Notes

After 2 goals in Champions League last week American Malik Tillman can’t stop scoring as he notched this one on Saturday for Leverkusen. Weston McKinney also stayed hot with this stunner on Sunday in Juve’s 4-1 win. McKinney is legit playing the best ball of his life right now and is THE BEST player for Juventus right now – and a huge reason they are back in the top 4 in Italy. (Great story about him below). Stunning Goal by Tottenham as they tie Man City late man the EPL is something – every weekend. Reminder looking for EPL games this weekend – they will NOT be on USA or NBCSN or NBC – the Olympics is on everywhere – Its Peacock for all the games except Man U vs Tottenham on Sat 7:30 am. Liverpool’s huge 11:30 am game with Man City will be on Peacock. Came across this fascinating story about Pele and Diego Maradona beefed over who was the GOAT …

As Milan prepares to welcome the world tonight for the Winter Olympics – Pulisic in on board. Click to see – Pulisic Welcomes Winter Olympics

Huge News that the US World Away Kit has perhaps been leaked.

Columbus & Nashville to Host Olympic Soccer in 2028

We might have gotten shut out for the World Cup but Awesome News that both Columbus, Ohio and Nashville, TN will be host sites for Soccer for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The Soccer games are always played around the nation – there will be 12 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams competing (the US is in for both of course). New York City, St. Louis, San Diego, San Jose will join in hosting games along with LA. Nashville & Columbus among 6 cities to host Olympic soccer. Speaking of tickets — anyone get World Cup Tickets? We are still trying to get tix – no word yet – still planning to head to LA June 13th and stay out west until we lose. Anybody got a line on US Tickets reach-out at shanebestsoccer@gmail.com.

GAMES ON TV

Fri, Feb 6
2:30 pm ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Frankfurt
3 pm USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Nottingham Forest
Sat, Feb 7
7:30 am USA Man United vs Tottenham
9:30 am ESPN+ Freiburg vs Dortmund
10 am USA Fulham (Jedi) vs Everton
10 am Peacock Wolverhampton vs Chelsea
10 am Peacock Arsenal vs Sunderland
10:15 am ESPN+ Barcelona vs Mallorca
12 noon Para+ Genoa vs Napoli
12:30 pm Peacock Newcastle vs Brentford
12:30 pm ESPN+ MGladbach (Scaly, Reyna) vs Leverkusen (Tillman)
10:10 pm Uni America vs Monterrey (Mex)
Sun Feb 8
9 am Telemundo Brighton vs Crystal Palace (Richards)
11:30 am Peacock Liverpool vs Man City
11:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Hoffenheim
12 noon Para+ Sassuolo vs Inter Milan
12:30 pm ESPN+ Athletico Madrid (Cardoso) vs Real Betis
2:45 pm Para+ Juventus (McKennie) vs Lazio
3 pm ESPN2 Valencia vs Real Madrid
Mon, Feb 9
2:45 pm Para+ Roma vs Cagliari
Tues, Feb 10
2:30 pm Peacock Everton vs Bournemouth
2:30 pm Peacock Chelsea vs Leeds United (Aaronson)
2:30 pm PC Tottenham vs NewCastle
3:15 pm Peacock West Ham vs Man U
8 pm FS 2 Pumas vs San Diego (1-4 CCCL 2nd leg)
Weds, Feb 11
2:30 pm Peacock Man City vs Fulham (Jedi)
2:30 pm Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Burnley (Adams)
2:30 pm PC Aston Villa vs Brighton
2:30 pm Peacock Nottingham Forest vs Wolverhampton
2:45 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs RB Leipzig
3:15 pm Peacock Sunderland vs Liverpool
8 pm FS2 America vs Olimpia CCL 2nd leg
10 pm FS2 Monterrey vs Xelaju CCL 2nd leg
Thurs, Feb 12
2:30 pm Peacock Brentford vs Arsenal
8 pm FS 2 Cruz Azul vs Vancouver (CCCL)
Fri , Feb 13
2:45 pm Para+ Pisa vs AC Milan (Pulisic)
2:45 pm ESPN2 Hull City vs Chelsea
2:45 pm ESPN+ Wrexham vs Ipswich Town
8 pm FS 2 Cruz Azul vs Vancouver (CCCL)
Sat, Feb 14
2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Juventus (McKennie)
3 pm ESPN+ Liverpool vs Brighton
3 pm ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad

Sun, Mar 1 She Believes Cup Starts
5 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Argentina
Wed, Mar 4 She Believes Cup
7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Canada (Columbus, OH)
Sat, Mar 7 She Believes Cup
3:30 pm TBS, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Colombia
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

USMNT weekend viewing guide: Fully loaded

A huge slate of matches this weekend by jcksnftsn Feb 6, 2026, 12:18 PM EST Stars & Stripes

There is a huge slate of matches this weekend, despite AC Milan and Christian Pulisic having the weekend off, and includes matches across the top and bottom of all the major European leagues as well as some head-to-head matches. In addition to Milan being off there are some injury watch areas that will impact viewing opportunities so keep an eye out for those. The action starts on Friday afternoon with a matchup between a couple teams looking to distance themselves from the relegation fray.

Friday

Leeds United v Nottingham Forest – 3p on USA Network: Brenden Aaronson started and went 71’ in Leeds 4-0 defeat to league leading Arsenal last weekend. Leeds are now level with this weekend’s opponent, Nottingham Forest, who picked up a point in their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last weekend. Leeds and Forest both have 26 points, which give them a six point lead over West Ham United who are currently in the final relegation spot. Friday’s match is a true relegation zone six pointer and Leeds will be looking to avenge their September loss as they host Forest.

Saturday

St. Pauli v Stuttgart – 9:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands and St. Pauli fell to Augsburg 2-1 last weekend and are now five points back of Werder Bremen for safety, four back of Mainz for the relegation playoff spot. Sands did start and go the full 90’ picking up his fourth yellow card of the season in stoppage time. St. Pauli have just three wins through twenty matches with only one of those victories coming in the last four and a half months.

Heidenheim v Hamburger – 9:30a on ESPN Select: After starting his first three matches with Hamburger Damion Downs was unavailable last weekend due to a calf injury as his team played Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw. Hamburger face a Heidenheim side who are dead last and have given up a league leading 45 goals but it’s uncertain if Downs will be available to try to take advantage of the matchup.

Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Kevin Paredes missed last weekends match though he had been reported to be “back in full swing” the day prior to the match after also missing out two weeks ago due to illness. There were transfer rumors around the player whose contract expires in June so perhaps it was a precaution. Wolfsburg fell to Koln 1-0 and are now just one point clear of Mainz in the relegation playoff position. They host second place Borussia Dortmund who trail Bayern Munich by six points after gaining five points on them over the past two weekends.

