US Men Dominate Paraguay 4-1, play Aussies in Seattle on Fri 3 pm on Fox (coverage starts 1 pm)
Wow – What a Win. I have been watching US Soccer since 1989 – that’s 37 years – and never have I seen the US offense look like that. It was truly amazing. Let’s see how Australia in Seattle goes first – but another show like that and I will gladly eat my words on Pochitino. Whatever he did – it worked when we slaughtered a really good Paraguay team. Listen folks this Paraguay team gave up 6 goals in qualifying – did not lose to Argentina (with Messi), Brazil and Uruguay. So when I said I was scared vs Paraguay I meant it. In fact you heard it here first – Paraguay will win a game against either Turkey or Australia.
Back to the US – that pentagon approach employed by Poch – had Paraguay confused with its high press. Paraguay literally didn’t pass midfield more than a handful of times and should have had a clean sheet. With Pulisic on fire in the 1st half – the US team looked as good as anyone in the first round of play. Balogun was on point up front – (I am sorry for saying perhaps Pepi should get the start – boy was I wrong!) McKinney, Tilman and Pulisic were in-synch and along with Balogun check these goals were simply unstoppable. It could have been 5-0 at the half. Overall the US simply dominated a very good opponent unlike anything we have seen before in World Cup play. Everyone played well – the D was solid with the Crystal Palace man Chris Richards stepping in from injury to the middle where he worked with Ream and Freeman to nearly shut Paraguay out. Its going to take a better effort vs a motivated Australia – who is feeling disrespected by the US press. Of course all eyes on our talisman Pulisic who sustained a calf injury in the first half and sat out the 2nd. He’s been training alone this week trying to get ready. Hard to think he won’t start however. Here’s who I see taking the field – (if Pulisic is out) – I think Tim Weah comes on right and Tillman goes left. Much like my daughter Courtney are going to find a way into this game – I think the US will find a way to win a really hard fought – rough and tumble battle against Australia – 2-1.
World Cup Notes
So I have been going to US games since 1992, close to 30 caps total and this was the most emotional National Anthem I have EVER seen. Dan & Shea crushed it as we all sang along with tears in our eyes – American Outlaw Indy Scarf over my head. The National Anthem made Lallas cry tooReaction to the Win Rich Eisen. Folks have asked me to share some images as my daughter Courtney (Carmel FC GK 2008) and I follow the US. Here we are in So-Fi great seats for $1100 (cheapest category), US post game -1 section from AO. Post Game Celebration on the way out -love our diversity. Here was our Pregame at the AO Celebration. The scenes around LA & the fan celebrations have been fantastic. More pix below in the OBC. Now we are off to Seattle for Fri’s 12N game. (still looking for tix)
Our Seats at So-Fi Win #1 over Turkey 4-1 (more pics below)
If you are like me you haven’t slept much – 8 hours of soccer a day is glorious but exhausting! I will try to update more often at least with pics – as we follow the US on this trek.
Indy 11 win 2-0, travel to Lexington Sat
Indy Eleven is 4-0-1 in its last five matches in all competitions after a 2-0 win vs. Forward Madison FC in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.Rendón, who was a finalist for USL-C’s May “Player of the Month” award, was threatening all night long and recorded the game’s only assist. Although his four-game goal-scoring streak ended, he nearly scored midway through the first half. Fifteen year-old forward Tyler Lowden made his Indy Eleven debut with four minutes to go, becoming the youngest player to play for the First Team in franchise history. The Greenwood native signed a USL Academy contract on May 29. The Boys in Blue are 1-1-1 in USL Cup Group 4 play with one group game remaining at Lexington SC on June 20 7 pm on ESPN+.
Looking for a Place to Watch in Carmel – here’s the schedule = GOAT is Great too
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Thurs, June 19 9 am Fox Czech Republic vs South Africa 12 noon Fox Switzerland vs Bosnia 3 pm FS1 Canada vs Qatar 6 pm Fox Mexico vs Korea Fri, June 19 3 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup 6 pm Fox Scotland vs Moracco 8:30 pm Fox Brazil vs Haiti 11 pm FS1 Turkey vs Paraguay Sat, June 20 10 am Fox Netherlands vs Sweden 1 pm Fox Germany vs Cote dIvore 5 pm FS1 Ecuador vs Curacao 9 pm Fs1 Japan vs Tunisia Sun, June 21 9 am Fox Spain vs Saudi Arabia 12 noon FS1 Belgium vs Iran 3 pm FS1 Uraguay vs Cape Verde 6 pm FS1 New Zealand vs Egypt Mon, June 22 10 am Fox Argentina vs Austria 2 pm Fox France vs Iraq 5 pm Fox Norway vs Senagal 8 pm FS1 Algeria vs Jordan
Thur, June 25 10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
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Adventures of the Old Ballcoach Following the US Men in the World Cup
Courtney and I arriving at our seats at So-Fi for our first WC Win in 2026 This old hat has won like 25 plus games – had to bring my Bruz Cable (was the Best soccer player in our family-RIP) Outside So-Fi 3 hrs before the game
Here at the US Soccer House for the Brazil Game – with Courtney’s friends – Good times Confused Netherlands / Japan fan at the Official WC Fan Fest at the Coliseum.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It began with thunderous chants of “U-S-A” and climaxed with the best 45 minutes in U.S. men’s World Cup history.It was seven years and 364 days in the making, and it was worth every day, hour, second of waiting.U.S. soccer fans and players had, for years, dreamed of this moment, a glitzy World Cup opener on home soil, an unparalleled stage for their sport. They had dreamed of meeting it, of igniting America, of elevating soccer.But no one could have realistically envisioned this — a rousing 4-1 win over Paraguay, patriotic glee on the field and in the stands, silky soccer and eruptions of noise.“I mean, my whole life I feel like I’ve envisioned it,” U.S. defender Chris Richards said. “But tonight was way better than what I could’ve envisioned. It was surreal.”In front of 70,492 fans at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, it was more than a near-perfect start to this home World Cup.It was, as Sebastian Berhalter said while recalling the victory lap to thank the fans, “what U.S. soccer should be.”It was a launchpad into a new U.S. men’s national team era.
Antonee Robinson (5) lets out a roar during a USMNT goal celebrationKeith Birmingham / MediaNews Group / Pasadena Star-News / Getty Images
Eight years ago, when this World Cup was awarded to North America, the U.S. men’s soccer program was at a nadir. It was absent from the 2018 World Cup, starving for stability and talent. And that’s when the “golden generation” first began to appear. Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams joined Christian Pulisic on the scene. Promise and potential began to surface.
And for eight years, in many ways, it remained just that.
Talented players appeared, and won some regional trophies, but as a U.S. team, they never rose beyond that.
In Qatar, they played to their level, winning one game, scoring three goals, conceding four. On Friday, in 90-plus minutes, on one remarkable night, they surpassed that scoring haul.
They seized a World Cup game in a way U.S. men never previously had. They scored four goals in a World Cup game for the first time in program history.
For years, there were intermittent hints that they were capable. Pulisic would score a brilliant goal or light up Italy’s Serie A. Adams would look like a world-class defensive midfielder. At their best, many agreed, this group of U.S. players could be better than ever before, but there always remained one problem: they never actually were at their best simultaneously.
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Some were always injured. Some were always absent. Some, perhaps, slumbered through repetitive regional games and inconsequential friendlies. In 2025, a malaise seemed to set in. Questions swirled about whether this generation would ever reach its potential. Did they have the heart? Was their talent overblown? Fans grumbled and became apathetic.
But their head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, told us all to be patient.
The most important thing — no, the only important thing — was to arrive at the World Cup in prime condition, he’d constantly remind us.
Mauricio Pochettino joins the USMNT goal celebration after Gio Reyna’s exclamation point in a win over ParaguayShaun Clark / ISI Photos / Getty Images
Pochettino, an accomplished European club coach, was brought in to elevate the players. He was handed the fattest contract in U.S. Soccer history, with some help from deep-pocketed donors and corporate sponsors, to help them meet this moment.
Players, too, structured their careers around the summer of 2026. Pulisic took last summer off, with an eye on managing his body for the big year ahead.
Even fans laid low, saving their money and energy for the one moment that mattered.
On Friday, the moment arrived. And everyone met it.
Fans met it from the time they first arrived well over four hours before kickoff. They came in star-spangled overalls and facepaint, with Pulisic jerseys and posters, with plans for Instagrammable photos, yes, but also with genuine, take-in-the-moment, awestruck excitement.
They roared when 26 U.S. players first took the field. The players inhaled all the enthusiasm and channeled it. All 10, minus goalkeeper Matt Freese, buzzed around SoFi Stadium’s temporary grass.
The partisan U.S. crowd was in full force from start to finish of the USMNT’s World Cup openerAlex Livesey / FIFA / Getty Images
“Being in America, having this crowd around us, seeing the red, white and blue, all our red and white striped shirts in the crowd, it’s awesome,” Pulisic said. “I mean, hearing the ‘U-S-A’ chants, it’s really pushing us forward. So we just hope it continues like that, and I’m sure it will.”
Pulisic, before exiting at halftime with a calf injury, darted between defenders, like the player everyone one knows he can be. McKennie ran the game from midfield. Richards made World Cup history with an 83-for-83 passing performance, the best at this storied tournament in at least 60 years. Malik Tillman helped the U.S. boss the proceedings. And Folarin Balogun showed why he’s the best USMNT striker in a decade.
“It’s a dream,” Balogun, who became the first U.S. man to score twice in a World Cup game since Bert Patenaude’s hat trick vs. Paraguay in the inaugural 1930 World Cup, said afterward. “It’s a dream.”
The players fed off the fans, and the fans fed off the players, and together, they soared into a new stratosphere.
American fans watching nationwide surely began to let themselves wonder: Could they do it? Could the U.S. win the World Cup?
The pragmatic answer is: Slow down. It’s still only one game. Pochettino will drive home that message over the coming days. Players will stay level-headed.
But the era of potential is over. On this near-ideal night, all the ills of the past few years faded away, and an era — or at least a month — of real ambition began. Fan support is booming. Players are jelling. Paraguay was suffocating. The Americans are flying, and there’s no telling how high they can fly over the coming weeks.
Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.
Why Adidas has embraced Trinity Rodman as the U.S. face of its men’s World Cup marketing
I love a good World Cup commercial.Who can forget Nike’s 2002 Secret Tournament commercial? Or this year’s Rip the Script? Stacked with soccer stars from the past and present, and handful of Hollywood heavy-hitters to make it relevant for casual fans. Bingo.When Adidas unveiled its flagship World Cup commercial a few weeks ago, the creative team similarly packed it with soccer royalty, including England’s Jude Bellingham and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, two players expected to help define this World Cup. In the spot, Timothée Chalamet assembles a three-a-side team to take on a mythical street-soccer trio in a fictional city.His first two picks make perfect sense.The third is Trinity Rodman.
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Not Christian Pulisic. Not Weston McKennie. Not Gio Reyna. Rodman, the U.S women’s national team and Washington Spirit winger.
Adidas’s choice was no coincidence. Nor is it a slight against the U.S. men’s national team. Rather, it speaks to Rodman’s place in American soccer today and highlights the unique position women’s soccer occupies here.
Rodman and her “Triple Espresso” teammates (Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson) perform in front of American audiences every week with their NWSL clubs. Their success happens in stadiums across the country, creating a level of connection and familiarity with fans. (Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna was featured heavily in commercials leading up to the World Cup, but was not selected to Mauricio Pochettino’s final roster.)“The players are legitimate global stars,” Kyle Sheldon, chief operating officer of Name & Number, a soccer-specific creative and marketing agency, told The Athletic. “The domestic league (NWSL) is arguably the strongest in the world, top to bottom. Unquestionably, the fact that those players are in the U.S. backyard constantly has a significant impact.”Sheldon attended a Spirit match earlier this season when Rodman scored her first goal of the season after almost a year hiatus from the league. “It was sold out,” he said. “The pop in the stadium when she was introduced was, from my experience, second only to David Beckham and Lionel Messi where I have seen them play.”That is a remarkable comparison for any American soccer player, let alone a 24-year-old still entering her prime, working to make her own way on a U.S. team that has won four of nine Women’s World Cup titles.
“There really is this love for her and for what she represents,” Sheldon added. “For how she handles herself, that really is amongst the best in U.S. soccer history. She still has a long career to go, but I think it speaks to the impact of having that player playing domestically versus abroad.”
Trinity Rodman is one of the NWSL’s most marketable players.Claudio Villa / Getty Images
During the men’s World Cup on U.S. soil, Adidas is not the only company that tapped Rodman. She appears in marketing for State Farm, Sam’s Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods and even Dove Men+Care. Yes, Dove Men+Care.
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While Rodman has fewer than one million Instagram followers, a platform where she regularly shares these partnerships, marketers say follower counts alone do not determine influence.
“When Trinity drops something or goes on Instagram Live, the ripple effect captures attention,” Laura Correnti, CEO and founder of Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment told The Athletic. “Brands are so pressed for stopping people in the feed.”
The modern sports economy is no longer driven primarily by audience size. It is driven by attention. Everything Rodman does becomes news. From her injuries to her fashion choices, she generates headlines. Her relationships attract coverage. She possesses something marketers covet but few athletes achieve: cultural gravitas, paired with authenticity.
And if Rodman’s commercial value still needed validation, the NWSL essentially provided it. Last year, the league created its “High Impact Player” mechanism, a roster-building rule designed to help clubs retain transformational stars by allowing teams to spend beyond traditional salary restrictions. Around soccer circles, many simply call it the “Rodman Rule.” The comparison Sheldon immediately thought of was another player whose value extended beyond wins and losses.
“The only other time you’ve really seen something similar in American soccer was David Beckham,” Sheldon said. “The league created a mechanism to bring Beckham to MLS. There are parallels there.”
The NWSL created the High Impact Player rule, in part, to keep Trinity Rodman in the league.Scott Taetsch / Getty Images
Rodman is not Beckham. Not yet. But the fact that league executives felt compelled to create greater roster flexibility to retain a player of her stature in the face of lucrative opportunities in Europe and would-be domestic rivals speaks to her importance. (Beckham, by the way, is also massively capitalizing on this World Cup with a handful of near-ubiquitous national TV ad campaigns, including Adidas, Home Depot, Lay’s, Stella Artois and McDonald’s.)
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“I think we’ll look back and understand that it was one of the most consequential rulings that had to happen to preserve the longevity of women’s soccer in this country,” Correnti said. If Rodman had left for Europe, the NWSL would not only have lost one of its best players, but it would have lost one of its most valuable commercial upsides. “I truly believe it would have been detrimental to the future commercial success of women’s soccer in this country.”
The phenomenon reflects years of groundwork laid by women athletes who were forced to become marketers long before most male athletes needed to. For much of the modern era, U.S. women’s national team players earned a fraction of what their male counterparts made in playing salary. To close that gap, the women embraced the opportunities presented by social media, built quantifiable personal brands, cultivated sponsorships, created content and learned how to remain relevant between matches.
Think Alex Morgan, who realized and capitalized on her on-the-pitch success for commercial gains very early in her career and, even in retirement, remains active in nationally televised brand campaigns and as the founder of an investment fund, backing an array of businesses focused on women’s sports and its audiences.
“Women inherently have done these brand deals and capitalized on these opportunities out of necessity,” Correnti said. “Now that’s changing.” According to Correnti, social media, athlete-owned media and NIL have accelerated a trend that favors athletes capable of building direct relationships with fans. The next generation increasingly follows people rather than institutions.
“We’re entering the individual-over-institution era,” Correnti said. “People aren’t asking, ‘Am I a fan of the men’s national team or the women’s national team?’ They’re saying, ‘I’m a fan of Trinity Rodman.’”
That may be the most important business lesson of this World Cup.
US Ladies Lose 2-1 @ Brazil play again tonight, 8 pm on TNT & HBO
The US Ladies got on the board first with a Sophia Wilson (Smith) Goal less than 5 minutes in as the forward returns to form after 18 months out on maternity leave. The lead was short lived however as the US gave up 2 goals in 5 minutes just 10 minutes later. Highlights The US backline was missing Naomi Girma (out with injury) and the foursome of Sonnet, Thompson, Fox & playing together for the first time – looked disorganized early before settling down in front of a hostile Brazil venue much like the US will face next summer in the World Cup in Brazil. The US showed its depth bringing Rose Lavell & Murge Pierce off the bench in the 2nd half as the US took control of the match. Despite our possessing nearly 2 to 1 and outshooting Brazil 8-2 in the 2nd half however – the US could not find the equalizer. As I mentioned last week – this is probably good for the US as most of this young team has not faced this kind of atmosphere before. I look for the US ladies to bounce back with a 2-1 win tonight and lets hope we get a dose of Triple Expresso this time.
US Men lose 2-1 in World Cup Sendoff game to Germany in Chicago -play Paraguay Fri 9 pm Fox (coverage starts 6 pm)
The US got off to a shaky start giving up a goal 3 minutes into the game on a free kick just outside the box. The Germans behind Chelsea’s Kia Havertz looked scary early before the US defense finally settled in and the offense got rolling. The US out-possessed and outshot the Germans in the first half and scored behind this banger from Antonee Robinson StunnerSpanish US Highlights. So lets start with the good – the US offense was on fire in this game – as Pulisic was on fire again. I still the like Pepi up front with Pulisic more than Balogun but we’ll see. Dest and Robinson were dangerous down the wings in the 3-5 alignment that we have settled into. The biggest issue I see is Poch is going to have to put McKennie beside Adams to protect a backline that is as weak as any the US has carried into a World Cup. Tillman has to be further upfield as he can’t play the Dmid 6 slot for this team which limits how much Adams can get forward. The Backline as discussed here before with Tim Ream (grandpa) on the left, a solid speedy Freeman on the right and hopefully Crystal Palace man Chris Richards (if he recovers from angle ligaments) in the middle. I still prefer Matt Turner in goal – but he will probably go with Freese. Here’s my starters for what i pray will be a 1-0 victory for the US in LA. My daughter Courtney and I will be in the stands – so keep an eye out for us! Go USA! (PS) I will have my World Cup Winners later in the Week hopefully before the Friday game.
The Ole Ballcoach WORLD CUP POOL
Ok folks its time for the Ole Ballcoach World Cup pool. Simply pick the positions each team will finish in the group stages in their group. (Rank them 1 thru 4) and get points for each correct pick. Then you play the Sweet 16 – knockout round by picking the games and who will advance just like a NCAA hoops pool -You can change you picks on the Knockout Rounds until the day they play.
Indy 11 wins 2-0 play @ Pittsburgh Sat at 7 pm on ESPN+, Ladies play Wed 7 pm
Indianapolis – When halftime ended at Carroll Stadium, the floodgates opened, both for Indy Eleven and the sky. As heavy rain began to fall upon downtown, the Boys in Blue scored two goals in the first ten minutes of the second half to earn a 2-0 win over Forward Madison FC in Prinx Tires USL Cup play.For much of the first half, Indy Eleven peppered Forward Madison FC’s goal, taking 12 shots and putting five on target under cloudy skies. The final statistics revealed just how dominant the hosts were. Indy Eleven finished with 23 shots, 14 on target, and eight corners.15-year-old forward Tyler Lowden made his Indy Eleven debut with four minutes to go, becoming the youngest player to take the pitch with the first-team in franchise history. The Greenwood, Ind., native who attends Center Grove High School was signed to an academy contract just eight days ago.The final statistics revealed just how dominant the hosts were. Indy Eleven finished with 23 shots, 14 on target, and eight corners.The Boys in Blue are 1-1-1 in USL Cup Group 4 play with one group game remaining at Lexington SC on June 20. Indy Eleven resumes USL Championship action at Eastern Conference opponent Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC next Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. The next home game for the Boys in Blue is on Wednesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. vs. Brooklyn FC. It is a 317 Night, so fans can purchase $11 tickets online. Ticket options include the new Desnuda Tequila Deck(sold out for this match), Family Four-Packs, and Flex Mini-Plans.
Westfield, Ind. – Indy Eleven secured its second win this week in a commanding 6-0 fashion versus USL W League Valley Division leader Dayton Dutch Lions FC Sunday night. The Girls in Blue will continue their four-match homestand Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm, hosting division leader and rival Racing Louisville FC indoors at the Community Health Network Events Center on the Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield. Tickets are under $12 and they can be purchased online or after doors open at 6:00 pm.
Carmel FC Director Juergen Sumner (right) being honored as 1994 US World Cup Goalkeeper in Chicago Sat. US 1994 WC Team
The 1994 US World Cup Team with current US Men’s Team at Pregame of the US Sendoff game in Chicago last Saturday. Congrats to The Carmel FC U13G – Coach Tracey (L), Coach Matt (R). Good luck in Girls Nationals in Tenn
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Tues, June 9 8:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Ladies @ Brazil Thur, June, 11 World Cup 3 pm Fox Mexico vs South Africa 10 pm FS1 Korea vs Czech Republic Fri, June 12 WORLD CUP 7 pm ESPN+ Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs Indy 11 3 pm Fox, Tele Canada vs Boznia/Hertz 9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup Sat, June 13 3 pm Fox Qatar vs Switzerland 6 pm Fox Brazil vs Morocco 9 pm FS1 Haiti vs Scotland 12 Mid pm FS1 Australia vs Turkey Sun, June 15 12N Fox Spain vs Cape Verde 3 pm Fox Belgium vs Egypt 6 pm FS1 Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay 9 pm FS1 Iran vs New Zealand Mon, June 16 3 pm Fox France vs Senagal 6 pm Fox Iraq vs Norway 9 pm FS1 Argentina vs Algeria 12Mid FS1 Austria vs Jordan Tues, June 17 1 pm Fox Portugal (Ronaldo) vs Congo 4 pm Fox England vs Croatia 7 pm FS1 Ghana vs Panama 10 pm FS1 Uzbekistan vs Colombia Wed, June 18 12N Fox Czechia vs South Africa 3 pm Fox Switzerland vs Bosnia & Hertz 6 pm FS1 Qatar vs Canada 9 pm FS1 Mexico vs South Korea Fri, June 19 3 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup 6 pm Fox Scotland vs Moracco 8:30 pm Fox Brazil vs Haiti 11 pm FS1 Turkey vs Paraguay Thur, June 25 10 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Australia World Cup
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Need food for a Graduation, end of school party, World Cup or July 4th party? Call Ryan now to ask about catering options at 317-688-7290. Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
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Denmark’s National Team Doctor Morten Boesen said that Christian Eriksen is “doing well” after collapsing on the pitch and that “the expectation is that he will be discharged soon and can return home” (More); dive deeper into how Eriksen’s heart device saved him (More)
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was elected as Africa’s best referee by CAF in 2025 and chosen by Fifa for the World Cup, was denied entry to the United States (More)
Final Travel game of the Season at Trinity Park with Landon & Augustus.
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
In his 20 months in charge of the U.S. men’s national team, Mauricio Pochettino has won 15 matches, lost 10 and tied one. He has taken a look at 67 different players and whittled that down to a 26-man squad. He has overseen a pair of inspiring performances over the past 10 days, a 3-2 win over Senegal and a 2-1 defeat to Germany. And now, on Friday, he takes the USMNT into the FIFA World Cup.
It’s a moment that really has no parallel in program history. Sure, the U.S. has hosted this tournament before, and the 1994 edition was a magical, transformative moment for the game in this country, but that team was playing with house money.
“Not getting embarrassed” was the goal 32 years ago. But now? With a manager as recognizable as Pochettino, with players scattered across Europe’s most storied clubs, the bar is set significantly higher.
Is this team ready for that? Just what is the ceiling for this group? To answer those questions and more, ESPN turned to those who’ve been covering the USMNT throughout this World Cup cycle and will continue spending every day of this tournament following the team: Jeff Carlisle, Herculez Gomez, Sam Borden, Cesar Hernandez and Ryan Clark.
Did Pochettino get his squad selection right?
Carlisle: I think he got things right for the most part. Injuries meant he could avoid some prickly questions, such as Patrick Agyemang vs. Haji Wright at center forward. The heart of the team’s defense looks a bit suspect, but I think Pochettino picked the best options available.
I, for one, wasn’t surprised by the exclusion of Diego Luna. He’s a talented player, but I think the other options in attack are a shade more proven. A player like Alejandro Zendejas is 100% deserving of his spot.
Gomez: Essentially yes, given it’s been 20 months since Pochettino took over, finally we see something that resembles a starting XI. You have to imagine that if Chris Richards is healthy, Miles Robinson is out and Richards is in the middle and finally you have the potential starting XI that we want to see against Paraguay. Yes, he got it right, but it took 20 long months to get here, and that is concerning.
Borden: On balance, yes. All the most meaningful pieces are here, although I suppose that’s the easy part. Taking Gio Reyna was the right decision, in my opinion — his talent is undeniable. Leaving off Tanner Tessmann was a surprise to me, as he impressed at the Paris Olympics and only continued to rise after that. If there’s a weak point here, it’s definitely in midfield depth. If anyone picks up an injury or yellow-card suspension, it could be glaring, and that seemed avoidable.
Hernandez: I’m sure I won’t be the only person bringing up the midfield. I get wanting to have a more forward-thinking option next to Tyler Adams for a group stage that will need you to break down some defensive opponents, but I don’t see this as a recipe for success for a deep run in the knockout stages.
Clark: Maybe? Some options were taken away because of how many players are injured. That’s not to say there aren’t questions about who didn’t make the final roster. Luna and Tessmann stand out the most, especially with Tessmann playing an important role for a Lyon side that finished fourth in Ligue 1.
Where does this team look most vulnerable?
Gomez: In the transition phase, when they lose the ball. This is a team that commits a lot of numbers going forward, and when you do that and lose that ball, you leave vulnerable a lot of players at the back in one-on-one positions. That’s when mistakes happen.
Borden: Beyond that midfield question, the concern with the U.S. is always around scoring. Folarin Balogun is as good a striker option as the Americans have had and is coming off a productive season (19 goals, four assists for AS Monaco), but the historic question hanging over the American team — can they score enough? — is hard to shake. Add in Christian Pulisic‘s months-long goal drought that finally ended against Senegal, and offense is something that any American fan will always have on their mind.
Hernandez: Related to the previous question, I think this team is one injury/red card away from a crisis if Adams is unavailable. Pochettino has noted that there are plenty of options who could play in that central midfield role, but there isn’t someone who can do it at the same level as Adams. Not enough defensive midfield coverage.
Clark: Defense, with the notion that it’s not so much for the structure, but the personnel. It wasn’t like the German team the U.S. faced in the final warmup game is one of the strongest German sides we’ve seen entering a World Cup. Couple that with the performance they had against Senegal, and it left Antonee Robinson as the U.S.’s most consistent performer at the back.
Carlisle: The one nit I have with Pochettino’s selections is bringing in a fifth outside back in Joe Scally and not another central midfielder such as Aidan Morris. Adams has a history of picking up injuries. Yellow cards are likely to be a factor as well, especially in a part of the field where physicality will be required.
Pochettino looks like he has settled on having more of a playmaker type, such as Malik Tillman, alongside Adams than a destroyer, such as Cristian Roldan. We’ll see if the U.S. pays for not having more steel in the middle.
How heavily will the distraction of Pochettino’s future weigh on the team?
Borden: The short answer: not much. I don’t think it’s a terrific look from an optics standpoint, but this is professional sports and however much we bang the drum about team and family, everyone is always looking out for themselves. The players are trying to win World Cup games; where their coach goes after it’s over isn’t going to be front of mind for them in any meaningful way.
Hernandez: I’m going to file this under “big deal for fans and media, but not much of a thought for the players.” Maybe they know something otherwise, but all signs from the outside pointed to Pochettino heading out after the World Cup. The latest reporting is not much of a shock.
Clark: Probably not at all. Appointing Pochettino always seemed like one of those moves that was going to last until it wasn’t. That’s what makes his future with the USMNT discussion fodder at this stage. Besides, we’re in the silly season, when managers and players are always rumored to head elsewhere.
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Carlisle: I don’t think it will have much of a bearing on how the team performs. These players are used to having coaches come and go. That’s just the nature of the beast of being a professional soccer player. This is especially true for the guys in Europe, but coaches are fired with increasing regularity even in MLS. I think it’s a fairly professional group as well, able to tune out the noise that comes around transfers or coaches moving.
Gomez: I don’t think it’s going to weigh on this team at all. I think everybody here knew Pochettino was here for what was left of this World Cup cycle and then would most likely leave. It was for this World Cup only. So the fact that he has potential suitors I don’t think in any way, shape or form is on the minds of the players.
Who is the player you think will surprise everyone (in a good way) this summer?
Hernandez: Reyna will have something to prove this summer. He obviously hasn’t lived up to his once-lofty expectations, but he has enough talent to have a game-changing moment or two off the bench. We’ll see how much of an opportunity Pochettino gives him.
Clark: It could be Sergiño Dest. This World Cup offers him a chance to display a level of versatility that might be crucial. He has shown that he can get into dangerous positions in attack while getting back to help when the U.S. needs to press. Some club is going to see that and present an offer to PSV Eindhoven for his services.
Carlisle: I think Dest and Zendejas are the attacking wild cards in the group who could do some real damage. Dest showed how effective he can be on the wing against Senegal. He has always been capable of delivering the unexpected, and playing further upfield plays to his strengths while lessening his defensive responsibilities.
Zendejas is another player I think will surprise people. The spectacular goal he scored last September against Japan was a glimpse of what he can do. I just hope he gets the chance in this tournament to show off his skill.
Gomez:Weston McKennie has to be that player; he is the one player on this team who has true star power. He is a star player on the field, for the goals he can score and the plays he can make, and also off the field for how charismatic he can be.
There are millions and millions of casual soccer fans who don’t know who McKennie is — if he has a big World Cup, they’re going to find out.
Borden: If I can borrow a hockey cliché, the U.S. is going to need a hot goalkeeper to make the kind of run that it’s hoping to achieve this summer. For that reason, I’ll go with Matt Freese as the most likely — and needed — player to surprise. Freese isn’t playing in Europe, the way Tim Howard and Matt Turner did going into their World Cups with the U.S., but his ability is legitimate. Can he do it on the biggest stage? If he can, it’ll give the U.S. a great chance to go deep.
How far will the U.S. go in this World Cup?
What would make a good World Cup for the USMNT?
Clark: Reaching the round of 16 seems like a realistic destination. Beyond that is when it gets complicated because of what has happened since March. How the U.S. performed against Belgium, Portugal and Germany — all games it lost — means it would need a significant turnaround to go beyond the last 16.
Carlisle: I still think the round of 16 is where this team will exit. The U.S. is likely to play Belgium in that round if form holds, and we all saw what happened when the teams met in March. Yes, that was a friendly, but I can’t think of anyone on the U.S. roster who can stop Jérémy Doku. That’s not to say the U.S. has no chance. The team is playing at home after all, and can certainly ride the support of the crowd. The Americans are also going to need some good fortune to progress.
Gomez: The USMNT is going to go as far as the draw will take it. If it ends up as a first-place team in this group, the road into the knockout rounds is easy. Second place? A bit harder. Third place? It will be scrambling. But all roads eventually lead the U.S. to the round of 16.
Borden: The “good” draw that the U.S. supposedly got in this tournament cuts both ways; no juggernaut dominates the group, but there are no minnows, either, which raises the possibility for all types of outcomes. I tend to be optimistic here: I think the U.S. wins the group (beating Paraguay and Australia, losing to Türkiye), and gets one step farther than Qatar before bowing out in the quarterfinals.
Hernandez: An exit in the round of 16 seems like the right balance of not being a letdown but also not being a massive step forward either. Assuming the U.S. tops its group or finishes in second, a possible loss to Belgium or Argentina appears to be the expected outcome in the round of 16.
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The year was 1992, and “everybody” at then-Bundesliga side FC Saarbrucken, including Wynalda’s teammates, had regaled him with taunts of “scheiss Ami” or German for “s— American.” After six weeks of hearing this, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“It resulted in me finally having enough and throwing one of my teammates to the ground and telling him that if he calls me that one more time, he’s going to the dentist,” Wynalda told ESPN. “And then everybody kind of backed off and said, ‘Right, let’s stop calling him that.'”
They quickly did, though what helped Wynalda’s cause even more was scoring both of Saarbrucken’s goals in a 2-0 win over local rivals Kaiserslautern.
Was the treatment Wynalda received simple banter, or did it speak to the stigma that American players have found themselves subjected to when they try to compete in the upper echelons of soccer abroad?
Ultimately, it’s probably a bit of both. Although Wynalda’s recollection falls at the extreme end of the spectrum, it wasn’t unusual for Americans making their initial forays into Europe to endure such treatment, be it from teammates, coaches, fans or media.
Former Hannover 96 and U.S. men’s national team defender Steve Cherundolo said once he arrived at the German club in 1999, he was treated equally by players and staff, but he noticed a difference in the media. This was particularly evident in the dreaded player ratings, especially if he was playing more defensively from his outside back position.
