will look to retain their No. 1 position against Denver Summit. We promise you: You won’t want to miss that match.

In keeping with the Wave, 12) we are all eagerly waiting for Cat Macario’s NWSL debut.

13) Boston Legacy is still searching for their first-ever win when they travel to Chicago to face the Stars, which recently saw 14) USWNT standout Mal Swanson return to training. A fixture you won’t want to miss is 15) Angel City versus Portland Thorns, who are two of the best teams in the league right now. 16) Last, but certainly not least: Utah Royals are traveling to Seattle Reign, with both teams looking to continue their three-match unbeaten streaks.

Whew. Full schedule here.

USMNT Player Tracker: Matarazzo makes history, Pulisic toils continue, Balogun’s hot streak

Pellegrino Matarazzo celebrates Copa del Rey success, while Christian Pulisic competes with Hellas Verona’s Victor Nelsson in the air Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images; Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

By Greg O’Keeffe

April 20, 2026

Pellegrino Matarazzo capped his Spanish move with rapid success, Folarin Balogun can’t stop scoring, Weston McKennie continues to prove himself Juventus’ go-to guy but Christian Pulisic’s fallow spell persisted.

Welcome to this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.

In a parallel universe, Pellegrino Matarazzo might have been plotting an entirely different summer.

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Instead of planning how to continue the remarkable resurrection of La Liga club Real Sociedad, the softly-spoken American may have been preparing to guide his country to World Cup success on home soil.

The 48-year-old was a candidate for the vacant national team job following the departure of Gregg Berhalter in 2024.

Eventually U.S. Soccer turned to the bigger name of Mauricio Pochettino, and Matarazzo spent a period recalibrating after leaving Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.

Offers from MLS clubs arrived in the interim, but the New Jersey native was not done with Europe and filled his time studying the game he loves from different perspectives — closely following last summer’s Club World Cup back in his homeland.

His patience was rewarded when an approach from Sociedad arrived in December, and Matarazzo became the first American to manage in Spain’s top flight.

Pellegrino Matarazzo soaks up the adulation after Real Sociedad won the Copa del ReyFran Santiago/Getty Images

He has just become the first American to win a trophy in that powerhouse of European football, after steering the Basque club to Copa del Rey glory in their penalty shootout win over Atletico Madrid.

Pochettino may yet have a similarly galvanising impact on the USMNT in this landmark summer but, regardless, it is unlikely that 2024 will be the last time Matarazzo is linked with managing the national team.

His impact in Spain has been remarkable, winning seven of his 14 La Liga games so far — his team have only lost three games — alongside that eye-catching cup success.

The locals love him, and Matarazzo is just getting going.

“It’s always important to see the context. I’m very happy to see the people happy,” he said in his post-game press conference. “We have fantastic players, and they did incredibly on the pitch against a great opponent. I’m very happy, and I feel that this is just the beginning.”When The Athletic interviewed him last July, Matarazzo was considered and positive about his U.S. talks. “I did truly appreciate the great conversations we had,” he said. “They (U.S. Soccer) were very, very thoughtful, well-structured, professional, and I’m sure Pochettino is an excellent choice.

“He’s an established coach with tremendous international experience at club level. And if you’re just two years short of a run-up to a home World Cup, then it’s important to energise the U.S. soccer landscape emotionally. So that’s something a big name like Pochettino can absolutely do.”

Matarazzo knows a thing or two about energising a team. It will be fascinating to watch his side in the Europa League next season and beyond that — next time there is a vacancy for the USMNT top job, those thoughtful conversations may continue.What You Should Read NextPellegrino Matarazzo interview: The American coach on brink of history with Real SociedadThe Spanish club’s manager is hoping for success in the Copa del Rey final against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid

Pulisic toils continue

Still no goals or assists for a certain USMNT icon in Serie A this year.The drought continues for Christian Pulisic, even if Milan did get back to winning ways against Hellas Verona on Sunday.Pulisic started up front with Rafael Leao and, although neither got on the scoresheet, the latter did turn provider for Adrien Rabiot’s winning goal.The newly-bearded Pulisic, however, failed to create a chance, register a shot on target or offer much threat in a tight contest.

Christian Pulisic (No 11) joins team-mates Adrien Rabiot and Rafael Leao in celebrating against Hellas VeronaPiero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty ImagesPerhaps his luck with turn on Sunday when he goes head to head with his international team-mate Weston McKennie, who is on the almost opposite surge of form for Juventus.McKennie’s expert assist for Khephren Thuram-Ulien to score Juve’s second in their win over Bologna on Sunday reflected his all-round tremendous display. As usual, the Texan covered every blade of grass, helped out in several roles and made a key contribution for the Champions League chasing Turin giants.His form is certainly one less headache for Pochettino.

Balogun finding his range

Speaking of things to give the USMNT manager a spring in his step as he makes his final tweaks to this summer’s plans, Folarin Balogun was back at it in France over the weekend.

The Monaco striker scored a penalty in Monaco’s comeback draw with Auxerre on Sunday, to make it eight goals in his last eight Ligue 1 matches and 10 in 10 from all competitions.

Folarin Balogun celebrates converting from the spot against AuxerreValery Hache/AFP via Getty Images

His confidence is sky high, and with Haji Wright also celebrating Coventry City’s return to the Premier League over the weekend and Ricardo Pepi back on track the last time PSV played, the striker section of the all-important roster is beginning to look healthy.

Premier League predictions after Man City beat Arsenal – The title race will…

Manchester City could go top of the table this week Getty Images

By Stuart James, Oliver Kay, James McNicholas, Sam Lee, Liam Tharme, Art de Roché and Jacob Whitehead April 19, 2026

Manchester City can go top of the Premier League this week after beating Arsenal to cut their lead to three points and set up a thrilling final chapter in this season’s title race.Since August, City have not finished a matchweek ahead of Arsenal, with the gap being at least two points — but that could change on Wednesday.Win at Burnley and City will go above Arsenal with only five games of the season remaining.So what will decide the title? And who will be lifting the trophy in May? At full time at the Etihad Stadium, we asked our writers what happens next, and this is what they said…

Stuart James

The Premier League title race will… be decided by goal difference. Even if Arsenal’s form doesn’t suggest it, both teams could win all their remaining fixtures. Arsenal’s toughest match is arguably away against West Ham United, who are fighting for their lives, while City’s most difficult game on paper would appear to come at Bournemouth, who are in excellent form, pushing for European qualification and beat Pep Guardiola’s team at home last season.

The big question on the back of the result at the Etihad is how Arsenal react mentally to not just the defeat but also the way they have allowed such a commanding lead at the top of the table to slip from their grasp. City have hunted them down but Arsenal know that this has been self-inflicted, with the Bournemouth defeat just over a week ago, when Mikel Arteta’s side played so poorly, the moment when the momentum in this title race really shifted.

Liam Tharme

The title race will… be decided by which team has the bigger weakness: whether Arsenal can find, from somewhere, the necessary creativity, and if City can stamp out errors and unnecessary draws.

The form points to City — four straight wins while Arsenal have lost four of the past six in all competitions — but Arteta’s side face bottom-half teams in their final five matches. Arsenal can lean on their defensive strengths and win without being outstanding.

City did enough today. They really struggled against Arsenal’s man-for-man press and intensity, and before anyone takes for granted that they will beat soon-to-be-relegated Burnley in three days, they have made a bad habit of drawing in 2026. They have dropped points against West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Sunderland and Chelsea, five of them from winning positions.

Jacob Whitehead

The Premier League title race will… be decided by Erling Haaland’s form.

Goalless in his previous four Premier League appearances, Haaland delivered a supreme performance on Sunday — physical and clinical — and was rewarded with the game’s winning goal. With the amount of creativity in this Manchester City team, should Haaland stay hot, they are the likelier side to grind out a winning run.

City have won 13 of the 16 league matches this season in which the Norwegian has scored.

The flipside? Havertz had a decent game for Arsenal on Sunday, harrying his way to a freak goal — but his missed header with two minutes remaining is a chance that the Manchester City striker would have buried.

It is difficult to see Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres or the returning Gabriel Jesus matching Haaland over the remaining five games — and that will likely be the difference.

Oliver Kay

The Premier League title race will… go down to the wire. It’s advantage Manchester City, but while some regard it as a formality that they will win their final five games, building up an unassailable goal-difference advantage in the process, we should be more cautious.

If Arsenal had lost as limply today as they did in the Carabao Cup final, it might have proved impossible to recover. Today was a painful defeat, but one from which they should draw some level of encouragement once the dust has settled.

We saw two very good teams today. But I don’t think we have seen a brilliant team in the Premier League this season. It hasn’t been like watching City and Liverpool in the peak years of the Guardiola-Jurgen Klopp rivalry, when you know you are watching the two best teams in Europe. City and Arsenal have both had their flaws exposed this season. They were both better two seasons ago.