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Mainz v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Lennard Maloney and Mainz will host Noahkai Banks and Augsburg on Saturday morning. Maloney played nearly 20’ off the bench last weekend in Mainz’s 2-1 win over fourth place Leipzig. The win was Mainz’s third in four matches as the nine points doubled what they had picked up in their first sixteen matches of the season. They remain in sixteenth place, the relegation playoff position, a point back of a trio of teams for safety. Augsburg is also headed in the right direction over the last couple weeks with back-to-back wins over Bayern Munich and St. Pauli to pick up six points and move four points clear of Mainz in the relegation playoff spot. A week after serving a yellow card accumulation suspension and missing Augsburg’s 2-1 over Bayern, Banks was back in the starting lineup and picking up yet another yellow.

Fulham v Everton – 10a on Peacock: Antonee Robinson remains with Fulham, and Ricardo Pepi was not brought in after a curious decision to PSV not to let the injured player go because they couldn’t line up a replacement. Robinson and Fulham fell to suddenly hot Manchester United 3-2 last weekend with Robinson getting the start and playing 71’. Fulham dropped to ninth place with the loss and will take on an Everton side that are in tenth and tied with them on 34 points.

Coventry City v Oxford United – 9:01a on CBSSN: Haji Wright came off the bench last Saturday as Coventry City fell to QPR 2-1, it was their second straight loss this season and fourth in seven matches as they are now tied with Middlesbrough for the top spot in the league. The two teams with Americans are four points ahead of Hull City for automatic promotion to the EPL. Coventry will take on an Oxford United side that are ahead of only Sheffield Wednesday in the table. If you haven’t been following along Sheffield Wednesday are at negative seven points through thirty matches thanks to a pair of points deduction rulings totaling 18 points. That doesn’t have a direct impact on any USMNT players but what an odd table it makes.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen – 12:30p on ESPN Select: Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach played Werder Bremen to a 1-1 draw last weekend while Gio Reyna watched from the sidelines as he suffers through injury yet again. Reyna has missed the past two matches due to another muscle strain and it’s unclear when he will be available again. Scally and Gladbach will host Bayer Leverkusen and fellow American Malik Tillman. Tillman scored the second of Leverkusen’s three goals last weekend in the team’s 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. Leverkusen are in sixth place in the league standings, four points back of fourth place Stuttgart with a game in hand.

Real Sociedad v Elche – 3:00p on ESPN Select: Pellegrino Matarazzo’s Real Sociedad played Atheltic Club to a 1-1 draw last weekend and defeated Deportivo Alaves in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday as Sociedad remains undefeated since Matarazzo took the helm. Eighth place Sociedad will host thirteenth place Elche who are just two points out of the relegation zone in a very crowded lower half of the La Liga table. just four points separate the ten teams from 9th to 18th place with 18th representing the final relegation spot. Sociedad are themselves just two points ahead of that group and six points out of 18th themselves despite the recent run of success since Matarazzo took over.

Nantes v Olympique Lyon – 3:05p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon defeated fifth place Lille to pull seven points ahead of them and level with Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings. It was the fifth straight league victory for Lyon who now travel to face sixteenth place Nantes who have just 14 points through their first 20 matches of the season and have lost three straight matches.

Sunday

Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace – 9a on Telemundo: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace were unable to stop their winless streak on Monday as they settled for a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. It has been ten matches for Palace since their last win as they have slid to fifteenth place in the league standings though they are still nine points clear of 18th place West Ham.

Nice v Monaco – 9a on beIN sports: Folarin Balogun picked up an assist in Monaco’s 4-0 win over Stade Rennais last weekend. Balogun still hasn’t scored since November and has just four goals on the season but it was his second assist in the past four matches. The win also snapped a five match winless streak for Monaco and kept them in the top ten of the league standings. The team will travel to Nice on Sunday to take on the 13th place side who

Koln v RB Leipzig – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Kristoffer Lund started again for Koln on Friday as they defeated Wolfsburg 1-0. Koln have won two of three and are in tenth place as they prepare to host fifth place RB Leipzig who are looking to bounce back after a 2-1 loss to Mainz.

Groningen v PSV – 10:45a on ESPN Select: Sergino Dest and PSV solidified their hold on the Eredivisie title race with a decisive 3-0 win over second place Feyenoord to increase their league lead to seventeen points with thirteen matches to go in the season. The seventeen point lead is what makes Ricardo Pepi’s abandoned transfer to Fulham even more curious though there are rumors that he could be returning more quickly than originally thought. PSV’s opponent this weekend is 8th place Groningen who have lost their past two matches.

Angers v Toulouse – 11:15a on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse were held to a scoreless draw by 17th place Auxerre last weekend and remain in eighth place as they visit 11th place Angers this weekend. McKenzie has started all but three matches for Toulouse this season who have given up 23 goals through 20 matches which is the fifth best scoring defense in the league.

Atletico Madrid v Real Betis – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso picked up a minor knock in training and missed out on Atletico Madrid’s 5-0 beat down of his old team, Real Betis, in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Thursday. Atletico will now face Betis in a league match on Sunday though Cardoso will likely miss out yet again though his injury isn’t expected to keep him out for an extended period.

PSG v Olympique Marseille – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah has started eight straight matches for Marseille who drew with Paris FC 2-2 last weekend. The draw dropped Marseille into a draw with Lyon which is significant as the top three in Ligue 1 automatically qualify for the Champions League. Marseille will take on league leading Paris Saint-Germain this weekend who have won six straight league matches. PSG hold a two point lead over Lens for the league lead and have a nine point advantage over Marseille.

Juventus v Lazio – 2:45p on Paramount+: Weston McKennie scored again for Juventus on Monday in the teams 4-1 win over Parma. It was the third goal of the calendar year for McKennie who was playing as the 10 for Juve who moved into the top four in the Serie A standings. They will take on eighth place Lazio who are coming off a 3-2 win over Genoa.

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USA

GK Horvath moves to Red Bulls from Cardiff City
USMNT’s Cardoso out 2 Atleti games with injury
 US Stars Tillman & McKinney dominate Abroad 
Atlanta signs U.S. youth star Gill from Barça
US U17s beat St V 8-0 in WCQualifiers

USWNT vs. Chile, 2026 friendly: What we learned
In Depth on Retiring Crystal Dunn
Nashville & Columbus among 6 cities to host Olympic soccer

MLS

Minnesota United sign Colombian superstar James Rodríguez
Source: Minnesota finalizing James Rodríguez deal
Take a closer look at 5 biggest roster questions facing teams in the East before the season starts: https://soc.cr/3Oai5Nu
Ex-U.S. GK Guzan takes on new role at Atlanta
How MLS’ USMNTers endure long offseason to stay sharp for World Cup
San Diego FC dominate Pumas in Concacaf Champions Cup opener

World

Wrexham have Premier League in sight, just five years after Reynolds and Mac takeover
We bought a soccer team! What NBA greats Kerr, Nash & Co. learned owning LaLiga’s Mallorca

Laurens’ weekend preview: Will Liverpool beat Man City? Can Carrick keep Man Utd run going?
City, Liverpool set for clash
Messi to Newell’s? Ronaldo to Sporting? Soccer’s potential romantic returns