“I don’t think there was ever a period where I didn’t” feel that stigma, Cherundolo told ESPN. This from a man who was dubbed “The Mayor of Hannover” and made over 400 appearances for the club.
USMNT great Landon Donovan felt the same during his days at Bayer Leverkusen, which signed him in 1999.
“This was not a personal thing against me or anyone else, but in the early days, you didn’t have to be as good as the player you were competing with. You didn’t even have to be a little better. You had to be significantly better,” he said. “If you were competing with a Turkish guy or a Brazilian guy or a German guy, you just had to [be much better] because they just assumed that Americans didn’t know how to play soccer.”
Not everyone buys the stigma argument. Current Chicago Fire manager Gregg Berhalter, who managed the U.S. from 2018 to 2024, spent time as a player in Europe in the Netherlands, England and Germany. To him, it was less of a stigma than it was ignorance — there was just a lack of awareness that Americans even played soccer.
“We’d just come off the [1994] World Cup, so everyone recognized Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola,” Berhalter said. “But other than that, they had no idea that the U.S. was even playing soccer. So, it was like, this is just a total new frontier. But it wasn’t like fans or coaches really held it against you.”
Red, White & Clueless
In the past, there was some justification for the skepticism of American players. The sport in the U.S. has gone through some excruciatingly lean periods. For huge swaths of the 20th century, soccer barely existed at a semiprofessional level. The U.S. endured a 40-year period between appearances at the World Cup. Between 1985 and 1995, the U.S. was without what would be considered a topflight domestic league.
Even following the advent of MLS in 1996, although the U.S. men’s national team has won seven Concacaf Gold Cups and reached the final of the 2009 Confederations Cup, the U.S. has never come close to winning a World Cup. The quarterfinal run in 2002 remains the furthest the U.S. has progressed in that tournament during the modern era. As a result, it was down to the likes of Wynalda, Kasey Keller, Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey to break down the doors, perform on the field and gradually improve the reputation of American players.
Solid performances at World Cups — the U.S. reached at least in the second round in the 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2022 tournaments — have helped raise that perception further. But other players toiled in relative obscurity, their presence helping to make incremental — but still important — gains.
“People forget how good Tony Sanneh was. They just do,” said Wynalda about the former Nuremburg and Hertha Berlin defender. “So, I mean, I think all those guys, I salute all of them. It used to be the one thing that they could say about America, ‘You might be good at everything, but you’re not good at this game. This is our game.’ And we’ve finally proven that we deserve to be in that conversation.”Thanks to the current group of American players performing overseas, the assessment of American players has never been higher. Players such as AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie have proved themselves with big clubs in Europe. The Premier League is dotted with steady performers such as Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, AFC Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams and Leeds United attacker Brenden Aaronson.
But the stigma has been difficult to shake. In talking to current players on the U.S. team, they believe there is still judgment and skepticism about American players although it’s less severe than it used to be. Nonetheless, the players aren’t playing the victim card and say they’re being judged fairly on their contributions. They carry with them a belief that their quality will see them rise to the top.
“Maybe I had some thoughts at the beginning that some teammates don’t view me the same because I’m American in the youth teams at Dortmund,” Pulisic told ESPN at a promotional event for Degree. “Maybe I had some of those thoughts, but I don’t know — I always believed and told myself that if you’re good enough, the coach is going to put the best players on the field. And I just always took that mentality.
“Is there a little bit of that stigma? Maybe there was. I think it’s definitely getting better with all the amazing talent that we’re producing now.”
For Toulouse FC defender Mark McKenzie, the stigma scale veers more toward banter, an arena in which he’s able to more than hold his own. Lately, the conversations have gone in some strange directions.
“With teammates, we go back and forth,” McKenzie told ESPN. “We poke and prod each other because it’s like, ‘Oh, America, you come over here, you talk about our food. Oh, you come over here, you talk about, Why don’t you do it this way? Or, Oh, facility’s not the way it would be back in the States.’ And for me, I try not to get into these debates. It’s subjective. It’s all about what you grew up in.
“Now the big thing is long throw-ins. Now I’ve destroyed the game with my American philosophy of using my hands and throwing the ball as far as possible. So, I got all my teammates talking about, ‘Oh, you destroyed the game now.’ Blah, blah, blah. So that’s the new dig.”
Former U.S. international and longtime Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who has also worked as a club executive with the likes of Besiktas in Turkey, believes that whatever stigma is attached to American players has become more subtle. For the bulk of American players, there isn’t a negative connotation — but they’re also not viewed as being capable of being the top player on a team.
“I think they look at American players [and decide] that, No. 1, the salaries are going to be a little lower at first, which is true,” Friedel said in reference to decision-makers at European clubs. “That their transfer fees could potentially be lower at first, which is true. And then they’re going to get a really honest, good professional that is going to possibly be able to start in the starting XI all the time but is not necessarily going to be the main reason they win every game.”
Pulisic is probably the lone exception to that statement, given he commanded a $73 million transfer fee when he moved to Chelsea in 2019. But until another player reaches those heights, that is one aspect of how American players are viewed that won’t change.
Even with all this progress, both on the field and with hearts and minds, there is still a way to go, with the stigma popping up in odd ways at strange moments. Current Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream spent over a decade in England with Bolton Wanderers and Fulham FC, and says he benefited from playing for two clubs that had previously had Americans on their books.
He says he never encountered a manager who held him in less regard because of where he was from. But at times, the perception of U.S. players among some teammates harked back to a previous era.
“Yeah, you would hear it. ‘Oh, really? You’re American. Do you actually know football?’ And you’re like, ‘Well, I’m playing in the same team that you are, so you tell me who knows and who doesn’t know, because we’re in the same boat here.’ So there was a little bit of that,” he said.
But nothing alters perceptions like a World Cup, especially if it involves iconic moments or an impressive performance against one of the presumed favorites. Ream found that to be the case after the U.S. tied England 0-0 at the 2022 World Cup, a match that on another day the Americans might have won. For some of his club teammates, it was almost like an epiphany.
“When we went back from that, guys were like, ‘Holy s—.’ They’re like, ‘You guys are a really good team, very good team,'” Ream said. “I think that’s when it clicked for a lot of people.”
The upcoming World Cup is another opportunity to alter perceptions and potentially inspire the next generation of players and the public at large. At present, the U.S. is viewed still as outsiders in soccer, but being one of the three host countries has upped the stakes of what can be achieved in both the near and long term.
“For me, it’s a lot bigger than just ourselves and our performance,” Adams said. “It’s about how can the next kid that’s looking up to us be inspired and want to play soccer instead of basketball, football, whatever it is. So for me, yeah, it’s a huge opportunity.”
Ream feels that any progress needs to be viewed with a longer time horizon. The quarterfinal run at the 2002 World Cup got people’s attention, but as Ream says the U.S. program has been on “a little bit of a slow burn” since that time.
The U.S. men’s national team is still waiting for its next breakthrough. There have been some humbling moments too, the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup among them. A deep run, building on the round of 16 performance in 2022, would project more consistency.
“If you can sustain a national team and the development and the players within that, and they’re playing at big clubs around the world, which a lot of our guys are, then you start to change that perception,” Ream said. “And now that the thought of, ‘OK, they do produce good players. They do produce players that can play with other top players that are from all over the world, that are from your traditional powerhouses, Brazil, your Frances, your Englands.’ But you have to sustain that. You can’t just be a flash in the pan.”If the U.S. can find that big moment — and consistency — perceptions could rise, and the last vestiges of any stigma might finally start to subside.
Is the USMNT ready for the World Cup? After loss to Germany, the jury’s still out
Bill ConnellyJun 6, 2026, 07:32 PM ET
CHICAGO — Results matter most, and the United States men’s national team didn’t get what it hoped for in that regard in its pre-World Cup sendoff game, a 2-1 loss to Germany in Chicago on Saturday. But the Americans dictated the tenor of the match for much of the 90 minutes.
As has been the case for many recent matches, finishing made the difference — the U.S. didn’t do quite enough of it, and opponents did plenty.
After an early glitch led to a free Kai Havertz header and goal for the visitors, the U.S. established control around the 10th minute and rode it out for the rest of the first half. Antonee Robinson‘s wonder strike tied the match in the 37th minute, and the U.S. continued to create more dangerous opportunities (and earn plenty of corners).
But in the 57th minute, just as a number of stars were getting ready to leave the pitch, a long sequence of passes resulted in Havertz finding a surprisingly open Leroy Sané at the top of the box. The Galatasaray veteran gave Germany a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Backups for both teams created some late chances, and Giovanni Reyna, Joe Scally and Brenden Aaronson forced late saves from Germany’s Oliver Baumann.
“I think it was an even game,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said afterward. “If you see the stats, some of the stats [were] for us. I am so happy with the commitment and … how the reaction was [after the early goal].”
The U.S. has played four consecutive matches against teams in the top 15 of FIFA’s rankings, winning one and losing three. In terms of chance creation, the team fared well, attempting shots worth 5.6 expected goals (xG) to opponents’ 6.2. But opponents finished their chances at a far higher level and scored 11 goals to the USMNT’s six. There’s perhaps some poor fortune in there for the Americans, but there’s no questioning that moments of defensive inattention have proved terribly costly.
When the results and the advanced stats disagree, you can basically see whatever you want to see. But the U.S. certainly provided reasons for both encouragement and frustration before the team’s first World Cup game Friday against Paraguay.
Antonee Robinson steals the show
In the first half, Germany attempted to attack quite often through Sané on the right wing, but Robinson mostly stonewalled him; he was one of the best players in the match even before his incredible equalizer. In 63 minutes, he led the team with 12 defensive interventions and six ball recoveries while also creating three chances (tied for the most on the team with Malik Tillman) and scoring the only goal.
“He was unreal,” midfielder Tyler Adams said after the match. “I told him after he scored, I was like, ‘Can you save that for next weekend?'” It was Robinson’s second national-team goal from more than 20 meters out and third goal scored off a volley.
Robinson appeared to be cramping at the end of his shift, but there shouldn’t be any longer-term concerns. “He’ll be fine,” Adams said. “I was like, ‘Bro, you’ve been in England too long. You’re [playing] in the MLS heat.'”
Defensive breakdowns continue
For the fourth straight match, U.S. opponents finished at a higher level than xG suggested they should have, but there’s no question that poor defensive execution has been hurting the cause, especially in the absence of center back Chris Richards. On Germany’s first goal, Adams committed an unnecessary foul to give Joshua Kimmich a very good free-kick opportunity, and Miles Robinson lost Havertz, Germany’s most dangerous attacker on set pieces, in the box for a free header.
On the second goal, Germany unleashed a lovely passing sequence, but the Americans were a step slow for the first time in nearly an hour. They were punished for it.
A good response to (self-created) adversity
Against a high-caliber team, giving up an early goal can lead to a landslide effect. But the U.S. established its footing and created most of the chances for the rest of the first half.
Christian Pulisic completed a pair of aggressive send-off performances, attempting a team-high 18 ground duels and pushing the ball relentlessly: He finished with a team-high six progressive carries and a total carry distance of 217 meters.
Meanwhile, three bench players tested Baumann, and another substitute, wingback Max Arfsten, completed four progressive carries with a total carry distance of 106 meters in just 18 minutes.
In all, Pochettino was satisfied with the team’s fight.
“Here we are not talking about the quality of the coaching staff, the quality of the strategy, the plan, the tactics, it’s about culture,” he said after the match. “If you don’t have the energy, you have the commitment, you don’t have the trust, the confidence, all the values that are really important in that sport, it’s impossible to play.”
Red, white and hell yeah: How the American Outlaws became the heartbeat of U.S. Soccer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Elvis Presley lives, and right now he’s talking to Wonder Woman and a bald eagle in a gravel parking lot in North Carolina. All around Elvis, hundreds of American soccer fans of all ages, demographics and blood alcohol levels are snacking on hot dogs. Over near one fence, a drum circle is warming up, rat-a-tat-tats filling the sunny afternoon air. Red, white and blue is everywhere, from innumerable Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie jerseys, to dyed beards and wigs, to a T-shirt that simply reads, “WTF IS A KILOMETER?”Welcome to the land of the American Outlaws. America is co-hosting this year’s World Cup, but the Outlaws are the ones who are bringing the party to every stadium, festival, bar and brewery they possibly can, from sea to shining sea.httpsMuch like the Avengers, the American Outlaws began with an idea — an idea for a place that American soccer fans, and would-be soccer-fans, could gather, a place where they could enjoy their love of the beautiful game, a place where they could say the word “soccer” and not be exiled, a place where they could navigate the intricacies of international football systems.That idea, born in a basement in Lincoln, Nebraska, now literally spans the entire country, with more than 30,000 Outlaws and 200 chapters dedicated to spreading the word and the love about American soccer. Look in the stands of any U.S. team match, men and women alike, and you’ll see them, standing, chanting, celebrating with constant exuberance.In a time of American division, they’re a symbol of unity, a celebration of all things red, white and blue, from the noble to the ridiculous.
“There’s no way everyone here voted the same way,” says Bryan Friers, one of hundreds of American Outlaws supporters in the Charlotte parking lot, “but we can all be here together today.”
He’s standing with high school friend River Young amid a fantastic cross-section of American humanity, from families with young kids to bands of Gen Z soccer fanatics to boomers still wearing American-flag headbands. The camaraderie is instant, the joy is evident, and the Americana is everywhere, from overalls to capes to tattoos to wigs.
Anthony Williamson, who regularly drums with the Orlando FC drum corps, is checking his equipment preparing to lead a pre-match hype circle. “This is the best,” he says as a chant leader who goes by the nom de soccer of “Ulysses S. Chant” begins teaching the assembled crowd the new chants of the day. In a few minutes, they’ll gather the Outlaws for a gloriously noisy march to the stadium.
The American Outlaws party is just getting started today, but there’s always room for more.
Chris Brady of the United States and the American outlaws during the international friendly match between United States and Senegal. (John Dorton/USSF via Getty Images)
American Outlaws: The origin of a movement
The Outlaws came to life in the early 2000s, when founders Korey Donahoo, Justin Brunken and Ben Cohoon bonded over their love of soccer, and their realization that America had no true supporters’ group to welcome and energize fans of national soccer. (The men’s national team itself was struggling through one of its many well-documented identity crises, so this was not exactly a shock.) The three friends adopted some iconic American imagery, a classic cowboy bandanna, and the Outlaws were born.
The Outlaws debuted with that most American of traditions: a road trip. A busload of roughly 60 fans traveled from Nebraska to Chicago to watch the United States challenge Brazil in 2007. That kicked off a traveling party that now encompasses not just the game itself but a pregame gathering, a night-before party, and year-round friendship and camaraderie.
Starting with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 installment in Brazil, where the Outlaws arrived en masse, the group has traveled in massive packs that make Steelers and Cowboys fans look like homebodies. The cost, both financially and logistically, is considerable, and the USMNT players have long supported their own supporters.
“When the team comes over and claps and thanks our section at the end of a match, that’s huge,” says American Outlaws operations manager Whitney Zaleski, “to see that they recognize what we’re putting in and the energy that we’re putting in.”
Run almost entirely by volunteers, the American Outlaws are open to anyone with a love of soccer and a willingness to send in $30. The Outlaws now boast chapters from Anchorage to Miami, from Honolulu to Maine. Some chapters are massive and well-organized, others are small gatherings at a local watering hole, but all share a love of soccer in general and the United States teams in particular. It’s a love that’s taken on new resonance now that the World Cup is once again coming to American shores.
“When we go to these World Cups, these nations, leagues, friendlies abroad, we’re welcomed with open arms. The locals there are showing us a good time,” says D.C.-based American Outlaws member Donald Wine. “It’s our turn. … This World Cup is about showcasing our culture and we have this great opportunity to welcome fans from all around the country, that’s what we feel our duty is. And we’re ready to accept it.”
In a very real sense, then, the Outlaws represent the United States, and it’s a responsibility the group takes seriously. In a sport where racist, homophobic chants and hooligan-style lawbreaking make headlines, the Outlaws strive to promote inclusivity, so much so that they have a specified Code of Conduct page on their site.
“The American Outlaws will not tolerate any sort of hatred or attacks on other people for who they are, whether in the form of physical or verbal assault, clothing or signage,” the Outlaws’ conduct credo reads. “It is of the utmost importance that people can cheer, sing and exist as they are in our section, around the stadium, in chapter bars and anywhere in the world with comfort and free of threat.”
The Outlaws are now large enough that they’ve built their own charitable arm, AO Impact. Focused on the No. 11 — the number of players on the pitch — AO Impact asks for just $11, to start, to help spread the word of soccer to local communities across the country. AO Impact works with local nonprofits around the country to build and maintain soccer facilities with the goal of exposing kids to the beautiful game, with the hope and expectation that they’ll continue to love it when they grow up.
It’s all part of the supporter-centric focus that the Outlaws espouse, with the guiding philosophy of giving the players on the pitch the best possible foundation for success, while at the same time making sure fans can appreciate all that soccer has to offer.
“One of our biggest [philosophies] is accessibility to fans,” says Zaleski. “Accessibility on the financial front (for ticket prices), but also accessibility for members. We try to educate. A lot of people don’t know how the ticketing process works for the World Cup or for international games.”
Plus, she adds, there’s always one overarching Outlaws goal: “Helping members and fans alike get the chance to have a good time in the stadium.”
She concedes that’s gotten tougher in recent years as the cost of travel and, particularly, tickets has escalated beyond all reasonable expectations. The Outlaws have worked with U.S. Soccer to keep prices for United States-run games at $45 apiece or lower, which allows for some cost certainty in an often unreasonably costly sport.
Naturally, that approach isn’t working with FIFA. It turns out that there was quite the catch to the $60 tickets FIFA offered to the Outlaws: for the USMNT’s first three group stage matches, the Outlaws — typically seated directly behind one goal — will be in the 300- and 400-level sections of the stadiums. “These are the worst tickets that I’ve ever seen out of the five World Cups I’ve been to,” American Outlaws president Brian Hexsel told NBC last week.
That’s classic FIFA, though, putting even the boundless faith of the American Outlaws to the test.
The American Outlaws have grown from a small club of about 60 people to having membership chapters across the country, including Kansas City. (Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
The beat goes on
About 45 minutes before the USMNT-Senegal friendly match begins in Charlotte, a circle forms around several drummers, including Williamson. Somehow the drum corps has come up one snare player short, so a young man — who clearly had some kind of high school marching band training — steps up and joins the group. He’ll spend the rest of the game right there next to them, drumming away, a perfect embodiment of the Outlaws’ all-are-welcome ethos.
In a nice bit of cross-sport solidarity, members of the Carolina Panthers’ PurrCussion drum corps join the party, adding heft and weight to the procession, along with some Panther-specific “Keep Pounding” riffs. Ulysses S. Chant and other leaders teach the gathered crowd some new chants built on the Terminator rhythm and “Crocodile Rock,” among other familiar tunes. Do the chants stick in the crowd’s memory? Not really, but the enthusiasm does, and that’s what’s important.
And then they’re off, marching down McNinch Street toward Bank of America Stadium. They’ll fill Section 121, and they’ll stand, chant and cheer for two-plus hours as Pulisic and the rest of the United States outlast Senegal 3-2. Then they’ll disperse into the North Carolina evening, the sounds of drums undoubtedly echoing in their ears for days.
Wherever the USMNT plays this summer, the Outlaws will gather, in person or around screens. They’ll drum, and chant, and cheer, and celebrate the very best parts of what it means to be American. And they’ll be open to everyone, including you. All you have to do to join the Outlaws is start clapping to the beat.
How a fiery friendly against Paraguay helped forge the USMNT’s World Cup identity
Paraguay and U.S. players fought during a friendly match in November Vincent Carchietta / Getty Images
IRVINE, Calif. — When the United States opens its World Cup campaign against Paraguay on Friday, it will do so against an opponent that helped shape a defining characteristic of Mauricio Pochettino’s team.The last time the sides matched up, it could only technically be described as a “friendly.”A tense, physical game in Philadelphia in November erupted into a fracas in stoppage time. USMNT’s Alex Freeman and Paraguay’s Gustavo Gomez wrestled over a throw-in, with Gomez aggressively trying to take the ball away.AdvertisementThat moment — and the reflexive, visceral reaction for all American players who rushed towards danger to defend their brothers — served as a tangible moment of bonding. It showed every person in that locker room had each other’s back.“We got a lot of dogs on the team,” defender Miles Robinson told The Athletic recently. “It’s about letting ‘em out the cage.”Robinson swiftly was put in a headlock by a Paraguayan player during the melee. Pochettino ran over, slipped and was helped back up by Paraguay head coach Gustavo Alfaro.“It was a spark for the group and for the fans,” Robinson said. “It was a moment we needed as a group to recognize, like, hey, we’re not to be messed with or taken lightly. We’re in it for the long haul and in it for each other.”
The U.S. won 2-1 and had a strong performance beyond the kerfuffle, but it’s the fight that lingers more than the final scoreline.
It was the type of moment that the team needed as it ramped up preparations for the World Cup. The type that won’t soon be forgotten by either side, as the USMNT faces Paraguay to open up World Cup Group D on Friday outside Los Angeles.
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Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter was the first person to jump to Freeman’s defense, as he was closest to the incident. Robinson wasn’t far behind. Neither was captain Tim Ream. Even goalkeeper Matt Freese made his way from his own 18-yard box to midfield.
“When you have a group of guys who fights for each other and dies for each other on the field, anything can happen,” Freese said Monday.
Pochettino took charge of his first match as USMNT head coach in October of 2024, 13 months before the Paraguay game. Leading into the fall, there had been some highs, but more lows than the group had hoped for.
There were heavy defeats to two European opponents before the Gold Cup in the summer of 2025, when star attacker Christian Pulisic was not part of the squad. Pulisic told Pochettino he needed a break in the summer as he felt it was best for his body, a decision that led to a public spat between coach and star player. That Gold Cup had the potential to be a fraught time, but the group used it as an opportunity to pull closer together instead.
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“The spark actually started at the Gold Cup,” Ream said. “There were a few get-togethers in those games as well. The Paraguay game was a little bit extra. It had a feel that the game meant something more and now you look at it and it was a perfect test for us in that moment.
”So it’s good that we had that experience, but you come to this point and it is a World Cup and while you learn from it, it is in the rear-view mirror.
“For the guys in that camp it was a good learning experience.“
The U.S. will see familiar opponents at the World Cup, having faced all three group foes — wins over Paraguay and Australia, defeat to Turkey — under Pochettino.
As if World Cups aren’t intense enough, those matches were hotly contested. With some battle scars and bonding moments behind them, USMNT players are ready for whatever physical challenge comes their way.
“It’s just guys sticking up for each other,” said Robinson, speaking in association with Bounty. “Especially playing on your home soil, you got no time for any of that.”
Tom Bogert is a Senior Writer for The Athletic, providing exclusive, original and unique insights on MLS and the U.S. national team. He has previously written for MLSsoccer.com, The Guardian, and more.
Never know whose life you’re changing’: USMNT World Cup team can make 1994-like mark
Players from the 1994 U.S. World Cup team had an outsized impact on the sport — and this writer’s life Getty Images / Stephen Dunn
The players from the 1994 U.S. men’s national team quite literally inspired me to follow in their footsteps.
I was only 7 when the World Cup came to America, and I didn’t know much about the game. I wasn’t studying tactics or paying attention to FIFA rankings. I’d never even seen the game played until my dad took me to a tryout. I was just a kid trying to understand this sport that had suddenly captured my attention.
I remember watching them upset Colombia with a 2-1 win in front of more than 93,000 fans. Colombia were one of the best teams in the world at the time, but I was completely drawn in by the passion, courage and personality of that U.S. team.
The Americans made the most of Andrés Escobar’s infamous own goal, with Earnie Stewart scoring the winner in the second half. For them to grind out that result was inspiring, and it left its mark on me. They weren’t just soccer players, they were heroes.
More than 30 years later, what amazes me isn’t just what that team accomplished on the field. It’s that many of the same players who inspired me as a kid would later help me as a professional, a broadcaster and a person. That’s the real legacy of the 1994 team. They didn’t just grow the game in America. They helped shape the generation that followed.
I was this young kid learning about soccer on the fly. I would watch as many games as I could and was introduced to these stars. Naturally, I gravitated towards certain players – the ones who looked like me, played like me or players with the biggest personalities.
When I think of that group stage game against Colombia, I remember Eric Wynalda. He was a striker, like me. I also loved Cobi Jones. We had the same skin color and he was fast, like me. Then you had Tony Meola, who rocked that iconic mullet-ponytail look and came up with some big saves. Marcelo Balboa had this long hair and style about him that drew me in.
I was hooked by these guys. I wanted to follow them at every turn and, thankfully, Major League Soccer was just getting started. I had never seen club football before in my life. I didn’t know about the English Premier League or Serie A. I went from that World Cup to, ‘OK, what’s next?’
In 1997, I stood outside Foxboro stadium holding my 1994 World Cup ball, hoping U.S. men’s national team players would stop and sign it. They all did and I still have that ball today. It was an incredible moment – and little did they know they were inspiring a future U.S. national team striker. I couldn’t have imagined that one day I’d work alongside many of them, learn from them, and call some of them friends.
Charlie Davies runs towards Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
Looking back, that team had some of the same appeal that the early WWF had for kids of my generation. The players weren’t just athletes, they were characters. Meola had the presence of a Hulk Hogan, while Alexi Lalas carried the unmistakable aura of the Ultimate Warrior. In a country where soccer was fighting for attention, those personalities helped draw people in. They certainly drew me in.
First as a fan, and later as a player fortunate enough to learn from many of the same men who inspired me. I’m always thankful for them helping me fall in love with the game – and even more with their help along the way. Even so, I don’t think that generation receives the appreciation it deserves.
Watching the 2023 CBS Sports documentary “The Billion Dollar Goal” taught me things I didn’t even know about the origins of soccer in this country. I knew the U.S. had qualified for the 1990 World Cup, but I didn’t fully appreciate what it took to get there or how much those players sacrificed to move the game forward.
The players of 1994 inherited a sport that still sat on the margins of American culture. The NASL had come and gone. The U.S. had missed four decades of World Cups before qualifying in 1990. The foundation wasn’t there and they had to help build it. But what has always stood out to me most isn’t what they accomplished on the field. It’s how they’ve treated the generations that followed.
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Every interaction I’ve had with members of that team has been defined by generosity. I’ve never sensed jealousy. I’ve never felt like they viewed younger players as competition. They wanted us to succeed.
One of my ’94 childhood heroes helped me navigate the transition from player to broadcaster. I work closely with Meola now for CBS, and I’ll always be grateful for the way he helped me when I first entered media through SiriusXM. It would’ve been easy for him to think, “I’m not helping this guy take my spot.” Instead, he and Brian Dunseth welcomed me, guided me and helped find my voice. That’s not something they had to do.
Mike Sorber coached me under Bob Bradley and pushed me because he wanted the best from me. Balboa worked with me at the U-20 level and was always someone I could reach out to. Lalas has been helpful whenever I’ve needed advice on camera. Tab Ramos has always been generous with his time.
Then there’s Stewart. He was my sporting director at the Philadelphia Union. When I was traded from New England to Philadelphia, he picked me up at the airport himself.
Things didn’t always go smoothly for me there, but my respect for Earnie never changed. He always treated people the right way and was always willing to help. The same was true of so many players from that team.
I’ve had the chance to tell Cobi what he meant to me. I told him how much I admired him growing up and how much he influenced the player I became. Not everybody gets the chance to thank their heroes. But I did and it’s something I’ll always cherish.
U.S. star Earnie Stewart was a 1994 inspiration to Charlie DaviesChris WIlkins / AFP via Getty Images
What makes that generation special is that they never stopped giving back to the game. They inspired us as players, then stayed involved as coaches, executives, broadcasters, and mentors. They opened doors and held them open, more than three decades later.
Whenever I’m around those guys, I still find myself listening more than talking. Each of them has stories that feel like chapters from a book. They’ve seen the game grow from something that barely registered in the American sports landscape, to a sport preparing for another World Cup on home soil. When I look back on my own journey — the highs, the lows, everything in between — it’s hard not to feel grateful. None of it happens if I’m not that 7-year-old kid watching the 1994 U.S. men’s national team.
As the World Cup returns home and my own twins prepare to experience it for the first time, I hope this generation of U.S. players can do for them what Jones, Meola, Balboa, Stewart and the rest of that team did for me.
Because you never know which kid in the crowd is watching. And you never know whose life you’re changing.
Charlie Davies Former US men’s national team forward Charlie Davies is a contributor at The Athletic delivering hard-hitting opinion columns, straight-talking podcast appearances, and insightful explainer videos. Charlie made 17 appearances for the USMNT between 2007-09 and was pivotal in helping the team qualify for the 2010 World Cup, before his career was impacted by a serious car accident. He has remained firmly in the soccer spotlight with his TV contributions for CBS Sports and is one of the most prominent former USMNT voices in the country.
The last time a team other than Rangers or Celtic won the Scottish league was 1984. Chasing a first Scottish title since 1960, Hearts really want to compete. Worth waking up to watch at 7:30 am on CBS Sports Network Saturday to see if Hearts can pull the upset at Celtic. Of Sat at 10:30 am gives us FA Cup Final with Chelsea playing Man City at Wembley on ESPN2. (Stories below).
Indy 11 win 2-1 Travel to Ft Wayne FC Sat 7:30 pm on ESPN+
Indianapolis – Indy Eleven used two second-half goals to rally from a halftime deficit to extend their USL Championship home unbeaten streak to seven (6-0-1) dating back to last season with a 2-1 win over Sporting JAX at Carroll Stadium. Indy Eleven resumes USL Cup play Saturday in their first-ever meeting at USL League One expansion side Fort Wayne FC at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Saturday, May 23 is “Pups at the Pitch” at Carroll Stadium when Indy Eleven returns to USL Championship play vs. Lexington SC at 7 p.m. Ticket options include the new Desnuda Tequila Deck, Family Four-Packs, and Flex Mini-Plans. The Girls in Blue opened their 2026 USL W League season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw vs. rival Racing Louisville FC, they travel to new Valley Division member Toledo Villa FC on Saturday at 3 pm on SportsEnginePlay.
Less than 1 month away !!!
Proud to see my Friend and Ref Assignor David Howard honored as Official of the Year by CYO! The CYO awards ceremony at Saints Peter & Paul Cathedral where Dave received the Edward J. Tinder Officials of the Year award.
Fun reffing last weekend with Larry and Yousseff at Grand Park. Ready for State and President Cup games this weekend. Good Luck All!
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Sat, May 16 7:30 am CBSSN Celtic vs Hearts Scottish Championship 9:30 am ESPN+ Leverkusen vs Hamburger 9:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Hoffenheim 10:30 am ESPN2 Chelsea vs Man City FA Cup Final 6″30 pm Tubi, Ion NC Courage vs Chicago Stars NWSL 7:30 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Ft Wayne 7:30 pm Apple NYCFC vs NY REd Bulls 7:30 pm Apple Philly vs Columbus Crew 8:45 pm Tubi, Ion Denver Summit vs Orlando Pride NWSL 9:15 pm FS1 Seattle Sounders vs LA Galaxy 9:30 pm Apple San Diego vs Cincy 10:30 pm Apple San Jose vs Dallas Sun, May 17 6:45 am Para+ Genoa vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 6:45 am Para+ Juventus (McKennie) vs Florentina 7:30 am USA Man United vs Nottingham Forest 9 am Para+ Inter Milan vs Verona 10 am USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Brighton 10 am Peacock Brentford vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10 am NBCSN Everton vs Sunderland 12:30 pm USA New Castle United vs West Ham 1 pm ESPN+ Sevillia vs Real MAdrid 3:15 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Real Betis 6 pm ESPN2 Portland Thorns vs Angel City FC 9 pm Univision Pumas vs Pachuca Mon, May 18 3pm USA Arsenal vs Burnley Tues May 19 2:30 pm USA Bournmouth (adams) vs Man City 3:15 pm USA Chelsea vs Tottenham 7:30 pm Para+ Orlando vs Atlanta United US OPen Cup 8 pm CBSCN St Louis City vs Houston US Open Cup Weds May 20 3 pm CBSSN Freiburg vs Aston Villa Europa League Finals 7:30 pm Para+ Columbus Crew vs NYCFC US OPen Cup 8 pm CBSSN Houston Dash vs SD Wave NWSL 10 pm CBSCN Colorado Rapids vs San Jose US Open Cup Fri, May 22 3 pm Para+ Hull City vs Southampton Champ Playoff 10 pm TUDN Mexico vs Ghana sAT May 23 12 Noon CBSSN Barcelona vs OL Lyonnes (Heeps/Horan) Womens’ UCL 2:30 pm Fox St Louis City vs Austin MLS 7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 vs Lexington 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
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Run into Lionel Messi at a soccer stadium or randomly on the street, and he might feel larger than life despite only standing 5 feet 7. But soon you can have your own version of Messi at almost twice the size for less than $100.Lowe’s will begin selling limited-edition, 10-foot Messi lighted yard inflatables for $99, which will be available through the Lowe’s website starting May 18 for members of the company’s rewards program as part of its “Epically More Messi” campaign. Those living in the 11 U.S. World Cup host cities will be able to purchase a giant Messi inflatable in stores starting May 20.