James McNicholas

The Premier League title race will… be gripping right until the end.

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Despite the defeat, this was Arsenal’s best performance in weeks. There was no suggestion that they are about to surrender this title.

Arteta said after the game that the two teams have entered a “new league” for the remainder of the campaign — one in which the situation could change dramatically game by game.

For the neutral, it’s incredibly exciting. This could be a rollercoaster ride right until the final day.

For Arsenal fans, of course, it’s torture. The team have passed up several opportunities to extend their lead — this their latest and possibly last. It’s all to play for, but Arsenal supporters will feel it shouldn’t be.

Sam Lee

The Premier League title race will… be over before the last day. To be honest, I did expect City to win this game but a big part of that was because I thought Arsenal would be going to pieces, and therefore their heads would be completely gone both here and in the coming weeks. But they gave everything here and although I am sure they are hurting, they can be proud of their efforts and it does make me think they will still fight for the title.

Whoever does win will have it sealed before the final day. Either Arsenal buckle now, and cannot combine a title push with two surely epic battles against Atletico Madrid, or City show some of the flaws that had held them back earlier in the season, and cannot quite keep up the momentum. I do fancy City, though.

Art de Roche

The Premier League title race will… need Arsenal to find their flow in attack.

Their performance at the Etihad was an improvement from recent outings against Bournemouth, Southampton and City in the Carabao Cup final, and had elements that could be built upon to keep Guardiola’s side honest until May.

Eberechi Eze hit the post, a moment that almost won the game for Arsenal and provided a glimpse of what a slick attack could look like. His shot came from a pass from Martin Odegaard, who was making his first league start since January.

Kai Havertz gets Arsenal levelAlex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images

Before Sunday, Eze and Odegaard had only started three league matches together, playing just over a third of the possible minutes (93 of 270) in those games. As two players who can combine to create something out of nothing, having them on the pitch at the same time could be crucial.

As Stuart has said, goal difference could be critical. Narrow victories may not be enough for Arsenal, and more combinations from creative players could help unlock stubborn defences.

Coventry City promotion has USMNT striker Haji Wright headed to Premier League

Gareth Copley / Getty Images

By Paul TenorioApril 17, 2026

U.S. men’s national team forward Haji Wright is headed to the Premier League. Coventry City’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn on Friday secured a top-two spot in the EFL Championship and guaranteed promotion to England’s top division. Wright, 28, played a significant part in the success, starting 29 games for Coventry this season (he was a 62nd-minute substitute Friday) and emerging as the club’s leading scorer with 16 goals in league play. Led by manager Frank Lampard, Coventry currently sits on 86 points and atop the Championship table, 13 points clear of third-place Millwall, which only has a maximum of 12 more to gain. Coventry is also now 11 points clear of second-place Ipswich (which has two games in hand), and looks likely to win the league outright. Friday’s result ends a 25-year Premier League hiatus for Coventry, which went down after the 2000-01 campaign. Coventry played the previous 34 years in the top division.Lampard was hired in November 2024 and led Coventry to a fifth-place finish, though the club lost in a dramatic promotion playoff semifinal to Sunderland. This season, Coventry has remained a powerhouse and Wright played a big role throughout. He scored in five straight games in one stretch across August and September, then netted six goals in five games during a run of five straight wins across February and March.Wright moved to Coventry in 2023 from Antalyaspor in Turkey and signed a four-year deal, which runs through June 2027. The California native was on the U.S. roster for the 2022 World Cup and scored a bizarre goal in the Americans’ 3-1 round-of-16 loss to the Netherlands in Qatar. Wright deflected a cross from teammate Christian Pulisic that popped up off his right foot and floated inside the back post.

Haji Wright is Coventry’s leading scorer this seasonMichael Steele / Getty Images

The 6-foot-3 striker remains very much in the mix for a spot on Mauricio Pochettino’s 2026 World Cup roster, especially after Patrick Agyemang’s Achilles injury. Wright scored twice in a 2-1 friendly win over Australia, one of the Americans’ group stage opponents, last October, and was also in the starting lineup for a 5-1 win over Uruguay in November.

Said Pochettino after the Australia win: “That is what we expect when you give the opportunity to the player. I think that is good news, to have players that can compete for a spot in the World Cup. Every time that we can have the possibility to provide a player (a chance) — maybe they haven’t played too much in the last year with us — I think that is an important thing, is (for the player) to say, ‘I am here and I want to play. I want to be part of this team,’ with a performance like this.”

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Monaco forward Folarin Balogun is expected to start for the U.S. at the World Cup, while PSV’s Ricardo Pepi is also in the mix for a World Cup roster spot among Pochettino’s options at striker.

Following Coventry’s promotion, Wright is poised to join U.S. teammates Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham) and Brenden Aaronson (Leeds) in the Premier League – though Leeds must avoid the drop and currently sits six points clear of relegation with six games to play.

They could yet be joined by another American, with Aidan Morris’ Middlesbrough firmly in the mix for one of the Championship’s four promotion playoff spots and within striking distance of the second automatic promotion berth. Boro faces second-place Ipswich, whom it trails by three points, in a match with big table implications on Sunday.

Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer. He has previously written for the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, FourFourTwo, ESPN and MLSsoccer.com.

Champions League Sweet 16 Tues/Wed on Para+ & CBSSN

Champions League Sweet 16 action is here wit h some powerhouse games on hand in defending Champs PSG facing World Club Champ Chelsea Wed, while powerhouses Real Madrid & Man City will once again face off in the round of 16 starting Wed in Madrid with Madrid probably missing Mbappe. A couple of American’s are still alive as Atletico’s Johnny Cardosa will host Tottenham on Tues 4 pm on Para+, while Yanus Musah & the only Italian side left Atalanta will host Bayern Munich at 4 pm on CBSSN & Para same time. Wed gives us Bayer Leverkusen and American Midfielder Malik Tillman hosting Arsenal at 1:45 pm on Para+.

Last 16 fixtures in full.

PSG vs Chelsea
Galatasaray vs Liverpool
Real Madrid vs Man City
Atalanta vs Bayern Munich
Newcastle vs Barcelona
Atletico vs Tottenham
Bodo/Glimt vs Sporting
Leverkusen vs Arsenal

US Ladies win She Believes Cup with 1-0 win over Colombia

Alyssa Thompson scored a late game-winning (Goal) and the U.S. women’s national team beat Colombia 1-0 to win its eighth SheBelieves Cup title over the weekend. (Game Highlights Video) The USWNT faced Argentina , Canada  and Colombia over the course of seven days and shut out all three opponents on their way to hoisting that trophy. The U.S. was extra motivated entering this tournament after losing to Japan last year. Alyssa Thompson was named Tourney MVP .

MLS -Miami @ Orlando visit saw Messi Score & Concacaf Champs Cup Tu-Thur

What a special time my wife and I had seeing Messi up close and personal as we got to see Inter Miami from the Field box in Orlando thanks to RCI (no we aren’t buying more timeshare points -but they tried). Miami vs Orlando Highlights CONCACAF Champions Cup Sweet 16 action is happening this week on Fox Sports & Fox Sports 2 for those that don’t have regular Apple TV. Games Tues 7 pm Philly vs Club America, 11 pm LAFC vs LDA, Wed Nashville vs Miami (Messi) 7:30 pm, Thurs Cincy vs Tigres 8 pm, Vancouver vs Seattle 10 pm.

NWSL Kicks Off Season Friday 8 pm Prime, Sat 12:30 ABC, Sun

The 2026 NWSL regular season begins Friday, March 13, with all 16 clubs in action across opening weekend. Friday night coverage on Prime Video opens with the 2025 NWSL Championship runner up Washington Spirit hosting Portland Thorns FC at Audi Field. Saturday action includes a nationally televised matchup on ABC featuring NWSL debutante Boston Legacy FC and defending NWSL Champion Gotham FC. Saturday coverage continues with an ION tripleheader showcasing the launch of Denver Summit FC’s (Heap) inaugural campaign Sat 6:30 pm vs Bay, offseason acquisitions and emerging young talent across the league. Opening weekend concludes Sunday with a Victory+ doubleheader featuring matches between Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign FC, and Angel City FC and Chicago Stars FC. I just love the TV deals the NWSL has put together – with national TV coverage each weekend on ABC/ESPN, & CBS along with ION TV on Sat late afternoon and evening games (youtube & cable have ION), Prime Video on Friday nights and now I guess Victory+ has replaced Paramount plus :(. IF MLS had brains they would do a deal like this and perhaps include APPLE somehow – but my kids teams don’t watch MLS even with Messi (Dang shame). Anyway enjoy opening weekend. I will break out my predictions after the first weekend of play.