Reffing

How to Become a Travel Ref
Offsides?  
Corner Flag Mechanics

Goalkeeping

Benefica Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin Header at the Buzzer beats Real Madrid 4-2 s
Ex-U.S. GK Guzan takes on new role at Atlanta
Best PK Saves in MLS Last Season

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How injury concerns have interrupted Christian Pulisic’s dream pre-World Cup season

Nicolò Campo / LightRocket / Getty Images By Henry Bushnell Feb. 2, 2026 The Athletic

Christian Pulisic is not in AC Milan’s squad for a Tuesday trip to Bologna, and with every passing week, his dream pre-World Cup season looks more and more like another campaign hampered by unfortunate health.Milan manager Max Allegri said Monday that Pulisic has “bursitis that’s bothering him.” Bursitis is inflammation of fluid-filled sacs near joints, and Pulisic’s is reportedly near his hip.Allegri seemed to indicate that Pulisic’s condition wasn’t serious. The experienced Italian coach said that he and his staff hoped to get the American forward “back on track in the coming days.” In fact, Pulisic was in contention to travel and play Tuesday. “If he’s better today,” Allegri said early Monday, “we’ll take him.”But Pulisic wasn’t better enough. And he’s now gone more than a month without scoring or assisting a goal. And, all of a sudden, his career-best form this past fall feels like a distant memory.Pulisic could, of course, be fine and back to his best by the end of February. He could be better than ever by June, when he’ll be the face of the U.S. men’s national team at a home World Cup.But his trajectory is no longer demonstrably upward. Since September, he has tallied four goals and zero assists for club and country. After propelling Milan to the top of Serie A, and announcing himself as a bonafide star, injuries, yet again, have interrupted his desire and talent.For a while, that was the story of Pulisic’s young career. In his teens and early 20s, a variety of knocks and muscle strains — plus a variety of coaches with fluctuating opinions of him — complicated his development. He learned, however, to harden and manage his body, and by 2024, he seemed to have entered an uninterrupted prime. He contributed to 25 goals in his first season at Milan, and 27 in his second, the 2024-25 campaign.tsToward the tail end of that season, he heard his body and mind saying they needed a rest; so he took one. He used this past offseason to recharge, and returned from the break better than ever. When he was named Serie A’s September player of the month, he seemed to be exactly where every U.S. fan, teammate and coach wanted him to be — building toward the biggest tournament of his life.Then came the physical ailments. There was the swelling in his ankle ahead of a U.S. friendly against Ecuador. Four days later, against Australia, there were two crunching tackles and a hamstring tear.

Injuries have limited Christian Pulisic’s recent availability under Milan coach Max Allegri.Pier Marco Tacca / Getty Images

Pulisic recovered from that setback, and resumed his sterling season. In his first start back, he scored the only goal of a derby victory over Inter Milan. As 2026 neared, he was leading Serie A in goals plus assists per 90 minutes; and across all of Europe’s Big Five leagues, he was second to only Harry Kane.He was, in other words, playing soccer at a level that no American man had previously reached. And he was doing it, seemingly, at the perfect time.But the succession of injuries never relented.Pulisic felt muscular discomfort in late November and missed a match against Lazio. A week later, he fell ill, felt “truly dead,” and had to settle for a place on the bench. He entered that game as a substitute and scored twice to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 win over Torino. But he never fully re-found his prolific early-season rhythm.Then, after Christmas, he felt some more discomfort, and Allegri held him out of another starting 11 in Milan’s first game of 2026. Three scoreless weeks later, he was back on the bench for a massive match at Roma.And now, he’s out of the squad altogether.The hope, for all involved, is that his absence this week is largely precautionary. Milan, in general, has taken a cautious approach to Pulisic’s fitness and workload this year after he played over 7,000 minutes the previous two seasons combined. In fact, there’s a chance that his stop-start season — he’s on pace to play less than 2,500 minutes in 2025-26 — could be a blessing in disguise, especially for the U.S., whose priority is full health by May.

But it is, bluntly, a bummer for Pulisic. A few short months ago, he was rising toward the biggest tournament of his life in the form of his life. He was a candidate for Serie A player of the year.Now, at the very least, there’s uncertainty, or perhaps even concern, about how he’ll be feeling when he arrives in Atlanta on May 27 for the start of World Cup camp. The answer seems to depend on the roller coaster ride that his body has been on for much of his decade in pro soccer.By Henry BushnellSenior Writer, U.S. Soccer

Weston McKennie’s form makes him seem undroppable. Will Mauricio Pochettino agree?

Alessandro Sabattini / Getty Images

By Henry Bushnell Feb. 4, 2026 6:00 am EST

If you’d like to know why Weston McKennie belongs at the heart of the U.S. men’s national team, all you really have to do is watch his latest Serie A masterpiece.Watch, in the sixth minute, as he runs the length of the field in transition, stays composed after a 50-yard sprint, and picks out a near-assist.Or watch the 11th minute, when he connects a Juventus possession on the edge of the box, then darts into it and creates another chance.You could also watch the goal, McKennie’s fourth in a month, an acrobatic, off-balance side volley. But it was his full body of work for Juve against Parma on Sunday — and against reigning champ Napoli the Sunday before, and throughout the month of January — that shows why he must be a USMNT catalyst at the World Cup this summer.The open question, however, is whether Mauricio Pochettino agrees with that assessment.McKennie, 27, might be the best American soccer player in the world at the moment. But Pochettino, the U.S. coach, has said: “The national team needs the right players; not the best players, the right players.”And with the World Cup four months away, it’s unclear whether he considers McKennie right for the USMNT’s starting 11.

An emphatic return to form

What’s clear is that McKennie is talented and influential. He has been for years, and over the past few months, he’s raised his level. “He’s an incredible guy,” his Juventus coach, Luciano Spalletti, said in December. “He always wins individual duels with his opponent. You can put him in multiple positions, and his skills allow us to change the formation. He has all the qualities to do well anywhere.” McKennie’s versatility has long been a blessing and a curse; a valuable asset that earned him playing time at five or six positions, but hindered his development at any single spot. That trend, to some extent, has continued under Spalletti. But recently, he has found a groove in an attacking midfield role — one that would, in theory, translate well to the U.S. national team. He has played as something of a second striker, whether on the right or directly underneath Juve’s No. 9, Jonathan David. He sometimes defends alongside David at the head of a 4-4-2, and in possession, he attacks space wherever he sees it. He’s a box-to-box midfielder, an inventive attacker and a goalscoring forward all at once, and “he is one of the best there is in this role because he’s always where the ball is,” Spalletti said.

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The experienced Italian boss, speaking after a 3-0 win over Napoli, even suggested that McKennie would be the “perfect center forward.” And a week later, he clarified: “I wasn’t joking last time, I was serious.”He raved about McKennie’s ability in the “real situations” that decide games, when they get “hectic” or “turbulent” — the unscripted moments that often get lost in debates over where McKennie fits in the USMNT.