With the World Cup in sight, we discuss what FIFA needs to do (and stop doing) to get ready.
by Donald Wine II May 11, 2026, 11:08 AM EDT Stars & Stripes
New York New Jersey Stadium (temporarily renamed from MetLife stadium) is seen from the inside ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 7, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images
One month away. The sporting event that has been on the dawn of the horizon for four years is now almost here. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11th from Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and the pressure to perform is starting to reach its peak. It’s not just for the teams that are starting to assemble their final rosters in the coming weeks, but also for the tournament at large. For years, we have heard that this World Cup is going to be the biggest, the best, the most memorable. Now, the powers that be must follow through on that promise.
But, are we ready for the World Cup to kick off in a month? Are the United States, Canada, and Mexico? Is FIFA? Is the World Cup committee? Are we as fans? All of those questions likely have different answers and the level of readiness will vary. But in short, as the time ticks dow to kickoff, there is still a lot that needs to be done for North America to put on the greatest sporting event ever.
It starts with the overall excitement for the tournament, and for a lot of soccer fanatics, that’s not a problem. Even if their team is not in the tournament, life around the world will slow to a snail’s pace when the ball is rolled out to be kicked and the matches begin. But, some of that excitement has been dulled by money and politics, two things that the World Cup was always supposed to set aside for the greater cause of uniting the world to celebrate its favorite game.
The biggest thing that has lowered excitement and deterred many fans of the game, particularly here in North America from being all in for the World Cup has been the incredibly high costs to attend a match: the tickets, the travel, the hotels and home rentals, the public transit. Everyone seems to want to take financial advantage of the World Cup coming here with astronomical pricing. Even fan festivals in some cities are charging for entry with premium add-ons and many won’t even be open for all the matches of the tournament. FIFA vastly overestimated the premium American fans especially would pay to see a tournament match just a few miles from their home.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been on record as saying that the 2026 World Cup would be like “104 Super Bowls in a month,” and recently said that they priced the game tickets accordingly because they felt American fans were used to paying a premium for sports. Infantino also went so far as to say, “You cannot go to watch in the U.S. a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300. And this is the World Cup.” And that shows a fundamental lack of knowledge on what American sports fans routinely pay for games. Anecdotally, it’s much easier to pay less than $100 to get into almost any sporting event except for the Super Bowl than it is to exceed $300 to get into the same game unless you are opting for premium seat locations or amenities. With those statements, Infantino not only showed a lack of knowledge on what Americans will pay for a sporting event, but he also showed a wanton disrespect of how well educated the American soccer fan is on the game.
The United States has been the nation that leads all others outside of the home nation in tickets sold to every World Cup since we hosted for the first time in 1994. American fans routinely are relied upon to purchase tickets to big events that come to our shores. But because of this, American fans understand what World Cups usually cost. They immediately knew that an $1200 ticket for the USMNT’s opening match against Paraguay was over 3 times what people paid for the opening match 4 years ago in Qatar. They knew that a Cat 3 ticket to the USMNT match against Australia this year was twice as much as a Cat 1 ticket to see the USMNT play England in 2022. We’re the nation that has more access to soccer than any other, and because American fans travel for these games, they know what pricing is like everywhere. That was the biggest miss, and it’s costing them with all the reports of tickets going unsold because of the high prices. Hotels, flights, and public transit authorities jacking up the price of getting to and from the games in several cities has also put a damper on fan enthusiasm, and people are now just planning to wait and see if prices drop as inventory continues to remain unfilled.
So, what does FIFA and the World Cup committee need to do, besides consider drastically lower pricing? The biggest gap to fill is educating fans not familiar with attending World Cup on what to expect when the games begin. The education should have already begun months ago, but now is the second best time. Fans need to understand what it will be like attending the game, the security procedures, where people will access the stadium, how they can get there and the costs. There are many chances for people to get frustrated with the process, and lack of information should not be the reason for those chokepoints.
Let them know that the security perimeters are going to be vastly different from attending these stadiums for a NFL game or another soccer game. Let them know that they can’t bring in what they normally would for a routine sporting event at the same stadium. The last thing FIFA needs are entrances to be jammed by people who bring in items that normally are allowed in the stadium that are banned at the World Cup. Get them in the stadiums early by letting them know what will be there for entertainment prior to the match. Will they have screens to watch other games there? Other activations? Some of these stadiums are not close to anything else, so to not create a situation where tens of thousands of people try to enter the stadium at the last minute, bogging down security checkpoints, let them know the process and how long it can take so that people won’t miss the action on the field.
Finally, FIFA needs to get out of its own way. The World Cup is the uniter, the games on the field being the olive branches. The focus shouldn’t be on the revenue, but the action on the field. That’s what will carry in the minds of people long after the tournament is wrapped up. Lowering prices to get fans that generational moment inside the stadium is what’s necessary, but the focus shifted away from the game when the decision was made to price gouge at every turn. Get it back to the games, the teams, the players. We’ll do our part as fans, but as we tick down the days before kickoff on June 11th, soccer’s world governing body needs to do more. This is a pivotal moment in world sports history, and there’s a long way to go to ensure the moment is not fumbled.
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Break out the bubble wrap
Battling but hoping there’s no breaking by jcksnftsn S & S May 8, 2026, 10:31 AM EDT
OVIEDO, SPAIN – APRIL 23: (L-R) Alex Freeman of Villarreal , Javi Lopez of Real Oviedo during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Oviedo v Villarreal at the Estadio Municipal NMR Carlos Tartiere on April 23, 2026 in Oviedo Spain (Photo by Cesar Ortiz Gonzalez/Soccrates/Getty Images)Getty Images
With World Cup roster announcements coming up in just a few weeks and players already dealing with injury (we’ll get to those below) we’ll be watching through squinted eyes the last couple weeks of the season hoping that the injury bug doesn’t further derail World Cup hopes and dreams. While injury is definitely a concern there are still significant things to play for as well including promotion, relegation, and Champions League positioning. We’re covering it all in this weekend’s edition of the viewing guide:
Saturday
Middlesbrough v Southampton – 7:30a on CBSSN: Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough drew with Wrexham last weekend, dropping Middlesbrough to fifth place while Wrexham were eliminated from the playoff race. Middlesbrough will now host Southampton in the first leg of the promotion playoff semifinals. Middlesbrough defeated Southampton 4-0 at home back in early January while the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in Southampton early in the season.
Augsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai is apparently already on ice, he hasn’t appeared in five straight matches and just one of the last seven for Augsburg who undefeated in their last five. Augsburg will be hosting Joe Scally, Gio Reyna and Borussia Monchengladbach who are mathematically safe from relegation and in eleventh place following their 1-0 win over Dortmund, a match which Scally once again started and went 90’ while Reyna came on for the final 20’, he has appeared in three straight matches.
Stuttgart v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman saw just a handful of minutes off the bench in Leverkusen’s 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig last weekend and actually has fewer minutes since the start of April than Gio Reyna. Leverkusen have won four of their last five and have pulled into a three way tie for fourth place with two matches remaining, a grouping that includes this weekend’s host Stuttgart who are coming off a draw with the third team, Hoffenheim.
Fulham v Bournemouth – 10a on USA Network: Antonee Robinson started for Fulham against Arsenal last weekend but Fulham fell 3-0 to the league leaders. Robinson had appeared as a substitute in the prior two matches and looks to be in a rotation with Ryan Sessegnon. Fulham are in eleventh place and will host Tyler Adams and Bournemouth who moved into sixth last weekend following their 3-0 win over Crystal Palace with Tyler Adams getting his first start since early March.
Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Kevin Paredes was on the bench for Wolfsburg as they fell to Freiburg last weekend. He had made a brief substitute appearance the the prior week in his clubs scoreless draw with Gladbach. Wolfsburg are currently in the relegation playoff spot, tied with St. Pauli for direct relegation. Those two teams will meet next weekend to decide the fates of Paredes and James Sands but first Wolfsburg must stay within shooting distance as they host Bayern Munich who are coming off a disappointing Champions League semifinal matchup with PSG midweek but have lost just once and drawn five times in their dominating Bundesliga campaign.
Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo – 12:30p on ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid were also eliminated in Champions League action midweek and adding injury to insult Cardoso was injured in training in the following days and his World Cup hopes are now in doubt as he deals with a high ankle sprain that will keep him out the remainder of the La Liga season. Atleti are in fourth place and can lock up next seasons Champions League spot with with a win over sixth place Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Lecce v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+: Weston McKennie and Juventus hold a one point lead over Roma for fourth place and the final Champions League spot from Serie A after their 1-1 draw with Serie B bound Hellas Verona. They will need to bounce back quickly as the travel to Lecce to face the seventeenth place side that can secure their safety with a win.
Real Sociedad v Real Betis – 3p on ESPN Select: Pellegrino Matarazzo and Real Sociedad are suffering from a bit of a cup hangover as they have lost twice and drawn once in their three matches since winning the Copa del Rey. Sociedad are in ninth place four points back of the top six with four matches to play. They host fifth place Real Betis on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday
Celtic v Rangers – 7a on CBSSN: Auston Trusty has started the last two for Celtic after missing four straight. Celtic are in second place, trailing Hearts by three points with three matches to play in the Scottish Premiership and they will have an Old Firm Derby to contend with on Sunday morning.
Mallorca v Villarreal – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Alex Freeman has started two straight matches for third place Villarreal who defeated Levante 5-1 last weekend. Villareal will now travel to Mallorca to take on the fifteenth place side that are just two points removed from the final relegation spot. As an aside the La Liga relegation battle could be quite something down the stretch. Deportivo Alaves currently sit in 18th place, the final relegation spot with 36 points (just three points ahead of Levante). There are six teams within three points of them, including a logjam of three on 38 points, a group that includes Mallorca.
Crystal Palace v Everton – 9a on Peacock: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace completed their semi-final victory over Shaktar Donetsk on Thursday, winning 2-1 on the day and 5-2 on aggregate. Palace advanced to the UEFA Conference League final where they will face Rayo Vallecano near the end of May. With the extra cup schedule and not much to play for in terms of the EPL standings Richards saw a rare rest last weekend in Palace’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, coming off the bench for the final 14’. Prior to last weekend Richards had played nearly every minute for Palace outside of the four match stretch where he dealt with a foot injury at the turn of the year.
Koln v Heidenheim – 11:30a on ESPN Select: Kristoffer Lund picked up his second assist of the season as Koln drew with Union Berlin last weekend a result that guarantees their safety with two matches to play. Koln will host Heidenheim on Sunday, a team that could technically still pull into the relegation playoff position over the last two weeks, though no higher.
AC Milan v Atalanta – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic and AC Milan are limping into the end of the year, falling 2-0 to Sassuolo last weekend with Pulisic appearing as a substitute. Milan have scored just one goal as a team in their last five matches and as you’ve likely heard Pulisic himself hasn’t found the back of the next this calendar year. Milan are in third place, just three points ahead of Roma and in danger of missing Champions League qualification again if they cannot find some goals over the final three matchdays of the season. On Sunday they will host Atalanta who are in seventh place, ten points back of Juventus and the top four. Yunus Musah saw five minutes off the bench last weekend in Atalanta’s scoreless draw with Genoa, it was his first appearance in the last four matches.
Le Havre v Olympique Marseille – 3p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah was serving a yellow card suspension last weekend as Marseille fell to relegation threatened Nantes 3-0. Marseille dropped to seventh place and their slide to end the season, with just one win in their last six matches, has dropped them out of contention for Champions League qualification. Marseille still have a chance to make Europa League or Conference League but will need a result as they travel to take on a Le Havre side that are looking to secure their safety.
Monaco v Lille – 3p on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun was back on the scoresheet last weekend, scoring the first of Monaco’s two goals in a 2-1 win over Metz, a week after seeing his eight match scoring streak snapped. The win also snapped Monaco’s three match winless streak and moved them to sixth place. They will host fourth place Lille who they trail by four points with two matches remaining.
Toulouse v Olympique Lyon – 3p on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Tanner Tessmann’s teams will face off in Ligue 1 play on Sunday and while McKenzie and Toulouse don’t have much to play for Lyon are currently in third place, the final Champions League spot in Ligue 1, and leading Lille by just two points. Unfortunately, Tessmann was not included in the squad last weekend when Lyon defeated Stade Rennais 4-2 as he is apparently dealing with an injury that will now sideline him for the final matches of the season.
🇺🇸 Americans Abroad roundup 🇺🇸
Christian Pulisic’s rough stretch continued as he missed AC Milan’s 3-2 loss to Atalanta with a glute injury. Milan’s slide is becoming a real concern, with the club now barely hanging onto a Champions League spot and questions starting to swirl around both the team and Pulisic’s form heading into the World Cup.
Sergiño Dest reminded everyone exactly what he brings to the USMNT setup. The PSV fullback delivered a brilliant cross from the left side for Ricardo Pepi to head home in PSV’s 4-1 win, showing both his creativity and versatility after recently returning from injury.
Ricardo Pepi kept his strong season rolling with another goal for PSV, his 14th of the campaign. With Balogun also red hot, the USMNT striker competition heading into the World Cup is getting very interesting.
Gio Reyna finally had a breakthrough moment, scoring his first Bundesliga goal in nearly a year and a half for Borussia Mönchengladbach. It may not completely change his World Cup outlook, but it was a much-needed reminder of the quality he still possesses.
Auston Trusty played a key role in Celtic’s huge 3-1 Old Firm comeback win over Rangers. The USMNT defender was strong defensively and helped keep Celtic’s title hopes alive heading into a dramatic finish in Scotland.
Other notes:
Alex Freeman made the bench for Villarreal but did not feature.
FA Cup Final betting preview: Man City favourites to beat Chelsea
Folarin Balogun’s hot streak cooled off in Monaco’s tough 1-0 loss to Lille, though he still has 8 goals in his last 10 Ligue 1 matches.
In other Ligue 1 news, Mark McKenzie’s Toulouse pushed past Lyon in a 2-1 victory — Tanner Tessmann did not play due to a minor injury (he is out for the club season but reports have him available for the World Cup squad… whew)
Tyler Adams came off the bench early in Bournemouth’s 1-0 win over Fulham, while Antonee Robinson played 90 minutes for the other side.
Weston McKennie put in another solid shift, this time in the number 10 position, as Juventus beat Lecce 1-0.
Chris Richards went the distance in Crystal Palace’s 2-2 draw with Everton.
Aidan Morris played all 90 minutes in Middlesbrough’s Championship playoff draw with Southampton.
Malik Tillman featured for about half an hourin Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 loss to Stuttgart.
Yunus Musah was an unused substitute in Atalanta’s win over Milan.
Rayan Cherki celebrates scoring for Manchester City Gareth Copley/Getty Images
FA Cup final day is one of the most cherished on the English football calendar. While the Wembley showpiece might not have the luster it did in past decades, Chelsea and Manchester City would relish getting their hands on the oldest trophy in club football.
This might be particularly true for Chelsea, who need to salvage something from a season that has quickly slipped through their fingers.Indeed, the Blues are on to their third manager of the campaign, with interim boss Calum McFarlane in charge for Saturday’s final. Chelsea’s only two wins in their past 11 games both came in the FA Cup, against Port Vale and Leeds United.
Chelsea are 21/10 to lift the trophy, reflecting how they are widely seen as underdogs against a Manchester City side that, in contrast, has improved over the course of the season.
Jeremy Doku could be City’s primary difference-maker, having scored four goals in his past four appearances. The Belgian is 11/4 to score at any time against Chelsea.
Doku is the most prolific dribbler in the Premier League and could give Chelsea all kinds of problems, no matter if Malo Gusto or Reece James start at right-back. Doku has the one-on-one ability to embarrass any defender in world football.
Rayan Cherki was in sparkling form the last time City met Chelsea, contributing two assists in a comfortable 3-0 win for Pep Guardiola’s title-chasers.
The way Chelsea have fared under Liam Rosenior and McFarlane, there is frequently space in front of the defensive line to exploit — see Ryan Gravenberch’s strike for Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.
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This could be where Cherki does the most damage, with the French playmaker 13/5 to find the back of the net at any point at Wembley. Chelsea might have to man-mark him to stand any chance of keeping him quiet.
Then there is Erling Haaland. It says a lot about the Norwegian’s goalscoring ability that many believe he has endured an underwhelming season, despite notching 37 goals in all competitions for City – including three in this competition.
City are 4/11 to lift the FA Cup this weekend and have not lost to Chelsea in their past 14 meetings, winning 11 and drawing three. The omens are not great for McFarlane and his players heading into the encounter.
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Nonetheless, Chelsea can take some encouragement from the way they controlled large portions of Saturday’s match away to Liverpool, when most had predicted another loss.
On their day, Chelsea’s midfield trio of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer are capable of controlling any match against any opponent, including Manchester City.
Their best chance of stopping Guardiola’s side might be to control as much possession as possible, meaning McFarlane could once again deploy a box midfield of Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer and Andrey Santos like he did at Anfield.
Marc Cucurella’s mobility down the left wing will be key for Chelsea. They need the Spaniard to exploit the space behind Matheus Nunes in order to impose themselves as an attacking force.
Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in their past 15 games in all competitions, and so there could be value in backing over 2.5 goals by Manchester City at 12/5.
Upsets can happen, especially in this cup, where the fabled magic of the competition frequently compels underdogs to perform above their usual standards.
Fatigue could be a factor. While Manchester City rested some players as they took on Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening in the Premier League, Chelsea have had a week off entirely since drawing away to Liverpool.
If Chelsea can somehow extend Saturday’s match into extra time, perhaps they could have the edge on a Man City side that is still in hope of snatching the Premier League title away from Arsenal.
Chelsea are 14/1 to win the FA Cup final in extra time, and the same price to win the match on penalties. The Blues have won four of their past six penalty shootouts, stretching back to the 2022 UEFA Super Cup against Villarreal.
Having already won the Carabao Cup, a domestic double is a very realistic possibility for Manchester City. Everything points to another trophy being lifted by Guardiola and his players at Wembley.
USMNT Tracker: Reyna finally off the mark, Trusty’s derby delight but more worries for Pulisic
Gio Reyna is finally off the mark this season Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images
Gio Reyna is finally off the mark for Borussia Monchengladbach this season but there was a worrying new injury for Christian Pulisic — while Auston Trusty helped Celtic win in the Od Firm derby against Rangers and keep the stage set for a nail-biting Scottish title race thriller.
Welcome to this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.
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Reyna finally scores
It was a consolation goal for his team, and the simple finish that Gio Reyna rolled into the net on Saturday could help sooth his personal frustrations.
Reyna scored his first of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach at the end of a 3-1 defeat at Augsburg, his first domestic goal since January 2025.
Gio Reyna scoring his first of the season for Borussia MonchengladbachLeonhard Simon/Getty Images
The 23-year-old forward had started the contest, as usual, on the bench. But although it made no difference to the result, the American was in the right place at the right time to score a right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the bottom-right of the net and take a symbolic step forward.Could that moment have come just at the right time to move the dial in his favour when it comes to World Cup selection?
Well, Reyna is certainly in that category. He has started only four Bundesliga games for Gladbach this term, often used as a substitute by coach Eugen Polanski. In total, he has played 486 minutes in the league.Against Portugal and Belgium, he got a total of 31 minutes from the bench, and failed to do much of note in disappointing games that his team were already losing.That’s why moments like Saturday could still count. If they are indicative of a sharpness and prowess that remains ready when unleashed, they are much-needed positive optics for Pochettino to keep in mind as he begins to finalise his plans for the summer.Reyna could do with another moment in Gladbach’s last game of a disjointed campaign — they are currently 13th and finish against Hoffenheim on Saturday.
It didn’t improve yesterday, when he missed out on selection because of a muscle injury reported in training in the days prior.
The mood music around the American suggests it is not a serious problem. It is not something that should have Pochettino sweating. But the 27-year-old, who last week was on the cover of Time magazine, has dismissed any talk about his goal drought as “bad questions”.He prefers, he said in the article, to shut down the doubters by scoring. Missing another chance altogether on Sunday is not going to ease his frustration, or fourth-placed Milan’s worries, as their loss allowed Roma (on a three-game winning run) to move level with them on points.
Trusty’s Old Firm success
Things are shaping up nicely for a thrilling conclusion in Scotland, and USMNT defender Auston Trusty is going to play his part.
The 27-year-old centre-back and his Celtic team-mates came from behind to beat Rangers and win a pulsating Old Firm clash 3-1 on Sunday.
Auston Trusty and Celtic are involved in a thrilling title chaseIan MacNicol/Getty Images
Neutral romantics will probably still root for first-placed Hearts in the Scottish Premiership title race, but as Celtic moved within a point of them (and will face them in the final game of the season on Saturday), nobody will be taking their eyes off the drama.
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For Trusty, who had a game-long battle with Rangers’ attacker Youssef Chermiti but came out on top in the end, it will mean he is at full sharpness going into June.
What’s coming up this week?
This weekend marks the end of the domestic season for Americans in the Bundesliga. See if Gio Reyna can produce another positive reminder of what he’s about against Hoffenheim (Saturday, 9:30am, ESPN+) or whether Malik Tillman can sign off on a positive note for Bayer Leverkusen in their last match with Hamburg (Saturday, 9:30am, ESPN+).
Watch
How USMNT players influenced the design of their World Cup jerseys
Henry Bushnell and Reuben Pinder
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace kept their own momentum going on Sunday. They’re already in the Europa Conference League final later this month, but they didn’t take their foot off the gas in the Premier League, coming from behind twice to get a 2-2 draw with Everton. See how Richards & Co can do in a big title-reckoning game against Manchester City (3pm, Wednesday, Peacock Premium) before they take on fellow Londoners Brentford on the weekend (10am, Sunday, Peacock Premium).
Finally, Milan have to start winning again against Genoa on Sunday. See if Christian Pulisic can recover and help them (Sunday, 9am, Paramount +).
Greg O’Keeffe is a senior writer for The Athletic covering US soccer players in the UK & Europe. Previously he spent a decade at the Liverpool Echo covering news and features before an eight-year stint as the paper’s Everton correspondent; giving readers the inside track on Goodison Park, a remit he later reprised at The Athletic. He has also worked as a news and sport journalist for the BBC and hosts a podcast in his spare time.
Who will Mauricio Pochettino pick for the USMNT World Cup roster?
Time to predict who Poch will bring in. by Donald Wine II Stars & Stripes May 12, 2026, 8:59 AM EDT
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 28: Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States runs the pitch during the International Friendly match between United States and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)Getty Images
We’re a month away from the United States Men’s National Team stepping onto the field at SoFi Stadium for their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. In a couple of weeks, we will know who will be some of those guys that step out onto that field. On May 26th, U.S. Soccer will announce the USMNT World Cup roster, and 26 players will see their dreams realized of making a World Cup on home soil.
But, who will make the roster? Who will USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino call upon to represent the United States at the world’s tournament? There are probably 35 players who could conceivably have a shot at one of the 26 roster spots. Ultimately, it’s up to Pochettino to decide who those guys will be that he thinks can advance far and try to become the first team to win a World Cup on home soil since France in 1998.
So, who will Mauricio Pochettino choose for his 26-man roster? Let’s predict who will receive the coveted tickets to the World Cup.
Goalkeepers (3): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Matt Freese is the starter for the USMNT, and Matt Turner will be the main backup. Those two things seem to be givens at this point. The real question will be who will be selected as the third goalkeeper. Chris Brady has the leg up as he was named to the roster in March over Patrick Schulte, who was added as an injury replacement for Roman Celentano. In the end, Chris Brady edges out Schulte due to his form on the club level.
Misses cut: Patrick Schultz (Columbus Crew), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati)
Defenders (8): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, and Tim Ream are the locks of the defensive unit to make the team. After that, there are guys that have clearly played their way into Poch’s plans. Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Mark McKenzie, and Auston Trusty are guys that Pochettino trusts and will get the call. Sergiño Dest, who returned to action with PSV recently, shows he’s fit enough to make the team and it’s welcome news for the USMNT.
Misses cut: Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Midfielders (9): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
There are some guys who are locks for the midfield: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Malik Tillman. The rest could change around depending on form down the stretch or, in the case of Johnny Cardoso, injury likely ruling him out of the World Cup. With Johnny likely sidelined this summer (and he was still a question mark to make the roster despite his form for Atlético Madrid), Aidan Morris gets onto the roster. Tanner Tessmann, Diego Luna, and Sebastian Berhalter feel like they will be solidly on the roster. Cristian Roldan will also be a guy on the roster as Pochettino finds him dependable and able to be versatile and provide cover for many midfield positions.
The final player, and the most controversial, is Gio Reyna, who Pochettino has said in no uncertain terms that his form for the national team is outweighing his lack of form and minutes in 2026 on the club level. He’s started to play better for Borussia Mönchengladbach recently, but Reyna will be included on the roster for what Poch believes he can do in that national team jersey.
Misses cut: Johnny Cardoso (Atlético Madrid), Yunus Musah (Atalanta)
Forwards (6): Brendan Aaronson (Leeds United), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
The forward group might be the one that is in the best form, with the exception of the face of the team: Christian Pulisic. He’s been in a slump lately and hasn’t scored for the USMNT since November 2024. The USMNT will need one of the faces of the World Cup to deliver this summer. Tim Weah is a lock for the roster, and Brendan Aaronson makes it as a forward, but will also have an opportunity to provide relief in the midfield. Because of Patrick Agyemang’s terrible Achilles injury that has sidelined him for the year, Mauricio Pochettino avoids his biggest obstacle: choosing between several center forwards that are in peak form and scoring goals. Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright (who can also play out on the wing) will all make the team convincingly.
Misses cut: Alex Zendejas (Club América), Josh Sargent (Toronto FC)
The World Cup will be here shortly, and we’ll know the roster shortly. For 26 guys, a dream comes true. For others, that dream is shattered if they don’t hear their name called on May 26th.
It’s Gozo time: Why USMNT should turn to uncapped teen for the World Cup
When Mauricio Pochettino names his final U.S. World Cup roster in less than two weeks, he should make room for at least one surprise.Yet it will only truly be a shock for those who haven’t been paying attention.Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo, an uncapped 19-year-old winger, scored twice on Wednesday night in a 3-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. It was a performance that only added to what has been a breakout season, a continuation of the promise he showed last year when his overhead kick against LAFC put him on the map.AdvertisementThat highlight-reel finish was a preview of the dynamic and creative presence Gozo has in front of goal. He only reinforced that on Wednesday with his eighth and ninth goal contributions (five goals, four assists) of the season.Is there risk in introducing any new player to a core group this late in the World Cup process? Sure. But simply put: Gozo would undoubtedly make the U.S. World Cup team better.Pochettino’s preferred group lacks true game-changers. It’s why he has called in Gio Reyna despite the player’s continued struggles to stay healthy, effective and on the field. The U.S. coach understands there will be moments in this World Cup where he will look down the bench in search of someone who can add a spark — someone whose energy and presence alone boosts the team because it knows the player can pull out something different when the moment calls for it.The search should be over. Gozo is that player.
Zavier Gozo has given RSL fans plenty to cheer this seasonJamie Sabau / Imagn Images
And it’s not just about what he brings on the field, though certainly we can start there.Gozo has the physical profile to compete at the highest levels of the game. It’s why he has drawn interest from the likes of Atlético Madrid and Aston Villa, per The Athletic’s Tom Bogert — and why multiple sources around him and around the league expect the Utah native to be sold for eight figures this summer. He can run by defenders with pace. He can body up in the box when needed. He never plays afraid.
And that’s where what he does around the box becomes an important part of the conversation. Gozo triesthings. He tests goalkeepers. He creates opportunities for himself — and for others.His finish earlier this month against the Portland Timbers was a good example of his savvy in front of the net. Gozo was a late runner in a counterattack. As he approached a rolling pass near the top of the box, he moved his eyes central, to where Diego Luna was lurking. It was enough to get the goalkeeper to lean to his right just a touch, and Gozo laced a shot inside the near post.His feel and creativity around goal were even better a month earlier against Sporting Kansas City, when he received a pass at the top corner of the box, flicked it up to himself and snapped a volley inside the upper corner of the far post, a brilliant finish that doubled RSL’s lead.Against Atlanta United in March, he showed another layer to his game, bringing the ball down out of the air in stride, dribbling at and then past a defender and onto his left foot, where he curled a shot to the far post.Time and time again, Gozo does stuff in games that makes you stand up. It has a similar feel to other top young players who have come before in MLS, guys like Alphonso Davies and Tyler Adams, who simply seemed as though they were too good for this league.Gozo is clearly ready for more, and Pochettino has a chance to give him the ultimate stage to prove it.As his profile has grown, so has his place on the U.S. radar. Pochettino’s right-hand man, assistant coach Jesús Pérez, hinted as much last weekend.“(Watching a) few players, young players on both sides today,” Pérez said when asked on Apple TV why he was scouting FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake. “Very important for us to keep an eye on some of them. Obviously Luna is the one that has been more games with us, but there are a few other players that caught our eye and it’s important to be here today.”It’s not a stretch to conclude that Gozo is among that cohort, nor would it be unprecedented to call in a teenager without any senior caps to a World Cup squad.
Zavier Gozo, center, and Diego Luna, right, have teamed to great effect at the club level. Is country next?Rob Gray / Imagn Images
At the 2022 World Cup, 10 players made appearances aged 20 or younger with two or fewer pre-World Cup caps, according to TruMedia. That includes the Netherlands’ Xavi Simons, who made his debut in the knockout stage against the U.S. at 19.
Trent Alexander-Arnold had one cap when he made his World Cup debut in 2018 at age 19. Thomas Müller had two caps when he made his World Cup debut in 2010 at 20 (and scored five goals to win the Golden Boot). Christian Eriksen had three caps when he made his World Cup debut in 2010 at 18.
Experience is not an excuse when a player is both the right fit and ready for the moment.
It’s not even a unique scenario for the U.S.
Joe Scally made the World Cup squad in 2022 at 19 despite having just three senior caps. Julian Green (19, two caps) and DeAndre Yedlin (20, four caps) made the U.S. team in 2014, with Green scoring a knockout-stage goal and Yedlin emerging as a breakout player for the U.S. at the tournament.
Yedlin, now Gozo’s RSL teammate, is a great example of what the U.S. might be able to get from the young winger at the tournament. This U.S. team is not the young group of Qatar anymore. It could benefit from a wide-eyed youngster who comes in and injects a sort of awe, excitement and determination into the group. Yedlin’s supersub role added a different element for the U.S. in Brazil, and he impacted the game by helping set up the Americans’ second goal in a 2-2 draw with Portugal.
The most international experience Zavier Gozo, right, has came at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World CupJavier Torres / AFP / Getty Images
It was perhaps symbolic that Yedlin is the one who assisted Gozo’s first goal on Wednesday, which further reinforced his World Cup case. The U.S. has spent this last cycle searching for something different for a team that went into Qatar with such promise, but came out clearly needing more to truly make a run.
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The U.S. has been practically begging for a player like Gozo to bolster the attack. Close your eyes and imagine that scenario late in the game: it’s the 75th minute against Turkey, and the U.S. needs a goal to secure a result. It may be crazy to consider given the extent of Gozo’s high-pressure international experience is last fall’s FIFA U-20 World Cup, but there are few players in the current pool that would instill more belief coming off the bench to make something happen than him.
When Pochettino took over the U.S., he insisted that he was always watching everyone. He has proved in his time here that he has no fear about shaking things up. In fact, that’s exactly what he has set out to do. His message has been clear and consistent: Every player in the pool has a chance, they just have to show they deserve it on the field.
Taking Gozo to the World Cup would show just how serious Pochettino is about that message. But beyond that, the teenager deserves to be at the World Cup. And he has a manager brave enough to make it a reality.
It might just be the biggest payoff of Pochettino’s earn-it approach with this group.
Champions League Final 4 – Tues PSG Vs Bayern, Wed Atletico vs Arsenal CBS
So coverage on CBS starts at 2 pm with the Pregame show then a 3 pm kickoff each day for the first leg of the Champions League Semis. I am still flabbergasted that Bayern Munich Coach Vincent Kompany will miss the game. It’s all because Kompany was booked in Bayern’s thrilling quarterfinal win over Real Madrid for disputing the referee’s decision to allow Madrid to play on and score after a hard tackle on Bayern defender Josip Stanisic. That was Kompany’s third yellow card in Bayern’s 12th Champions League game of the season. He argued UEFA should relax the rules now there are more games than ever and he’s absolutely right!! “It’s an extended format and it’s the strictest-ever ruling with a lot of interpretation from referees, where sometimes you can get a yellow card wrong as well. So what happens then?” Kompany said after the game. Just like on players — yellow cards for coaches should all be wiped out if EUFA had any brains. Red Card – might be another thing. But its just nuts he’s going to miss the game in the Final 4 of Soccer! Back to the games – I like PSG at home 3-1 on Tues – and my Atletico Madrid 1-0 vs Arsenal as Diego Simione will find a way to shut down the Gunners offense at home.