TV Schedule – Games on TV

Mon, Feb 23
3 pm ESPN + Br4entford vs West ham United
Tues, March 10
1:45 pm PAra+, Uni Galatasaray vs Liverpool
4 pm PAra, CBSSN Atalanta (Musah) vs Bayern Munich
4 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid (Johnny) vs Tottenham
4 pm Para+ Newcastle United vs Barcelona
7 pm FS1 Philly vs Club America CCC
9 pm FS2 Monterey vs Cruz azul CCC
11 pm FS2 LAFC vs Ala CCC
Wed, 3/11
1:45 pm Para+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs Arsenal
4 pm CBSSN Para+ Bodo Glint vs Sporting CP
4 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Man City
4 pm Para+_ PSG vs Chelsea
7:30 pm FS2 Nashville vs Inter Miami Cup
9:30 pm FS2 LA Galaxy vs Mount Pleasant
11:30 pm FS2 San Deigo vs Toluca Cup
Thurs, March 12
1:45 pm Para+ Bologna vs Roma
1:45 pm Para+ Lille vs Aston Villa
4 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs AEK Lanarca
8 pm FS2 Cincy vs Tigres UNAL CUP
10 pm FS2 Vancouver vs Seattle Sounders CCup
Fri, March 13
3:30 pm ESPN+ Gladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs St Pauli
8 pm Prime Portland (Sophia) @ Washington (Rodman) NWSL
Sat, Mar 14
10 am Para+ Inter Milan v sAtalanta
10:30 am ESPN+ Bayren Munich vs Bayer LEverkusen (Tilman)
11 am NBCSN Burnley vs Bournmount
11 am USA Sunderland vs Brighton
12:30 pm ABC/ESPN Boston Legacy vs Gotham FC NWSL
1:30 pm USA Arsenal vs Everton
1:30 pm Peackock Chelsea vs Newcastle United
1:30 pm Apple free Toronto vs NY Red Bulls
3:45 pm Para+ Juventus (McKinney) vs Udinese
4 pm USA West Ham vs Man City
4 pm ION KC Current vs Utah Royals NWSL
6:30 pm ION TV Bay vs Denver Summit NWSL
6:15 pm FS1 Columbus Crew vs Nashville SC
7:30 pm Apple Charlotte vs Inter Miami
8:45 pm ION TV San Diego Wave vs Houston Dash NWSL
9:30 pm Apple Houston vs Portland Timbers
10:30 pm Apple LAFC vs St Louis
Sun, March 15
10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Ricahrds) vs Leeds United (Aaronson)
10 am NBCSN Nottingham Palace vs Fulham (Jedi)
10 am USA?? Man United vs Aston Villa
11:15 am ESPND Barcelona vs Sevilla
12:30 pm USA Liverpool vs Tottenham
4 pm victory+ Orlando Pride vs Seattle Reign NWSL
4:30 Apple TV Vancouver vs Minn United
7 pm Apple TV Seattle vs San Jose
7 pm victory+ Angel City vs Chicago Stars NWSL

Sat, Mar 28
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Belgium
Tues, Mar 31
7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Portugal
Sun, May 31
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal
Sat, June 6
2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP
9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup
NWSL Schedule

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USMNT midweek viewing guide: The round of sixteen

Follow along with all the USMNT action this week. https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/usmnt-americans-abroad/42796/usmnt-midweek-viewing-guide-template

Tuesday

• Atalanta vs Bayern Munich, 4p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, Fubo, ViX: Yunus Musah and Atalanta host Bayern in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.
• Atlético Madrid vs Tottenham, 4p on Paramount+, DAZN: Johnny Cardoso and Atléti host Spurs in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

Also in action:

• Millwall vs Derby, 3:45p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Patrick Agyemang and Derby County visit Millwall in the EFL Championship.
• Philadelphia Union vs Club América, 7p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Alex Zendejas and América visit Quinn Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, Cavan Sullivan, and the Union in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
• Sarmiento vs Racing Club, 9p on TyC Sports, Fubo: Matko Miljevic and Racing visit Sarmiento in Argentina’s Liga Profesional.
• LAFC vs Alajuelense, 11p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Timothy Tillman and LAFC host Alajuelense in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.

Wednesday

• Leverkusen vs Arsenal, 1:45p on Paramount+, TUDN, UniMás, Univision NOW, ViX: Malik Tillman, Monty Culbreath, and Bayer Leverkusen host the Gunners in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

Also in action:

• Middlesbrough vs Charlton, 3:45p on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro host Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic in the EFL Championship.
• West Brom vs Southampton, 3:45p: Daryl Dike, George Campbell, and West Brom host Southampton in the EFL Championship.
• Coventry vs Preston, 4p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Haji Wright and Coventry City host Preston North End in the EFL Championship.
• Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, 7:30p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Matthew Corcoran, Thomas Williams, Reed Baker-Whiting, and Nashville host Noah Allen, Ian Fray, and Inter Miami in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
• LA Galaxy vs Mount Pleasant, 9:30p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Edwin Cerrillo, Elijah Wynder, and the Galaxy host Mount Pleasant in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
• San Diego FC vs Toluca, 11:30p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Luca Bombino, Pedro Soma, Duran Ferree, and San Diego FC host Toluca in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.

Thursday

• Celta Vigo vs Lyon, 4p on Paramount+, DAZN: Tanner Tessmann and OL visit Luca de la Torre’s old club Celta in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16.
• Crystal Palace vs AEK Larnaca, 4p on Paramount+, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace host Larnaca in the first leg of the Conference League round of 16.

Also in action:

• Panathinaikos vs Real Betis, 1:45p on Paramount+, DAZN: Erik Palmer-Brown and Panathinaikos host Johnny Cardoso’s old club Betis in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16.
• Sigma Olomouc vs Mainz, 4p on Paramount+, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Mainz visit Sigma Olomouc in the first leg of the Conference League round of 16.
• FC Cincinnati vs Tigres UANL, 8p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Miles Robinson, Roman Celentano, Matt Miazga, and FC Cincinnati host Tigres in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
• Vancouver Whitecaps vs Seattle Sounders, 10p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, Jesús Ferreira, Jackson Ragen, and the Sounders visit Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, and the Whitecaps in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.

Friday

• Mönchengladbach vs St. Pauli, 3:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo (free trial): Gio Reyna, Joe Scally, and Gladbach visit James Sands and St. Pauli in the Bundesliga.
• Torino vs Parma, 3:45p on Paramount+, DAZN: Benja Cremaschi played the full 90 in Parma’s last outing. This time they’re on the road against Torino in Serie A.
• Marseille vs Auxerre, 3:45p on beIN Sports, Fubo: Tim Weah and OM host Auxerre in Ligue 1.
• Alavés vs Villarreal, 4p on ESPN Select, ESPN Deportes, Fubo: Alex Freeman has been an unused sub in four straight for Villarreal. They visit Deportivo Alavés in La Liga.

Also in action:

• Magdeburg vs Darmstadt, 1:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: 20-year-old American defender Grayson Dettoni has yet to make his 2.Bundesliga debut for Darmstadt on loan from Bayern Munich. He’s been an unused sub in four straight Darmstadt games.
• Dortmund II vs Düsseldorf II, 2:30p: 16-year-old winger Mathis Albert made his debut with Dortmund’s reserves in December, and has played in 5 of their 6 games including that debut, with one assist so far in Germany’s fourth tier Regionalliga West.

That’s it! Did I miss anything that matters? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s see who stands out this week!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAMES TO WATCH

UCL – Galatasaray  vs. Liverpool  (Tuesday, 1:45 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

Galatasaray welcome Liverpool to hell tomorrow, although they may be acclimatized after playing Wolves away twice in four days. Arne Slot’s Premier League title defense has been weaker than airport wifi, but Liverpool have always had an intrinsic bond with the Champions League, winning it six times in their history; number seven would secure both Slot’s job and his legendary status. Victor Osimhen scored the winner when the Istanbul side beat Liverpool earlier in the tournament, and he’s warned the English champs his team “will fight” to defeat them again.

UCL – Atlético Madrid  vs. Tottenham  (Tuesday, 4 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

Tottenham’s European and domestic duel personality is equally intriguing and frustrating, the seeds of which were sown during last season’s Europa League win and poor domestic showing. It seems hallucinogenic that Spurs have kept five clean sheets in their last six UCL matches, but Atléti’s Metropolitano is a vociferous inferno that Conor Gallagher probably wishes he’d never left.