Weston McKennie has a grand admirer in Juventus manager Luciano SpallettiGrzegorz Wajda / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images

As Pochettino drifted this fall toward a system with wingbacks, two central midfielders and two attackers in pockets behind a striker, questions arose surrounding McKennie’s place in it. A central midfield role is too restrictive. One of the advanced roles, though, will surely be Christian Pulisic’s, and another seems ripe for Malik Tillman.Tillman, who’s starting and occasionally scoring for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, appeared to win Pochettino over at the Concacaf Gold Cup last summer. McKennie, on the other hand, has been largely uninvolved in Pochettino’s rebuild.He has only been in one camp since the Concacaf Nations League debacle last March — a week that Pochettino has since described as a “wake-up call” that inspired him “to destroy the things that we need to destroy, and start to build the house from the ground up” with a better, more committed, team-first culture. McKennie missed the first stage of the rebuild, that Gold Cup, while on Club World Cup duty with Juventus. He was then omitted from rosters in September and November as the new culture and on-field identity crystallized.Pochettino’s stated reasons for the omissions were, first, to “give [McKennie] the possibility to be more settled in his club”; and then, two months later, to give McKennie time to win over Spalletti, who took charge in late October. That, Pochettino said, was “more important than maybe being with us, because we already know what he can provide the team.”But as the U.S. pounded Uruguay 5-1 without him — and as Pochettino attacked the concept of “regulars,” continuing his assault on any entitlement that some players might have felt — it was difficult to escape the sense that McKennie no longer felt necessaryAnd when, a few weeks later, Pochettino spoke about “right players, not best players,” it was fair to wonder how he’d categorize McKennie.

McKennie’s many ways to make an impact

Over the past few months, though, McKennie has reinforced his indispensability. He’s offered reminder after reminder, week after week, that no matter his role or surroundings, he can — and often will — impact a game.In 73 minutes against Parma, for example, he fueled counterattacks and prevented them; offered outlets as a target man and as a channel-runner; played one-touch passes on the edge of the penalty area; and created and finished chances.

At one end of the pitch, he was clearing Parma crosses; at the other, his aerial presence contributed to Juve’s first and third goals on set pieces.Over the game’s first 40 minutes, he covered more ground than any other player. He was everywhere. And that, precisely, is why he surely has to be in the USMNT’s 11 whenever possible. Even if his role is tough to define, he has to have one. McKennie is a playmaker. Not in the traditional sense — he is neither a visionary No. 10 nor a flashy winger — but in his own unique way. He drives a team forward with his running. He pulls opponents out of their preferred shapes. He makes them uncomfortable, either with his off-ball movement or strength in duels, in a way that very few American players can. He is not the cleanest with the ball at his feet. He can’t play on the half-turn like Tillman and other technicians can. But he can link an attack with his back to goal…

… and sniff out space that nobody else smells…

… all while tracking runners and coping with back-post crosses.

Pochettino and his assistants, two of whom have scouted McKennie in person this winter, surely see all of that.They have indicated that they understand McKennie’s value. They started him twice in October, when Pochettino said: “What I want to provide him is the freedom. He’s a player that needs freedom.”Last week, though, when asked about McKennie’s Juve form, Pochettino’s answer, while positive, wasn’t exactly effusive.“It’s very good that he is playing in a regular way, being very consistent now in Juventus,” Pochettino said. “Yes, we are happy that our player performs and plays in a very consistent and very regular way. … Now, it’s about assessing all the players, the players that we already know, how to mix the 26 players — thinking, of course, always, [about] the World Cup.” By Henry Bushnell Senior Writer, U.S. Soccer

Why Ricardo Pepi’s Fulham transfer collapse can help his U.S., World Cup outlook

Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Image

By Paul Tenorio Feb. 2, 2026

The enticement of a big transfer at the club level and all that a big move represents — growth, a new challenge, a bigger stage and (of course) more money — can sometimes be at conflict with the realities on the international stage. It’s an imbalance with which Ricardo Pepi is already intimately familiar. But this time around, fate may fall on his side when it comes to making the U.S. World Cup team. When Pepi made a $20 million move from FC Dallas to Augsburg in the German Bundesliga in January 2022, he looked like the striker of the future for the U.S. men’s national team. At just 18, Pepi was tapped for his international debut in a game with huge stakes: on the road in Honduras in the opening window of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.After two draws to open qualifying, the U.S. needed a result in San Pedro Sula. The teenager delivered with a 75th-minute goal that gave the Americans a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, and he assisted on two others in a 4-1 win. He scored twice more the next month in a win over Jamaica, and his form in MLS combined with his national team breakout led to the big-money move to Germany.But Pepi struggled for playing time at Augsburg, ultimately going nearly a year without a goal. The teenage phenom who seemed bound to start at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar instead fell down the depth chart. Pepi looked to salvage his chances at making the team with a loan to Groningen in September 2022. But even after scoring five goals and adding two assists in his first eight Eredivisie games, Gregg Berhalter left him off the U.S. roster — a controversial decision, but one that left Pepi watching the tournament from afar.Pepi hung up on Berhalter when told the news. The snub, of course, stuck with him.“It was difficult, you know, but it’s part of life,” Pepi told The Athletic in 2023. “I feel like ever since that moment, I’ve grown as a player and I’ve grown as a person. … (These moments) make you strong mentally. I’ve been through a lot, having to go on loan, having to miss out on the World Cup, and things like this, these are things that build character. And I feel like I’m a strong person.”Now, with another World Cup coming up, Pepi’s purported move from PSV to Fulham fell apart on deadline day as the Dutch powerhouse couldn’t find a replacement for its American striker. And this winter transfer situation could wind up helping Pepi avoid another disappointing moment on World Cup roster decision day.

Ricardo Pepi is hoping for another chance to face Paraguay, the USMNT’s opening opponent at the 2026 World CupOmar Vega / Getty Images