Indy 11 fall to League 1 Union Omaha in US Open Cup – Play TB Rowdies Sat
Yes you read that right -our mighty Boys in Blue – fell at home 2-1 to a 4th place League 1 team at Carroll Stadium Sat night as 9K looked on. Forward Bruno Rendon scored his fourth goal in eight games this season, but it wasn’t enough as the 11 fall to 7th in the Eastern Conference. Indy resumes USL Championship play Saturday at Eastern Conference opponent Tampa Bay Rowdies at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+. The Boys in Blue return home to Carroll Stadium for “The World’s Game Night” vs. expansion club Sporting JAX on Saturday, May 9 at 7 p.m. Ticket options available include Family Four-Packs and Flex Mini-Plans.
US Open Cup Play Continues on Paramount Plus Tues/Wed
While the 11 lost – fellow USL Champ team Louisville City knocked off Austin City FC on the road and will now face Houston at 8 pm Tues, while fellow USL team One Knoxville SC will travel to Columbus at 7:30 pm Tues on Para+.
Good times at the Girls College Showcase at Grand Park this past weekend – with Sofaine, Justine & I.
Man Chef/Master Assignor Nate fixed up a feast for us Refs at his house. The BEST BRISKET in Indiana – Thanks Nate! Here’s the late night crew Drew, Nate, Gator Rob, Grant, Kevin & I got soaked after this game Friday at the Girls Showcase – as extreme Thunderstorms came thru.
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Tues, Apr 28 3 pm CBS,Para+ PSG vs Bayern Munich UCL Semi 7 pm CBSSN Charlotte vs Atlanta United US Open Cup 9:30 pm FS1 Nashville SC vs Tigres UNAL CCC Cup Wed, Apr 29 3 pm CBS, Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal USL Semi 7 pm CBSSN NY Red Bulls vs NYCFC US Open Cup 7 pm Victory+ Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Racing Louisville NWSL 7:39 pm Para+ Columbus vs One Knoxville SC US Open Cup 8 pm Para+ Chicago vs St Louis US Open Cup 8 pm Para+ Houston vs Louisville City US Open Cup !0:30 pm FS1 LAFC vs Toluca CCC Thurs, Apr 30 Europa League 3 pm Para+ Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa 3 pm Para+ Shakthar Donesk vs Crystal Palace (Richards) Fri May 1 3 pm USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Burnley 8 pm Victory+ Houston Dash vs Seattle Reign NWSL Sat, May 2 9 am beIN sport Nantes vs Olympic Marseille (Weah) 9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Heidenheim 10 am USA Brentford vs West Ham United 10:!5 am ESPN+ Valencia vs Atletico Madrid (Cardoso) 12:30 pm NBC Arsenal vs Fulham (Jedi) 2:30 pm Fox Sporting KC vs Seattle Sounders 4:30 pm Fox Real Salt Lake vs Portland Timbers 7 pm FS1 Inter Miami vs Orlando City 7 pm ESPN+ Indy 11 @ Tampa Rowdies 8:45 pm Tubi Angel City vs Utah Royals NWSL 9:30 pm Apple San Diego vs LAFC Sun, May 3 9 am Peacock Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 9 am Para+ Sassuolo vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 10:30 am USA? Man United vs Liverpool 11:30 am ESPN+ Dortmund vs MGladbach (Tillman) 12 pm Para+ Juventus (Mckennie) vs Verona 1 pm ESPN2 Chicago vs Portland Thorns NWSL 2 pm USA Aston Villa vs Tottenham 3 pm CBS Boston Legacy vs Denver Summit NWSL 3 pm ESPN Des Espanyol vs Real Madrid 5 pm CBSSN Gotham FC vs Racing Louisville FC NWSL 5:30 pm Apple Austin vs St Louis MLS 7 pm Victory+ San Diego Wave vs Bay FC NWSL Mon, May 4 10 am USA Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest 3 pm USA Everton vs Man City 3 pm ESPN+ Sevilla vs Real Sociadad (US Coach) Tues, May 5 3 pm CBS, Para+ PSG vs Bayern Munich UCL Semi 2 Wed, May 5 3 pm CBS, Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal USL Semi 9:30 pm FS2? Toluca vs LAFC CCC 10 pm CBSSN Utah Royals vs Houston Dash 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
USMNT midweek viewing guide: Johnny, Richards kick off semis
Follow along with all the USMNT action this week. by Justin Moran Apr 27, 2026, 9:05 AM EDT
Liverpool’s Dutch striker #18 Cody Gakpo (L) and Crystal Palace’s US defender #26 Chris Richards clash as they vie for the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 25, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /AFP via Getty Images
Midweek action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. Let’s get into it!
Monday
Cagliari vs Atalanta, 12:30p on Paramount+, DAZN, FOX Deportes, Fubo: Yunus Musah and Atalanta pay a visit to Cagliari in Serie A.
Tuesday
Charlotte FC vs Atlanta United, 7p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, Fubo: Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte host the Five Stripes in the US Open Cup round of 16.
Also in action:
Nashville SC vs Tigres, 8:30p FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Matthew Corcoran and Nashville host Liga MX club Tigres UANL in this Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal.
San Jose Quakes vs Minnesota United, 10p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo: Niko Tsakiris and the Earthquakes host Minnesota in the US Open Cup round of 16.
Wednesday
Atlético Madrid vs Arsenal, 3p on CBS, Paramount+, TUDN, Univision, Fubo (free trial), ViX: Johnny Cardoso and Atléti host the Gunners in the first leg of this UEFA Champions League semifinal.
NY Red Bulls vs NYCFC, 7p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, Fubo: Matt Freese and the Pigeons visit Ethan Horvath, Cade Cowell, Adri Mehmeti, Julian Hall, and the Red Bulls in a US Open Cup edition of the Hudson River Derby.
New England Revolution vs Orlando City, 7:30p on Paramount+: Matt Turner, Peyton Miller, and the Revs welcome Duncan McGuire and the Lions into town for this US Open Cup match.
Sporting CP vs Tondela, 3:15p on Fubo: Jordan Pefok and Tondela visit Sporting Lisbon in Liga Portugal.
Columbus Crew vs One Knoxville, 7:30p on Paramount+: Patrick Schulte, Max Arfsten, and the Crew host third-division One Knoxville SC in the US Open Cup round of 16.
Chicago Fire vs St. Louis City, 8p on Paramount+: Chris Brady and the Fire host St. Louis in the US Open Cup round of 16.
Houston Dynamo vs Louisville City, 8p on Paramount+: Jack McGlynn and the Dynamo host Lou City of the USL Championship in the US Open Cup round of 16.
Colorado Rapids vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 9p on Paramount+: Paxten Aaronson, Zack Steffen, and the Rapids meet local USL Championship club Colorado Springs in the US Open Cup round of 16.
LAFC vs Toluca, 10:30p on FS1, TUDN, UniMás, Fubo, ViX, Univision NOW: Timothy Tillman and LAFC host Toluca in the first leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal.
Thursday
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace visit Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in Kraków, Poland for the first leg of this UEFA Conference League semifinal.
Friday
LASK Linz vs Altach, 10a: George Bello and LASK have the chance to visit a trophy as they meet Altach in Austria’s cup final.
Leeds vs Burnley, 3p on USA: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in Premier League action.
Also in action:
Spezia vs Venezia, 9a: Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Spezia in Serie B.
FC Andorra vs Albacete, 10:15a: Jonathan Gómez and Albacete visit FC Andorra in La Liga 2.
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USMNT analysis -Predicting the 2026 USMNT World Cup roster: tight races and form come into focus
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta offers up his latest prediction as to what the United States roster will look like for the 2026 World Cup, with breakdowns as to which players are in the mix and fighting for spots BY Brian Sciaretta Posted l 17, 2026 http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/
IN ABOUT A MONTH, we will know the 2026 World Cup roster for the United States national team. The team will not gather between now and then, which means the only thing players can do is perform well for their clubs. While head coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted that the March roster was not the final roster, it should provide some clues.
The March roster was 27 players, although it had four goalkeepers – meaning that it was the same number of field players as the World Cup team will have. Assuming Tyler Adams, Sergino Dest, and Haji Wright will make the team after missing March due to injury, that means three players will have to come off, with one being Patrick Agyemang who is injured.
On top of that, the team did not play well in March against Belgium and Portugal. That could also make a few more players vulnerable.
The best guess, however, is that Pochettino has been trying to build something with this group and not use each window exclusively for auditions. There will be some changes, of course, but most of what we’ve seen since last September (when Pochettino said was the last chance to look at new players) is what will comprise of the World Cup roster.
With that said, here is a predicted roster.
Goalkeepers
1) Matt Freese 2) Matt Turner 3) Chris Brady
In the mix: Patrick Schulte, Roman Celentano, Jonathan Klinsmann
Analysis: Matt Freese has been the U.S. national team No. 1 since last summer and Matt Turner has settled into the No. 2. Nothing in the March window suggested anything different. While it is possible Freese or Turner could flip starting/back-up roles leading up to the World Cup, it is impossible (absent injury) to see a scenario where both do not make the team.
That leads us to the No. 3 goalkeeper. Chris Brady seems like the best possible choice at the moment. Roman Celentano and Jonathan Klinsmann have struggled since the start of 2026. Patrick Schulte has been decent, but Brady has been better.
Central Defenders
4) Chris Richards 5) Tim Ream 6) Mark McKenzie 7) Auston Trusty
In the mix: Miles Robinson, Noahkai Banks, Tristan Blackmon, George Campbell, Walker Zimmerman
Analysis: this is arguably the weakest area of the player pool – and that is not good. Being strong in central defense is needed by teams who require upsets to make a run. Chris Richards is the best of the bunch, by a wide margin. Tim Ream has had a great career but has not had a good start to 2026. It is clear that age is catching up to him, but Pochettino is very invested in Ream and it is hard to envision a scenario where Ream is cut.
Mark McKenzie has had a decent season for Toulouse even if he hasn’t had a defining performance for the U.S. national team. Meanwhile, Auston Trusty had a decent shift in March – so why not? There just aren’t a lot of options in the back.
Miles Robinson couldn’t play during the March window due to injury. But beyond that, Cincinnati has been terrible defensively over the last six weeks. That is not necessarily Robinson’s fault, but it doesn’t help his case either.
Noahkai Banks could be an option, but there isn’t anything to suggest he has decided to play for the United States. With him asking out of the final camp before the World Cup roster is named, predicting him making the team is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Tristan Blackmon, George Campbell, and Walker Zimmerman were all called-up in 2025 for limited times. But the fact they weren’t brought back suggests they are backup options now in case of injury.
Of course, Pochettino might bring a fifth central defender but players like Tanner Tessmann or Alex Freeman are just as likely to play in the backline if needed.
Fullbacks
8) Sergino Dest 9) Alex Freeman 10) Antonee Robinson 11) Max Arfsten
In the mix: Joe Scally, John Tolkin, Kristoffer Lund
Analysis: At this point, the best guess is that Pochettino will pick who has been calling up, whenever healthy. Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Antonee Robinson, and Max Arfsten have all been selected whenever they’re not injured. With that, Dest remains a bit of a wildcard. He has said that he is aiming to return from injury before the end of the season. For now, we think he’ll make it. If not, Scally comes back in.
Joe Scally is a tough omission because he can also play as a central defender in a three-man backline. Then again, so can Tanner Tessmann and Alex Freeman. But Pochettino has never seemed to full trust Scally and even left him out of some of the fall camps. Still, Scally should be there if Dest isn’t fully fit.
On the left side, Robinson is healthy – for now. Arfsten has had defensive liabilities but is good at getting forward. But Arfsten has been the preferred option when Robinson hasn’t been healthy. With John Tolkin injured (although it is unclear his timetable for return) and Kristoffer Lund having never been in the picture, Arfsten should certainly be there.
There is also Tim Weah, who could start at right back, right wing, or even left back. He is listed as a winger here, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a fullback option.
Central midfielders
12) Tyler Adams 13) Tanner Tessmann 14) Johnny Cardoso 15) Sebastian Berhalter 16) Christian Roldan
In the mix: Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah
Analysis: This is the deepest area of the player pool and the place where the most difficult picks will be made.
Among those on the team, Tyler Adams is as close to a lock as anyone outside Richards or Pulisic. If central defense is a weakness, Adams can help alleviate that more than anyone as he is a very useful shield to the backline and he is a great disrupter. Tanner Tessmann has been singled out for his “brain” – which helps in his versatility to help in central defense if needed.
Johnny Cardoso only played 45 minutes for the U.S. team, but he was decent as the rest of the team struggled. He is yet to have a big game for the USMNT, but his club resume should be enough. Sebastian Berhalter was up and down in March but he is playing well for Vancouver and has had good moments for the U.S. team over the past year. Plus, he is an excellent free kick taker.
That leaves us with Cristian Roldan, who Pochettino likes and has singled out as a good teammate who adds value on a big 26-player roster.
The toughest omission here would be Aidan Morris, who has been consistently good for Middlesbrough. The problem for Morris is that he might be redundant with Tessmann, Cardoso, and Adams.
As for Yunus Musah, he seems like a longshot at this moment given his terrible season in Italy where his loan to Atalanta just hasn’t yielded meaningful minutes. He will still only be 27-years-old at the next World Cup but he needs to develop. Right now, at 23, he’s essentially the same players as he was at 19, but only rustier for not having played. He needs to make smart decisions this year about the next steps in his career. But it is hard to believe that a World Cup starter as a teenager could be left off the team four years later.
Attacking midfielders
17) Weston McKennie 18) Brenden Aaronson 19) Malik Tillman 20) Diego Luna
In the mix: Gio Reyna, Jack McGlynn
Analysis: This is an area of the field where it is difficult to predict given the inconsistency of the players. Weston McKennie has had a great season and can play in several different positions but seems the most valuable to this team further up the field. Brenden Aaronson is has also had a good season for Leeds although Pochettino has never been completely sold (leaving him off the 2025 Nations League roster and giving him only limited minutes at the Gold Cup and this past March window). But Aaronson is an energetic player who brings needed intensity to games.
Malik Tillman has not had a great season for Bayer Leverkusen, and has been considered a disappointment given the $40 million price tag paid for him last year. But he has done enough to be part of the team.
Then there is Diego Luna, who Pochettino said in March was struggling in his return from an injury. Luna was subsequently left off the March roster. But that seemed to be a direct challenge to Luna, and Luna has responded nicely – playing well after club play resumed after the window.
That brings us to Gio Reyna, a player who has been the center of much debate regarding his status on the U.S. team. In the end, the results speak for themselves. He is not playing for Borussia Monchengladbach. He hasn’t played much over the last four years. Pochettino brought him into the team for March, and while his minutes were limited, he didn’t stand out.
Maybe something changes in the weeks ahead and he beings to play and produce for M’Gladbach. Absent that, there just isn’t a lot there. Meanwhile, players such as Luna, Aaronson, and even Alex Zendejas are playing more, honing their craft, and building an affirmative case.
Wingers & Forwards
21) Christian Pulisic 22) Tim Weah 23) Haji Wright 24) Alex Zendejas 25) Folarin Balogun 26) Ricardo Pepi In the mix: Josh Sargent, Brian White, Damion Downs
Analysis: This area of the pool saw a shift in recent weeks with the injury to Patrick Agyemang. That opens the door for another player, although another center forward isn’t necessarily needed with Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi as established producers and Haji Wright able to play both on the wings and as a center forward.
Should another injury arise, distant options like Josh Sargent, Brian White, or Damion Downs become likely.
Christian Pulisic’s tough run of form thus far in 2026 remains the team’s top story heading into the World Cup. He’s a lock to make the team but success of the team likely hinges on him returning to top form. All other talk about who makes the final roster is largely irrelevant unless Pulisic can be Pulisic.
Tim Weah could feature on either side at fullback or winger, but he is a good player within this squad and has had a good season with Marseille where he has been a regular starter.
Alex Zendejas would be a surprise inclusion, but the stars could be aligning nicely for him. He is having a great year for Club America, he would bring a nice left foot to the mix, he is well-liked, and he did well in his most recent call-up (last September). Plus, the team could use another winger or a player who could play multiple roles.
Bottom Line
My take is that there aren’t many open spots. It is essentially these 26 players plus Miles Robinson, Noahkai Banks, Joe Scally, Aiden Morris, and Gio Reyna. That makes 31 players with a realistic shot. The other players listed only come into the mix if there is an injury or if something drastic happens.
On the roster, Zendejas represents the biggest stretch given he has not been with the team since September. But he seems like a good bet given that he’s playing well, he’s versatile, and he brings a left foot.
Regardless, roster projects shift and change on a weekly basis. That’s likely to continue right up until the team is named. Players on the “bubble” just need to play well.
As for team success, it is fun to debate over the margins of the roster and which players will make the team with the final spots, but ultimately team success will come down to how well the top players perform and whether the goalkeeper can make big saves. Down the stretch, it is most important to keep an eye on Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, Richards, and Freese. The U.S. team’s success hinges on them.
USMNT Player Tracker: Allegri offers Pulisic consolation, Albert’s bow, and Aaronson’s education
Justin Setterfield/Getty Images, Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
Sensitive Christian Pulisic is still searching for goals, Brenden Aaronson wants to learn from his big miss, and Mathis Albert makes the breakthrough. It was a lively weekend for Americans in Europe.Welcome to this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.
In a roundabout sort of way, Milan manager Max Allegri offered some reassurance to USMNT supporters this weekend when it comes to his struggling forward, Christian Pulisic.As the star’s drought in front of goal continues — it is up to 16 games now, matching his only other similarly dry streak at Chelsea in 2022 — his manager added some sympathetic context. Pulisic, to an extent, is being sacrificed for the team by regularly playing as a striker.He is ‘doing a job’ for Allegri in a position the manager admits will not eke the best from him, because Milan do not have a centre-forward he feels can start regularly in his 3-5-2 formation.
Christian Pulisic has now gone 16 games without a goal.Marco Bertorello / AFP via Getty Images
Thankfully, Mauricio Pochettino does not have that problem, given Ricardo Pepi was on target again for PSV at the weekend and Folarin Balogun is thriving at Monaco, so hopefully Pulisic’s life will be easier in a little over six weeks’ time when the World Cup begins.“He is also someone who struggles more with the physicality of duels and the lack of a centre-forward, but I must try to give a balance to this team as we have an objective to achieve,” Allegri told DAZN after Milan’s goalless draw with Weston McKennie’s Juventus on Sunday.“I realise he is not entirely suited to this. I had asked him to play centre-right tonight and Leao centre-left, so we were without a centre-forward. Rest assured, by the end of the season, Pulisic will have given his contribution.”
There was also an admission from the Milan boss that the lack of goals is having an impact on the American’s mood. “Christian is a very sensitive man and this drought is hitting him harder,” he added.There’s little doubt that Pulisic’s partnership up front with Rafael Leao, with whom he has rowed at times this term, is not bringing the best from him. He did not create a chance for Milan on Sunday, and only touched the ball in the Juve area once.Leao had better numbers and delivered a brighter display, but he has also gone six Serie A games without a goal as Milan’s league form faltered.
Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic have not always seen eye to eye on the pitch.Marco Luzzani / Getty Images
In the end, Pulisic was replaced by Niclas Fullkrug, a more conventional centre-forward.In the opposition ranks, McKennie lasted the full game and was more involved in his side’s efforts. There was a worrying moment, though, when he went down and required treatment after an innocuous clash with Milan defender Fikayo Tomori.Fortunately, the Texan recovered to play on.The draw meant Milan remain third and Juve fourth, trailing them by three points, with both currently in the Champions League qualification spots.
Aaronson learns the hard way
Most people would not care to dwell on the opportunity that Brenden Aaronson spurned in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.The USMNT midfielder had a chance to put Leeds ahead against Chelsea early in the game after making a clever run to go through one-on-one against Robert Sanchez.His shot could not beat the Spanish goalkeeper, though, and eight minutes later, Chelsea scored what turned out to be the game’s only goal.Afterwards, Aaronson said he had already made a point of watching his chance back. “To be honest, I thought it was a goal. I thought I couldn’t have done much better, but it was a great save… I think I’ve watched it back three times already. I always want to get better and see how I can get better with my finishing,” he told ESPN.
“I work on it a lot, so I will watch it back. I know in that moment in time I was confident, and I knew where I wanted to put it, and I put it in the right spot, but sometimes you have to put your hands up for the goalkeeper.”
Brenden Aaronson fires off his shot, only for Robert Sanchez to save.Ben Stansall / AFP via Getty Images
There was a big step forward for 16-year-old Mathis Albert in the Bundesliga at the weekend.He surpassed Gio Reyna as the youngest American to play in the German top flight when he debuted for Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.Albert, who hails from Greenville, South Carolina, was introduced in the 88th minute of Dortmund’s win over Freiburg, aged 16 years, 11 months and 5 days. All eyes will now be on whether manager Niko Kovac gives the starlet more minutes between now and the end of the campaign.
Mathis Albert awaits his opportunity on the bench.Ronny Hartmann / AFP via Getty Images
Dortmund can only secure second place behind Champions Bayern Munich now, and Kovac also handed a full debut to gifted 18-year-old attacker Samuele Inácio in the 4-0 win over Freiburg.
It’s a big week for Chris Richards and his Crystal Palace team-mates, as they head into the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.
Palace will have to put the disappointment of their 3-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday behind them quickly, and focus on the dream of a second major trophy in as many seasons.
See how they get on during the away leg in Poland (3pm, Paramount +).
Chris Richards is hoping to secure a second major trophy in as many seasons for Crystal Palace.Paul Ellis / AFP via Getty Images
Then, three days later, Palace are in action again as they head back on the road to face Tyler Adams and Bournemouth (Sunday, 9am, Paramount +).
Also on Sunday, tune in to see whether Albert or Reyna — who came on for 19 minutes against Wolfsburg on Saturday — benefit from game-time as Dortmund face Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga (11:30am, ESPN+).
Greg O’Keeffe is a senior writer for The Athletic covering US soccer players in the UK & Europe. Previously he spent a decade at the Liverpool Echo covering news and features before an eight-year stint as the paper’s Everton correspondent; giving readers the inside track on Goodison Park, a remit he later reprised at The Athletic. He has also worked as a news and sport journalist for the BBC and hosts a podcast in his spare time.
Suspended Vincent Kompany backs Bayern Munich ‘100%’ vs. PSG
ESPN News Services
Apr 27, 2026, 03:01 PM ET
Vincent Kompany’s influence as coach is a key reason Bayern Munich are in the Champions League semifinals. Now Bayern will have to manage without him.
Bayern are preparing for arguably their toughest game of the season so far at Paris Saint-Germain with their head coach suspended and assistant Aaron Danks taking over. He’s well-regarded, but has only been head coach in two Premier League games.
“Danksy has plenty of experience, was on the touchline for a while in England,” Kompany said. “I’ve got 100% confidence in the staff and everyone else.”
Kompany was still involved in training on Monday before Bayern’s departure for Paris, but he’ll be barred from the team’s locker room and bench at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.
Kompany ruled out copying Jose Mourinho’s notorious 2005 caper when the Portuguese coach hid in a washing basket to sneak into the locker room and speak with his Chelsea team while suspended for a game against Bayern.
“I’m 1.92 meters (6-foot-3) tall. I can’t fit in a washing basket,” he said.
Harry Kane thinks Kompany’s absence will be felt. “We’ll miss him on the touchline. He’s our boss, a coach who’d love to be out there with us,” the striker, who is set for talks to extend his stay at Bayern, said.
It’s all because Kompany was booked in Bayern’s thrilling quarterfinal win over Real Madrid for disputing the referee’s decision to allow Madrid to play on and score after a hard tackle on Bayern defender Josip Stanisic.
That was Kompany’s third yellow card in Bayern’s 12th Champions League game of the season. He argued UEFA should relax the rules now there are more games than ever.
“It’s an extended format and it’s the strictest-ever ruling with a lot of interpretation from referees, where sometimes you can get a yellow card wrong as well. So what happens then?” Kompany said after the game.
“I’m not happy because of this, but it’s not important. The team can do it and I’m there for the return game. I have total faith in the team, the staff, to not just continue but also gain strength and motivation out of it.”
PSG coach Luis Enrique praised Kompany’s work since arriving two years ago.
“Vincent Kompany is a coach of the highest level, Bayern is one of the teams I like to watch the most,” he said. “They’re very pretty to watch. I like all coaches but especially the attacking ones, and he is without doubt one of them.”
Danks is one of Kompany’s three main assistants. The 42-year-old English coach is a set-piece specialist who oversaw two games for Aston Villa as caretaker coach in 2022, beating Brentford 4-0 then losing to Newcastle by the same score.
Preparations haven’t exactly been easy, either.
With the Bundesliga title wrapped up, Bayern hoped to rest key players against Mainz on Saturday, but Kompany had to bring on Kane, Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala after slipping 3-0 down before coming back to win 4-3.
Musiala is facing PSG for the first time since suffering a bad leg break against the French team at last season’s Club World Cup.
The attacking midfielder didn’t return until January but has recently looked back on form with two goals and four assists in his last five games, including setting up Luis Díaz‘s crucial third goal in the second game against Madrid.
Lennart Karl got his break in the Bayern team during Musiala’s injury absence but the 18-year-old is likely to miss Tuesday’s game with a muscle issue which has sidelined him for the last three weeks. Forward Serge Gnabry is out with a muscle tear that’s ruled him out of the World Cup, too.
The Champions League isn’t just part of Bayern’s quest for a triple. An even rarer achievement is possible.
Bayern are in the hunt for a double-triple of league, cup and Champions League for both their men’s and women’s teams. The Bayern women have already won the German league, are in the final of the German Cup and are level with Barcelona at 1-1 in the Women’s Champions League semifinals.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
‘No team better’ than Paris Saint-Germain – Luis Enrique
PA
Apr 27, 2026, 03:26 PM ET ESPN FC
Luis Enrique insists “there’s no team better than us” as he prepares Paris Saint-Germain for a heavyweight Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
The holders host the newly crowned Bundesliga champions in an eagerly anticipated semi-final first leg on Tuesday.
PSG head into the game at the Parc des Princes in strong form having won eight of their last nine matches and sitting six points clear at the top of Ligue 1.
They have also impressed in Europe, seeing off AS Monaco, Chelsea and Liverpool in the knockout phase.
They now face a Bayern side who boast their own formidable record but the PSG boss is confident his side have the edge.
“These are Europe’s top two teams,” the Spaniard told his pre-match news conference. “In terms of consistency, Bayern are perhaps slightly above us because they’ve only lost two games, but in terms of what we’ve shown, there’s no team better than us.
“You need to attack more than you defend if you want to win, and we know how hard that will be, but we’re not here to negotiate — we want to win.”
Bayern arrive in the French capital on a run of nine straight wins and 16 victories from their last 17 matches in all competitions.
They have won 11 of their 12 Champions League games this season, losing only at Arsenal in November, while a Bundesliga defeat by Augsburg in January is the only other blemish on their record.
England captain Harry Kane has led the charge with 53 goals in all competitions, including 12 in the Champions League. Bayern have also won their last five meetings with PSG, including a 2-1 victory in Paris earlier this season.
The occasion holds no fear for Bayern manager Vincent Kompany.
The former Manchester City captain said: “We’ve already won at the Bernabéu this year and won in Paris.
“Paris are obviously still the Champions League holders, but if any team can take on this challenge, it’s us. We know how good Paris are, but we want this game.”
The match will be the 15th meeting between the sides in the competition — and the ninth in as many seasons — continuing a rivalry that has become familiar on the European stage.
Kompany, who will watch the action from the stands as he serves a touchline ban, expects fine margins to settle the tie.
“We’ve got experience against them, but that’s the same for our opponent,” he said. “Both teams have so much creativity. It’s about details, intensity and energy.”
The myth of the 2026 World Cup hotel and tourism ‘boom’
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has boasted some lofty economic figures surrounding the 2026 World Cup Hector Vivas / FIFA / Getty Images
FIFA came to North America years ago promising that the 2026 World Cup would bring millions of visitors and billions of dollars. “The world will be invading Canada, Mexico and the United States [with] a big wave of joy and happiness,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in 2022 as 16 host cities were selected. In anticipation, hotels in those cities hiked their summer 2026 prices and prepared to capitalize on the deluge.
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But with two months to go, the long-promised World Cup boom hasn’t yet materialized. Some in the U.S. tourism industry worry that it will turn out to be little more than a modest bump.
“It is not the cornucopia that FIFA talked about,” Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, told The Athletic.
Chris Nassetta, longtime president and CEO of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, admitted at a conference in Washington, D.C., last week that “the World Cup, at this point, doesn’t look as strong as what we had hoped.”
Others remain bullish and expect travel bookings to pick up over the coming month. “We’re really not ready to pull the fire alarm yet,” Erik Hansen, the U.S. Travel Association’s head of government relations, told The Athletic.
Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, added: “The industry, for sure, is still expecting to see a bump from those two months.”
She acknowledged, though, that “a lot of our members are reporting that bookings are below their projections.”
Many have re-calibrated expectations. And across the 16 host cities, most hotels have walked back their pricing surge.
In the aftermath of the World Cup draw and schedule reveal in December, The Athleticanalyzed hotel prices in the 16 markets. The 96 hotels in our sample were, on average, charging $1,013 per night around the opening match in their respective cities, compared with $293 for an equivalent stay in late-May, exactly three weeks earlier. The average increase was 328%.
The extent of the surge varied from city to city, but touched every market and cohost country. In the U.S., the average per-night price rose from $315 in late May to $1,028 during the first week of the tournament.
Four months later, at the same hotels, prices for those same June dates have fallen more than 40% from their earlier peak.
They remain significantly higher than May prices, but across 63 of the 66 U.S. hotels in the sample, the average rate last week was $579 per night around opening World Cup matches, down from $1,034 four months ago. (Three hotels were removed from the sample because rates were no longer available on the Marriott and Hilton apps, from which the data was sourced, when this follow-up analysis was conducted last week.)
The relatively steep decline aligns with industry-wide data and comments from executives and analysts.
“We are re-adjusting based on the market,” Maietta said.
Nearly everyone interviewed for this story said they expect bookings to accelerate between now and the start of the World Cup, or even during the tournament, which kicks off June 11 and concludes July 19. “I am still anticipating a banner summer,” Ed Grose, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, told The Athletic.
But the “soft bookings,” as Maeitta put it, are fueling some concern that this World Cup won’t attract as many visitors as first thought.
The posited reasons range from a broader U.S. tourism slump to ticket prices that have dissuaded foreign fans, plus costs — including the hotel prices themselves — that have made a World Cup trip unaffordable for the vast majority of the world.
Fans attend the FIFA World Cup trophy tour in Kansas CityEd Zurga / FIFA / Getty Images
Reasoning for unmet expectations
When FIFA last year released a “Socieconomic Impact Analysis” report and boasted that the World Cup “could help drive up to $40.9 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)” in the U.S., its analysis included an assumption that “40% of the total stadium attendance [would] consist of foreign tourists.”
If so, more than 2.5 million seats at the World Cup’s 104 matches would be filled by foreigners. Separately, officials speculated that the number could be around 3 million. And simultaneously, they promised that millions more fans would come from afar without tickets to partake in World Cup-adjacent festivities. Infantino said last week that there would be “tens of millions from all over the world coming to the U.S. just to feel the vibe.”
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With two months to go, however, bookings and ticket sales suggest that the World Cup, as a tourist attraction, might fall short of those expectations.
According to April 6 data provided to The Athletic by CoStar, a real estate and hospitality data firm, the percentage of available hotel rooms already booked for matchdays in nine of the 11 U.S. host cities was roughly equal to the percentage of rooms booked for the same June and July dates at the same point last year.
In those nine cities, excluding Philadelphia and Kansas City, bookings were up 0.8 percent on average. On group-stage dates, the uptick was slightly higher (1.3 percent). Including the two Canadian host cities, Vancouver and Toronto, however, there have been relatively fewer bookings this year compared to last.
Cities that aren’t typically summer tourist destinations, such as Dallas and Miami, have seen significant upticks, especially on the nights of popular matches, including England vs. Croatia and Scotland vs. Brazil.
Colombia vs. Portugal is another Miami example. Those matches “are going to bring a higher demand than maybe some of those earlier games, like Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde,” James D’Agostino, a general manager at Gale Hotels in Miami, told The Athletic.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are expected to be a big draw for traveling fans at this summer’s World CupPatricia De Melo Moreira / AFP / Getty Images
But for hotels in other cities that would welcome millions of tourists even without the World Cup, such as New York or San Francisco, the tournament has not yet had a noticeable impact.
“The pace, unfortunately, is the same as what it was last year,” Dandapani, the New York City hotel association executive, said.