UCL – Newcastle  vs. Barcelona  (Tuesday, 4 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

When five-time UCL winners Barcelona visited St. James’ Park in September, Marcus Rashford’s brace painted the Toon Blaugrana, and it’d be unsurprising if the Mancunian winger bullied them again tomorrow as he so often has. After emerging victorious from two quick-fire rounds with the red and blue of Manchester over the past week, the Magpies will feel quietly confident, especially as they possess the tournament’s second top goalscorer in Antony Gordon.

US Ladies

 4 Takeaways From the USA’s SheBelieves Cup Title Run
Alyssa Thompson’s Late Goal Lifts USWNT Past Colombia for SheBelieves Cup Title
U.S. Women’s National Team Defeat Colombia 1-0 On Late Goal From Alyssa Thompso
Gisele Thompson earns more responsibility under Emma Hayes in SheBelieves Cup
Alex Morgan Q&A: Why The USA Great Is Excited For The World Cups in 2026 and 2027
‘The team’s growing up’: Hayes underscores composure in USWNT’s 1-0 win over Canada
US wins SheBelieves Cup as core squad becomes clear 
Canada Outlasts Argentina In Penalty Kicks, 3-2, After 0-0 Draw In Regulation Time At 2026 SheBelieves Cup,

NWSL

NWSL Stars Feature in 2026 SheBelieves Cup, USWNT Takes Title
NWSL WEst Preview

NWSL Offseason Moves
https://www.nwslsoccer.com/schedule/regular-season

Wilson off maternity leave ahead of Thorns return
Leroux teases Angel City return after season off
Sources: Thorns hire ex-Spurs coach Vilahamn
Crew owner exploring Columbus NWSL expansion
https://www.nwslsoccer.com/how-to-watch

US Men

Bournemouth manager: ‘Every team needs a Tyler Adams’
Six Things to Look Forward to Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Champions League

The best teams in European soccer right now: Can anybody touch Barcelona, Bayern?
Howe urges Newcastle to create history vs. Barça
Real Madrid vs Manchester City in UEFA Champions League:
Simeone: Atléti not favourites for Spurs CL clash
Premier League giants can’t afford to miss Champions League riches for even a season
 Mbappé a doubt for Man City UCL clash, admits Arbeloa

World Cup

World Cup countdown hub: 100 days of facts, stats and stories
94 days to the World Cup: The biggest crowds in tournament history
95 days to the World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo wants 1 last shot
Is Brazil in crisis mode heading into the 2026 World Cup?

MLS

Messi scores his 899th career goal: The legend is close to a new achievement
MLS Power Rankings: Vancouver the early-season team to beat
MLS duo banned for life for betting on own games
Messi paid $70M-$80M per year, Miami owner says
Messi, Miami honored by Trump at White House

GK

MLS: Best Saves of the Week
Lloris has 4th clean sheet in LAFC’s perfect start
Liverpool’s Alisson injured for Galatasaray CL tie

Reffing

How to Become a Travel Ref 

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Australia grants Iranian WNT players asylum

Five Iranian players have been granted humanitarian visas following their Asian Cup exit. (Albert Perez/Getty Images)

The Iranian women’s team made headlines this week, after Australia granted asylum to five national team members following their 2026 AFC Asian Cup exit.

The team declined to sing the Iranian national anthem before its opening match, prompting widespread fears for the athletes’ safety after Iran’s state-run media labeled them “traitors.”“We’re willing to provide assistance to other women in the team, noting that this is a very delicate situation, and it is up to them, but we say to them, if you want our help, help is here, and we will provide that,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters.

Big picture: Iran exited the Asian Cup after three group-stage losses, as the US and Israel’s growing conflict coincided with the team’s trip overseas.

“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief,” said Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, going on to post photos with the players to social media. “People were very excited about embarking on a life in Australia.” (Read full report)

The truth about World Cup ticket demand and why USA’s opener has struggled to sell out

SoFi Stadium will host two of the USA’s World Cup group games, including the opener Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images

By Henry Bushnell March 2, 2026Updated March 9, 2026 9:08 am EDT The Athletic has live coverage of the latest news for the 2026 World Cup. 

Six days after FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed that “every” 2026 World Cup match is “already sold out,” FIFA, out of nowhere, launched an effort to sell World Cup tickets.bIt emailed fans advertising an “exclusive additional chance to purchase,” and warned that “availability is extremely limited.” Then, from Wednesday onward, it offered tickets to at least 64 of the World Cup’s 104 games, according to fans who sent information and screenshots to The Athletic.The unexpected sale was, some experts suspect, the clearest evidence yet that FIFA has perhaps overstated demand for some World Cup games — or, rather, that it has priced out segments of that demand.“When they say there’s incredibly high demand for this [World Cup], of course that’s true,” Jim McCarthy, a ticketing industry veteran, told The Athletic. “But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a whole bunch of games that are going to need some [marketing] support, and probably are still overpriced.”It is not entirely clear why FIFA created this surprise sales window. One source suggested that the inventory could include tickets that had been offered to (and declined by) broadcasters and sponsors. Others assume it was tickets that FIFA wasn’t able to sell in its main lottery phase, the “Random Selection Draw,” which wrapped up last month. Either way, the 64-plus matches were ones that FIFA hadn’t fully sold, despite Infantino’s claim, and despite a purported 508 million ticket requests. And they speak to the likely truth behind that big nine-digit number, which “doesn’t tell the whole story,” McCarthy said.

The whole story is that there has, almost certainly, been unprecedented demand for certain World Cup games — the ones that weren’t available in last week’s sales window. When fans logged on Wednesday and Thursday, they saw neither the final nor either semifinal. No games involving Argentina, England or Mexico were listed. For Brazil, Colombia, Canada, the U.S., Scotland, Morocco and France, at least two of three group games were unavailable. This, surely, was not coincidental — these, plus the quarterfinals and round of 16, are the games that account for huge chunks of lottery entries and interest, even at FIFA’s prices.

Then there are the rest: games involving teams like New Zealand or Austria or Saudi Arabia.There was clear rhyme and reason to the availability. This was not just a random selection of tickets made available by credit card failures in the Random Selection Draw. Perhaps there were some of those, but this looked a lot more like leftovers. It was, primarily, Category 1 and 2 tickets — the most expensive categories — to matches involving non-top seeds. Some sold quickly, others didn’t.It was, therefore, probably a window into the contours of World Cup ticket demand — a window into which games were fully oversubscribed in the lottery and which weren’t, and which could still be available during a “last-minute” sales phase in April.And the single biggest takeaway was that the U.S. vs. Paraguay, the American opener at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, was beyond available.

The USMNT will open the World Cup against Paraguay in a rematch of a November 2025 friendlyVincent Carchietta / Getty Images

It was available when the Los Angeles window opened at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, and still available hours later, and still available throughout Thursday, into Friday morning. On the main page of FIFA’s portal, it didn’t even get a “limited availability” tag — as other matches did, either immediately or as fans scooped up the inventory. Why? Well, likely because FIFA priced Category 1 tickets to that game at $2,735 and Category 2 tickets at $1,940. At the start of sales back in October, it was the third-most expensive game of the entire tournament, sandwiched between the two semifinals. As a result, many U.S. men’s national team supporters — or at least those who’ve spoken to The Athletic — focused their efforts and their funds on getting to Seattle for the second group match, or to Los Angeles for the group finale, each of which costs less than a third of the opener’s prices.And over the five months since, the opener was one of relatively few games for which FIFA didn’t raise prices — likely an implicit acknowledgement that tickets to that game haven’t sold as well as expected.Category 3 tickets to that game, priced at $1,120, have seemingly sold, but fans have evidently balked at the higher numbers.Similar trends seem to exist for less-glamorous games at lower price points. In every sales phase, at every game, Category 3 (and virtually non-existent Category 4) seats have disappeared quickly. But hours after last week’s access began, Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, Jordan vs. Algeria, Croatia vs. Ghana and even Tunisia vs. Netherlands still had plenty of Category 1 and 2 tickets available.More on the 2026 World CupHow the 2026 World Cup got caught up in a U.S. government funding fightPublic rhetoric over a government shutdown has put the World Cup in focus, with security funding U.S. host cities need being held up

In some cases, availability did indeed seem “extremely limited.” France’s match in Philadelphia, and Scotland-Haiti in Boston, for example, sold before some fans could get through digital queues. Several knockout games were initially offered but, in most cases, quickly gone. Ditto for the third-place match in Miami.But for others, inventory was either plentiful or unappealing. (A full list of matches made available, most of which The Athletic has independently confirmed, was compiled by fans on Reddit.)