Pepi, who remains sidelined with a broken forearm and isn’t expected to return for another month and a half, has 11 goals and three assists across all competitions this season. He remains one of the most efficient goalscorers in Europe. Fulham put forth a bid in the region of €35 million to bring that track record to the Premier League.t all sounds nice in theory, but there was genuine risk involved.The path to regular playing time at a new club and in a new league would have been more difficult for Pepi, especially as he worked back from injury only to return with roughly two months left in the season. At Fulham, he would have been competing with veteran Mexico international Raúl Jiménez — who is out of contract at the end of the season, hence Fulham’s push to sign a new striker — for playing time. Rodrigo Muniz could be back from a hamstring injury later this month, and also served as competition.If he had failed to get consistent playing time and was again lacking for goals, it would have been easy for Pepi to fall back on the U.S. depth chart, especially if Patrick Agyemang and Haji Wright were to keep on firing in the EFL Championship. That’s introducing a lot of unpredictability and potential for volatility at a time when Pepi needs to be at his sharpest.Instead, he’ll stay at the club where he has scored 24 goals with six assists in the Eredivisie and Champions League over the past two seasons. Remaining gives Pepi a much more solid chance to get back on the field — and back to scoring goals — on an accelerated timeline, which should keep him top of mind for Mauricio Pochettino as he picks a World Cup squad.USMNT and the Winter Transfer WindowMauricio Pochettino backs USMNT players seeking January moves as World Cup loomsAlex Freeman has completed a big January move, while Ricardo Pepi could also make a switch before the transfer deadlineThat’s especially important since it seems Pochettino will look at the March window as an extension of camp for the team he’ll take to the tournament in the summer.Folarin Balogun looks set to be the starter up top for the Argentine manager. He’s been a difference-maker at the No. 9 for the U.S. in the last few windows. But behind him, the competition is still very much wide open. In Qatar, the U.S. learned how important depth was at the forward position. Wright had an inconsistent tournament, while Jesus Ferreira was ineffective in the knockout stage after Josh Sargent got hurt.Last week, Pochettino said he hopes to see Pepi fit again soon.“We’ll see how he is going to come back and start to play and to perform,” Pochettino said. “Of course he’s a player in our radar. [I] hope that he can be fit and I think we have time to assess and of course we are going to make the best decision for him and for us.”Pochettino made it clear that he likes to see his players make moves, even with the risk involved. They are betting on themselves and seeing chances to grow and improve. He doesn’t want players staying in their comfort zone.But for the U.S. and for Pepi, staying at PSV for the next few months might give them both the best chance at maximizing their World Cup summer. And if they do, then Fulham — and others — will be lining up for another shot to sign him. By Paul Tenorio Senior Writer, MLS

Josh Sargent’s Norwich status unchanged with one transfer deadline down, another to go

Stephen Pond / Getty Image

By Paul Tenorio and Tom Bogert Feb. 2, 2026

Despite the English transfer window closing on Monday, there remains no update in Toronto FC’s pursuit of Norwich City and U.S. men’s national team forward Josh Sargent.Sargent’s future is not necessarily bound to the window abroad, as the MLS winter window is open until March 26, so Toronto has plenty of time to sign and register the player if a deal can be struck. Sources remain confident an agreement with Norwich can happen, especially after the English Championship club signed another forward ahead of deadline day, 21-year-old Australia and Randers striker Mohamed Touré.Norwich, though, insists Toronto’s opening $18 million bid is insufficient to sanction a departure, even as the forward trains with the U-21s. The saga stems from Sargent submitting a transfer request to the club and refusing to play in an FA Cup match vs. Walsall on Jan. 11. Sargent, who is under contract through 2028, hasn’t played for the club since.Update your feed. Follow new interests below for the latest stories.Toronto would like a deal to be reached sooner rather than later, with the opening match of the 2026 MLS season looming on Feb. 21.The club’s offer for Sargent is also hurt by the weakening value of the American dollar (despite TFC being a Canadian club, MLS teams conduct business in U.S. dollars). Norwich accepted a £21 million offer from Wolfsburg in July 2025, which at the exchange rate in the summer was valued at about $28 million. Toronto’s offer of $18 million currently checks in at just £13 million, which is why Norwich is so reluctant to sell at that price.In a market where players like fellow U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi are commanding fees of around £30 million (from Fulham to PSV), which ultimately was not accepted, there is belief that Sargent’s value won’t drop much less than £13 million even if he spent the rest of the season playing with Norwich’s under-21s.There is no rush to make a decision, as MLS’s window remains open for more than a month. But the belief is that Toronto is going to have to up its offer to get Norwich to budge on its stance.

USMNT Tracker: Champions League progress for McKennie and Balogun but late elimination for Weah

Monaco’s Folarin Balogun had a goal disallowed against Juventus Frederic Dides/Getty Images

By Greg O’Keeffe Jan. 29, 2026

For some it was a chance to reassert their value with timely goals, for others it was a missed opportunity — or even last-ditch heartbreak.The league phase of the Champions League drew to a dramatic close yesterday, with progress secured for most of the USMNT contingent in Europe.Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, Malik Tillman, Johnny Cardoso and Yunus Musah all featured as their teams finished in the table’s play-off positions, ensuring another chance to clinch their place in the last-16 phase through next month’s play-offs.

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Weah’s late heartbreak

Despite a memorable debut for his new club in this season’s competition, when he scored against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in September, Tim Weah of Marseille was left forlorn on Wednesday.Just when Marseille thought they had scraped through to the play-off round, they were eliminated.Despite losing 3-0 in Belgium to Club Brugge, the French outfit headed into added time in 24th position, narrowly above the elimination zone. Only goal difference kept them above Benfica, who are managed by two-time Champions League winner Jose Mourinho, before a staggering finale in Lisbon.The Portuguese side’s goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a sensational 98th-minute header that changed everything. It sealed a 4-2 win over nine-man Real Madrid, who dropped from the automatic qualification places into the play-offs, and moved Benfica above Marseille at the last gasp.At least when he recovers from his disappointment, he will not forget the earlier part of this season’s Champions League, especially that fine goal against Real Madrid.

That powerful finish stirred memories of how his iconic goalscoring father George had announced his arrival at another French club, Paris Saint-Germain, on his Champions League debut in 1994.What You Should Read NextTim Weah, an iconic magazine shoot and an historic Champions League goalThe USMNT star edged out of his father’s shadow with his historic Champions League goal at the Bernabeu

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In-form McKennie and Balogun progress

Less dramatically, McKennie’s Juventus and Balogun’s Monaco played out a cagey stalemate that meant both teams head into the play-offs.

It may ultimately have been a quiet last league-stage fixture for McKennie but he had already made his mark on this competition. His previous three goals in three Champions League games were a streak timed as perfectly as his finishing, coming in the context of talks to extend his Juventus contract beyond this summer.

The Texan was not the only American who enjoyed an important scoring streak. Balogun notched in three consecutive Champions League games in November and December, including the only goal in wins against Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray, which helped Monaco progress.

Weston McKennie warms up for Juventus ahead of facing MonacoValery Hache / AFP via Getty Images

Balogun thought he had scored another vital strike during the first half against Juventus at Stade Louis II in a game Monaco could not afford to lose.But a well-taken finish was ruled out for his foul on Pierre Kalulu in the build-up, and the Ligue 1 side’s nerves remained on edge until the end, even if Juventus struggled to create anything.

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Injured Pepi watches as PSV eliminated

Ricardo Pepi also scored three times for PSV in the Champions League this season. The 23-year-old seized the opportunity of becoming his Dutch club’s first-choice centre-forward, after previously playing understudy to veteran Luuk de Jong.A broken arm earlier this month may have curtailed Pepi’s involvement in the league phase, but his performances prompted clubs who have been monitoring him, such as Premier League side Fulham, to step up their interest.Whether he leaves the Netherlands remains to be seen, but Pepi and his compatriot Sergino Dest won’t be going any further in this season’s Champions League. The defending Eredivisie champions lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich, meaning they were knocked out.Pepi and Balogun will compete to lead the line for the USMNT in the World Cup, but Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield is another area with strong options.