Alex Bastian, who leads the Hotel Council of San Francisco, said that in the Bay Area, “many of the hotels adopted conservative budgeting and forecasting strategies” based on past World Cups — and then based on the 2026 match schedule announcement in December.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, is the only of the 11 U.S. stadiums that won’t host a single top seed. “If Germany was at play or France was at play,” Bastian said, “that would be a different impact than, for example, a team like Switzerland, or a team like, I don’t know, Jordan.”
Even in cities that received stronger draws, the share of international ticket buyers seems to be falling short of the 40-50 percent projection. Noelle LeVeaux, the Dallas host committee’s chief marketing officer, said recently that about 26-35 percent of tickets are being purchased by international customers. FIFA data distributed to the Los Angeles host committee and seen by The Athletic suggests that, similarly, less than a third of the fans at L.A.’s matches might be coming from abroad.
Dandapani said that FIFA’s pricing of tickets “at a really extraordinarily high level compared to” the 2022 Qatar World Cup had deterred travelers. He also cited widespread “headwinds,” such as strict visa policies, that have “put a chill” on international travel to the United States.
President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda and rhetoric has also fueled widespread perceptions that the country is unwelcoming. Throughout 2025, the first year of Trump’s second term, “U.S. visitor numbers declined 5.5% against 2024,” according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, even as the travel and tourism sector experienced its “best year ever” globally.
The World Cup had been among the reasons that industry analysts expected the U.S. to rebound in 2026. Tourism Economics, a global travel data company, initially projected a 3.9% increase in arrivals throughout the calendar year. But recently, citing the “Middle East conflict” and its economic consequences, the firm downgraded its projection to “a moderate 3.4% gain.”
Aran Ryan, the company’s director of industry studies, told The Athletic via email: “We estimate World Cup attendees will boost growth in U.S. arrivals this year by about 0.8 to 1.3 percentage points … equivalent to about 742,000 incremental visitors during the tournament.”
A view outside the Marriott Marquis hotel in midtown New York CityZamek / VIEWpress
‘Artificial early demand’
Pricing, meanwhile, was muddled by FIFA hotel blocks. The global soccer governing body, which owns and runs the World Cup, booked hundreds or thousands of rooms in each host city. Then, like many conventions and other event organizers, it exercised its contractual option to cancel some of those reservations earlier this year.“FIFA’s room block overcommitment,” Maietta explained, “created artificial early demand.” Its opt-out then changed the supply-and-demand equation. Hotels suddenly had more rooms to sell, while potential visitors were perhaps not as numerous as expected.o, throughout 2026, they’ve adjusted prices accordingly.
The steepest decline in our sample — which serves as a rough approximation of the market, far from an exact measure — occurred in Atlanta, where average prices from June 14-16 at the six randomly selected tourist hotels fell from $968 in December to $390 in April. (Atlanta’s slate of group-stage matches is arguably the second-most underwhelming of the 11 U.S. host cities, better than only the Bay Area.)Boston, Philadelphia and Seattle also saw prices cut by around 50%.The most modest decline was in Dallas, where the average of $1,039 recorded in December has fallen to a still-high $773 around the first match at AT&T Stadium in nearby Arlington, between the Netherlands and Japan. (England vs. Croatia is three days later.)
The giant video board at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, dons World Cup branding in anticipation of a number of key World Cup matches at the venueJerome Miron / Imagn Images
“If they’re nickel-and-dimed every which way along that travel journey,” Maietta said of fans, “it makes it really hard for them to want to come out with, say, a family, or spend that extra night at a hotel. … It all adds up.”Optimists within the tourism industry note that the World Cup’s knockout rounds, which represent 31% of matches and the highest stakes, do not lend themselves to advanced travel planning. Many fans, they believe, will book at the very last minute if their team wins and progresses from one stage to the next.There are also still more tickets to be distributed. FIFA said Tuesday that it has sold 5 million, and that a new batch will be made available Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET. (The cumulative capacity of World Cup stadiums across the 104 matches is roughly 6.7 million.)The question is how significant the last-minute rush will be. No one is expecting the “tens of millions from all over the world” that Infantino mentioned, but the hope is that the World Cup will at least bring hundreds of thousands to each host city. And even if they are expats who travel from within the United States, they will still give the tournament international flair.“I think it’s too early to tell,” Hansen said of the ultimate impact. “I think plans are starting to be made now to come to the U.S. Ticket demand has been strong. So I think we’re going to start to see, in the next couple of weeks, how the data’s shaping out.”
Adam Crafton contributed reporting to this story
Henry Bushnell is a senior writer for The Athletic covering soccer. He previously covered a variety of sports and events, including World Cups and Olympics, for Yahoo Sports. He is based in Washington, D.C.
Whatever Wrexham’s fate – Premier League or not – this is what they can learn from Coventry
Coventry head coach Frank Lampard celebrated winning the Championship after the game against Wrexham Getty Images
Wrexham are no strangers to promotion parties. Not after charging from non-League to the Championship inside three years.Even so, as the fireworks soared skyward and Coventry City supporters brandished placards reading ‘We are Back’ to mark their team’s return to the Premier League after a quarter of a century away, the joyful scenes in the spring sunshine did provide pause for thought.Wrexham’s play-off destiny remains just about in their own hands, a 3-1 defeat to the champions partly mitigated by how rivals Hull City had lost 24 hours earlier at Charlton Athletic.With both teams locked together on 70 points and Derby County a solitary point behind in eighth, victory over Middlesbrough at The Racecourse Ground could be enough to clinch sixth place.
Anything less than a three-point return, however, and maybe next season will be, as the celebrating Coventry fans took great delight in pointing out during the closing stages a case of, “We’re going to Arsenal, you’re going to Stoke”.Whatever Wrexham’s fate — and it could be settled by goal difference, the Welsh club currently one goal better off than Hull with a game to go — this has been a fine season with comfortably their highest-ever league standing already secured along with the mantle of being Wales’ top club.But, as Frank Lampard and his players rightly basked in the gratitude of a city whose football club has known tough times since last sitting at the top table of English football, it was hard not to wonder just what scenes potentially lie ahead if Wrexham can, first, clinch sixth place on the final day and then end their play-offs final hoodoo at Wembley.
“It will be a cracking atmosphere next week,” says Phil Parkinson. “It won’t match this because Coventry have clinched the title and they were celebrating promotion. Next week is about, ‘Can we get into the play-offs?’.“But, we’ve had some brilliant days ourselves. It’s all to play for. The lads have been brilliant over 45 games and now we have an opportunity to get over the line.”
Like Wrexham’s own rise under Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, Coventry’s ascent to the Premier League has been impressive.
Jubilant Coventry fans after 25 years outside of the top flightJacob King/PA Images via Getty Images
Mark Robins did brilliantly to lead City to promotion from League Two in 2018 and League One two years later, despite a bleak financial outlook. Then came two heartbreaking losses at Wembley, first in the 2023 Championship play-off final, followed by the FA Cup semi-final 12 months later against Manchester United.By the time Robins left 17 months ago, however, Coventry were languishing in 17th place and needing a spark. Lampard, a serial winner in his playing career, provided just that.Wrexham, of course, were the first team to beat the champions, a 3-2 Halloween triumph that saw Kieffer Moore bag the ‘perfect’ hat-trick.
They were no less impressive in Sunday’s return, even if this time there was to be no reward for their efforts, as goals from Ephron Mason-Clark, Brandon Thomas-Asante, and a swerving free kick by Victor Torp ensured the title party was in full swing at the final whistle.No doubt that the trophy handed over by EFL chairman Rick Parry was well deserved. They have been the Championship’s standout team and fully deserving of the guard of honour provided by Wrexham before kick-off.The Welsh club may yet join Coventry in next season’s Premier League. But, even if that is to be the case, there are lessons to heed from how Lampard’s side have dominated the second tier.
Ollie Rathbone celebrates scoring against CoventrySimon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
The respective metrics for the two teams across 45 Championship games are revealing, especially how integral possession has been to the champions’ success.
Not just on Sunday — when Wrexham were worn down on an afternoon when they saw just 39.3 per cent of the ball — but across the entire season, where Coventry’s average possession stands at 55 per cent, compared with Wrexham’s 48 per cent.
This has allowed City to spend more time in the opposition third of the field, as shown by how 56 per cent of their overall touches have come in this area, compared with 47 per cent for Wrexham.
Seeing so much of the ball also helps partly explain the big disparity in attempted shots across the campaign, Coventry managing an average of 16.3 per game (5.5 on target) compared with 11.1 (3.7 on target) for Parkinson’s side.Of those, 72 per cent of Coventry’s attempts have been from inside the penalty area, the highest in the Championship and well ahead of Wrexham at 67 per cent.
The Welsh side put up a good fight on Sunday, carving out eight shots of their own inside the penalty area to nine by the hosts. Crucially, though, Coventry were more clinical, again mirroring a season-wide trend with Lampard’s side boasting a 35 per cent conversion rate from shots inside the six-yard box, 55 per cent on target.
In contrast, Wrexham’s conversion rate from the same area stands at 26 per cent and 36 per cent accuracy.
Shot conversion overall has been similar, at 14 per cent for City and 13 per cent for Wrexham, underlining how it’s volume and quality that most sets apart the teams sitting first and sixth respectively in the table.
Coventry are also better at fast breaks, averaging an expected goals (xG) of 0.2 per 90 minutes from this route, as opposed to Wrexham at a little over a third of that at 0.07.
An ability to win possession high up the field or win a set piece that subsequently leads to a goal also explains why Coventry are the division’s top scorers with 93, no less than nine goals having come from these high turnovers (2.5 per match). Wrexham, meanwhile, have scored just three from an average of 1.9, again something that will have to improve going forward.
“Congratulations to Coventry,” said the Wrexham manager. “They’ve earned it over the season. But the lads won’t be knocked by this. We went toe-to-toe with a very good team and the third goal was not a fair reflection.
“We had big moments in the game, but didn’t take them. We will next week.”
Champions League Final 8 Action is back Tues/Wed (must hear anthem)
Champions League returns with a surprise team in Sporting CP hosting Arsenal at 3 pm Tuesday on Para+. Arsenal are odds on favorites along with Bayern Munich and the holders PSG. Two English teams Arsenal & Liverpool remain while La Liga has 3 with Real Madrid, Atletico & Barcelona while France, Germany & Portugal have just 1 each in Bayern Munich, PSG and Sporting respectively. Lots of stories below!!
USWNT Faces Top 5 Ranked Japan in 3 Game Series Sat, Tues & Thurs on TNT
The US national Team brings an experienced roster into this top 5 match-up with Japan coming up this weekend & Next week as the roster marks the return of two players who add a tremendous amount of experience to the U.S. roster as both have played in World Cups and the Olympics. Forward Sophia Wilson, a member of the “Triple Espresso” front line who helped lead the USA to the 2024 Olympic gold medal, makes her first USWNT roster in 17 months following her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter in early September of 2025. The 25-year-old Wilson has 58 caps for the USWNT along with 24 goals, three of which were scored at the 2024 Olympics, to go with her two assists in that tournament. Defender Tierna Davidson, 27, has made a complete recovery from an ACL injury suffered in NWSL play at the beginning of the 2025 season. She returns to the USWNT after a 13-month absence. Coincidentally, Davidson’s most recent international match was against Japan on Feb. 26, 2025, in the SheBelieves Cup finale. The USWNT will begin its three-game series against Japan in San Jose, Calif. at PayPal Park, home of Bay FC and the San Jose Earthquakes, this Saturday – April 11 (2:30 p.m. PT / 5:30 p.m. TNT, truTV and HBO Max in English and Universo and Peacock in Spanish).
U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals)2026 April Matches vs. Japan
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash, 10),Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 8), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 6) DEFENDERS (9): Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC; 67/3), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 74/1), Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG; 52/2), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 10/1), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 7/0), Emily Sams (Angel City FC: 9/1), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 115/2), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 7/0), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC; 4/0) MIDFIELDERS (7): Sam Coffey (Manchester City, ENG; 44/5), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 173/39), Claire Hutton (Bay FC; 15/1), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC; 118/27), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 15/5),Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC; 34/10), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 16/1) FORWARDS (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 10/1),Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars FC; 4/1),Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 52/13), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 17/6), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 18/7), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC, ENG; 29/4), Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns FC; 58/24)
World Cup Field is Set
The World Cup field of 48 is finally set. The World Cup playoff finals took place, and four teams from UEFA along with 2 FIFA inter-confederation playoff winners booked their place into this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. From UEFA, Czechia, Türkiye, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Sweden each won their playoffs, while DR Congo and Iraq/Bolivia won the inter-confederation playoffs in Mexico to complete the field. For USMNT fans, they now know who the team will face in their final group stage match on June 25th: Türkiye. They beat Kosovo 1-0 in a hard fought match to secure their spot and join the USMNT, Australia, and Paraguay in Group D. Mexico sees Czechia join their group alongside South Africa and South Korea, as Czechia took out Denmark on penalties. We are still looking for World Cup tickets in Seattle, June 29th if you have a lead on 2 or 3 tickets.
US Bows to Portugal 2-0 Where Are we Now?
Wow – not sure what to say after watching the US get slapped 5-1 and 2-0 at home in Atlanta in front of 70,000 fans in Atlanta. I will go back to what I said the minute they handed the keys to Pochitino – I still think its a HUGE mistake. After looking decent — over the past window – BOTCHITINO returned to his idiotic ways vs the best 2 teams the US has faced in 4 years. I am sure many have forgotten but with AMERICAN coaches we have beaten the likes Spain, Brazil, England and the likes – we have gotten to a Quarterfinals where a handball vs Germany kept us from advancing to the Semi’s for the first time ever (20 years ago). But those days are long gone. This team, this World Cup, which the US will host was supposed to be our coming out party – to show that the US has really gotten better at the world’s game. We already have more players playing for better teams overseas than ever before. The US DA Program now replaced with MLS Next has help produce our strongest ever group of players – we had more players play more games in the Champions League this season than ever before – and that was with Christian Pulisic not being in it this year. But man Botchitino has really screwed this thing up.
Hopefully I am wrong – and these desperate moves in our next to the last 2 games before the World Cup were part of some master Plan to lull the rest of the World to Sleep thinking the US is so bad we won’t get out of our Group. At our current Ranking of below 20 – our lowest ranking in 20+ years – that just might happen. I will go into player by player details on what went wrong – and what we must do next. (Man I wish Real Madrid had offered the Gig to Bochitino a month back). Anyway lots of stories below about how we lost and what’s next. Hey at least we aren’t Italy right? I will offer up my opinions next week. Meanwhile lets get ready to watch our REAL US National Team – our Women as they match-up against top 5 Japan. Bet they won’t lay an egg – Hayes unlike Botch – can actually coach!!
Indy 11 vs Monterey Bay – Sat 7 pm at The Mike
Indianapolis – Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake tied the franchise record with his 27th career goal in the Boys in Blue’s 1-1 draw vs. defending USL champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Carroll Stadium Sat night. Indy Eleven goalkeeper Eric Dick (former CHS, Butler and Carmel Dad’s GK) made a season-high seven saves in the match against the team that he helped lead to the 2025 title, winning the USL Championship MVP and Prinx Playoff MVP after allowing no goals in 450 minutes in four playoff games. Indy continue their three-match homestand next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Monterey Bay FC in the annual “Kick for a Cause” game. Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, is the spotlight partner. The match is part of the 2026 Scarf Series, so fans can purchase a ticket + knit scarf here. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and it can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Tues, Apr 7 3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich 3 pm Para+ Sporting CP vs Arsenal 8 pm FS2 Nashville SC vs America CCC 10 pm FS2 LAFC vs Cruz Azul CCC Wed, Apr 8 3 pm Para+ Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid 3 pm PAra+ PSG vs Liverpool 9 pm FS2 Tigres vs Seattle Sounders CCC 11 pm FS2 Toluca vs LA Galaxy CCC Thurs, Apr 9 Europa League 3 pm Para+ Bologna vs Aston Villa 3 pm PAra+ Porto vs Nottingham Forest 3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Fiorentina Sat, Apr 11 7;30 am USA Arsenal vs Bournemouth 9:30 am ESPN2 Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) 12:30 pm NBC Liverpool vs Fulham (Jedi) 4:30 pm Fox Portland Timbers vs LAFC 7 pm Indy 11 vs Monterey Bay Home 7:30 pm Apple Inter Miami vs NY Red Bulls Sun, Apr 12 11:30 am USA Chelsea vs Man City 7 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan Tues, Apr 14 7 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan Tues, Apr 17 9 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan Sun, May 31 3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK 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
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LARNACA, CYPRUS – MARCH 19: Djordje Ivanovic of AEK Larnaca controls the ball whilst under pressure from Chris Richards of Crystal Palace during the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 round of 16 second leg match between AEK Larnaca FC and Crystal Palace FC at AEK Arena on March 19, 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus. (Photo by George Wood – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)UEFA 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!
Monday
Juventus vs Genoa, 12p on Paramount+, DAZN: Weston McKennie and Juve host Genoa in Serie A.
Napoli vs AC Milan, 2:45p on Paramount+, DAZN: Christian Pulisic and Milan visit Napoli in Serie A.
Also in action:
Cesena vs Südtirol, 6:30a on Onefootball: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena host Südtirol in Serie B.
Lecce vs Atalanta, 9a on Paramount+, DAZN: Yunus Musah and Atalanta visit Lecce in Serie A.
Venezia vs Juve Stabia, 9a on Onefootball: Gianluca Busio and Venezia host Juve Stabia in Serie B.
Blackburn vs West Brom, 10a: George Campbell, Daryl Dike, and West Brom visit Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.
Derby vs Stoke, 10a: Can Patrick Agyemang and Derby County do it on a rainy night in Stoke? Just kidding, this is a home game for Derby in the EFL Championship. Stoke is coming to them.
Watford vs Charlton, 10a on Paramount+: Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic visit Watford in the EFL Championship.
Swansea vs Middlesbrough, 12:30p on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro visit Swansea in the EFL Championship.
Girona vs Villarreal, 3p on ESPN Select, ESPN Deportes, Fubo: Alex Freeman and Villarreal visit Girona in La Liga.
Hull vs Coventry, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Hull City in the EFL Championship.
Tuesday
Nashville SC vs Club América, 8p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Alex Zendejas and América visit Matthew Corcoran and Nashville SC in the first leg of this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.
Also in action:
NK Istra vs Hajduk Split, 12p: Rokas Pukštas and Hajduk Split visit NK Istra 1961 in the HNL (Croatia’s top division).
Independiente Petrolero vs Racing Club, 6p on beIN Sports, Fubo: Matko Miljevic and Racing are on the road to begin their Copa Sudamericana journey (they’re in Group E).
LAFC vs Cruz Azul, 10p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Timothy Tillman and LAFC host Cruz Azul to kick off their 2-game CCC quarterfinal.
Wednesday
Tigres UANL vs Seattle Sounders, 9p on FS2, TUDN, UniMás, Fubo, ViX, Univision NOW: Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, Jesús Ferreira, and the Sounders go to Monterrey to visit Tigres in this CCC quarterfinal first leg.
Toluca vs LA Galaxy, 11p on FS1, TUDN, UniMás, Fubo, ViX, Univision NOW: Harbor Miller and the Galaxy kick off their 2-game CCC quarterfinal on the road in Toluca.
Thursday
Crystal Palace vs Fiorentina, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace host Fiorentina in the first leg of this Conference League quarterfinal.
Also in action:
Mainz vs Strasbourg, 3p on Paramount+, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Mainz host Strasbourg in the first leg of this Conference League quarterfinal.
Friday
Paris FC vs Monaco, 1p on beIN Sports, Fubo (free trial): Folarin Balogun and AS Monaco visit Italian-American winger Luca Koleosho and Paris in Ligue 1.
Augsburg vs Hoffenheim, 2:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: Noahkai Banks and Augsburg host Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
Marseille vs Metz, 3:05p on beIN Sports, Fubo: Tim Weah and OM host Metz in Ligue 1.
Also in action:
Düsseldorf vs Holstein Kiel, 12:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: John Tolkin and Holstein Kiel visit Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga.
RB Salzburg vs LASK Linz, 1:30p: George Bello and LASK visit Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga. Japanese-American defender Anrie Chase has made 3 appearances for Salzburg since joining from VfB Stuttgart last August.
West Brom vs Millwall, 3p on Paramount+: George Campbell, Daryl Dike, and West Brom host Millwall in the EFL Championship.
That’s it! Did I miss anything that matters? Let me know in the comments below. Let’s see who stands out this week!
USWNT faces Japan, thrice
Emma Hayes thinks Japan is “without question” one of the favorites to win the 2027 World World Cup. So what better way to prepare for such an opponent 444 days out than to play the team … three times in a row? A little over a year ago, Japan defeated the U.S. 2-1 and handed Hayes her first loss as USWNT’s head coach. The Nadeshiko went on to win the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, breaking the Americans’ five-tournament streak. Like the Michael Jordan meme, Hayes took that personally. The U.S. hosts Japan on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET in San Jose, Calif.; on April 14 at 10 p.m. ET in Seattle; and on April 17 at 9 p.m. ET near Denver. The games will air on TNT and truTV and stream on HBO Max and Universo (in Spanish).
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US Open Cup Rd of 32 Apr 14 & 15
Every match from the Round of 32 will stream live on Paramount+ with select matches also co-airing on either CBS Sports Network or CBS Sports Golazo Network. CBS Sports will host The Golazo Show whip-around program highlighting every goal from eight April 15 matchups, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
Round of 32 Schedule – 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Home teams listed first; host priority order for Round of 16 matches in each group also listed; visit the schedule section of ussoccer.com/us-open-cupfor the most up to date details.
Tuesday, April 14 (all times ET)
New England Revolution vs. Rhode Island FC – 7 p.m. (Paramount+)
Louisville City FC vs. Austin FC – 7 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Network)
Detroit City FC vs. Chicago Fire FC – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Westchester SC vs. New York City FC – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Sporting Kansas City – 8 p.m. (Paramount+)
Colorado Rapids vs. Union Omaha – 9:30 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Network)
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Minnesota United FC – 10 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Wednesday, April 15 (all times ET)
FC Naples vs. Orlando City SC – 7 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Network)
The Golazo Show – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Chattanooga FC vs. Atlanta United FC – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
Richmond Kickers vs. Columbus Crew – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
Red Bull New York vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
Charlotte FC vs. Charlotte Independence – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
D.C. United vs. One Knoxville SC – 7:30 p.m. (Paramount+)
St. Louis CITY SC vs. FC Tulsa – 8 p.m. (Paramount+)
Houston Dynamo FC vs. El Paso Locomotive FC – 8 p.m. (Paramount+)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Phoenix Rising FC – 10 p.m. (Paramount+ & CBS Sports Golazo Network)
Champions League quarter-finals predictions, star players and youngsters to watch
Will Kylian Mbappe and Viktor Gyokeres be celebrating after the quarter-finals? Getty Images
By The Athletic UK Staff April 6, 2026Updated 5:05 am EDT
The Champions League quarter-finals kick off this week, with the path to the final in Budapest on May 30 now clear.
Real Madrid host Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu this Tuesday in the competition’s most-played fixture, while Premier League leaders Arsenal travel to Lisbon to face Sporting CP.Barcelona will play Atletico Madrid in an all-La Liga affair at the Camp Nou on Wednesday, while holders Paris Saint-Germain take on Liverpool at home in a replay of last season’s round of 16 tie, which Arne Slot’s side lost on penalties.
What is the most exciting tie?
Oliver Kay: Obvious answer: Real Madrid vs Bayern. I was surprised by how well Madrid performed against Manchester City and I’m fascinated to see whether they can repeat that against a Bayern team who appear to be coming to the boil nicely.
James Pearce: PSG vs Liverpool is going to be intriguing — the holders against the six-time winners. Their meeting at Anfield in the last 16 a year ago was an outstanding game. For Arne Slot’s Liverpool, it’s a revenge mission.
Mario Cortegana: Madrid vs Bayern. Bayern are the most in-form team in Europe, while Madrid seemed dead once again — until they returned to their fearsome best in their convincing win against City.
Joselu was Real Madrid’s unlikely hero when they faced Bayern Munich in the semi-finals two years agoDavid Ramos/Getty Images
Thom Harris: There have been plenty of goals in recent meetings between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, including a 4-4 draw and the recent Copa Del Rey semi-final, in which Simeone’s side took a 4-0 lead into the second leg and nearly threw it away. It should be action-packed.
Pol Ballus: There’s no debate: Bayern vs Madrid. The best team in Europe this season against the competition’s most successful club. Whoever wins, they will send a statement to the rest of the field.
Jack Lang: PSG vs Liverpool — their two games last year were absolutely absorbing and we have the added factor of Liverpool trying to salvage their season.
Amy Lawrence: Come on, everyone wants to watch boring Arsenal! Well, if not, it is hard to look beyond Real vs Bayern, which has all the classic feels.
How will each team feel about their chances in the quarter-finals and the rest of the tournament?
Kay: Premier League sides hold no fear for PSG, who beat City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal en route to winning last season’s final in style, and who have already beaten Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea this time. Last season, they were a surprise package, having scraped through the league phase, whereas nobody will dare to underestimate them now. That brings its own pressure.
Pearce: Liverpool will be underdogs, but if they play with the tempo and intensity they showed in the second leg against Galatasaray, they’ll have a chance. It came down to fine margins when the clubs met last year, with PSG advancing on penalties. The return to fitness of Alexander Isak after three months out will also be a timely boost. But the absence of Alisson, who performed heroics in Paris a year ago, could hurt them. The Brazil ‘keeper is out with another hamstring injury, so the Georgian Giorgi Mamardashvili will deputise.
Cortegana: There was a lot of pessimism around Real Madrid after the round-of-16 draw — the bracket seemed particularly difficult — but morale soared after eliminating City, even if it has been slightly dampened by Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Mallorca in La Liga.
Harris: Atletico will have taken confidence from that Copa del Rey semi-final first leg drubbing of Barcelona, but will know they are unlikely to be so ruthless in front of goal once again — they also lost at home to them on Saturday in the league. They have serious firepower at their disposal, and while they might not be expecting to win the whole thing with — potentially — Arsenal to play next, they’ll be thinking: why not?
Barcelona failed to overturn a 4-0 loss in the Copa del Rey semi-finals against Atletico MadridJoan Gosa/Xinhua via Getty Images
Ballus: Barca have reasons to be optimistic. Simeone’s Atletico can be painful opponents, but Hansi Flick’s side have already learned their lesson this season in that Copa semi-final, when they realised they sometimes had to be more pragmatic. They then got the 2-1 La Liga away win over Atletico this weekend. Flick’s team can’t have any complaints about the draw, although they could face Arsenal in the semi-finals. That would be a whole different story.
Seb Stafford-Bloor: Bayern will be respectful, but confident. Nobody has Real Madrid’s mythology in the Champions League, but Bayern have every right to see themselves as the better side. Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies remain injury doubts, at least for the first leg, but Kompany’s side will still pack quite a punch.
Lang: Just reaching the quarter-finals counts as a significant achievement for Sporting, especially given they lost the first leg of their round-of-16 tie 3-0 against Bodo/Glimt. They will know they are underdogs against Arsenal. The question is whether the Portuguese side can leverage the psychological advantage of having nothing to lose.
Lawrence: Arsenal have fresh memories of a 5-1 win at Sporting last season, so they won’t be intimidated. Unhelpfully, they have their most pivotal league game (Manchester City away) just after, but that’s the deal when chasing multiple trophies. Their draw is generous, but anything goes from semis onwards.
Which star player will define these quarter-finals?
Pearce: Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungary captain is having an outstanding season for Liverpool and he has the added motivation of the final being in Budapest. He has become Liverpool’s talisman.
Dominik Szoboszlai will be targeting a Champions League final in his native HungaryCarl Recine/Getty Images
Cortegana: Vinicius Junior. Real Madrid’s Brazil forward was the most decisive player against Benfica and City, and his impact in the knockout rounds of this competition is extraordinary at 25 years old.
Harris: If Atletico are to cause a ripple, Julian Alvarez will be front and centre. The Argentina striker is a relentless presser from the front, carries the ball forward with power and authority, and looks increasingly sharp in front of goal.
Ballus: Pedri. The Barcelona and Spain midfielder has a history of outstanding performances against Atletico in the past couple of seasons and is still returning to his best after recovering from a hamstring injury. Against Simeone’s entrenched defence, his wisdom in midfield could make the difference.
Stafford-Bloor: Harry Kane. The last time Bayern faced Real Madrid in the semi-finals in 2024, Kane was not really fit and was rushed on to the pitch because of the tie’s importance. Two years on, the England captain is fitter, arguably in the form of his career and is comfortably Bayern’s most influential player. If he runs the game, they will win.
Lang: Kane for me, too. He looked incredibly hungry in the second leg against Atalanta. Real Madrid’s defence is more vulnerable than City made it look — I expect Bayern to cause all sorts of problems, with Kane leading the charge.
Lawrence: If Arsenal are to keep going, Declan Rice and Gabriel have to continue being their powerhouses. But Bayern and PSG have that extra Champions League nous, so it’s between Kane and the Ballon d’Or-winning Ousmane Dembele as the attacking leaders of their packs.
Which up-and-coming player should I be looking out for?
Kay: What Pau Cubarsi is doing is pretty extraordinary. The Spain centre-back has only just turned 19 and is totally at home at the heart of Barcelona’s defence. He didn’t enjoy the first half against Newcastle United in the round of 16 second leg, but he is a serious talent with a great career ahead of him.
Ballus: Keep an eye on Marc Bernal, too — another 18-year-old from La Masia, Barca’s famed academy, with sky-high potential. Some suggested he was the heir to Sergio Busquets, but he also has an incredible sense for goal despite being a holding midfielder.
Pearce: Rio Ngumoha. Liverpool’s 17-year-old winger is unlikely to start either leg against PSG but could well make an impact off the bench. He’s quick and direct.
Cortegana:Bayern’s attacking midfielder Lennart Karl. At just 18, he has registered four goals and two assists in the tournament, and this is a great opportunity to see him on the biggest stage.
Lennart Karl is an exciting prospect for Bayern MunichAlexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Lang: I really like watching Fermin Lopez. The 22-year-old doesn’t quite have the technical grace of Pedri or the great schemers of Barca’s past, but he just consistently makes things happen. He scores goals, creates space for others, appears in big moments… the very definition of an all-action midfielder.
Stafford-Bloor: Aleksandar Pavlovic. The 21-year-old Bayern midfielder is still underestimated, but he relishes the big games and his metronomic passing always seems at its sharpest when the pressure is ratcheted up. Remember the performance he gave against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last time? He was nerveless for a then 19-year-old.
Harris: How about Sporting’s Goncalo Inacio? The 24-year-old is a strong, left-footed centre-back who can whip the ball through the lines and dominate aerial duels. He’ll be busy against Arsenal, but he is quickly emerging as a defensive leader who will be on the radar of Europe’s elite.
How do you feel about the next round’s fixtures already being set?
Kay: Even as someone who is very ‘old man yelling at clouds’ about so many of the changes made to European football over the last couple of decades, I cannot find anything to dislike about this one. For one thing, it helps fans — and media outlets — plan travel.
Lawrence: I suspect the brackets are more interesting to those who don’t have a vested interest. If your team are involved, the excitement about who comes next or is avoided is a wonderful part of fandom. That is missed.
Who’s your prediction to win the whole thing and has it changed from the last round?
Kay: Arsenal. For one thing, without wishing to disrespect Sporting, Mikel Arteta’s team have by far the most straightforward route to the semi-final. For another thing, they have a defensive solidity that means they won’t be torn apart the way City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle United were in the last round. But, at some point, they will have to show more as an attacking force.
Arsenal will be pleased with their semi-final draw against SportingVince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
Pearce: I make Bayern favourites, but if Liverpool get past PSG, they’ll have a real chance. As erratic as they have been domestically this season, Slot’s side have beaten Real Madrid, Atletico and last season’s finalists Inter.
Cortegana: It will be Bayern or Arsenal, but I give Real Madrid a much better chance now than in recent months.
Harris: I echo the others. Bayern look pretty irresistible going forward and their constant rotations make them a nightmare to defend against, even for Arsenal. That would probably be my final, where the quality of Kane and Michael Olise will tell.
Ballus: Bayern, and that has not changed from the last round. They’ve been the best team in the competition so far and have the perfect combination of a top-end squad and an exciting coaching staff led by Kompany who are hungry for success.
Stafford-Bloor: It’s still Bayern. PSG have improved a lot in recent months and have found a menacing rhythm, and it’s hard not to be impressed by what Barcelona did to Newcastle. But with the Bundesliga basically won already and Bayern best-placed to survive these knockout rounds, I predict they’ll beat a jaded Arsenal in the final.
Lang: After watching PSG huff and puff their way past Monaco in the punishment play-off round, I wasn’t too hot on them defending their Champions League crown. Now, though, they look to be relocating a bit of the swagger that made them so good last season. Granted, Chelsea were in an incredibly generous mood over two legs, but even the best teams need a jumpstart now and then. I expect Luis Enrique’s team to make a statement against Liverpool and they’ll be hard to stop from there.