And to people who’ve followed the World Cup ticketing process, the overarching conclusion was reasonably clear. “They have a lot of inventory they need to move,” Barry Kahn, a former ticketing executive who helped pioneer dynamic pricing in sports, told The Athletic. “There’s absolutely demand,” Scott Friedman, host of the “Ticket Talk” show, told The Athletic. “People obviously want to go. But [some games are] drastically mispriced.” Hardly anyone doubts that a majority of 2026 World Cup games will ultimately sell out. That they seemingly haven’t yet, with the tournament still three-plus months away, is not (necessarily) cause for alarm. The question is how FIFA will get them over the line — will it lower prices? — and how far it still has to go. It’s difficult to know how many tickets were made available last week and how many fans were given access. It’s unclear what will be available in April. FIFA spokespeople, as has been the case throughout a remarkably opaque process, won’t say. Or, perhaps there will be another sale between now and April. Who knows? FIFA, in early February, told ticket applicants in emails that “the next opportunity to secure tickets … will be during the Last-Minute Sales Phase,” which its website said would begin “in early April.” Then, without warning, some of those same fans got emails last week about the previously unadvertised sale. FIFA, when asked why, said it offered the opportunity to lottery applicants who hadn’t been chosen “in order to maximise fairness and acknowledge fans who have already demonstrated strong interest in the tournament.” McCarthy offered a different line of analysis: “Creating a new window is a sign that they would like to get some completed orders into the system.” Kahn was more blunt: “When you have an organization that’s announced a plan, like FIFA did, and when you deviate from the plan, clearly something is wrong.”

Predicting the 2026 UEFA Champions League winner based on past winners

• Ryan O’HanlonMar 10, 2026, 07:12 AM ET ESPNFC

These are the teams that have won the past 10 UEFA Champions League titles: Real Madrid, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Those teams also comprise six of the eight sides on what UEFA is calling the “Silver Path,” or the top half, of the 2026 Champions League bracket. These teams have combined to win 31 Champions League titles, and they’ve finished second another 15 times. At most, only one of them will reach the final this season.

As for the other side, which we’re officially calling the “Blue Path,” I guess? Their last title came in 2015, and the eight teams on that side have combined for five European Cups and nine more second-place finishes. Apart from Barcelona, no one else on that side of the bracket has a single Champions League trophy.

We got a first-time winner last year, and the way the bracket fell this year has seriously opened up the possibility for it to happen again. Though their odds are still way lower than 50%, Arsenal are sizable betting favorites to win the whole thing.

But will they? Like we do every year, we’re going to look back at all of the past champions for whom we have advanced data, and figure out which of the 16 remaining teams looks the most like a winner.

All data, unless otherwise noted, comes from Opta and Stats Perform.

– Ranked: 10 worst Premier League teams, relative to spending
– The Premier League is boring now — here’s how to fix it
– Summer transfer needs for all 20 Premier League teams

Predictive measurement No. 1: Scoring goals

Rather than leaning only on goals, we’re going to adopt a hybrid of goalscoring and chance creation that I’ve referred to in the past as “adjusted goals.” This, simply, is a blend of 70% expected goals (xG) and 30% actual goals — a better measure of performance than goals alone.

The floor here, as it is in most places, is set by the Chelsea side that won the Champions League despite finishing in sixth place in the Premier League in 2012. Over the whole season, Roberto Di Matteo’s side averaged 1.61 adjusted goals per game — a mark that’s just ever-so-slightly better than what the other Champions League-winning Chelsea side put up nine years later.

Which team doesn’t make the cut this time? We have to say goodbye to three walkers of the blue path and one from the silver, as Atlético Madrid (1.58), Atalanta (1.52), Newcastle (1.52), and Tottenham (1.13) fall below the threshold. We also must remove Sporting Lisbon, Galatasaray, and Bodo/Glimt, based upon the fact that no team outside of Europe’s Big Five top leagues has even reached the final in any of the past 15 seasons.

(If you want some more analytical-like reasons for why they don’t look like winners: Bodo had the fifth-worst xG differential in the league phase among all teams, Galatasaray scored six non-penalty goals in the league phase, and Sporting were outshot 118-87 in the league phase.)

Teams eliminated: Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Newcastle, Tottenham, Galatasaray, Bodo/Glimt, Sporting Lisbon

Teams remaining: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen

Predictive measurement No. 2: Preventing goals

Defense wins championships — or at least, it used to.

We’ve seen a handful of truly elite defensive teams win the Champions League over the past 15 seasons: Chelsea in 2021, Barcelona in 2011 and 2015, Liverpool in 2019, and Bayern Munich in 2013. They all posted adjusted goals-allowed numbers below 0.85. But most of the recent champions have hovered closer to right around 1.0.

Is it a sign of a shifting tactical balance across Europe? Or is it completely meaningless and random? We shall see.

The worst defense to win it all was the worst attack to win it all: Chelsea in 2012, with their 1.22 adjusted goals allowed per game. Of the remaining sides, the only team with a worse defense this season is, well, Chelsea, at 1.29 adjusted goals allowed per game this season. Just a handful of the 16 teams left allow more shots than Chelsea’s 11 per game, and only Barcelona — the last remaining practitioners of the sell-out-at-all-costs high press — are allowing higher quality shots.

Both Liverpool (1.22) and Barcelona (1.21) snuck in just under the threshold.

Teams eliminated: Chelsea

Teams remaining: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, PSG, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen

Predictive measurement No. 3: Pressing

Some 10 years ago, manager Roger Schmidt was proving with Bayer Leverkusen how effective aggressive, vertical soccer could be. It wasn’t just that they pressed high; they did, but then they’d also try to get a shot off on goal as soon as possible. There really wasn’t any team like them, and I’m not sure there has been any team like them since, either.

The current version of Leverkusen is certainly nothing like them. As measured by passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA), they are the least aggressive pressing team left in the Champions League.

The most aggressive pressers to win the Champions League were Luis Enrique’s Barcelona in 2015, who produced a freakish 6.98 PPDA. This is the same team that rarely ever gave up any goals and had some random dudes named Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar playing up top. They’re the best soccer team I’ve ever seen.

The least aggressive pressers to win the European Cup, unsurprisingly, were Chelsea in 2012. They produced a PPDA of 13.26, which means that we must eliminate Leverkusen and their 13.44 PPDA from contention.

Teams eliminated: Bayer Leverkusen

Teams remaining: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, PSG, Real Madrid

Predictive measurement No. 4: Frequency of crossing the ball

Unlike the other numbers we’ve gone over, this is more of a sweet-spot situation. We’re looking for teams who fall between the highest- and lowest-frequency crossers of the ball.

Why? Crossing is an inefficient method of play on average, but you still need to be able to stretch the defense horizontally and create danger from the flanks. If you never cross the ball, that’s a bad thing. And if you always cross the ball, that’s also a bad thing. A healthy approach doesn’t rely on crossing as its main attacking lever, but it also doesn’t eliminate it altogether.

A Champions League-winning approach has previously fallen somewhere between 8.4% and 19.7% of final-third passes being crosses. The former number is PSG last season and the latter is, again, Chelsea in 2012.

Among this season’s remaining participants, only Spurs fall outside the high end of the threshold, but a number of the current favorites fall below the threshold. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and PSG — the current second-, third- and sixth-favorites to win the tournament — are crossing the ball less than last season’s winners did. Barcelona are at 8.0%, while Bayern (7.7%) and PSG (7.4%) are even lower.

The question for all three of these teams in the knockout rounds: Will they be able to create quality opportunities if they come up against a big, physical, organized defense?

Teams eliminated: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, PSG

Teams remaining: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Predictive measurement No. 5: Pace of play

It’s pretty much impossible to be in control of every game you play in the Champions League. Not only is the competition level so high and the type of competition so different from what you’re used to in your domestic league, but when you play the same team twice in a couple of weeks, tactical weaknesses are more likely to be exploited.

In other words, if you’re going to win the Champions League, you have to be able to survive — and even thrive — during long stretches when the ball is bouncing back and forth and both teams are running up and down the field.

But once the pandemic hit, the sport changed overnight and we haven’t gone back. In 2019, Liverpool’s matches averaged 99.1 possessions per team — then the highest of any winner in the dataset. That was until Bayern Munich, with 99.8 possessions, broke the record the following year. The five champions since then, though, are now the five winners who averaged the fewest possessions per game.

But the number hasn’t kept dropping after Man City set the lower bound of 78.5 possessions per team in 2023. So, for now, we’re keeping it there. And that means both Arsenal (77.2) and Real Madrid (78.2) get sent packing.

Teams eliminated: Arsenal, Real Madrid

Teams remaining: Manchester City, Liverpool

Predictive measurement No. 6: Defensive shape

There are all kinds of ways to play defense and win trophies.

You can press high and keep the ball away from your box. You can drop deep and make it impossible for your opponent to find space in the attacking third. Or you can slot somewhere in between: play a midblock that frustrates your opponent right around midfield and mucks up every possession. We’ve seen teams suppress goals at a really high level by doing all of the above.