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Cardoso struggles continue

In that respect, Johnny Cardoso will have hoped for better exposure in Europe’s elite cup competition so far this term. The 24-year-old has struggled to break into Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid side, and started only one of their eight league-phase games. He came on in the second half of their 2-1 loss to Bodo/Glimt on Wednesday.ardoso will at least get the chance to feature in the play-offs.

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Tillman at the double

Another gifted young USMNT star carved out his own notable record. Malik Tillman repeated the trick of doing what no other American has done before, by scoring twice in a Champions League tie on Wednesday.His double against Villarreal helped Bayer Leverkusen to a 3-0 win and with that progress into the play-offs. They will now play either Borussia Dortmund or Olympiacos for a place in the last 16.

It echoed his record-breaking brace in the competition for his previous team PSV, against Shakhtar Donetsk in 2024.

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Musah makes rare start

Yunus Musah will compete with Tillman for a midfield slot in Mauricio Pochettino’s side this summer, and he will also get at least one more chance to shine in the Champions League beforehand.Musah made his second start in the league phase for his Italian side Atalanta in a 1-0 defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise, but that did not prevent them making the play-off stage.The 23-year-old had a quiet game, and with only two Serie A starts so far this season, he might be concerned by his lack of minutes thus far in an important season. By Greg O’Keeffe Senior Writer

How NFL stadiums are transforming for the 2026 World Cup

SoFi Stadium in California will host World Cup games Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images

By Henry Bushnell Feb. 3, 2026

In the seven months between one American football season and the next, NFL stadiums are typically busy. They host concerts and other sports, monster truck tours and more, adapting for each event one week at a time. But in 2026, a handful have cleared their summer calendars, and will transform for two full months to welcome a tournament of peerless proportion: the World Cup.

“Transform” is the operative word because many of the 11 U.S. stadiums set to host World Cup games were built primarily for gridiron football. They were built for a sport commonly played on artificial turf; and for NFL fields that are 53.3 yards (48.7 meters) wide, almost 20 meters narrower than a World Cup soccer pitch. So, they have undergone construction above and below ground. They will carve out space for wider fields. All 11 stadiums — even the four that play NFL football on natural grass — will bring in special sod carefully crafted by agronomists and approved by FIFA. They will also change their names to “Los Angeles Stadium” and “New York New Jersey Stadium” rather than SoFi and MetLife. By FIFA decree, they will “debrand” by covering or scrubbing thousands of logos and signage from their premises — everywhere from the walls of suites to the top of their retractable roofs. The following is a rundown of their makeover plans, which have been in development for years; and which, now, with the NFL season coming to a close with the Super Bowl this Sunday, are nearly ready for action.

Grass replacing artificial turf

Seven of the 11 U.S. stadiums — plus an eighth World Cup venue in Canada, Vancouver’s BC Place — have synthetic surfaces. Those stadiums are:

• Lumen Field in Seattle
• SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (near Los Angeles)
• AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (near Dallas)
• NRG Stadium in Houston
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
• MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (near New York)
• Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (near Boston)

All have hosted soccer matches on natural grass over the years. But in most of those instances, the grass was laid, strip by strip, over artificial turf or directly on the stadium’s floor. Some pitches played fine, but others felt spongy or jumpy and drew criticism from players. Plus, if they were pieced together only a few days before a game, they’d be patchy. But, on the other hand, if they were laid too early, the grass would start to die after multiple weeks without proper nourishment and air flow.

Grass laid over a non-grass surface at Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium at the 2025 Concacaf Gold CupHenry Bushnell

So, years ago, experts concluded that the plan for 2026 would have to be different.The solution was for stadiums to install irrigation and ventilation systems. Those will allow artificial-turf venues to build a more “conventional” grass field atop 10-plus inches of sand, and to maintain the field for two months as if it were a permanent playing surface. (They will then remove it and return to artificial turf before the 2026 NFL season, largely because artificial turf allows them to accommodate more non-sporting events in their downtime.)

Over the past few years, researchers, FIFA’s experts and stadium managers also explored an innovative plan for stadiums that wouldn’t install necessary infrastructure below ground. They developed a “shallow pitch profile,” featuring sod and a thinner layer of sand atop a permeable black drainage module. SoFi Stadium piloted the system at last year’s Concacaf Nations League finals, and MetLife Stadium, among others, used it for the Club World Cup. At some stadiums, a version of the “shallow pitch” concept will be used again in 2026, though the base layers of sand will be deeper than last summer — at least 10 inches deep, a FIFA spokesman told The Athletic. Exact specifications and modifications will vary from stadium to stadium. The other barriers, literally, are roofs. Three U.S. stadiums — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, NRG Stadium and AT&T Stadium — are indoor venues with retractable roofs. A fourth, SoFi, is technically open-air but with a translucent roof that blocks about 65 percent of the sun’s rays, according to Otto Benedict, the stadium’s SVP in charge of facilities. Grass, of course, feeds on sunlight, so maintaining it indoors has been a challenge. But the solution has become relatively commonplace: LED “grow lights” that replicate sunlight.In fact, the technology has become so advanced that stadiums will keep their retractable roofs closed for the duration of the World Cup. The venues in Atlanta and Houston, for example, will ship in a cool-season grass grown at a turf farm in Colorado, keep their buildings air conditioned at around 72 degrees Fahrenheit and trust that the grow lights will give the grass what it needs.The grass will also be reinforced by synthetic fibers, which will be stitched into the sod, making it a “hybrid” surface — around 90-95 percent natural grass and 5-10 percent artificial.ost pitches will be installed in May, weeks before the start of the tournament, which kicks off June 11.

Widening the fields, at the expense of seats

The other main structural incongruence of NFL stadiums as World Cup venues was their narrowness.They were built to get fans close to American football action, with concrete stands featuring built-in seats that curve from sideline to endline. There is space, of course, between the playing field’s boundary and the first row of seats, but not quite enough space for a World Cup.FIFA requires a pitch that’s 68 meters by 105 meters (74.4 by 114.8 yards); and, more importantly, a total field area that’s at least 85 meters by 125 meters (93 by 136.7 yards), according to contractual agreements with stadiums signed last decade. Those requirements clashed with the corners of NFL fields, where the edges of end zones are often not far from the facing of the stadium’s lower bowl. When these stadiums previously hosted soccer, pitches were often narrower than what FIFA requires. At least a few of the 11 U.S. stadiums have never hosted an event that required a field this wide.So, during NFL offseasons in 2024 and 2025, in addition to installing grass-related infrastructure, some stadiums have cut into their concrete structures and essentially replaced permanent stands with demountable bleachers. Those bleachers were in place for the 2025 NFL season but will be removed over the coming months for the World Cup. (At MetLife Stadium during last summer’s Club World Cup, for example, dozens of sections and rows of bleachers and seats were perched on trucks in adjacent parking lots; and inside the stadium, the front row of some sections was Row 5 or Row 11.)