Lawrence: Assuming Bayern or PSG emerge from their brutal side of the draw, they have to be heavy favourites. If there is potential for an underdog, wouldn’t it be something to have a new winner (mentioning no names, ahem)?
Ranking the eight 2025-26 Champions League quarter-finalists
Arsenal’s David Raya and Bayern’s Harry Kane will both have designs on the Champions League this season Getty Images
We are down to the final eight in the Champions League after a riveting round of 16 that saw an astonishing 68 goals scored across 16 matches.Seven of the eight ties saw one team score at least four goals. Two teams scored eight while Bayern Munich hit double figures against Atalanta on aggregate. We don’t know if the quarter-finals will be as explosive, but we do know that they will provide us with some classic matchups.Throughout this Champions league campaign, The Athletic’s projections — powered by Opta — have assessed each team’s chances of making it out of the league phase and each knockout round.
So here, with just eight storied clubs remaining, we rank their chances of lifting the famous trophy in Budapest on May 30.
8) Sporting CP
Cards on the table, there is an argument to be made for our projections underestimating Sporting.
We backed Bodo/Glimt to beat them in the round of 16 despite being given a 37 per cent chance of making it past the reigning Portuguese champions after the draw. A 3-0 home win in Bodo increased that to an 87 per cent chance of making it through.
Sporting defied the odds (literally) to take the match to extra time and score two more to end the fairytale with a 5-0 win on the night. Unfortunately, their prize for doing so was a quarter-final against Arsenal.
Our projections give them just a 21 per cent chance of making it past a team they have beaten just once in seven meetings, scoring nine goals and conceding 15. It would take a Herculean effort from a team that does have stars in Goncalo Inacio, Morten Hjulmand, Maximiliano Araujo and Luis Suarez to defeat the best team in Europe.
Sporting produced a monumental comeback against Bodo/Glimt in the second legGualter Fatia/Getty Images
7) Atletico Madrid
The attacking firepower Atletico possess is scary, but they can also look very vulnerable defensively, a marked change from Diego Simeone’s previous years in charge.
A desperate Tottenham Hotspur ran them ragged to win the second leg 3-2 after self-imploding to hand Atletico a 5-2 advantage after the first leg and Bodo beat them 2-1 in Madrid. Barcelona, who possess more quality across the board than either of those teams, will pose a challenge to a team trying to get into the last four for the first time since making two finals and a semi-final in four seasons between 2014 and 2017.
Our projections duly give them just a 34 per cent of making it past Hansi Flick’s side.
There are reasons to be positive, though. Across that four-season run, Atletico twice eliminated Barcelona, even seeing off the ‘MSN’ triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr in 2016.Most importantly, beating Spurs meant they inherited their league-phase home advantage, which ensures a second leg in Madrid. Having beaten Barcelona 4-0 in Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, they will be confident of overturning any deficit or holding on to any lead they bring back from the Camp Nou for the second leg.
6) Liverpool
The 4-0 thrashing of Galatasaray should instil some confidence in Arne Slot’s team, who have enjoyed very few comprehensive victories in 2025-26. But even the most optimistic fans on the red half of Merseyside will be concerned about facing Paris Saint-Germain at this stage of the season.
There is scar tissue from just over a year ago when Ousmane Dembele scored at Anfield and set PSG on their way to the quarter-finals via a penalty shootout, and eventual Champions League glory. Watching PSG thrash Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate while dragging them all over the place will not have soothed those wounds, either.
Liverpool’s Galatasaray win was promptly followed by a 2-1 league defeat to Brighton, continuing a trend that has plagued their campaign. Their 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in September was followed by successive defeats. Their 3-0 win at Marseille in January was instantly succeeded by a 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth. They beat West Ham 5-2 in February but then lost 2-1 to Wolves.
Our projections give Liverpool a reasonable-looking 44 per cent chance of making it past PSG, who they beat 1-0 at the Parc des Princes last season a week before the Anfield reverse, courtesy of an inspired Alisson performance in goal.
Liverpool found some form against Galatasaray, but can they do the same against the European champions?Michael Regan/Getty Images
5) Real Madrid
Alvaro Arbeloa became the first Madrid manager to win each of his first four knockout games in the competition, seeing off Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola in those matches. He has got the 15-time European champions playing to their strengths with a simple system that prioritises individual expression within a set structure.While Manchester City threatened them even after going down to 10 men at the Etihad, it was the kind of open game Madrid have often thrived in in the Champions League. The boundless athleticism of Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, among others, along with the technical skill of Arda Guler, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Brahim Diaz, make that possible.But Bayern will pose the biggest test yet — a well-drilled unit capable of shutting teams down and destroying them too. Madrid could also be without Thibaut Courtois — along with confirmed absentee Rodrygo — for at least the first leg.But this is a rivalry in which they have had the upper hand in recent meetings. Madrid ditched Bayern out of the competition at the semi-final stage in 2023-24, 2017-18, and 2013-14, and in the quarter-finals in 2016-17.Our projections give them only a 40 per cent chance of making it through but ‘Champions League’ Madrid are a unique team — Bayern, of all opponents, will be well aware of that.
Few teams enjoy getting up close and personal with Real Madrid in the Champions LeagueCarl Recine/Getty Images
4) Barcelona
An eventual 7-2 scoreline in the second leg may have flattered Barcelona given Newcastle United were on an even footing with them for nearly 75 per cent of the tie. But this has not been uncommon under Flick. When things click and the team shifts into gear, they overwhelm opponents, and the goals tend to flow at a frightening pace, knocking opponents to the floor and keeping them there.
That has not been the case much this season, though, with fatigue from a hectic 2024-25 and injuries to the playing squad preventing them from gathering momentum. But the Newcastle win — alongside a 5-2 thrashing of Sevilla days before that and a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano before the break — could finally kickstart their campaign.Pedri is back to full fitness, Robert Lewandowski is back among the goals and Lamine Yamal is… well, Lamine Yamal. Add in the eventual returns from injury of Frenkie de Jong, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, and it is understandable why our projections give them the second-best chances of making the last four at 66 per cent.While the 4-0 loss to Atletico in the Copa del Rey will sting, Barcelona have beaten them by a combined 6-1 at the Camp Nou. They will also play Simeone’s side three times in 10 days: April 4 in La Liga and April 6 and 14 in the Champions League.
3) Paris Saint-Germain
It’s March and PSG are a force to be reckoned with again — the sense of deja vu from 2025 will not be lost on the remaining seven teams.
The win over Chelsea saw Luis Enrique’s side at their ruthless best, punishing miscues and scoring eight times from an expected goals tally of just 2.1. The finishes were excellent but the fluidity in their attacking moves, facilitated by basically everybody except the centre-backs moving into whatever spaces they wanted, was a joy to watch.
Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola all look back to their sharpest. Fabian Ruiz is still out but Vitinha, Joao Neves and Warren Zaire-Emery are driving a capable midfield, while Nuno Mendes can terrorise full-backs on one end and lock up wingers on the other.
Acoording to our projections, PSG trail Barcelona in the odds to reach the semi-finals (56 vs 66 per cent) and win it all (12 vs 16 per cent). But their modern-day pedigree keeps them marginally ahead.
Can PSG become the first team other than Real Madrid to retain the European Cup since Milan in 1990?Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
2) Bayern Munich
Bayern are the best attacking side left in the Champions League and duly pummelled Atalanta 10-1 in the round of 16.
Harry Kane has been arguably the world’s best player in 2025-26, racking up 48 goals in just 40 club games. Michael Olise leads Europe’s top five leagues in assists with 17, adding 11 goals to that mix too. Luis Diaz has been a brilliant foil too, while Serge Gnabry is enjoying yet another renaissance.
Jamal Musiala, Lennart Karl and Nicolas Jackson round out an attacking unit that can hurt defences in every way possible.
Bayern have a solid back line too and have been creative with their out-of-possession work, with their players covering for each other admirably. Dayot Upamecano, Konrad Laimer and Jonathan Tah have been the team’s unsung stars.
Michael Olise has been arguably the most creative force in European football this seasonMarco BERTORELLO / AFP via Getty Images
Exorcising the ghosts of past losses to Real Madrid is a top priority. Our projections give Bayern a 60 per cent chance of making the last four, but it is hardly ever that straightforward against Madrid, who will aim to make this game as transitional as possible. Bayern have the pace in attack to make them pay but will their defence be able to hang on against Mbappe, Vinicius and company?
We are coming up to six years since their last treble in 2019-20 under Flick, which came seven years after their first in 2012-13 under Jupp Heynckes. With the league title wrapped up and the team into the German cup semi-finals for the first time since winning it in 2020, could a third treble in 14 years be on the cards?
1) Arsenal
Their reliance on defensive solidity and corners may ruffle a few feathers, but Arsenal remain top of our projections with a 30 per cent chance of winning the Champions League.
The draw fell in their favour after topping the league phase in the way Liverpool must have been hoping for in 2024-25 when they did the same. Bayer Leverkusen posed a stiff challenge in Germany but fell 2-0 at the Emirates despite recording more possession (58 vs 42 per cent). Arsenal have a 79 per cent chance of defeating quarter-final opponents Sporting, which would pit them against Barcelona or Atletico.
Mikel Arteta’s side will need to adapt a little in Europe, especially regarding corners, with Champions League officiating more stringent than in England. They also need to move past their only knockout loss of the season in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City in which they looked bereft of ideas in possession and were outfoxed without it.
Arsenal can surely be counted on to solve their out-of-possession issues, given it is the area Arteta has improved them the most in during his time in north London. Eberechi Eze suffering a calf injury that will rule him out for at least a month is a concern, but Martin Odegaard’s return from an injury of his own should add some much-needed verve and creativity.
Sophia Wilson, Tierna Davidson return to USWNT roster for Japan friendlies this weekend and next week
Sophia Wilson is back on the USWNT roster for the first time since October 2024. Denis Poroy / Imagn Images
The Portland Thorns’ Sophia Wilson will make her return to the roster for the first time since giving birth to her daughter. Wilson, who last featured in October 2024 before going on maternity leave, joins Trinity Rodman to form two-thirds of ‘Triple Espresso’ as the USWNT prepares for three critical matches against Japan, and are ranked fifth in the world, according to FIFA. The last time the two sides met was at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, which Japan won after beating the U.S. 2-1. Center back Tierna Davidson has also earned her first national team call up since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last March. Davidson, who plays for reigning National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) champions Gotham FC, . Winger Michelle Cooper of the Kansas City Current is also back in the lineup for the first time this year after missing previous camps due to injury. The USWNT will play Japan three times in as many venues: PayPal Park in San Jose on April 11, Lumen Field in Seattle on April 14, and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. on April 17.
USWNT April roster in full
Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash, 10), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 8), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 6)
Forwards (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 10/1), Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars FC; 4/1), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 52/13), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 17/6), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 18/7), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC, ENG; 29/4), Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns FC; 58/24)
Wilson’s club form, Davidson’s recovery afford them USWNT invitations
Though she’s yet to score a goal or play a full 90 minutes with the Thorns this season, Wilson has provided plenty of evidence in the space of four games of what she is capable of. With roughly 15 minutes in her first regular-season match since her maternity leave (which happened to be against another “espresso shot” in Rodman and the Washington Spirit), followed by 30, 45, and 68, Wilson’s hold-up play, incisive defending, and nose for goal haven’t waned during her time away from the pitch. It’s possible she sees her first 90 minutes since her return with the USWNT in one of the Japan games, but no matter how much she plays, it’s an important time to get back in the national team fold as the team prepares for World Cup qualifiers later this year. Wilson needs time to adjust to head coach Emma Hayes’ tactics and system (which her teammates have spent the better part of last year doing), as well as building or rebuilding partnerships with players like Alyssa Thompson, Michelle Cooper, and Emma Sears, who have been called up more regularly in her absence. Davidson hasn’t played quite as many minutes on her own return to the pitch. Nonetheless, her inclusion in this squad reveals where Hayes’ head could be regarding her proximity to the core group of players bound for Brazil — especially considering it likely meant leaving Tara Rudd of the Washington Spirit off the roster.
Consistency solidifying in the midfield
With the exception of 20-year-old Riley Jackson of the North Carolina Courage, the seven midfielders called up to this camp are the same who featured at the SheBelieves Cup last month. That includes Gotham FC’s Jaedyn Shaw, who has missed her last two club games due to a hamstring injury.
Emma Hayes appears to be building her team around a core midfield group that includes Jaedyn Shaw.Adam Hunger / Getty Images
As the USWNT backline and attacking front remain in flux, the consistency in call ups between the last international window and this one hints at Hayes’ core forming literally at the center of the pitch. She’s experimented with different line-ups among these seven players as well, demonstrating their malleability according to the needs of the game. It also helps that many of these players — Coffey, Hutton, and Moultrie in particular — have put on strong performances with their club teams lately.
Japan has exceptionally talented midfielders who are sure to pose the toughest test the USWNT has faced all year. Now that this emerging midfield core has played a tournament together, they will be asked to put what they’ve learned to use, not just once but three times.
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Campbell, Sams inclusions prove club form matters
Fittingly, Campbell’s last appearance on the USWNT was on Feb. 26, 2025 against Japan in the SheBelieves Cup finale. Should the 31-year-old earn another cap during this window, she could have an opportunity to display the form she’s had recently with the Dash, who are 2-1 and occupy the fifth spot in the NWSL table with a game in hand.
Campbell has made 12 saves so far this season, kept two clean sheets, and has saved 85.7 percent of shots on goal, according to Fbref. Since Campbell’s last call-up, Hayes had opted for younger goalkeepers like Bay FC’s Jordan Silkowitz as a replacement to an injured core player. That Hayes has opted for Campbell this time around feels a reflection of her club performances.
Sams has been called up more consistently than Campbell but does not always play significant minutes. Unlike Rudd, Sams missed out on the SheBelieves Cup but has since settled in nicely at Angel City. She’s started all three of their games and played next to veteran Sarah Gorden or Savy King in center-back pairings that have helped the Los Angeles side to their best start in club history at 3-0 and a clean sheet.
With the national team, Sams has been positioned as a full-back, though with Davidson presumably on limited minutes and the defensive flanks secured by Fox, Thompson, Reale, and Patterson, Sams could find her way back to the center of the pitch against Japan.
Pochettino admits U.S. World Cup roster selection will be ‘painful’ following Portugal loss
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino reacts during the international friendly between his team and Portugal. Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
ATLANTA — Mauricio Pochettino admitted he faces a series of “painful” decisions in selecting his final United States World Cup squad after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Portugal left a number of questions unanswered.ochettino’s side now has no more friendlies remaining before the planned May 26th squad announcement in New York, and the coach insisted several places are still up for grabs.“They know that it’s going to be a competition,” Pochettino said, after goals from Francisco Trincão and João Félix sealed a second straight defeat. “They know we are going to see every single week, every single game and we are going to assess one year and a half or more and make the decision who (is) going to make the roster.”
Asked how many players remained in contention, Pochettino made it clear there is still some ways to go before he settles on who he wants to suit up for the nation’s first home World Cup since 1994.“Today, yes, maybe a few more (than 35),” when asked how many remain in with a chance. “It is going to be painful because that process … is going to be difficult to pick only 26 from 35, 40.
“Who will be there is going to be happy, who is not on the roster is going to be sad.”
Pochettino said he took positives out of this March window despite Tuesday’s result following a 5-2 defeat to Belgium on Saturday, saying that he felt the team showed well against two top opponents.
“We were competing well, but still we need to learn a lot,” Pochettino said.
“We are competing against Belgium, Portugal,” he added, pointing out that both European teams are ranked in the top 10 by FIFA. “I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, a few or some playing in that top 100. I think we don’t have. That is why it’s good to play against these types of teams.”
Pochettino said he was happy overall with the camp. With just a few months ahead of picking his World Cup roster, Pochettino said he felt he had a better idea of the players and what they needed to do to be ready.
It was a continued message throughout the press conference from the U.S. coach, who was focused more on what he felt the team learned and the way it showed a better understanding of what is needed to compete against top teams than he was in the result of a “non-official” game.
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Some of the mistakes that were being made in the game — he pointed to Antonee Robinson’s high position on Portugal’s first goal as an example — are small details that he believes will be honed and tweaked in a longer World Cup camp. They are “fixable” issues. The bigger learnings came from the level of the opponents.
“We are going to have three, four weeks to prepare for the World Cup and going to be pushing these types of situations (to learn),” Pochettino said. “After four months (away from the national team), you don’t have much time (together), you tell players, but players have to feel (it) on the pitch. These types of mistakes are not crazy, but in these types of games, players like (Portugal’s stars), when you give them a centimeter, it’s possible for them to score.”
Pochettino said he was pleased with Christian Pulisic’s performance as the starting striker for the U.S. on Portugal, even though he wasn’t able to break his scoring drought.
“I think he was very active and he did a good job,” Pochettino said. “He was involved in (a lot) of actions. It was a shame he didn’t score with the opportunities he had, but it’s normal he was a little frustrated, but I think we were a little bit frustrated the whole game.”
‘Why not us?’ Mauricio Pochettino asked the USMNT. Belgium and Portugal answered.
ATLANTA — When Mauricio Pochettino gathered his U.S. men’s national team players on the first full day of a crucial March training camp, he spoke to them about belief. He exuded a calm confidence that built around the U.S. team this fall, that swept up fans who dared to dream. They talked then about doing “the impossible,” about charging deeper into a men’s World Cup than ever before. Now, standing on a training pitch outside Atlanta last week, Pochettino asked his players: “Why not us?”nd on Saturday and Tuesday, Belgium and Portugal delivered answers.The answer was Vitinha’s pass to Bruno Fernandes on Tuesday night. It was Jérémy Doku’s electrifying 1-v-1 ability three days earlier. It was, in Pochettino’s words, “small details,” the type that separated the USMNT and European powers over the past week — and over the past decade.
“Why not us?”Well, to win a World Cup, you almost certainly have to beat multiple top-10 European teams. And the U.S. hasn’t beaten one in nearly 11 years.It has now lost eight straight games to European nations, regardless of rank, the second-longest such streak in program history, per TruMedia. And it is winless in 10 World Cup matches against teams from the continent since 2002.
The U.S. believed, and players insist they still do. But they also made minor mistakes Saturday and Tuesday — mistakes that go unnoticed against lowly Concacaf teams but get punished by the likes of Portugal and Belgium. It’s a lagging recovery run. It’s a foolish pass or a poor first touch. It’s a jump into the wrong passing lane. It’s Antonee Robinson cheating too high, plus a half dozen other “details” that allowed Portugal to take a 1-0 lead.“In that situation, we need to read [the game] better,” Pochettino said of the sequence that led to the first Portuguese goal in a simple 2-0 win.“This type of mistakes, they are not crazy,” he continued. “But in this type of game, players like [Pedro] Neto, [Gonçalo] Ramos, Bruno, João Félix — when you give a centimeter, it’s possible that they can score. That was what happened.”
João Félix’s world-class ability made an impact against the United States.Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
That’s what happened Tuesday. That’s what happened Saturday. That’s what happened last June against Switzerland. It also happened in 2023 against Germany, and at the 2022 World Cup against the Netherlands.For extended stretches of some of those games, the USMNT was competitive. It was better than Belgium for 40 minutes. It was on the front foot for 20 against Portugal. It looked like a coherent, well-coached team. It played with confidence and even attitude, just as it had for spells against the Germans and Dutch years ago.What it lacked was top-end talent. Individual quality. Pochettino essentially said this Tuesday.
“We are USA. And we are competing against Belgium, Portugal,” he said. “For sure, Belgiumand Portugal have, in the top 100 players [in the world], a few or some players in that top 100. I think we don’t have.”That, of course, is an oversimplified view of soccer, a wonderfully complex sport. Underdogs beat favorites all the time. Intensity and organization, intangibles and tactics, randomness and luck can all close quality gaps on any given day. They have for U.S. men’s national teams in the past. Someday, they’ll do so again.
But it’s been a damn long time since the USMNT sustained them for 90 minutes. And at the final whistle Tuesday, shoulders sank. Heads hung. Bodies moped. Chris Richards tugged at his jersey in frustration.Pochettino, when asked if he worried that the players would lose belief, seemed perplexed by the concept.
“Who start to lose belief? Which players?” he asked.
When told that none of them had ever beaten a top European team, he responded: “Yeah, but always it’s — hope the first time is going to be in the World Cup. We need to learn. That is why we are playing this type of game.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino gives a miffed reaction as the U.S. fell to Portugal in AtlantaAndrew J. Clark / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images
The players, for their part, said they are indeed learning. Some have hardly seen this level before. The USMNT’s schedule is now largely filled by games within Concacaf.
When they met the likes of Portugal, Auston Trusty saw “the ruthlessness of the finishing.”
Sebastian Berhalter felt, for the first time, a different type of soccer. “When you play against these teams, it’s a lot less chaotic than you would think,” he said. “It’s a lot more controlled. Guys have great first touches, so, pressing, it makes it even harder.”
The U.S. did press effectively up until the game’s first hydration break. That, and the entire first half, fueled the players’ persistent belief.
“I mean, both first halves, we caused the teams a lot of problems, we put a lot of pressure on them,” Christian Pulisic said of Belgium and Portugal. “It didn’t seem like either game was out of control.”
Advertisementhe shortcoming, he acknowledged, was “just little moments, or being a little bit more clinical. It’s just the same story. But I feel really close. I feel like we’re in a good place.”
USMNT players have two more matches before the World Cup group stageOmar Vega / USSF / Getty Images
In that sense, their belief is totally valid and logical. In both games this month, just like against the Netherlands in 2022, they can point to moments, to specific chances that, if they’d been converted, could have led to very different conclusions. They are, or at least seem, within reach of international soccer’s upper echelons. It would be foolish to say they cannot beat Germany in June or Turkey at the World Cup or someone even better in the knockout stages.
But it was also impossible to escape the feeling that Portugal was toying with the U.S. — just like Germany and the Netherlands did a few years ago.
And it was hard to see how the U.S. would beat a team of that caliber. The Americans can, but there is increasingly little reason to believe they will.
Late last week, after repeating his “why not us” line to reporters, Pochettino was asked: Why? Can you sell to the average American why the U.S. is a contender for the World Cup?
The crux of his answer was: “Because we are American.”
And on Tuesday night, after all the momentum from the fall had fizzled, although he repeatedly reiterated a positive message, the belief felt a bit more like blind faith.
“When we match the opponent in the areas that we need to match,” Pochettino said, “for sure we are going to have the possibility to beat them.”
Pulisic concluded: “We’re gonna figure it out. We’re gonna figure it out when it really counts.”
USA 0, Portugal 2: Decisive loss, Pulisic struggles cap last pre-World Cup window
ATLANTA — The U.S. men’s national team get a second consecutive lesson in quality from a European power Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, losing to Portugal 2-0 in a friendly that brought the Americans further down to earth.They’d hoped to respond to Saturday’s 5-2 shellacking by Belgium. For around 20 minutes, they did — with energy and attacking intent.But Portugal slowly, gradually, took control of the game and punished the U.S. for a lapse — just as Belgium had three days earlier.
In the 36th minute, a few scruffy passes led to a U.S. turnover. The ball fell to Portugal’s Vitinha, who, with a quick glance, sent U.S. midfielder Aidan Morris jumping into the wrong passing lane. Vitinha played in Bruno Fernandes, who, as U.S. players lagged behind the play, set up Francisco Trincão for the game’s opening goal.USA’s World Cup Group Is SetTurkey completes USA’s World Cup group, ramps up overall difficultyTurkey outlasted Kosovo for one of the final places in the 2026 World Cup and will be the U.S.’s last group opponentAfter the break, the match fell into a familiar rhythm. The U.S. was never overwhelmed; but, with a lineup of mostly reserves, it never really looked capable of scoring or getting back into the game.In the 59th minute, Portugal struck again. João Félix pinged in a shot from outside the box off the post. U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese had no chance.
By the midway point of the second half, the U.S. fans among the 72,297 in attendance seemed to have lost hope. The atmosphere felt dead. And a March window that began with optimism ended with a whimper.Here’s a closer look at the match:
João Félix shoots past Aidan Morris and scores Portugal’s second goalJared C. Tilton / Getty Images
A similar script unfolds
It was impossible to ignore the similarities between the respective starts of the Belgium and Portugal games. In both contests, the U.S. players looked confident and dangerous as they attacked their opponent. They created chances. They combined nicely. They caused problems. Then the hydration break came. Belgium players talked on Saturday about how the first-half hydration break — which FIFA will mandate at the World Cup no matter the venue or weather — allowed a crucial opportunity for the coaching staff to reset tactics and adjust to what the Americans were doing. Belgium put more players into midfield. They looked to isolate Jérémy Doku more on the wing and create 1-on-1 opportunities. The U.S. would score first in that game, but Belgium seized control of the match and cruised to a win. On Tuesday, the U.S. again looked dangerous and competent in the attack. Defensively it was a bit more solid. Portugal seemed, like Belgium, to absorb that energy and figure out what the U.S.’s plan was. Then, after the hydration break, the visitors settled into the game and took control. They kept the ball and made the U.S. work. They pressed effectively. And after forcing a turnover at midfield, Vitinha needed just one pass to carve up the U.S. and set up Bruno Fernandes’ assist to Trincão.It’s a concerning similarity. The U.S. needs to be ready for adjustments at the World Cup. And it needs to be able to counterpunch. In both March friendlies, it was the opponents who took advantage.
Christian Pulisic couldn’t break his scoring drought vs. PortugalJared C. Tilton / Getty Images
Pulisic starts at striker but can’t break through
Pulisic entered this March camp without a goal in 2026, and without a goal for the national team since 2024. Two days after he missed a pivotal chance against Belgium and extended the drought, Pochettino spoke about tweaking his star’s position.
“We know that he can score,” Pochettino said. “Maybe we help a little bit, [and move him] a little bit closer to the goal.”
Up until Portugal’s first goal, the U.S. created better chances. The two best opportunities fell to Pulisic, whom Pochettino had moved to a center forward position in an attempt to get him out of a rut.
Instead, Pulisic dug himself deeper. In the sixth minute, when free in the box, his finish was weak and saved. In the 22nd, a Tim Weah cross fizzed right through Pulisic’s legs.
Like on Saturday, Pulisic looked dangerous running at the Portuguese defense but out of sync in the penalty box. He closed his 45 minutes kicking out at an opponent in frustration. He was then subbed out at halftime.
Tuesday was the first time since taking over as coach in 2024, Pochettino started Pulisic in place of a natural striker rather than alongside one. Pulisic has mostly played for the U.S. in a left attacking midfield role, somewhere in between a winger and a No. 10. Here he was a center forward, paired up top with fellow attacking midfielder Weston McKennie. And although his movements and role changed, his performance in front of goal did not.
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He combined well in the position with McKennie and Malik Tillman. He looked reasonably comfortable — which is unsurprising, given that Pulisic has played in a front two at AC Milan. His off-ball running was smart. His dribbling was purposeful and sharp. Anywhere outside the box, he looked confident.
There were moments, again, where the U.S. played well. And there were players whose efforts met the moment. But once again there were periods of play where the U.S. was too slow to react, too delayed in their recoveries and a step behind the required effort to make the play. Mauricio Pochettino highlighted the team’s lack of intensity in his prematch comments, but the challenge wasn’t met.Unsurprisingly, there were examples on both goals. Heavy touches in midfield from both Malik Tillman and Alex Freeman eventually led to McKennie’s turnover. Then, after Aidan Morris tried to jump the pass, which allowed Vitinha to skin the U.S., Morris and Tillman were far too slow to recover into the box to defend, which gave Trincão the space to trail Fernandes and score the opener.Portugal’s second goal, on a designed set piece, highlighted it again. João Félix had the time to take a touch and set up the volley he lasered into the bottom corner of the far post. Morris was the closest to it, and afterwards, the big screen in Mercedes-Benz Stadium showed the midfielder pointing to his own chest after the goal.Against teams like Belgium and Portugal, all that’s needed is that half second or half space. Over the last three days, the U.S. was taught that lesson multiple times.By the end of the game, it felt more like a training session for Portugal than anything really productive for the U.S. Portugal was given far too much time and space on the ball. It was toying with the U.S. at times. It felt so far removed from a game with stakes — just as it felt in September 2022 when the U.S. played neutral site friendlies in Germany and Spain. The U.S. recovered and had a solid group stage in Qatar. Pochettino & Co. hope this is similarly not much of an indication of what will come when the tournament starts in a few months.
Pochettino gives blunt assessment of whether USA has any world top 100 players
Mauricio Pochettino had numbers on his mind on Tuesday night. It wasn’t just the two unanswered goals his United States team conceded to Portugal, the nine weeks he has to name his World Cup roster, or the 35 (or 40) players still in with a chance of making the cut at that time.Pochettino also had the figure 100 running through his thoughts, namely the players he considers to be among the best 100 in the world. And, according to him, there aren’t any Americans among them.“We are USA,” Pochettino told reporters at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, after back-to-back losses following Saturday’s 5-2 setback against Belgium. “We are competing against Belgium, Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, a few or some, players playing in that top 100. I think we don’t have. That is why it’s good to play against these types of teams.”It was a long way from being the most incendiary thing he could have said, but, coming out of the final window before the tournament squad is announced on May 26, it was striking.Soccer is global enough that few countries on the planet can lay claim to having several of the 100 best, or even more than one.It would not be unreasonable, however, to suggest that Christian Pulisic might be disappointed with such a take from his national team coach. Such lists are, by their very nature, subjective and can use widely varying criteria to make a determination. But he has been on lists of that type before.At the end of 2024, for instance, Pulisic was among the final 22 players in the world shortlisted for The Best FIFA men’s midfielder award.And in The Athletic’s “Best 100 Players” who will be at the World Cup, compiled by Nick Miller and Tim Spiers last December, Pulisic was the only American, and came in at No. 39. The rubric used included factors such as current form, historical performance, importance to their nation, transfer value, and rating on the highly-researched FC26 video game.A Proper Top-100 RankingRanking the 100 best players at World Cup 2026Our writers attempt the impossible – ordering the best players who are in with a chance of being at the tournament in North America
Otherwise, Weston McKennie, based on his Juventus form of late, might also consider himself worthy of being in the mix. Given how national team coaches generally take the approach of cheerleading for their best players, Pochettino’s remarks were notable, at the very least, though they should be kept in context.The coach may be right, of course. At various times over the history of the USMNT, it is likely that only a handful of players would ever have been at a lofty enough point at any stage of their career to hold claims on a subjective top 100 spot. As for Pulisic, he made a stirring start to the current Serie A season after missing last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup but has tailed off of late. He has not scored for AC Milan during this calendar year, and hasn’t scored for the U.S. since 2024.The context of what Pochettino said was important, though. The intent was clearly not to downplay his players’ ability, but to reinforce that the U.S. is not, at this time, at the same level as the leading European powers, either as a collective unit or in terms of individual ability. The point he was making was that for this reason alone, scheduling matches and competing against such opponents is vital to future development and progress. “(It) is massive for us, it is about (learning),” Pochettino added. “We should play more games. Even though this is painful it is the only way to improve, it is the only way to learn, it is the only way to see how the top players and teams compete.” If the top 100 analogy came off as strangely specific, it should be noted that as a group, U.S. Soccer does have a tendency to think in such statistical terms. Last year, the federation hired the Twenty First Group, a sports intelligence consultancy. Among the firm’s research was analysis about how many players rated in the top 1,000 in the world a national team normally needs to reach the quarterfinals of a World Cup, or better.
Why Wrexham against Southampton has the potential to be another Easter classic
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is hoping to oversee a fourth successive promotion Harriet Massey/Getty Images
Wrexham versus Notts County was a true game for the ages; so much so that, by the time the music stopped after almost 100 pulsating minutes of Easter Monday football, it felt as if the Welsh club had finally prised open the door marked ‘EFL Return’ after 15 long years in the wilderness of non-League.
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Ben Foster’s 95th minute penalty save to clinch a season-defining 3-2 victory may be the abiding memory of a top-of-the-table clash that lived up to its “biggest non-League game in history” pre-match billing.
But, really, all footballing life was present at The Racecourse Ground that spring day, as two teams who had already breached the 100-point milestone swapped places at the top of the table for the 15th and final time that season.
There was even a touch of Hollywood glamour, of sorts, as Ryan Reynolds declared Foster to be a “double-handsome b*****d” in the dressing room afterwards, just moments after co-owner Rob Mac had kissed the former England goalkeeper full on the lips.
And yet here we are again, looking forward to another holiday fixture in north Wales that has a similar feel to that winner takes all contest against Luke Williams’ Notts County, a team who finished the 2022-23 National League season with 107 points but still had to negotiate the play-offs to clinch promotion due to the relentless form shown by Phil Parkinson’s champions.
Wrexham’s clash with Southampton has been looming large for some time. Shifted back a day due to the south coast club’s involvement in Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-finals, where they shocked Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 2-1 home win, Southampton’s first league visit to The Racecourse since 1959 pits two sides who, for the past seven or so weeks, have been embroiled in their very own game of pass-the-parcel when it comes to sixth place.