What we haven’t seen before: a successful defense that allows its opponents to get on the ball in the center of the field.

In Europe this season, the average team allows its opponent, on average, to touch the ball 17.52 meters from the center of the field. Every single one of the past 15 Champions League winners kept their opponents even farther away from the center. When Manchester City won their only Champions League in 2023, their opponents got on the ball, on average, 17.58 meters from the center of the field — and that’s the lowest distance-from-the-center for any recent winner.

That’s bad news for Liverpool, who are allowing their opponents to touch the ball 16.76 meters from the center, which is not only closer to the center than any past winner, but it’s closer to the center than all but six other teams in Europe’s Big Five leagues this season.

And so, that leaves us with Manchester City. That feels strange, given that this is one of the three or four worst City teams that Pep Guardiola has managed. But what’s interesting about City is how, well, uninteresting they are. In the past, Guardiola’s teams would always exist on some kind of extremes — for how they controlled possession or pressed or moved the ball forward. Now, they just kind of look like all of the other good teams do, without too many distinctive stylistic features.

That doesn’t work as well when you’re trying to maximize your points haul over a 38-game domestic season, hence Man City being behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race — but maybe it’s a better fit for four rounds of knockout soccer against all of the best teams in the world.

Winner: Manchester City

 Serie A: Thanks to Pervis Estupiñán’s first AC Milan goal and a by-any-means-necessary Max Allegri defensive masterclass, the Scudetto title race is back open for business after an Oscar-worthy night of storytelling in the Derby della Madonnina. Inter Milan’s Serie A lead is down to seven points and the Rossoneri have now done the double over their little brothers for the first time since 2011 as the battle at the top heats up again. After a 2-1 win at Cagliari, Cesc Fabregas’ Como have leapfrogged Roma to enter the top four for the first time, as the Lombardi lakes side continue to confound all expectations.

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich’s headlock on the Bundesliga is so firm that even without the injured Harry Kane, they swatted away Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 with four different goal scorers. Kane’s knock to his calf should be minor enough for a return in the Champions League against Atalanta tomorrow, but in the league they remain 11 points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who won 2-1 away at FC Köln.

The FA Cup’s Often Silly, Completely Wild Fifth-Round Weekend -courtosy of Men in Blazers THE RAVEN NL

By Tommy Stewart

Wrexham 2-4 Chelsea

When Sam Smith put Wrexham 1-0 up to send the STōK Cae Ras into the stratosphere, Chelsea knew they were in for a fist fight. With the match perfectly poised at 2-2 on the verge of extra time, George Dobson’s tired attempt at a tackle looked more like an effort to chop Alejandro Garnacho in half – a challenge that might be forgiven in the Championship, but with VAR watching like Sauron’s eye, he rightly saw red.

The Argentine recovered to put his side ahead in extra time before VAR once again poured cold water all over the cup’s magic when Lewis Brunt’s equalizing header was found to be a toenail offside. Phil Parkinson’s 10 men almost took the World Champions the whole way, but with João Pedro’s 18th goal of the season, the Welsh dragons were buried. For a proud Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, it felt like a dress rehearsal for a club who aren’t just dreaming, but demanding, Premier League football in the near future.

More: The Blues won the game, but the Red Dragons won the award for best commentary.

Newcastle 1-3 Manchester City

Harvey Barnes‘ sixth goal in nine should’ve been a platform for Newcastle to build on, but City flexed their frightening squad strength at St. James’ Park on Saturday. Despite making 10 changes to his side, Pep’s starting XI was saturated with international talent hungry to prove what their manager’s been missing out on, and Savinho took his chance with a bizarre tap-in to gut-punch the Magpies before halftime. An assertive Omar Marmoush brace in the second half was laughably good according to his manager, whose touchline histrionics earned him a two-match ban after a sixth booking of the season. While Pep’s side gun for the quadruple, Eddie Howe said Barcelona’s visit to St. James’ Park tomorrow is the biggest game in his club’s history; he knows unless they can perform miracles in Europe, Newcastle’s season is in danger of quietly petering out.

Port Vale 1-0 Sunderland

Port Vale are accustomed to underdog status, having perennially lived in the shadow of neighbors and former Premier League residents, Stoke City, but the 57 league positions dividing them and Sunderland seemed a stretch. The lowest-ranked side left in the FA Cup are bottom of League One and they battled into extra time with Bristol City only five days before this fixture to get here. Ben Waine was the difference in that match and the New Zealand international, who grew up a Newcastle fan, paid homage to his hero Alan Shearer with not only a decisive header that the Toon legend would be proud of, but the celebration to match. His goal puts Port Vale into their first FA Cup quarterfinal in 72 years as Sunderland’s comedown from their early-season high hits its lowest ebb.

Mansfield Town 1-2 Arsenal

With Mansfield’s patchwork Field Mill stadium, homemade tin foil trophies in the stands, and two schoolboys on the pitch in Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, this tie ticked so many Magic of the FA Cup™️ boxes. Noni Madueke perforated the League One side’s brave defense just before halftime, but a generational upset felt feasible when 16-year-old Salmon gifted the ball to opportunistic Mansfield sub Will Evans, who scored a goal that his grandkids’ grandkids will be talking about. Dowman dominated all afternoon, but it was Eberechi Eze who laid Nigel Clough’s side to rest with a banger worthy of winning any game, meaning Arsenal’s quadruple quest marches on.

Wolves 1-3 Liverpool

For Arne Slot, the FA Cup offers his side the most tangible chance of a trophy this season, and they had one foot in the quarterfinal when Andy Robertson’s strike from distance opened the scoring. Mohamed Salah bagged his second goal of the week at Molineux soon after and Wolves were no longer at the door when Curtis Jones scared them off for a third. Hwang Hee-chan’s consolation came too late and Liverpool tasted warm revenge after their calamitous Premier League loss to the Championship-elect side only days before.

Elsewhere in the FA Cup: Fulham 0-1 Southampton, Leeds 3-0 Norwich City

US WOMEN WIN SHE BELIEVES CUP

Emma Hayes’ rebuild of the USWNT is taking shape – and already reaping rewards

Emma Hayes could not hide her delight after the USWNT’s SheBelieves success Brad Smith / Getty Images

By Melanie Anzidei March 8, 2026 The Athletic

HARRISON, N.J.—The U.S. women’s national team was in a vastly different place this time last year.They had won gold at the summer Olympics in Paris, but were on the verge of a pair of losses, to Japan and Brazil, that would redirect the course of the next 12 months. This weekend, that year culminated with the U.S. reclaiming the 2026 SheBelieves Cup crown, and in the strongest state the team has been since Emma Hayes took charge in May 2024.“If we think about the Olympics, we’d talk about a (U.S.) team that was really resilient and difficult to beat and (we’d talk about) the Triple Espresso,” head coach Emma Hayes said on Saturday from Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J., moments after her team’s thrilling win over Colombia. “Now, we talk about all the other players.”While the forward trio of Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson led the team to victory at the Olympics, they have not played together since due to injuries and pregnancies. In their place, players like Alyssa Thompson, Jaedyn Shaw, Ally Sentnor, Emma Sears, and even newer additions like Jameese Joseph have found their stride as the team nears 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying later this year.

The U.S. spent the last week traveling around the country, facing a trio of opponents — Argentina in Nashville, Tenn., Canada in Columbus, Ohio, and Colombia in Harrison, N.J. — for the SheBelieves Cup, an annual invitational tournament. Each team presented its set of challenges. Argentina tested the U.S. mentality, while Canada offered an opportunity to show its controlled possession and high press.

Colombia, meanwhile, challenged the backline, forcing the Americans to repurpose their strategy halfway through the match. It ultimately took a quartet of substitutes in the 61st minute — Lindsey Heaps, Lily Yohannes, Olivia Moultrie and Shaw — to redirect the momentum. Eventually, their burst of energy in the second half led to Thompson’s winning goal in the final eight minutes of the match, reminiscent of a vintage Christen Press-style goal.

Alyssa Thompson scores the winner against Colombia.Adam Hunger / Getty Images

“They can do it because of the experiences of losing to Japan, losing to Brazil,” Hayes told reporters. “That game (against Colombia) was exactly what we needed. Something that was a little bit spicy. There’s stuff we’ve been doing in the background to make sure that discipline is an edge for us. We handled that really well.”Hayes has said this would be the first window where she would begin finalizing her core group before the World Cup 2027 qualifiers begin. An early version has emerged and will continue to narrow with every camp.While the SheBelieves Cup is a friendly tournament that doesn’t impact the FIFA rankings, it did provide a stage for some standout performances. Heaps and Shaw carried the team to victory against Argentina, and Sentnor was the lone goal scorer against Canada. On Friday, it was Thompson’s moment to show how the momentum she has built in England at Chelsea has translated to the national team.The tournament’s round-robin format also mirrored the environment of an international competition, with matches played every couple of days. This is why Hayes said she intends to outline two teams within her rosters during three-match windows like these. She emphasized developing relationships between players — like Naomi Girma and Emily Sonnett in the back, or Claire Hutton and Sam Coffey in the midfield — to be ready for all scenarios.What You Should Read NextHow defender Emily Sonnett quietly became the USWNT’s most consistent leaderThe 32-year-old defender has found staying power in her consistency and quiet leadership.