Removable bleachers sit on flatbeds outside MetLife Stadium, site of the 2026 World Cup finalHenry Bushnell

The capacity of most or all U.S. stadiums will therefore be less than it is for NFL games, with the exact difference often in the thousands but varying from stadium to stadium.Some field-side suites, such as the ones at SoFi Stadium, will also be impacted — though in some cases, FIFA and stadiums have negotiated compromises, and total field area requirements have been reduced. (All pitches will still be 68 meters by 105 meters; the surrounding areas, though, which are largely for photographers, broadcasters and advertising, offer wiggle room.)And at some venues, the entire floor and field will be raised to accommodate the modifications.There will also be less-visible work done to reformat VIP areas as FIFA desires.All in all, according to contracts and people with direct knowledge of preparations, the pitch work, construction and other items will cost some stadiums more than $10 million apiece.

Strict signage

The final core component of the transformations will be “debranding.”When the stadiums signed up to host this World Cup, they agreed to FIFA’s “clean site” policy, which is stricter than that of any other event organizer.FIFA demands that the stadiums remove or obscure all advertising. The requirement protects the exclusivity that FIFA offers to its sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Visa and Aramco. It has also given headaches to stadium operators. Adam Fullerton, the VP of operations at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, said that he and his team must handle “somewhere over 2,000 cover-ups across the stadium, both inside and outside.”For some venues, including Mercedes-Benz, this includes hiding giant logos or lettering on the stadium’s roof. In Houston, for example, there is giant “NRG Stadium” signage high above a main entrance and also on the roof’s sky-facing eyelids. It is all visible when the stadium hosts College Football Playoff games or Super Bowls, but must be covered prior to the World Cup.FIFA, meanwhile, will dress up the stadiums with its own branding and signage.It will also refer to the venues as “Atlanta Stadium” and “Houston Stadium,” for the same reason. Even the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico will be “Mexico City Stadium.” Only BC Place — which is named after the Canadian province in which it sits, British Columbia, rather than a commercial entity — will get to keep its name in some form. By Henry Bushnell Senior Writer, U.S. Soccer

After five years of Reynolds and Mac, Wrexham are on cusp of Premier League

• Mark OgdenFeb 5, 2026, 08:56 AM ET ESPNFC

WREXHAM, Wales — Mickey Thomas still holds the distinction of scoring the most famous goal in Wrexham‘s history, even after five years of the Rob Mac-Ryan Reynolds dream factory that has taken the club to the brink of the Premier League.

Nothing yet has topped Thomas’s free-kick goal in a 2-1 FA Cup win over Arsenal in January 1992, when Wrexham — who finished bottom of the Football League, in 92nd position, six months earlier — eliminated the reigning league champions at the Racecourse Ground. But Thomas admits his historic goal may soon be eclipsed by even greater moments, following Wrexham’s incredible rise from the fifth-tier National League to the EFL Championship playoff positions since Mac and Reynolds completed their £2 million takeover on Feb. 9, 2021.

“Wrexham have become a runaway train since Rob and Ryan arrived,” Thomas told ESPN. “I’ve been in football a long time, I’ve seen everything, but the rise has taken my breath away. And the crazy thing about it all is that Wrexham could be playing Arsenal in the Premier League next season.

“When you think about that cup tie in 1992 and everything that has happened to Wrexham since then, the ups and downs, that prospect is absolutely amazing. It would be the greatest football story ever.”

On the day the takeover was confirmed five years ago, after the pair received a green light to complete the deal in November 2020, Wrexham secured a 2-1 away win against Altrincham to climb to seventh in the National League. Today, they are 73 places higher in the English soccer pyramid and will move up to fifth position, three places behind the automatic promotion spots, with a win at home to Millwall on Saturday.

Following three successive promotions, beginning with their elevation from the National League to the EFL in 2023, the Wrexham story may just be weeks away from another incredible chapter.

“Listen, is the structure of this club behind the scenes ready for the Premier League and would there be an immense amount of work to take place [if we get there]?” Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson told ESPN. “Of course, but wouldn’t it be great to have that chance? You’d probably say we weren’t ready for Division One, certainly not the Championship, but I think in football, you just keep evolving as you go along.”

When Wrexham announced their most recent annual financial results in March 2025, which reported a 155% rise in yearly revenue to £26.7 million during their first year back in the EFL after 15 years in the National League, the accounts included a statement of intent from the directors. “The goal of the owners is to grow the team and establish Wrexham AFC as a Premier League club in front of increased attendances and in an improved stadium,” the statement said.

Five years on from day one, the journey from Altrincham to Arsenal is almost complete, with Mac and Reynolds zooming toward each of those ambitions at breakneck speed.

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Parkinson was Wrexham’s first game changer. His appointment as manager in July 2021 gave the Mac-Reynolds project instant credibility and offered proof of their determination to revive the club.

Parkinson was an established EFL manager with promotions on his record at Colchester and Bolton. In 2013, he achieved the unthinkable by guiding League Two’s Bradford City to the EFL Cup final, beating Premier League sides Arsenal and Aston Villa on the way. Those results meant he already had “miracle worker” on his résumé, but joining Wrexham was a gamble for Parkinson.

“It’s always an element of risk because if you drop into the National League as a manager and it doesn’t go well, where do you go from there?” Parkinson said. “But the more I looked into it and spoke to the owners myself, I realized how serious they were.

“Sometimes when you get a manager’s job, you look at what could be achieved — the potential here is huge. Since coming here, it’s been a roller coaster really. I don’t think you can describe it any other way. It’s just been incredible to see the club go from the National League to the Championship, but I think what Rob and Ryan have done, in everything they’ve said to anybody, they’ve delivered.”

The headline of Mac and Reynolds’ five years at the club is unquestionably the three promotions. No club had ever achieved three straight promotions in the history of English football, dating back to its very first season in 1888, but those successes have coincided with rapid change on and off the pitch.

Since February of 2021, 66 new players have arrived at Stok Cae Ras, at a total cost of £38.8 million, while 76 have left the club for a sum total of nothing as free transfers or loans — including Paul Mullin, the goalscoring hero of the first two promotions, who joined Bradford City last week after spending the first half of this season on loan at Wigan. Ollie Palmer, another key figure in the early promotions, was a £300,000 club record signing from AFC Wimbledon in January 2022, but he’s now playing in League Two for Swindon Town.

Wrexham’s squad evolution has seen their transfer outlay rise exponentially. Sam Smith eclipsed Palmer as the record signing when arriving for £2 million from Reading last January, but Smith was then overtaken by Nathan Broadhead when the Wales forward completed a £7.5 million transfer from Ipswich Town in August. Change has become a constant, and on an accelerated scale. Parkinson admits that while it is an essential part of the team’s growth, Wrexham have been determined to ensure that those heroes who played a role in those early promotions are treated with respect.

“It’s been a challenge,” Parkinson said. “We look to sign players that, if we stepped up, would continue with us and we’ve tried to bring that quality in, but then there’s always those players you need to bring better quality in each level, so there are players who have been incredible for us who have moved on. We’ve had to make some tough decisions and let players go — players who have been absolute legends for us at this club.