Derby County are also in the hunt along with Hull City but, really, Tuesday’s clash has felt for weeks to have the potential of providing the fourth and final play-offs qualifier. A point not lost on Wrexham’s Lewis O’Brien.
Wrexham’s Lewis O’Brien has been acutely aware of Southampton’s revivalJess Hornby/Getty Images
“When you look from the outside,” says the midfielder, “it is one of those games. We’re one point in front of them and they have a game in hand now. Before that, it was goal difference keeping us out of the play-offs.
“From that standpoint, people can big up the game as much as they want. But I don’t think we will be doing that. We stay in our own changing room and keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Whether a sell-out crowd will be treated to a contest as captivating as that famous Notts County game remains to be seen. But, judging by how Southampton turned a 1-0 deficit against Wrexham on 90 minutes into three points by the time the final whistle blew on the opening day of the campaign, the potential for more thrills and spills seems high.
Southampton’s resurgence — they were fourth bottom on November 1 when Will Still was sacked — means those late, late goals from Ryan Manning and Jack Stephens have taken on even greater significance.
Now, though, a new band of fan favourites have emerged, complete with their own terrace songs, and the supporter-player bond that had been such a feature of the charge through the divisions has been restored.
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“Playing at home is massive,” says O’Brien, one of 13 signings made last summer when joining from Nottingham Forest. “The fans finally feel we belong here, rather than are just here for a little bit.
“At the start of the season, they were a bit iffy as to what was going on. The team took time to gel. Now we have gelled, they believe we do belong here and get right behind us now.”
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has inspired the club’s revival after a slow start this termLeila Coker/Getty Images
Like Notts County going into that epic 2023 title showdown, Southampton will arrive at the SToK Cae Ras in great form, a 12-game unbeaten league run having yielded 30 points to cement the popularity of Tonda Eckert, Still’s successor as head coach.
Even the disruption of losing top scorer Adam Armstrong to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January — he is still the only player at St Mary’s with a double-figure tally of goals — has been overcome by the 33-year-old German, whose previous experience of English football had come as Gerhard Struber’s assistant at Barnsley.
“It is a massive game for us,” admits Parkinson, whose own side are in great form, too. Their haul of 36 points from 18 games since Christmas is bettered by only Millwall and Norwich City (37 apiece).
“At this stage of the season, though, it’s difficult to say one game is harder than the next because everyone is fighting for something. But, with Southampton’s resurgence, it has a special feel to it and we will be ready for Tuesday night.”
One huge difference between Wrexham’s first promotion under Parkinson in 2023 and today centres on stress levels, with supporters able to enjoy the push for the Premier League in a way that was unthinkable when trying to escape non-League.
Sure, every game matters in the quest to keep those dreams of a fourth consecutive promotion alive. And should Parkinson’s men triumph on Tuesday evening, the celebrations in the stands will be suitably raucous.
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But, unlike that memorable National League run-in when even drawing a game felt like the end of the world, this has been a season to savour for Wrexham supporters.
Wrexham fans have enjoyed a memorable season alreadyHarriet Massey/Getty Images
Already, their team is all but assured of securing the highest league finish in the club’s history, eclipsing the previous best of 15th in the old Second Division set in 1978-79. Then there is the sense that Wrexham’s ultimate destination under Reynolds and Mac will be the Premier League, be that next season or at some stage in the next few years.
That said, one look at the Championship table shows just what is at stake for both teams in this latest Easter six-pointer.
“Pressure is a privilege,” adds Parkinson, a manager with six promotions on his CV. “Absolutely, that’s the case. Football is about making the most of every season. I always feel every season is special and we have an opportunity to finish it well.
“We will do everything we can to do that. When you get into this position, it is important — like we have done in previous years — that we produce good performances. We have got to enjoy it and we will.”
March 31, 2026Esmir Bajraktarevic, who grew up near Milwaukee, Wisc., became a national hero for Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday night, as his winning penalty clinched qualification for this summer’s World Cup and denied four-time champion Italy a spot in the tournament.The 21-year-old former New England Revolution winger converted a brazen no-look penalty past Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to complete a shootout triumph in Zenica, after scores were locked at 1-1 following extra-time.
Bajraktarevic’s strike broke the Italian hearts and prolonged the country’s World Cup drought – Italy has not qualified for the event since 2014. After beating Donnarumma, he ripped off his shirt and raised it proudly as he celebrated with a rabid home crowd at the Stadion Bilino Polje. It has been quite the journey for the American-born playmaker, who is now at PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie.Bajraktarevic, who hails from Appleton, Wisc., was a U.S. youth international and invited to a senior camp in January of 2024, where he made his senior debut against Slovenia under former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter. That summer, however, he decided to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a dual national with what appears to be a high ceiling, Bajraktarevic’s decision made headlines in the U.S. But for the player, it was simply what felt right.
“The decision for me was very easy,” Bajraktarevic told The Blazing Musket in October of 2024. “It was something I knew I wanted to do since I was little. It was just a process that took a while. I’m very happy I made it. There’s no feeling like representing your country.”As Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared for the final stretch of European World Cup qualifying, Bajraktarevic reiterated where his heart has always been.“I’m very proud every time I play for Bosnia,” he said in February. “It’s a different feeling. It’s where my parents come from and it’s what I’ve always thought of myself as, as a Bosnian.”The questions will now be raised within the U.S. soccer community about whether Bajraktarevic would make Mauricio Pochettino’s current squad. That will certainly be debated, but what is evident is Bajraktarevic’s youthful flair and swagger on the ball. Against Italy, and deep into extra time, the left-footed Bajraktarevic attempted a rabona near Donnarumma’s penalty area. It flew out of bounds but that didn’t deter him from taking it even further moments later.He stepped up confidently to take one of the most significant kicks in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s soccer history, after the Italians had squandered two opportunities from the spot. As Bajraktarevic looked down and cleverly placed the ball to Donnarumma’s left, pandemonium ensued.
Ok I am going to be honest I did not see this coming. Yes I predicted a loss — 2-1 but 5-1. I can’t remember the last time the US conceded 5 goals in a game. Five goals? For those questioning my questioning of this defense – there it is. Lets start with the back 4 – not a bad idea to start with line-up against a superior team like Belgium – but Timmy Weah was way out of his league vs Doku – one of the best wingers in the world. I also thought Mark Mckensie was turned a # of times and did not have the best game as 3 of the goal attacks came down the left hand side. Tim Ream continued to show he is TOO OLD to play in the middle against Top 10 competition. Listen I love Tim Ream – have his Fulham jersey in my closet – but at 40 his foot speed is simply too far behind to play good teams. I would say he was involved on 3 of the goals – places where a good centerback makes the play. The lone bright spot was Jedi Robinson in an attacking role though his D could have been better. I know Chris Richards and Tim Robinson were hurt – but this might have showed we are a 3-5-2 team now. We needed 5 on defense vs Belgium and whatever that was needs to end.
Turning to Goalkeeper – unlike most – I was actually ok with the change – I thought Matt Turner might still sneak into the starting slot for the World Cup – ah that’s over now. Sad part is he made some fantastic saves on the day – hell it could have /should have been 8-1 if Turner doesn’t make some saves – but to give up 5 to anyone much less Belgium without Lukaku is a sign you are not the guy. Lets see if Matt Freese can handle the pressure that Portugal is sure to bring tonight.
Offensively we had our moments – Pulisic was still clearly not quite on – his 2 goal chances- blown completely. Balogun had little service but I don’t think I heard his name called once. Pepi and Agyemang coming on late and stealing one goal was impressive and might get Pepi an earlier call to come in during the World Cup. I am still not sure how Poch is going to get his 3 or 4 best mids on the field. I did not work to have Tillman behind the front 2 of Bola & Pulisic – unfortunately – I would like to see Reyna get a start vs Portugal in that spot to see if works. Also what to do with McKennie – he has to be on the field – he scored our goal on the Cornerkick, he probably was the best field player besides Antonee Robinson. The dmid line-up of Cardoso & Tessman actually held their own in the first half of a 1-1 game. Cardoso showed he deserves a spot on the bus for the WC. I thought Tessman had some moments – especially in the 1st half – but when Cristian Roldan came on in the 2nd for Cardoso – the duo was exposed during the 4 goal blasting. Late subs by Berhalter merely showed his MLS self is not ready for this level of play.
So now what? We HAVE to have a good showing vs Portugal, who is without Ronaldo but still tied Mexico 0-0 on Saturday. The Great New is it appears our best Centerback – the only one starting in the EPL Chris Richards is back in the mix for tonight, I would guess he will start with Trusty who is a left sided Centerback for Celtic. Will be interesting to see if he puts Trusty in the middle and Ream on the left (I hope not) or does he go Joe Scally on the right with Richards in the middle. (my preference). I would also love to see Alex Freeman get a run at right outside back. Of course Freese is back in goal. In the middle trying to replace Adams (who we desperately miss) and the injured Cardoso – I would go with Aidan Morris. The biggest thing is the US Team must show some grit some passion – we just got blasted 5-1 at home with 65K Atlanta – a place we might play in the World Cup – we must show better vs Portugal. With Richards back IF he doesn’t play Tim Ream I think we tie this game 1-1. If he starts Ream – its 3-1 Portugal.
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING the Last 6 Teams Will Be Decided Tuesday
So its put up or shut up time for 6 teams to make the World Cup – my Italy again has their backs to the Wall and must win in a hostile stadium vs an old Bosnia team at 2:45 pm on FS1. Of most interest for the US is Kosovo basically hosting Turkey with the winner advancing to the US group as the 3rd game vs the US. Turkey looked good – and 86th ranked Kosovo needed penalties to advance but look out on this one. The US REALLY NEEDS KOSOVO to Win. Live on FS2
Indy 11 Plays Tonite 7 pm and Sat 7 pm vs Pittsburgh
Indy Eleven came back from a halftime deficit with two second-half goals to earn a 2-2 draw at USL Championship Eastern Conference opponent Hartford Athletic. Indy Eleven has two home games at Carroll Stadium this week–Tue. Mar. 31 for a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round match vs. Union Omaha at 7 p.m., and Sat. Apr. 4 against the defending USL champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Ticket options available include Family Four-Packs, pro-rated Season Tickets, and Flex Mini-Plans. The Family Four-Pack is available for all 2026 home games and it can be purchased online only. Priced at just $49, the Family Four-Pack includes four tickets, FREE parking, $20 in Concession Vouchers, and a 20% Merchandise Discount, along with access to the Fun Zone/Kids Activation Area.
Congrats to the 2010 Carmel FC Boys for winning the River City Classic in Cincy for a 2nd time in 3 years
Huge congrats to Coach Mark Stumpf (right) battling thru the pain this weekend. The boys were great! Yes that’s me the ole ballcoach on the left.
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Tues, Mar 31 2:30 pm FS1 Italy vs Bosnia WC Qualifier 2:30 pm FS2 Kosovo vs Turkiye WC Qualifier 2:45 pm Fubu Sweden vs Poland WC Qualifier 2:45 pm Fubu Czechia vs Denmark WC Qualifier 7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Portugal 7 pm Para+ Indy 11 vs Union Omaha US Open Cup 9 pm FS1. Peacock Congo DR vs Jamaica WCQ 1 11 pm FS1, Peacock Iraq vs Bolivia WCQ2 Weds, Apr 1 7:30 pm CBS Galazo Michigan Bucks vs Detroit City US open Cup 8 pm CBS Sports Net Colorado Springs vs Spokane Wash US Open Cup Thur, Apr 2 12:45 pm CBSSN Barcelona vs Real Madrid – Women’s UCL 3 pm CBSSN OL Lyon vs Wolfsburg – Women’s UCL Fri, Apr 2 10 am Para+ West Brom vs Wrexham 3 pm PAra+ Coventry City vs Derby County (Agyemang) 8 pm Amazon Prime Orlando Pride vs Angel City NWSL Sat, Apr 4 7:30 am ESPN Man City vs Liverpool FA Cup 9:30 am ESPN+ Freiburg vs Bayern Munich 9:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Bayern Leverkusen (Tilman) 12:!5 pm ESPN+ Chelsea vs Port Vale FA Cup 3 pm ESPN+ Southampton vs Arsenal FA Cup 3 pm ESPN+, ESPND Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona 4 pm CBS KC Current vs NY/NJ Gotham NWSL 6:30 pm Tubi TV NC Courage vs Portland Thorns NWSL 7 pm TV 8? Indy 11 vs 7 pm Uni Monterrey vs Athletico Liga MX 7:30 pm Apple Free Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew 7:30 pm Apple free Miami vs Austin 7:30 pm Apple Free NY Red Bulls vs Cincy 8:30 pm Apple free Houston vs Seattle Sounders 8:30 pm Apple free Chicago Fire vs Nashville 8:45 pm Tubi TV Seattle Reign vs Denver Summit NWSL 9:30 pm Apple Free LAFC vs Orlando 10:30 pm Apple Free LA Galaxy vs Minn Sun Apr 5 9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs St Pauli 10:30 am ESPN+ Valencia vs Celta Vigo 11:30 am ESPN 2 West Ham vs Leeds United (Aaronson) FA CUP 2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Roma Italy 2:45 pm beIN Sport Monaco (Balogun) vs Marseille (Weah) 5 pm ESPN2 Bay FC vs Washington Spirit (Rodman) NWSL
Sat, Apr 11 7 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan Tues, Apr 12 7 pm TNT, HBO US Women vs Japan Sun, May 31 3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK 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 Complete 2026 World Cup schedule featuring match dates and start times NWSL Schedule
US Players on Duty — Friday
PSG vs Toulouse, 2:45p on beIN Sports, Fubo (free trial): Mark McKenzie and Toulouse have a big task on their hands defending PSG in this Ligue 1 match.
Coventry vs Derby, 3p on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Coventry City host Patrick Agyemang and Derby County in the EFL Championship.
Also in action:
Middlesbrough vs Millwall, 7:30a on Paramount+: Aidan Morris and Boro host Millwall in the EFL Championship.
Charlton vs Bristol City, 10a: Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic host Bristol City in the EFL Championship.
West Brom vs Wrexham, 10a on Paramount+: George Campbell, Daryl Dike, and West Brom host Wrexham in the EFL Championship.
Vitória Guimarães vs Tondela, 1p: Jordan Pefok and Tondela visit Vitória de Guimarães in Liga Portugal.
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Huge congrats to my Ref Buddy (L doing his first D1 – College Game last Week !!
2026 World Cup playoffs: Who will claim the final six spots?
Mark OgdenMar 31, 2026, 03:21 AM ET
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off on June 11 when co-hosts Mexico play South Africa in Mexico City, but six qualification places are still up for grabs in the European and intercontinental playoffs.
The final qualified teams will be confirmed Tuesday with four European nations and the winners of the two intercontinental playoff finals sealing their spot in the Canada, Mexico and the United America this summer.
Kosovo will host Türkiye attempting to reach their first World Cup, and four-time world champions Italy must win at Bosnia and Herzegovina to avoid missing out on the finals for the third successive tournament.
Iraq (1986), Congo DR (as Zaire in 1974), Bolivia (1994) and Türkiye (2002) are all looking to end lengthy absences from the World Cup, but who will be victorious in the six qualification finals?
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy (Zenica, Bosnia):Edin Dzeko‘s 86th-minute goal against Wales in Cardiff was the lifeline Bosnia needed to stay in the semifinal and take the game to penalties, which ended with a 4-2 shootout win for Sergej Barbarez’s team. At 40 years old, former Manchester City, AS Roma and Inter Milan striker Dzeko will become one of the oldest outfield players to appear at a World Cup if he can inspire Bosnia again in the final, but Italy will go into the game as strong favorites.
Gennaro Gattuso’s team overcame a nervous start to beat Northern Ireland2-0 on Bergamo in Thursday’s semifinal and that victory has boosted morale in Italy following playoff heartbreak in 2018 and 2022. Bosnia have home advantage in Zenica at the hostile Stadium Bilino Polje, but Italy have the pedigree of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sandro Tonali and Manuel Locatelli, so they will have no excuses for another playoff failure.
Winners: Italy
Laurens: Italy face tougher test against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Julien Laurens breaks down Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dramatic penalty win over Wales ahead of their World Cup showdown with Italy.
Sweden vs. Poland (Stockholm, Sweden): Viktor Gyökeres almost single-handedly sealed Sweden’s place in the final with a hat trick in Thursday’s 3-1 semifinal win against Ukraine in Valencia. Sweden, now coached by former Chelsea and West Ham United boss Graham Potter, seriously underperformed during the qualifiers witha winless group campaign, but they now have a home game against Poland to book a place at the World Cup.
The Poles had to fight back from going a goal down against Albania in Warsaw before winning 2-1 with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski and they go into the Sweden game having run Netherlands close in their qualifying group. Recent form suggests that Poland will be favorites, but Sweden are at home and the confidence of a big win against Ukraine. It will be close, but Sweden will shade it — maybe even on penalties.
Kosovo vs. Türkiye (Pristina, Kosovo): Though Türkiye’s semifinal against Romania went as expected with Vincenzo Montella’s team winning 1-0 through Ferdi Kadioglu‘s goal, Kosovo upset the odds with a 4-3 win away to Slovakia. Kosovo went into the playoffs as the lowest-ranked European nation still alive in the competition, sitting in 78th position between Israel and Oman in the FIFA World Ranking, but they dominated in Bratislava to seal a deserved victory.
Franco Foda’s team is young, bold and full of pace and energy, and they have the ability to shock a Türkiye team stacked with top talent including Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz. Türkiye have won the two previous meetings between the teams and will be favorites, but Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri will be rocking in Pristina on Tuesday, and a passionate atmosphere could tip the balance in Kosovo’s favor.
Czechia vs. Denmark (Prague, Czechia): Czechia looked dead and buried against the Republic of Ireland after finding themselves 2-0 down in Prague after 23 minutes, but Miroslav Koubek’s team fought back to take the game to penalties before winning 4-3 from the spot kicks.
But the Czechs will face a Denmark side that showed its quality with a 4-0 win against North Macedonia in Copenhagen, so the Danes will be strong favorites heading into the final. The questions about Denmark have nothing to do with their quality — coach Brian Riemer has Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Højlund and Christian Norgaard on his roster — but whether they can handle the pressure of being favorites. A draw against Belarus and defeat against Scotland saw them blow their hopes of automatic qualification, so will they feel the heat against the Czechs? That’s the danger for Denmark, but perhaps beating North Macedonia has proved their mettle.
Congo DR vs. Jamaica (Zapopan, Mexico): Jamaica toiled to a 1-0 win against rank outsiders New Caledonia in the semifinal, so they will have to step up several levels to have any hope of beating Congo DR.
Congo, nicknamed the “Warriors of the Equator,” have top-level European experience in their squad with Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United), Arthur Masuaku (Lens), Yoane Wissa (Newcastle United) and captain Chancel Mbemba (Lille), so they should be too strong for a Jamaica side led by interim coach Rudolph Speid. Wrexham’s Bailey Cadamarteri scored the match winner for Jamaica against New Caledonia, but repeating that effort will be tough against one of the strongest African teams.
Iraq vs. Bolivia (Guadalupe, Mexico): Iraq’s preparations for their playoff have been thrown into disarray by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, forcing coach Graham Arnold to ask FIFA for the game to postponed due to the difficulties of his squad being about to travel from the region. But Tuesday’s match will go ahead and the Lions of Mesopotamia will have a full squad due to call on after being given the use of a private jet to travel to Mexico. Whether the disruption to their plans will affect Iraq’s chances remains to be seen, but Bolivia’s 2-1 semifinal win over Suriname, when they overturned a 1-0 deficit to claim victory, showed that the South American nation is match ready — the same cannot be said for Iraq. Having had no competitive games since December, Iraq might struggle to win this game and end a 40-year wait for a World Cup appearance.
Winners: Bolivia
USA vs. Portugal, 2026 USMNT friendly: preview – the devil is in the big picture
More questions ahead of the last friendly before the World Cup breakby Parker Cleveland Mar 30, 2026, 11:44 AM EDT Stars & Stripes
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 28: Weston McKennie #8 of the United States celebrates scoring during the first half against Belgium during an international friendly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images)Getty Images
The USMNT will close out its March friendly window looking to bounce back after falling apart in the second half to Belgium on Saturday. In that match, Mauricio Pochettino put forward an attack minded lineup with four out and out attackers plus Tim Weah at right back. It seemed to pay off at first with the USA jumping out to an early lead thanks to a goal from Wes McKennie, that would be the high point for the USA as Belgium scored four goals in 23 minutes scoring the first right before the half and another in 82nd with the Americans pulling one back three minutes before the death.
The match itself was underscored by questions in defense and goalkeeper – mainly, what happens when the team doesn’t have Chris Richards and who should start between the sticks? The answer to the Richards dilemma is clearly, we don’t know while the keeper solution is probably anyone except for Matt Turner. The match also showed that Tim Ream is not at the level needed to take on a top 10 team in the world, the same for that matter can be said of Mark McKenzie. Aside from Ream’s handball, Belgium had no issue controlling the ball around the box and playing around the central defenders.
As far as taking on Portugal, Poch will need to come up with more effective defensive tactics with the European Nations League champs licking their chops at the prospect of taking on a team that struggled the way the USA did defensively. Adding to this issue is that Johnny Cardoso was OK at defensive midfield. That might have been acceptable if the game wasn’t asking him to do more to cover for the center backs but either he needs to step up or step aside for the team to find an effective replacement for Tyler Adams.
Portugal comes into the game having drawn 0-0 to Mexico at El Azteca over the weekend. The Iberians were the more attack minded of the teams but failed to find a goal despite dominating possession with 66% of the passing and an xG of 1.39. El Tri played in a 4-1-4-1 formation and held strong defensively with Portugal getting the better of the chances. For their part, Portugal played in their 4-2-3-1 and was attack minded as advertised.
For this match, the task for the Americans is pretty straight forward: find a defensive posture that works, keep Bruno Fernandes from dictating the tempo, stop Joao Felix or Pedro Neto from finding space to score or create for his teammates, and in attack keep the ball in the face of their opponent’s press.
It will be interesting to see how Poch addresses the situation in defense. The USA did very well with a three center back set up at the end of last year. Alex Freeman and Joe Scally are both capable of playing in that system but the team needs a central defender to fill the void left by Richards in anchoring the backline. If the team steps up and plays solid defense, gets a good match out of whoever starts at keeper, and finds a way to get through the Portugal backline, the Americans might be able to go into the World Cup with a promising performance against one of the best teams in the world. If not, it could be a long night and a longer few months with more questions following the team into the start of the tournament.
USMNT exposed with tactical approach to Belgium, makes for a World Cup warning
Mauricio Pochettino of the United States speaks with the team during the first half of Saturday’s friendly against Belgium. Andrew J. Clark / ISI Photos / USS
ATLANTA — “Football,” Mauricio Pochettino said, “is in the details.” And it was in the details Saturday that the U.S. men’s national team faltered against Belgium.There was no one reason for the USMNT’s unraveling in a 5-2 loss. There was, instead, a succession of minor individual shortcomings that magnified one broader flaw in Pochettino’s tactical setup.“Pochettino should’ve never changed back to a back four,” says Charlie Davies, a former USMNT forward and columnist for The Athletic, “when he made so much progress with the back three this past fall.”Lineups with three center backs helped revive the USMNT last September. Players and Pochettino himself said the new formation helped “simplify things.” In October and November, they alternated between hybrid systems, but never returned to a back four with two fullbacks bombing up and down both wings.On Saturday, they did that — and they got burned.Belgium’s first three goals, plus a fourth that was disallowed for a handball, all originated on the left wing, with the ball at the feet of the game’s most dangerous player, Jérémy Doku. And three of the four happened after Tim Weah, the U.S. right back tasked with defending Doku, was caught higher up the field.He was higher up the field by design. In this more complicated 4-2-3-1 formation, when in possession, a central midfielder would drop between the center backs or to the left of them; an attacking midfielder would come deep; both fullbacks would advance.It was the opposite of the 3-4-3’s simplicity. And it came with tradeoffs.“There were a number of moments where the movement from Johnny Cardoso and Tanner Tessmann would ultimately help them in the buildup,” Davies says. “They found Weston McKennie in the pocket. He’d play it to Christian Pulisic, and then they’d get out. They would find ways to break down Belgium’s mid-block.” They would get Weah and Antonee Robinson, the fullbacks, on the ball in dangerous positions.“But in doing that,” Davies says, “multiple times, they also got exposed.”
Dealing with Doku
Pochettino, at his post-match news conference, brushed aside discussion of the formation switch. He also said that Weah, a converted winger, “defended really, really well.” The “problem,” Pochettino argued, “was that no one helped (Weah) in the last third, in the areas that are really important to help.”“The plan,” Weah confirmed, “was to double team” Doku. A midfielder would slide over to help. And for most of 45 minutes, Cardoso, Tessmann and McKennie did this reasonably well. They’d be responsible if Doku cut inside.If, on the other hand, Doku went toward the end line, Weah would be prepared to keep up and block the cross. When settled and with inside help, Weah did this reasonably well on all but one occasion.
In the 45th minute, though, the “help” was too passive. McKennie and Tessmann both retreated into the box… but never stepped up to confront Doku when the Belgian winger came inside.
Doku’s shot was palmed away by Turner, but in part because he’d drawn so much attention, the rebound found Zeno Debast in loads of space outside the box. Debast had time to line up a fizzing 25-yard drive. Multiple U.S. players were slow to close him down. Matt Turner was slow across his goal. And just like that, it was 1-1.That Belgian goal, however, was the outlier.
USMNT gets caught in transition
On the second Belgium goal and the sequence that led to the third, the root cause didn’t seem to be a lack of help; it was a lack of structure.Even in the first half, there were warning signs. In the 37th minute, the U.S. had taken up its in-possession shape, with Weah on the right wing. Turner mis-hit a pass, possession turned over, and suddenly, Doku was running at Cardoso one-v-one — with Weah trailing the play.
Then, in the 52nd minute, Weah was attacking deep in the final third. He helped set up a Pulisic chance. Moments later, he was racing back toward the defensive third, chasing Kevin De Bruyne. De Bruyne fed Doku, who ran at U.S. center back Mark McKenzie — with Weah once again trailing.
Seven U.S. players in total scrambled back into the penalty box to help. But that left Andre Onana free at the top of the box to put Belgium ahead — and remind U.S. fans of nightmares past.“What pisses me off is that the same weaknesses of younger U.S. squads still seem to be there,” Davies says. “They collapse into their own 18-yard box and defend. And it’s almost like a psychological thing: if you have numbers in the box, back, you feel like you’re defending, and you’ve got the numerical advantage in front of your goal. But ultimately, they leave the top of the box always open for late runs, for people who are just lurking at the top.”Three minutes later, the structural flaws emerged again.In the 55th minute, on one end, Weah advanced all the way into Belgium’s penalty box and sliced a volley off target.“He was almost like a right wingback on that play,” Davies says. The problem, of course, is that he’d been tasked with defending like a true fullback, with only two central defenders to cover for him.Weah lingered high up the field after that chance as the U.S. pressed Belgium.
When Belgium cycled the ball to the opposite side, easily evading the USMNT’s first line of confrontation, Weah began to retreat — but not quickly enough. His positioning allowed a Belgian defender to ping a 70-yard diagonal to Doku — a pass that should never be completeable.
Weah was suddenly scrambling and isolated. Tessmann hurried back to help but didn’t arrive in time. Doku beat Weah with a give-and-go. His shot was saved by Turner, but the follow-up earned Belgium a penalty. And the game, for all intents and purposes, was gone.
‘That’s what I don’t like about this fluid 4-2-3-1’
This is the peril of playing a shape-shifting 4-2-3-1 rather than a relatively simple 3-4-3.With the ball, the USMNT builds in a 3-2-5 shape. When set up in a 3-4-3, two of the “4” — the wingbacks — simply have to join the front three.To get to it from a 4-2-3-1 base, on the other hand, two of the back “4” — the fullbacks — were joining the front line on Saturday; one of the “2” holding midfielders had to fill for them; and one of the “3” had to fill for him.Back in September, when the U.S. switched to the 3-4-3, “we didn’t have guys moving from one position to another,” captain Tim Ream said. There were no convoluted rotations from defense to attack or vice versa. “We were already set in that structure.”In the 4-2-3-1, the movements provide attacking benefits, which is seemingly why Pochettino likes it.“This is his formation, this is where he feels most comfortable,” Davies says.“But in defensive transition — that’s what I don’t like about this fluid 4-2-3-1, with a center mid dropping deep,” Davies continues. “At least when you’re not typically a team that’s keeping possession. If you’re a team like Spain, go ahead. When you don’t do that consistently, and you have this type of formation, that’s when things get tough in transition.”
The ‘intensity’ dip
Pochettino’s main explanation for the collapse was a drop in “intensity.” On Belgium’s first goal, and again on the second, “we were not aggressive enough,” Pochettino said.Davies saw this too, especially after the second goal went in. “You could see heads drop,” Davies says. “And they’re like, ‘Oh s***, here we go again.’”That was perhaps most evident on Belgium’s fourth goal. When the ball switched from left to right, Pulisic simply let Belgian right back Thomas Meunier carry it from his defensive half into the final third. Cristian Roldan, therefore, was forced to step in, halt Meunier’s progress and track his run, leaving substitute fullback Max Arfsten one-v-one with Dodi Lukebakio. Arfsten got crossed, Lukebakio dipped inside, and multiple U.S. players just watched Lukebakio pick out the top corner.
Lukebakio dueling Arfsten also represented the gap in quality between the two squads. Belgium called upon substitutes from Benfica and Juventus. The U.S. brought in players from MLS. After those substitutions, the U.S. struggled to connect many progressive passes. Sebastian Berhalter, for example, looked out of his depth.The gap between the starting 11s was slimmer. And intensity can close some quality gaps.
“I feel pretty damn good about that first half,” Davies says. “It’s kind of what you would hope for when you’re talking about a competitive match against Belgium.”
But when focus and energy slipped, quality rose to the surface — just like it did when the U.S. lost to Germany in 2023 and the Netherlands in 2022.
All eyes will be on Tuesday’s response vs. Portugal.
Pochettino’s World Cup mandate for USMNT is clear: Intensity is not optional
Andrew J. Clark / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
MARIETTA, Ga. — On Sunday afternoon, a day after his team took a 5-2 loss to Belgium, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino watched Colombia and France battle it out in an exhibition in Landover, Md.The ferocity and pace of France’s 3-1 win made an impression on him. There was nothing in the game that made it feel like it was a no-stakes “friendly.”
“Do you think that the coach of Colombia, losing the game, is going to complain about some players?” Pochettino asked. “They played like this was the final of the World Cup. And France, when they saw the intensity and the aggression of Colombia said: ‘If we don’t play as intense, they will kill us.’ That is intensity.”
After Colombia-France, Pochettino caught highlights of Argentine club Racing’s Copa Argentina clash with third-division side San Martín de Formoso, which featured several hard tackles, a few scraps and a red card. Finally, he caught his former club Newell’s Old Boys’ 2-0 loss to Acassuso in the same tournament.
“In these games, if you don’t have aggression and intensity and everything, you can’t play there,” Pochettino said.
That it was the intensity level that stood out across Pochettino’s soccer viewing was the problem.
An equivalent vigor was lacking from the U.S. against Belgium. It felt inexcusable with the World Cup just two months away. And that wasn’t just perception. U.S. Soccer’s data showed that the Americans were not as aggressive defensively almost across the board compared to previous camps, Pochettino noted.
“One of the things that worried us most when we compared the last two matches — Uruguay and Paraguay — with Belgium (it) was what I mentioned before: the lack of intensity,” he said. “Where? In both boxes, box to box. The numbers — how much we dropped in our ability to be aggressive, in that intensity when recovering the ball, in not allowing the opponent to transition — if you compare it to Paraguay or Uruguay, we’re at about half. We’ve given the opponent far too much space.”
Pochettino praised his team’s ability to be dangerous in the attack. “We have good players,” he said. But it’s the defensive aggression that gives the team the balance and “solidity” it needs to compete, he added.
Asked what might have been lacking against Belgium, U.S. captain Tim Ream said that, “in some moments, it’s a decision.”
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“It’s just an overall effort,” he said. “It’s not that guys don’t want to do it; it’s sometimes, ‘Oh, we’ve just made an effort.’ And now it’s about making another one. It’s about making not just the first, (but) the second, the third, the fourth. And sometimes that doesn’t happen. And that’s just something that is a non-negotiable, really. And it’s something that we were doing really well in the fall, last year. And it’s something we have to get back to.”
I had a similar viewing experience to Pochettino on Sunday, only rather than the games the U.S. coach took in, I caught a preview of CBS’s new documentary series on former U.S. forward Clint Dempsey, You Don’t Know Where I’m From, Dawg.