“It’s important that everybody plays their role, because it matters,” Hayes said. “Players that didn’t make the starting lineup today are always going to be disappointed, but it’s your reaction to it. It’s making sure that you make that difference … I want to be able to keep offering another version of ourselves.”

When reflecting on the USWNT during the 2024 Olympics, she was still getting to know the team. “The depth might have been there,“ Hayes said, ”but it hadn’t been developed.”

Lindsey Heaps, right, and Claire Hutton, No 15, have shone for the USWNT.Johnnie Izquierdo / Getty Images

Having multiple players capable of adapting to various roles allows Hayes the flexibility to fill a roster and make tactical changes more freely.  The U.S. midfield is so strong, for example, that Heaps, a two-time Olympic medalist and World Cup winner, may sometimes be a better option off the bench, as was the case twice this week.

This will be especially important now as the U.S. turns its focus to its next camp in April, when the team prepares for three back-to-back-to-back matches against Japan, arguably the most tactical team in the world.

Japan dethroned the U.S. in the SheBelieves Cup a year ago. In true Hayes fashion, the head coach responded by scheduling three matches against them the following year.

SheBelieves is “indicative of a new group post-Olympics,” Hayes said.  “This is a team that we are building towards World Cup qualification. What was the standout for me? Three very different opponents with very different challenges, and that sets us up nicely for playing against Japan, who I think are another level to all three teams (in SheBelieves). It sets us up perfectly to see where we stack up at the next stage.”

How defender Emily Sonnett quietly became the USWNT’s most consistent leader

By Melanie AnzideiFeb. 27, 2026Updated March 2, 2026

Emily Sonnett takes nothing for granted.Not winning a World Cup, two Olympic medals or three National Women’s Soccer League Championships. Not a single one of her 113 appearances with the U.S. women’s national team. The 32-year-old Gotham FC defender approaches every opportunity with the same level of care and gratitude.Advertisement“I would never think I’m a shoo-in,” Sonnett said during a recent interview with The Athletic. “I always have to be performing and e consistently performing.”

This, she said, may sound “so cliché,” but there is nothing cliché about Sonnett, who, despite her sometimes-quiet profile, has become one of the most respected players in the NWSL and a critical piece to U.S. head coach Emma Hayes’ national team puzzle.

Sonnett is set to feature in her 11th SheBelieves Cup in March. She has been called up to every edition of the annual tournament since it was founded in 2016, and boasts seven titles. “I love SheBelieves, apparently,” Sonnett said, with a laugh, “and it loves me.This year’s edition will serve as the first major test for Hayes and the U.S. women’s national team as they prepare for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying. It is the most experienced U.S. roster the former Chelsea manager has put together in over a year. For Sonnett, the tournament serves as a tangible reminder of her progression.hen she was first called up for SheBelieves by then-head coach Jill Ellis, Sonnett was 22 and had just been selected as the first overall pick of the 2016 NWSL College Draft from the University of Virginia. She went on to play a full 90 minutes for the U.S. in the opening match against England, helping the team eventually win it all.

“When I think of SheBelieves, my early years were definitely the ‘learning years for Emily Sonnett,’” she said. “I might have been a part of it, but I spent a lot of those early SheBelieves (asking), ‘How am I developing?’”

Sonnett debuted in the NWSL with the Portland Thorns a few weeks later. She ended the 2016 season as one of three finalists for NWSL Rookie of the Year. A first NWSL crown followed in 2017 with the Thorns, and then a second with the Washington Spirit in 2021. Her third was won after a thrilling postseason run with Gotham FC last year.he experienced defender’s versatility makes her a triple threat, with experience as a center back, full back and defensive midfielder. For the national team, her role has evolved. She was on the fringes throughout 2017 but earned a spot on the 2019 World Cup winning team and is now a USWNT regular and leader for Hayes.

“Everyone’s journey is different,’ Sonnet said. “Being able to now get over that hump to where I’m consistently getting called in, and I’m performing at a higher level than what I was, is something that I’m really happy about (and) I take a lot of pride in.

“The earlier development phase for me was difficult. It took me a little bit longer to get there. I have so many best friends who have been integrated (with the team) for such a long time, like Rose (Lavelle), Mal (Swanson), Lindsey (Heaps). So, to be able to get over that hump and be more of an on-field presence with leadership and that veteran (group) has been a rewarding feeling.”

In her record 11th SheBelieves Cup, Emily Sonnett is a leader on the back line.Vincent Carchietta / Getty Images

The USWNT is on the cusp of meshing that veteran contingent with up-and-coming stars.

Hayes spent the last year reimagining her player pool, carving out a pipeline for Under-23s into the senior team. It felt like a radical approach because it simply had never been done. But it was a logical solution that created an environment where players were rewarded for their consistency and work ethic. Players like Sonnett, who is meticulous in analyzing her individual progress, thrived.

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Hayes has repeatedly praised Sonnett’s quiet leadership, describing her as someone who leads by example and performance on the pitch. Seattle Reign center back Jordyn Bugg, 19, has been told to spend time with Sonnett during national team camps, though she recently had to leave the SheBelieves Cup camp early due to a hamstring injury. Hayes recently said fellow defender Emily Sams, who wore the U.S. armband for the first time in January, reminded her of a young Sonnett because of her quiet leadership.

“It’s probably the first time I’ve been in that position with the national team,” Sonnet said. “I’m so appreciative that she (Hayes) sees those qualities in me and I can be an extension, in terms of leadership (on the team).

“I love learning from my teammates, but being able to learn from Emma has been incredibly useful: how she leads, how she wants the veterans to be integrated with younger players, how we want to be operating so we’re all getting the best out of each other.”

Emily Sonnett is one of the veteran players head coach Emma Hayes has relied on as she builds her 2027 World Cup team.Patricia De Melo / Getty Images

Somewhere along the way, Sonnett realized she was good at soccer. It may have been between ballet classes or after winning a foot race, but she realized soccer kept her and her twin sister, Emma, the most entertained. Eventually, she realized the sport could help fund her college education, so she kept chasing the dream.

Sonnett is a lifelong student. She loves to learn, even picking up tennis recently for a new challenge. She started working with a personal analyst outside of NWSL and national team environments “five or six years ago, to really understand what my strengths and weaknesses are” and to understand how her play translates between both settings.

“I do a lot of self-reflection,” Sonnett said. “Everything’s so data-driven now, but data gives you a story and there’s always context. Maybe I’m running way too much and there’s ways to be more efficient.”

Sonnett was not yet a starter on the national team when she began this additional introspection. “That was a big step to really understand my weaknesses and where I am against the other best center backs in the world, or in just this league, and to really hone in on how I can best prep in the off-season, and then what am I doing in-season?

“That’s helped me. If you looked at Sonnett year 1, 2, 3 and 4, and then (when I started doing it) this way, my consistency among categories has gone up.”

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Sonnett has, as Gotham teammate Jaelin Howell has shared, an “insane recovery routine” on game days. She admits, “I’m activating everything” – and it’s much more than using those resistance bands popular among athletes. She has Therabody recovery boots, which provide leg compression therapy. She uses red light therapy. A lot of “water submerging.”

“Ten years ago, I didn’t even pre-activate,” Sonnett said, with a laugh. “Jaelin got a taste of what I do to take care of my body, and it’s a lot.”

U.S. and Gotham teammates say Emily Sonnnett is a quiet leader who leads by example.Alex Broadway / Getty Images

Sonnett sees herself as a player who leads by example and a player that her teammates can lean on. She takes pride in keeping the environment competitive. She asks herself, “How am I bringing my best self to training and big games? How am I making sure, every day, the team has a little bit of grit and competitiveness?”

That tracks with what Sonnett’s teammates at Gotham say.

“She is an incredible leader. She fights for us behind the scenes and makes sure that we’re all on the same page,” 21-year-old Gotham and USWNT midfielder Jaedyn Shaw told The Athletic. “Even the way that she plays, she brings so much intensity and leadership and organization from the back line that helps all of us know exactly where we need to be. It’s been great to have her as that voice behind me on the field.”