“But equally, when you step up as quickly as we’ve done, that change has got to happen quicker than we normally expect. That is a tough part of the job, but all you can do in those circumstances is sit down, speak to people respectfully and make sure when they’re leaving that it’s done the right way.

“But you’ve got to keep evolving as a squad because if you stand still, people go past you.”

For those players coming in, though, the attraction of Wrexham — a club on the up with Hollywood glamour sprinkled on top — is clear.

“The immediate attraction was obviously everything on the field, success with promotions, being a winning culture and a team that had stepped up to the Championship for the first time,” George Thomason, a £1.2 million signing from Bolton last summer, told ESPN. “But everyone knows the outside noise of the owners and things like that. Just to see the buy-in and the spirit and the culture around the club was something really special.

“I was really delighted when I heard about the interest from Wrexham. They want to keep going right to the top and that’s something that’s very exciting for every footballer.”

The “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary series that has chronicled the team’s rise through the divisions since Season 1, first airing in 2022, helped bring worldwide recognition to the club by showcasing the sporting drama as well as the off-field stories of supporters and the local community. But while Wrexham have become a global brand, their stadium remains an outdated lower-league venue.

When ESPN met Parkinson and Thomason at the ground, a lack of facilities meant that interviews were staged in a staff kitchen in the bowels of one of the stands and the stadium, which first staged football in 1864, would require a multimillion-pound upgrade just to make it fit for the Premier League. While teams need only a minimum capacity of 5,000, with 2,000 seats, to meet minimum Premier League requirements, they must also have high-intensity floodlights for broadcasting purposes, designated areas for cameras and media and secure segregation of supporters.

When Luton Town were promoted to the Premier League in 2023, the club spent £8 million on ground improvements to make their Kenilworth Road stadium — which included an entrance nestled between houses, and a footbridge over a garden — comply with top-flight demands. At Wrexham, work has started on a new 7,500-capacity Kop Stand, which will take the ground’s capacity to 18,000, but it is not due to be ready for months.

“The delivery date is early 2027,” Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson told ESPN. “But the reality is that the completed version of the new stand will probably not be available until the 2027-28 season, so we could be in the Premier League next season with just 10,500 seats.”

Still, when it is completed, the new stand will be in keeping with the glitz and glamour of Wrexham’s Hollywood owners having been designed by Populous, the stadium architects responsible for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Lusail Stadium, which hosted the 2022 World Cup final, and The Sphere in Las Vegas.

“The connection with The Sphere was definitely a cool selling point for Rob and Ryan,” a source told ESPN. “They are both totally across the detail and even the choice of the Ruabon red brick for the stand was made with them wanting to acknowledge local tradition.” (Ruabon is a small town 10 miles from Wrexham, which is famous for the production of a terra-cotta-colored brick from local clay.)

But despite the challenges ahead off the pitch, Wrexham are ready to meet them full on. “There is no road map for this,” Williamson said. “To go from the National League all the way to the Premier League in successive promotions is something that no other club in the history of English soccer has done.

“When we were in League One I said to Rob and Ryan, ‘Hey, let’s try to get the Championship as quickly as possible because otherwise you risk getting stuck in League One.’ They bought into that. We invested in a squad and were able to get that promotion. We were sprinting all of last season off the pitch, and around all the other areas of the organization, and we’re sprinting to be able to survive in the Championship to build to a level where we could survive in a Championship.

“Ultimately, if we get to the Premier League, we are sprinting again to be ready to be Premier League-ready.”

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So where do Wrexham go from here? Is it a case of when, rather than if, they reach the Premier League?

On the pitch, Parkinson’s team is in the heart of the playoff race, meaning Wrexham are well-placed to achieve their latest dream this season. Off it, the workforce and personnel hired by Mac and Reynolds point to the clear ambition of joining the sport’s elite. Williamson was recruited as CEO two years ago having previously worked at D.C. United, Inter Milan and Inter Miami, while chief business and communications officer Rob Faulkner arrived in December 2024 following roles at UEFA, Inter Milan and the European Club Association.

“I think Rob and Ryan made pretty clear their ambitions from their very first interviews, stating that they wanted to take Wrexham to the Premier League,” Williamson said. “I think at the time everyone kind of laughed at them, but here we are, six places away from being a Premier League club. What we have to look at is how do we make sure that once we arrive there [PL], we can stay there. And that includes growing in a lot of different areas. It means growing in the staffing, so we’ve gone from 40 permanent employees to over 140 in under 20 months.

“It is a sprint, it’s not a marathon. I would like to get to the marathon at some point to be honest, but it is a constant sprint. But the thing that I’ll say about us as a club is that we’ve been sprinting since Rob and Ryan have come in and so we’re pretty good at it.”

Impressively, Wrexham have become a global brand despite never having previously played in the top flight. Prior to the Mac-Reynolds takeover, their only real claim to fame was a run to the quarterfinals of the European Cup-Winners’ Cup in 1975-76. But they have become a phenomenon over the past five years, something that former player Thomas admits surprises him every day.

“I played for Manchester United and still work for the club on matchdays at Old Trafford, but wherever I go, people only ever want to talk to me about Wrexham,” Thomas said. “I just think people have embraced the story so much that the club is now as big as any Premier League team in the United States.”

Wrexham’s commercial power is also likely to appeal to the Premier League too, with the prospect of Hollywood celebrities soon sitting at the top table.

“Most international fans wouldn’t know the difference between a Fulham, a Bournemouth, even a West Ham maybe,” Omar Chaudhuri, chief intelligence officer of Twenty First Group, London-based commercial brand advisers, told ESPN. “But if you’ve suddenly got a team coming up that has an actual narrative attached to them, you’re drawing viewers to those games that you might not otherwise get in an average season.

“Particularly in the U.S., you’re going to have a big audience there that understands it has suddenly a connection with this team, so whenever Wrexham are on TV, you’re going to have an uplift of viewers and that definitely has value to the league. If you’re a Premier League club owner, you’re going to be welcoming that kind of thing.”

When Mac and Reynolds arrived at Wrexham, the club relied on local sponsors and partners not just for commercial revenue, but financial survival. They have since moved on from the likes of Ifor Williams Trailers to global corporations like United Airlines and Meta Quest, securing multimillion-pound deals that are likely to only grow if Wrexham make it to the Premier League. Their commercial power now underpins both their present successes and future ambitions.

“There are top-six clubs in the Premier League who would love the brand connection that we have in North America,” Williamson said. “So the possibilities are unlimited on what we can continue to do, but the key to the success has been, and will need to continue to be, that we stay rooted to our local community values.

“Some Championship clubs go into the playoffs and suddenly find themselves, ‘Oh wow, we got promoted and we’re in the Premier League and haven’t actually planned to be in the Premier League.’ That’s probably the biggest difference here. Even though we are infrastructure-wise challenged compared to some of the historic Championship clubs, our mentality is that we’re preparing ourselves to arrive there because that’s our expectation.”

It has taken five years to get to this point, but Wrexham might now reach their ultimate destination in less than five months.