Lilly Reale, the 2025 NWSL Rookie of the Year, started her freshman season by filling an unexpected hole in Gotham’s backline after defender and club captain Tierna Davidson suffered a season-ending knee injury in April.

The 22-year-old had the perfect partner in Sonnett, at Gotham and with the U.S. The pair, alongside club teammates Lavelle and Shaw, were called up for the SheBelieves Cup.

Sonnett is “so competitive on the field, but also just a really good friend off the field to have, and someone who really cares about the people that she surrounds herself with,” Reale said.  “She’s just been someone I’ve leaned into. A number of people have. I don’t think everyone always sees that side of her.

“She’s someone who sets the bar and raises the bar, at the same time.”

AdvertisementReale’s favorite Sonnett memory remains her full-body block in the NWSL Championship against the Spirit last year. The central defender followed the ball as it glided across Gotham’s box. When Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune backheeled a pass to striker Leicy Santos in sight of goal, Sonnett jumped up and spun around, contorting her body in just the right way to block Santos.https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRYgCYckcfj/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=540&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com&rp=%2Fathletic%2F7067359%2F2026%2F02%2F27%2Femily-sonnett-uswnt-quiet-leadership%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A2083.7000000476837%2C%22ls%22%3A974.3000000715256%2C%22le%22%3A1944%7D

“She’s just someone who is really fun to watch on the ball, as well,” Reale said. “She knows exactly how to manipulate players. I always just laugh because she swivels her hips a lot to get by people, and just fake them out.”

When you ask Sonnett what her goals for 2026 are, she takes a moment to reflect. “To be focused on my club environment, to perform well, to then get called up.”

She also references the advice passed down to her by the players who came before her. “Never take any camp for granted,” they all said. That includes this SheBelieves window. Some recently-retired players advised her to slow down and soak it all in.

“I’m really cherishing the friendship moments, being able to grab coffee when you’re on the road, and just making sure that those moments are still real,” she said. “I’m not there yet, at retirement, but there’s not a lot of years left. So, being able to really understand that I am playing soccer for a living, it’s amazing.”

What happens if Iran does not play at the World Cup?

Iran’s World Cup participation could be in doubt Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

By Henry BushnellMarch 2, 2026Updated March 9, 2026 9:08 am EDT

The Athletic has live coverage of the latest news for the 2026 World Cup. 

The ongoing U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran have plunged the Middle East into uncertainty.

The bombing of several major Iranian cities, which is “intended” to last “four to five weeks” if necessary, U.S. President Donald Trump , has killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and also sparked retaliatory attacks.dvertisement

In that context, the consequences for this summer’s men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico may seem trivial. Yet the events of the past 48 hours have raised questions about whether Iran will send a team to the tournament or if the U.S. government — which has already barred Iranian nationals from traveling to the States, though with an exemption for sports teams — would restrict Iran’s participation.Mattias Grafström, general secretary of FIFA, football’s world governing body, said Saturday that, “of course, our focus is to have a safe World Cup with everybody participating.” And a FIFA source with knowledge of the matter told The Athletic Sunday that no plans have changed.But the Iranian football federation’s president, Mehdi Taj, told local state media that, “after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” according to the Associated Press and several other translations. He said the “sports chiefs” would decide on participation.The World Cup, which is owned and operated by FIFA, is set to begin June 11. Iran is scheduled to play all three of its Group G games in the U.S. — against New Zealand (June 15 at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles), Belgium (June 21 at SoFi) and Egypt (June 26 at Lumen Field in Seattle).So what happens if Iran can’t or won’t?

Why wouldn’t Iran participate? Could the U.S. government bar the team?

There are several potential reasons:

• Iran could essentially boycott the World Cup in response to the U.S. attacks.
• Several entities could decide that, for different reasons, the team’s participation isn’t safe.
• The U.S. government could also restrict their participation.

The Trump administration — both back in 2018 and over the past year — has repeatedly claimed that everyone, from teams to fans, is welcome at this World Cup. In a 2018 letter signed by Trump, a month before North America was awarded hosting rights, the president cited previous Olympics and World Cups in the U.S. and stated: “I am confident that the United States would host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a similarly open and festive manner, and that all eligible athletes, officials and fans from all countries around the world would be able to enter the United States without discrimination.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino are close alliesMandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images

It’s not clear if the U.S. government has ever signed a binding guarantee, though, or if Trump would feel compelled to honor one. He has already barred travelers from Iran and three other World Cup-participating countries, with only limited exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event.” And in the fall, multiple Iranian delegates had visas denied ahead of December’s World Cup draw.When asked why, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup task force, said at the time that “every visa decision is a national security decision.” If FIFA wasn’t able to intervene and overturn those decisions, it likely couldn’t prevent the Trump administration from barring individuals or even an entire team before the tournament itself.

What happens if Iran pulls out?

If Iran were unable or unwilling to participate, FIFA regulations give the global soccer governing body broad discretion to call in a replacement team or adjust the tournament accordingly.

Article 6 of FIFA’s 2026 World Cup regulations, published last year, addresses cases of non-participation — but with little specificity.

Regulation 6.5 addresses “force majeure,” an irresistible force or unforeseen event: “If a Participating Member Association withdraws or a match cannot be played or is abandoned as a result of force majeure, the authorised FIFA organising body (including the Tournament Operation Centre) shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary.”

Regulation 6.7 then states: “If any Participating Member Association withdraws and/or is excluded from the FIFA World Cup 26, FIFA shall decide on the matter at its sole discretion and take whatever action is deemed necessary. FIFA may decide to replace the Participating Member Association in question with another association.”

FIFA, therefore, would essentially have two broad options if Iran withdrew, either by choice or force. FIFA could cancel Iran’s games and tweak rules to treat Group G as a three-team group, or it could replace Iran with another nation’s team.

Finding a replacement, however, would be complicated by timing. It seems unlikely that Iran — as a country and as a national team — will have clarity on World Cup participation any time soon. With Trump pursuing regime change and power vacuums atop the country, experts believe that the World Cup implications of Saturday’s strikes are unclear in the near future.Any withdrawal would therefore be relatively last-minute. FIFA and its chosen replacement would be scrambling to complete preparations, contracts and arrangements that typically take months to complete.

Which teams could replace Iran?

The multi-stage format of Asian World Cup qualifying makes choosing a replacement on merit tricky.

Iran qualified comfortably by winning Group A in Asia’s third qualifying round. Uzbekistan, the second-place team, also earned an automatic berth. The third- and fourth-placed teams, UAE and Qatar, went to a fourth round — where Qatar ultimately secured World Cup qualification. UAE, on the other hand, lost a playoff to Iraq who, with that win, earned a spot in another playoff — the intercontinental playoff in Mexico later this month.

Iran fans celebrated World Cup qualification last yearKarim Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images

Iraq will face either Bolivia or Suriname on March 31 near Monterrey, with a World Cup berth at stake. If Iraq wins that playoff, UAE would presumably be next in line as a potential replacement for Iran. If Iraq loses the playoff, either Iraq or UAE could be chosen.

Or, FIFA would look outside Asia. It could choose the intercontinental playoff loser (Bolivia or Suriname). Under FIFA’s own rules, it could do whatever it wants.

Is there precedent for replacement teams at World Cups?

There is no modern-era World Cup precedent. The last time countries withdrew from a World Cup after qualifying was 1950. That year, Scotland and Turkey pulled out before the draw, India and France pulled out after the draw, and the first post-World War II tournament was contested by only 13 teams — sorted into two groups of four, one group of three and one of two.

The most relevant modern precedent is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Last March, less than three months before the novel tournament began, FIFA booted Mexican qualifier León, citing multi-club ownership rules. Appeals stretched into early May.

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When the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected those appeals, on May 6, FIFA — after discussing alternatives for months — announced that Club América (as the top-ranked Mexican team) and LAFC (as the team that lost to León two years earlier in the Concacaf final that originally earned León its place) would compete in a one-game playoff on May 31 for the last spot at the tournament. LAFC won the playoff and replaced León in Group D.

FIFA, in theory, could stage a similar playoff to replace Iran if necessary. The World Cup, though, requires significantly more logistical planning than the Club World Cup. Naming a replacement team with a few weeks of lead time would come with challenges.

Could the U.S. attack imperil the country’s hosting of the World Cup?

That’s unlikely.

Of course, there is no precedent for a World Cup host bombing a participating nation less than four months before the tournament. But there do not appear to be security concerns in the mainland U.S. stemming from the conflict.

And there have been no suggestions from anyone at FIFA that the governing body would consider relocating games as a penalty for the military assault. And there is no known regulation that would force FIFA to act.

Other countries could boycott, but international reaction to the attack has been mixed — far from the type of unanimous condemnation that would lead to meaningful calls for a widespread boycott.