The five-part series chronicles Dempsey’s rise out of Nacogdoches, Texas, to become a U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer who would score goals at three World Cups, tie for the USMNT’s all-time lead in goals and become Fulham’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer. It honed in, unsurprisingly, on Dempsey’s famous drive and his constant need to prove himself.
“Make them f***king play you,” Dempsey said on Sunday night, summing up the mentality that drove him to the top.
Clint Dempsey scored against the USA’s next opponent, Portugal, back at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.Elsa / Getty Images
Dempsey invented slights and enemies to push himself to the next level. He took every snub and used it as motivation. It’s what made him one of the greatest players in U.S. history. Coming out of the documentary, it felt like it should be required viewing for this U.S. team. Not just because of how much Dempsey’s story and path to success might remind them of the drive needed to achieve greatness, but because the clips of the U.S. team’s successes at previous World Cups were rooted in the very same qualities as Dempsey’s own story.The U.S. has always been a team that has to prove itself. This team too often feels like it lacks that mentality.As another U.S. great, Landon Donovan, told The Athletic on Monday: “It’s not that they don’t care, but maybe they don’t have enough pride,” he said. “Maybe that’s the way I need to say it. … I would have been mortified to be losing in a home game three months before the World Cup with 70,000 people there. I would have been unbelievably embarrassed losing 4-1 and 5-1, forget it. I probably would have got sent off.“I’m just trying to figure out why is nobody yelling at each other? Why is nobody getting a yellow card? Why is nobody stopping (Jérémy) Doku after he’s terrorized us for 70 minutes? Why is this not happening? I can’t figure it out. I don’t know if it’s generational or if it’s this team in particular, but that just doesn’t happen. And it blows my mind.”It’s why Pochettino said he wants his players to watch the types of games he took in on Sunday. To see the level of aggression, desire and drive that is necessary for teams to reach their best levels. Not for nine out of 10 recovery runs, or for 60 minutes out of 90, but for every single run and every single minute.
It was a long day in goal for Matt Turner, who conceded five against Belgium in Saturday’s friendly.David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
The Argentine coach knocked on the table in front of him at Monday’s press conference as he thought about how to describe why it’s such an important part of any team’s identity — and especially so for this team.
It’s clear that the U.S. still hasn’t developed the necessary habits, the ability to push constantly, that will be needed to beat the best teams in the world. And if the U.S. players don’t do it against Belgium and Portugal in this window, what makes them think it’ll come naturally once the World Cup kicks off?
“There’s still time to realize that we need to compete like the (Colombia) game against France,” Pochettino said.
Tuesday against Portugal will show whether they’ve taken on that lesson. Because as special as these players might – and still can – be, the key to success might be to show just how much they’re the same as the U.S. teams that came before them. To prove that while they might be able to play their way into bigger conversations, they can also fight their way to results.
Landon Donovan questions USMNT pride, says Belgium loss could do ‘psychological damage’
ATLANTA — U.S. men’s national team great Landon Donovan has warned that Saturday’s 5-2 defeat to Belgium has the potential to do “psychological damage” to Mauricio Pochettino’s team ahead of the World Cup, and he also questioned whether the current squad is showing enough “pride” in its performances.Donovan, who represented the U.S. at three World Cups and is tied with Clint Dempsey as the team’s all-time leading scorer, spoke to The Athletic on Monday, less than 48 hours after the team began the March international window with the heavy loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The U.S. will play Portugal at the same venue on Tuesday night. The Athletic asked Donovan whether pre-tournament warm-up games could have a serious impact on a team’s momentum and confidence ahead of a World Cup. Donovan, reflecting on his own period as a player, said: “No — but I’ll tell you why. We were very clear in our identity. We were never worried about conceding five goals – that would never, ever have happened. We might have lost games and we did. But that was never in the conversation — ever. For this team, I am concerned. There’s no question that conceding five goals at home three months before the World Cup is going to do psychological damage to the team and the players. “The good news is they have another chance to get rid of that result quickly. The bad news is they’re playing Portugal and so we’re going to learn a lot about this team. ” The U.S. actually took the lead against Belgium in the first half through Weston McKennie but was pegged back before the interval. Then, between the 53rd and 68th minutes, the U.S. performance deteriorated and the team went 4-1 down. What does it feel like for a player when a game spirals out of a team’s grasp?
“I will never forget we played an MLS game with the (LA) Galaxy away in Houston. It was one of those August days, 97 degrees, and after 23 minutes, they were up three goals. I pulled everybody into the field and nobody wanted to hear it.
“They’re all looking away and I said, ‘Look at me, if we lose today, we lose, but we’re not getting embarrassed, have some personal pride, care about what you do.’ We ended up losing 3-0. Tim Howard and I did our podcast (Unfiltered Soccer) this morning and the part we cannot figure out is why it seems like nobody cared. They’re running around and they’re trying. But there were no yellow cards. Nobody got kicked.”
Does he really believe the USMNT players do not care?
“Care’s not the right word,” he clarifies. “It’s not that they don’t care, but maybe they don’t have enough pride. Maybe that’s the way I need to say it. Fair point. But I would have been mortified to be losing a home game three months before the World Cup with 70,000 people there. I would have been unbelievably embarrassed losing 4-1 and 5-1, forget it. I probably would have got sent off. I’m just trying to figure out why is nobody yelling at each other? Why is nobody getting a yellow card? Why is nobody stopping (Jérémy) Doku after he’s terrorized us for 70 minutes? Why is this not happening? I can’t figure it out. I don’t know if it’s generational or if it’s this team in particular, but that just doesn’t happen. And it blows my mind.”
One of the more unexpected and bizarre storylines on Saturday emerged due to a uniform clash between the USMNT home kit and the new Belgian away kit, and neither side had a spare stock of their alternative kit at the venue. The jerseys were approved in advance by the match commissioner and the referee also did not appear to take umbrage. Afterwards, players including USMNT forward Christian Pulisic and Belgian pair Senne Lammens and Amadou Onana complained about the challenge it presented to those on the field. Has Donovan ever experienced such a clash? “No,” he says, laughing. “In fact, one of the first things you’re taught when you’re a pro, and it only happened to me once, I didn’t have my studded cleats and it started to rain. The coach said if you ever show up without both pairs of cleats, then I would not play ever again. ‘I was like, OK!’“It is beyond my imagination how that is allowed to happen, the amount of people that had to get through and the amount of processes that had to happen. It just blows my mind. But in the end, the referee makes the final decision on all these things. At some point the referee had to say, or maybe they didn’t, that this is not OK. It was bizarre and probably fitting for the night.”
The U.S. was missing key players in central defense, with Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards a particular blow – though he said Monday he “is available” to face Portugal. Saturday’s goalkeeper, Matt Turner, is not expected to be the starter at the World Cup, where Matt Freese is thought to be in pole position. Yet it is clear that the U.S. has a weakness at the heart of the back line, and Donovan says it is only through making the team collectively harder to beat that this can be managed.
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“I’ve said all along that when we play real teams, this is an issue,” Donovan says. “It just is what it is.”
“We still don’t have a lot of answers on the back line. All of that can be solved with a spirit and a fight that helps you compete, making the sum of the parts way better than the individual. If you’re playing a team like Belgium, with real world class players on the field, you can get embarrassed. So at a minimum, forget about the formation or tactics or who is playing, if you can’t compete man to man against somebody, you have no chance. They’re just better players. So we have to get that part right first.”
Player ratings: Weah poor as USMNT suffers heavy Belgium defeat
Amid a competitive first half, the U.S. took the lead in the 39th minute thanks to Weston McKennie tapping in the ball from short range after a corner from Antonee Robinson. Belgium equalized with Zeno Debast‘s powerful shot from distance in the 45th minute that sneaked past American goalkeeper Matt Turner.
After the break, the visitors took full and dominant control. Rapid-fire goals from Amadou Onana (53rd minute), Charles De Ketelaere (penalty in 59th minute) and Dodi Lukebakio (goals in 68th minute, 82nd minutes) silenced the crowd as Belgium flexed their muscle against a lackluster U.S. side. After a total of eight substitutions, a consolation goal was then earned by the Americans after Ricardo Pepi halted a pass that led to a shot that found the back of the net from Patrick Agyemang in the 87th minute.
From here, U.S coach Mauricio Pochettino and his roster will now prepare for their second and final friendly of the March window against Portugal next Tuesday.
Mauricio Pochettino, 3: To be fair to Pochettino, it’s difficult to put all the blame on the coach whose only real experiment was placing Turner in net. The U.S. were able to go toe-to-toe with Belgium in the first half, but also became outmatched in one-on-one situations that gradually worked in the favor of the visitors. All that said, the collective faltered and desperately needed additional motivation from the coach, who will have noticed his roster losing its composure with each passing minute.
Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best, 5 = average)
GK Matt Turner, 3 — How do you rate a player that had a handful of big saves, but also allowed five goals? Regardless of his shot-stopping, it wasn’t enough to stifle the volley of elite-level shots launched his way.
DF Tim Weah, 2 — Initially containing Jérémy Doku in the first 20-25 minutes, Weah was then constantly chasing when it came to keeping pace with the creative winger. Early on in the second half, and with Doku gaining a dangerous amount of momentum, he was withdrawn in the 64th minute.DF Mark McKenzie, 3 — Won a few duels and provided a handful of defensive contributions, but also failed to shut down Belgium’s attack that easily worked around his presence in the backline.
DF Tim Ream, 2 — Credit to the captain for his long-range distribution, but his decision-making was suspect in a couple of Belgium’s goals. A handball from the defender also provided Belgium with their third goal.
DF Antonee Robinson, 7 — The best USMNT player of the afternoon. Although he was fairly average defensively, he more than made up for it going forward with his active role on the left flank. The chance-creator earned a well-deserved assist off the first-half corner.
MF Tanner Tessmann, 4 — Created some crucial opportunities and provided a couple of vital tackles, he was also occasionally quiet in the heart of the XI. The USMNT needed a bigger presence in his position.
MF Johnny Cardoso, 4 — With something to prove after some underwhelming performances at the international level, Cardoso had brief moments of effectiveness thanks to his movement and highly accurate passing. Pochettino said after the match that pulling Cardoso at halftime was planned because of some discomfort the player felt earlier in the week.
AM Weston McKennie, 6 — Scored the first goal, took part in dangerous runs and build-ups, and connected well with the front line. One of the few bright spots.
AM Malik Tillman, 3 — Although he was the youngest member of the XI, more was expected. In a significant position behind the striker, the attacking midfielder was surprisingly invisible for long stretches of the game. He also could have done better to help prevent Belgium’s second goal.
AM Christian Pulisic, 3 — Credit to Pulisic for tracking back and helping defensively, there wasn’t much to say about his attacking influence aside from a brief positive start to the second half.
FW Folarin Balogun, 3 — A muffled game for a striker who had a shot on target in the first half and then didn’t do much afterward in the final third.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
MF Cristian Roldan, 4 (on for Cardoso, halftime) — The Seattle Sounders FC midfielder didn’t make much of a difference, although he should be given credit for a handful of defensive contributions.
MF Sebastian Berhalter, 3 (on for Tessmann, 64′) — Didn’t have a true impact and should have done better to prevent Belgium’s fifth goal.
DF Alex Freeman, 4 (on for Weah, 64′) — Didn’t have any successful dribbles going forward and lost possession a handful of times. A couple of ball recoveries and tackles were his low-key highlights.
DF Max Arfsten, 2 (on for Robinson, 64′) — A defensive weak point on the fourth and fifth goals for Belgium.
AM Gio Reyna, N/R (on for McKennie, 70′) — Aside from his passes in the opposition half, he didn’t truly alter the state of the game.
FW Ricardo Pepi, N/R (on for Balogun, 71′) — Provided the assist for Agyemang’s goal.
FW Patrick Agyemang, N/R (on for Tillman, 71′) — Earned the consolation prize and looked hungry for a second goal late into the game.
DF Joe Scally, N/R — (on for Pulisic, 71′) Limited time and influence for the defender, who lost both of his ground duels and got booked for a shirt pull.
Chris Richards ‘available’ for USMNT vs. Portugal, but Johnny Cardoso leaving camp
MARIETTA, Ga. — U.S. men’s national team center back Chris Richards says he is available to play Tuesday against Portugal after missing Saturday’s loss 5-2 to Belgium. Richards was held out of the first game of this window due to discomfort in his knee that he started to experience after arriving in camp on Monday. U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said Friday that he hoped it was “nothing important,” but expressed doubt that the Crystal Palace veteran would take part in either friendly. Richards, though, said he is good to go. “I’m fine,” Richards said. “I had a bad tackle in my last game with Palace, so just a little bit of knee pain, knee soreness, but I’ve been training individually all week and I’m available tomorrow.”Midfielder Johnny Cardoso, however, is being sent back to Atlético Madrid due to discomfort in his leg, Pochettino said. Cardoso arrived with some issues from Madrid, the coach said, so the plan was for him to play 45 minutes on Saturday.“ After 45 minutes, he feel again this type of uncomfortable things in some part of his leg,” Pochettino said. The team decided to shut him down, Pochettino said. Cardoso trained in the gym Monday, and will return to his club without playing on Tuesday. As for Richards, he trained Monday with a wrap just below his right knee and a bandage on the back of it. His presence in the starting lineup is critical at a very thin center back position. Ream started alongside Mark McKenzie against Belgium, but Richards’ experience is considered vital for the U.S. group. The 26-year-old, who was the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, has mostly been a starter for the U.S. since the last World Cup cycle, though he missed the Qatar World Cup due to a hamstring injury. He started every game of the Gold Cup for Pochettino, as well as friendlies in September and October, but missed the November window due to a calf injury. The U.S. went back to a more traditional 4-3-2-1 on Monday, rotating midfielder Tanner Tessmann into the back line in the build-up. In the fall, the Americans used a winger-wingback hybrid role and inserted an extra defender who served as more of a center back in the build-up, but moved into the traditional right back role defensively. It effectively looks like a 3-2-2-3 shape in possession. Richards’ absence may have limited some of the options Pochettino wanted to consider for the Belgium game. Richards has started 36 games across all competitions for Palace this season, including all 26 Premier League games in which he has appeared, plus seven UEFA Conference League games.
Sixteen Year’s Ago last week Clint Dempsey scored this wonder Goal for Fulham to beat Juve in Europa League – the biggest European Competition an American had played in to that point. This is why I watch Inter Miami games when I can on FS1 or Apple – you just never know what Messi might do (oh Nashville came back and won to advance). LAFC Advanced to the Champions Cup Quarterfinals with this Martinez screamer. Check out these moves from Week 1 in NWSL. Love this story from US Soccer star Sophia Huerta about a Coach who had an impact on her life. I think this is why we old coaches- including THE OLD BALLCOACH -still coach. How about this new Intro for the World Cup and this Huge Announcement. Speaking of the World Cup it is just 76 days away now — if anyone has access to tickets to the USA vs Australia in Seattle on June 19th – we are desperately looking for tickets to that game. We have games 1 & 3 in LA, Knockouts in San Fran or Dallas but we have nothing in Seattle. (Willing to pay/trade tix/we have Semi-Finals if the US gets there). Last Minute World Cup Tix Sales phase is Apr 1 thru FIFA.
US Men Face Portugal & Belgium In World Cup Warm Up on TNT, HBO Sat vs Belgium 3:30 pm, Tues 7 pm Portugal
So the as we get down to the last 4 games before the World Cup — its time to show how far we the US has come under Poch as we finally play Top 10 ranked squads in Belgium and Portugal over the next week in Atlanta on TNT. I guess its time to see what we have less than 100 days out from the World Cup. Our front line looks good as forwards Balogun and Agyemang are on fire overseas and Pepi seems back in from at the 9. McKennie and Tillman continue to thrive in Italy and Germany respectively and Pulisic seems to have finally found his grove a little again. The real questions surround what Poch will do in the back – who are the back 3 or 4? Chris Richards for sure – but is it an aging Tim Ream and Miles Robinson or does Mark McKenzie or Trusty get the call? Jedi Robinson is back at left back – does he play the outside wingback in a 5 man back or in a 4 flat back? Who holds down the Dmid slots with Adams hurt yet again – Tanner Tessman and Roldan again ? or does Cardosa staring at Atletico get back in the mix? Where does Gio Reyna fit in this picture while not playing for club? So many questions – might be answered this week – or not? My pick the US playing vs Belgium with no Lukaku will tie them 1-1 I am thinking. I think Portugal – again without Renaldo could be a similar result – but let me set the Belgium game first.
USMNT and Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams revealed that the USMNT players told both U.S. Soccer and Nike that they wouldn’t partake in a photoshoot of the World Cup kit, unless they had some say in the design, following their disappointment in the 2022 World Cup kit 😯“The team wasn’t too fond of the [uniforms] we were going to be wearing [in Qatar], just because we didn’t feel it represented us necessarily and the country as we’d like. When you have an opportunity to represent your country at a World Cup … you just want to love the kit.” “For me, it was simple: I want something that’s timeless. I want to have that kit you look back at in 30 years and you’re like, ‘That’s still the best one.’ … It’s pretty straightforward: You have to have stars and stripes of some sort. They represent us perfectly.” “There was definitely a sense [Nike was] very, very uncomfortable with the [2022] situation, especially when you have 20-25 guys on a team saying they all hate the jerseys they’re about to play in. But there was a quick turnaround. They honestly welcomed the criticism and they brought us right into the loop to start the design process for the next ones.”“Weston, at one point, was coming up with some crazy designs that no one agreed with, just things that [defeated] the whole purpose of why we’re having these conversations. Guys, let’s just come up with a design that makes sense. At one point they’re showing us colors, and someone’s like, ‘Oh, I love that green.’ And I was like, ‘Get out of the room! Like, what are we doing here?’ But it’s good. It all came to the right spot.”I feel like we had more say than Nike had in it, to be honest with you.”
Indy 11 Win First 2 Games
Indy Eleven completed a successful week with its second victory in five days, earning a 2-1 win over USL Eastern Conference rival Detroit City FC in the home opener in front of 9,357 fans at Carroll Stadium. Goalkeeper Eric Dick a former Carmel Dad’s Club, Carmel High & Butler Grad made three saves to earn the victory. The Boys in Blue travel to Hartford Athletic Saturday for a 5 p.m. match on ESPN+, before returning home for a pair Tues, March 31 vs Union Omaha in US Open Cup play and again Sat 4/4 vs defending USL Champs Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match. Call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
Caught a few U12 Games over at TPC with Carter N, and Korben D for the first time Always Fun reffing with these 2 – Michael A and and Dan D at Grand Park Indoors.
World Cup Qualifying for Last 6 Spots Are Up for Grabs this Week
Six nations will join the 48-team World Cup field via this month’s playoffs
UEFA Path A bracket
March 26, 2026: Italy vs. Northern Ireland – 3:45 p.m. ET
March 26, 2026: Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 3:45 p.m. ET (FS1)
March 31, 2026: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina winner vs. Italy/Northern Ireland winner – 3:45 p.m. ET
The winner of UEFA Path A will be a part of Group B with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
UEFA Path B bracket
March 26, 2026: Ukraine vs. Sweden – 3:45 p.m. ET
March 26, 2026: Poland vs. Albania – 3:45 p.m. ET (FS2)
March 31, 2026: Ukraine/Sweden winner vs. Poland/Albania winner – 3:45 p.m. ET
The winner of UEFA Path B will be a part of Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.
UEFA Path C bracket
March 26, 2026: Türkiye vs. Romania – 1 p.m. ET (FS2)
March 26, 2026: Slovakia vs. Kosovo – 3:45 p.m. ET
March 31, 2026: Slovakia/Kosovo winner vs. Türkiye/Romania winner – 3:45 p.m. ET
The winner of UEFA Path C will be a part of Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia.
UEFA Path D bracket
March 26, 2026: Denmark vs. North Macedonia – 3:45 p.m. ET
March 26, 2026: Czechia vs. Ireland – 3:45 p.m. ET
Tues, March 31, 2026: Czechia/Ireland winner vs. Denmark/North Macedonia winner – 3:45 p.m. ET
The winner of UEFA Path D will be a part of Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea.
Pathway 1
Thurs, March 26, 2026: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica – 10 p.m. ET (FS1)
Tues March 31, 2026: DR Congo vs. New Caledonia/Jamaica winner – 5 p.m. ET (FS1)
The winner of Pathway 1 will be a part of Group K with Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.
Pathway 2
March 26, 2026: Bolivia vs. Suriname – 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
Tues, March 31, 2026: Iraq vs. Bolivia/Suriname winner – 11 p.m. ET (FS1)
The winner of Pathway 2 will be a part of Group I with France, Senegal and Norway. (full stories below)
Man City Downs Arsenal in Carabu Cup
City flew by Arsenal with a little help from the Gunners Kepa’s howler to take a 2-0 win at Wembley in the Carabu Cup last Sunday. Does this mean trouble for Arsenal with just 6 games left in the Premier League Season?
Big weekend for Carmel FC
2013B Blue – Indy Turf Invitational Champs (4–0)
2015G Blue – Union FC Invitational Champs
2012B Gold – Indy Turf Finalists
3 teams. 2 trophies. 1 runner-up.
Strong start to the season. Congrats teams and coaches.
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Thurs, March 26 1 pm FS2 Turkey vs Romania WCQ 3:45 pm FS2 Poland vs Albania WCQ 3:45 pm Fubo, Ukraine vs Sweden WCQ 3:45 pm Fubo Italy vs Northern Ireland WCQ 3:45 pm Fubo Czech Republic vs Ireland WCQ 3:45 pm FS1 Wales vs Bosnia WCQ 6 pm FS1 Bolivia vs Suriname WCQ 7 pm Peacock DC Power vs Tampa Bay Rowdies USL 11 pm FS1 New Caledonia vs Jamaica WCQ Fri, March 27 3:45 pm FS1 England vs Uruguay Friendly 3:45 pm Foxsoccer.com Germany vs Switzerland Friendly 10 pm Amazon Prime Angel City vs Houston Dash NWSL Sat, Mar 28 9:30 am ESPN+ Man United vs Man City WSL 12 noon ESPN2 Boston Legacy vs Utah Royals NWSL 2 pm CBS Denver Summit vs Washington Spirit NWSL 2 pm ESPN+ NY Cosmos vs Fort Wayne USL 1 3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Belgium 4 pm CBS Portland Thorns vs KC Current NWSL 5 pm ESPN+ Hartford Athletic vs Indy 11 USL 6:30 pm ION Seattle Reign vs Racing Louisville NWSL 8:45 pm ION TV San Diego Wave vs Chicago Stars NWSL 9 pm Univision Mexico vs Portugal (friendly) Mon, Mar 30 12 noon FS2 Cyprus vs Moldova 2:45 pm FS1 Germany vs Ghana Friendly Tues, Mar 31 2:30 pm FS1 UEFA WC Qualifier Playoff 1 2:30 pm FS2 UEFA WC Qualifier Playoff 2 5 pm FS1. Peacock Congo DR vs TBD WCQ 1 11 pm FS1, Peacock Iraq vs TBD WCQ2 7 pm Para+ Indy 11 vs Union Omaha US Open Cup 7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Portugal Weds, Apr 1 7:30 pm CBS Galazo Michigan Bucks vs Detroit City US open Cup 8 pm CBS Sports Net Colorado Springs vs Spokane Wash US Open Cup Sun, May 31 3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK
World Cup Playoffs Were Immensely Moving Men In Blazers Update
A nerve-filled Italy edged themselves past Northern Ireland. A lethal finish from Sandro Tonali (miraculously resurrected from the injury which kept him out of the Tyne-Wear derby) broke Northern Irish resistance and hearts. Italy will now travel to Wales-killers Bosniaand Herzegovina who won on penalties. Incredibly, the Italians are fighting their way into their first World Cup since 2014. As James Horncastle told us, their greatest opponent is fear of failure.
ii. I found it so hard to watch the Republic of Ireland implode and cough up a 2-0 lead that I had to leave the Brewhouse Bar, so I did not have to watch their fans ricochet from light to darkness. Up 2-0 and soaring against the Czech Republic after 23 minutes, they fell apart to go out on penalties—a savage way to experience the nation’s fifth loss in six World Cup playoff fixtures. The true agony for my friend, Icelandic Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, was that this loss was self-inflicted. The penalty they conceded to let the Czechs back in was a moment of rash-self destruction.
I was watching the game with my friend Kevin Egan. He is flying back to Dublin for what he hoped would be Ireland’s World Cup qualification game. Instead, it will be one of the most depressing games in football history as the World Cup playoff losers now meet in friendlies next week. Ireland versus North Macedonia is going to be sadder than Tracy Chapman’s debut album.
The United States will face either Kosovo or Türkiye. Run, don’t walk to look at this Güler assist that incapacitated an entire defense. That kind of quality is what we aspire to match.
Also: This French goal to destroy Brazil last night is the kind of level we will need to raise our game to. Stunning Ekitike finish, but the team play… wow.
iv. Here are the fixtures that will decide four of the six World Cup places. All seem too close to call:
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, FS1) Sweden vs. Poland (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, Vix+) Kosovo vs. Turkey (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Plus) Czech Republic vs. Denmark (Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, Vix+)
v. The inter-continental bracket went to form. Jamaica beat audacious minnow New Caledonia, who won over the Mexican crowd with their tenacity from the moment they sang their national anthem, more than 7,400 miles from their island nation. The Reggae Boyz now face DR Congo. Bolivia overcame Suriname late and will face Iraq in the other final.
Both the European and intercontinental playoff finals take place on Tuesday, March 3. I will recap all the glorious action in detail with the one and only Rory Smith on Wednesday.
Games on Fox Networks FS1, FS2, Foxsoccer.com Thursday & Tues
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Man it was cold last weekend at Grand Park for Sebastion’s (left) first ever game reffing.
The USMNT return to action this Saturday (3 p.m. ET, TNT/Peacock) against Belgium, before facing a Ronaldo-less Portugal on Tuesday night. This March moment has been hailed as “the most important camp” by players fighting to prove they are World Cup worthy. We bring an unbeaten-in-five record to play, while Belgium have not lost in four games on the run. Though without the injured Thibaut Courtois, Leandro Trossard, and Big Rom Lukaku, the Belgians have sufficient quality to test and probe with Kevin De Bruyne churning his magic alongside Jérémy Doku and Youri Tielemans.
From a U.S. perspective, there are so many questions about this team as we careen towards a World Cup in which we are desperate to prove ourselves to ourselves. Who will start at striker (Flo!)? Who will be in goal (Is Matt Turner making a late charge)? Is Gio Reyna, who has played just 26 minutes in 2026, our James Rodríguez—a player who soars in an international jersey in a way he does not in a club shirt? Can Christian Pulisic make the U.S. team his happy place, away from the frustration and tension he has been experiencing recently in Milan? Above all, as Mauricio Pochettinoopenly muses about a return to England—it was fascinating that he chose not to say “Right now, I am thinking only of the U.S. and the World Cup challenge” here—how does that impact the culture and focus of the team? I will talk in depth with Clint Dempsey about all of this live on stage tonight and then we’ll break down the game in its entirety right after the whistle blows on Saturday. Come be with us. I am so excited to watch. I do believe this team has the talent to make a Morocco-like run, but we have to create a culture that is unshakeable and impermeable to outside reaction. We will learn a lot about ourselves this week and I can’t wait to unpack it all alongside you. More: Watch this footage of Americans being interviewed at the 1994 World Cup. It is absolute gold.
What to know about the World Cup’s intercontinental play-off: How it works, favourites and moreThe teams and paths were laid out at a ceremony in November, which featured Wayne Gretzky Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘intercontinental play-off’? For most, the answer will involve some combination of the following: New Zealand, Australia, Uruguay, ludicrous away trips, fireworks set off outside hotel rooms, jet lag, penalty kicks, joy and desperation. These games were usually variations on a similar theme and followed a relatively settled pattern. Teams from different federations played two games — one home, one away — in order to determine who would make it to the World Cup. It was, in many ways, one of the purest expressions of the power of international football, overflowing with a kind of history-in-your-back-yard charm. For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has decided to go in a different direction. We have, for the first time, a play-off tournament, taking place on neutral soil in Mexico, with two qualification spots up for grabs.
How does the intercontinental play-off work?
The tournament will take place between March 26 and March 31, 2026, less than three months before the World Cup itself. All the games will be played in Mexico, with matches held in Guadalajara and Monterrey. There are six teams from five confederations. Two of them — DR Congo and Iraq — were seeded for the draw because they sit higher in the FIFA men’s world rankings than the others. Those teams go directly to the finals of two mini-brackets. The remaining four sides must face off in two single-legged semi-finals to reach that stage.
How the draw played outMarcio Machado – FIFA via Getty Images
Pathway 1
Semi-final: New Caledonia vs Jamaica, March 26, Guadalajara
Most of the sides at this tournament were delighted to qualify, but not Jamaica. A home win against minnows Curacao would have been enough to send them to the World Cup proper, but they fluffed their lines in astonishing style, drawing 0-0. English head coach Steve McClaren resigned in the wake of that result.His replacement, interim Rudolph Speid, will have a solid defence to work with: Jamaica only conceded five times in 10 qualifiers (across two rounds). There are issues, however, including a perceived lack of professionalism at federation level and the feeling that the team would be better served by younger, hungrier players than by household names. It is worth noting, though, that Jamaica did hit the woodwork three times against Curacao.
The draw has been kind to them because New Caledonia are the rank outsiders in this qualifying tournament. That is not to diminish them; reaching this stage is an extraordinary achievement by any metric.New Caledonia is an island in the Pacific Ocean. It is a French overseas territory. Its population is below 300,000. Imagine Hawaii getting to the brink of a World Cup. This is more unlikely than that.It would be disingenuous to claim much knowledge about the football team. The players are part-timers. Some play in the local league, while others are dotted around clubs you’ve never heard of. Case in point: their key attacker, 37-year-old Georges Gope-Fenepej, plays in the French fourth division.On paper, it looks like an uphill challenge against Jamaica. What New Caledonia don’t lack, though, is heart. “The step is big,” coach Johann Sidaner told ESPN recently. “Maybe we have a one per cent chance of qualifying for the World Cup. But we will play 100 per cent to do it.”
Lying in wait: DR Congo, March 31, Guadalajara
The highest-ranked of the play-off teams, DR Congo narrowly missed out on direct qualification from the African system, then negotiated a tricky four-team play-off to book a place in Mexico.Their gritty, acrimonious victory over Nigeria outlined some of their assets. There was the togetherness to recover from going behind early, plus a level of control in possession that slowly tilted the match in their favour. The midfield, set up around the brilliant Sunderland youngster Noah Sadiki, is one area of strength. Another is the defence, anchored by the experienced Chancel Mbemba.French coach Sebastien Desabre is already a national hero, having completely changed the team’s fortunes since arriving in 2022. A spot at the World Cup would only enhance his reputation further.
Pathway 2
Semi-final: Bolivia vs Suriname, March 26, Monterrey
Bolivia are perhaps football’s most Jekyll-and-Hyde team, tough to beat at home but generally timid on the road. That is mainly down to the altitude factor: they host matches at over 4,000 metres above sea level, which makes life incredibly difficult for even the best teams. It was their strong home record that helped them see off Venezuela to finish seventh in South American qualifying.This is not a team set up to grind out results. Their defence is fragile and the midfield does not provide great cover. Marcelo Moreno, their attacking focal point for the best part of two decades, retired during this World Cup cycle. What Bolivia do have is a talisman: wriggly winger Miguel Terceros, who plays his club football in Brazil and finished qualifying with seven goals.Suriname, Bolivia’s opponents (and fellow South Americans, geographically speaking), came within a whisker of qualifying directly from the Concacaf region. Still, even a play-off place is the stuff of dreams for a nation who were languishing in 191st place in the rankings as recently as December 2015.Their ascent since then owes much to strategy at the federation level. A country that has lost many of its most talented sons — Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink — to the Netherlands national team sought to reverse the pattern, trawling the Dutch leagues for players of Surinamese descent. The result? A few rumbles of discontent, but a more talented squad — and an ever-growing sense of momentum.Managed by former Ajax goalkeeper Stanley Menzo, Suriname like to dominate possession. Bolivia, who play in bursts, will probably let them do so. The latter will likely start this one as slight favourites, but do not rule out another chapter of the Suriname fairytale.
Lying in wait: Iraq, March 31, Monterrey
Iraq have not reached a World Cup since 1986 — their only appearance to date — and would have been forgiven for thinking the universe was against them during qualifying. They narrowly lost out to Jordan in the third round of the Asian process; the mini-tournament for the fourth round was then relocated to Saudi Arabia, whose national team happened to be competing.In the end, it took a dramatic, redemptive victory over the United Arab Emirates for them to reach this point.This is, in some ways, a side in transition. Australian coach Graham Arnold only took over in May, and the general feeling is he has yet to establish much in the way of an overarching identity, at least in tactical terms. What Iraq do have is a sense of unity and, in Mohanad Ali and Aymen Hussein, two proven international goalscorers.
USMNT players speak up about what Pochettino the coach is like
Jeff Carlisle and Lizzy Becherano ESPN Mar 25, 2026, 06:44 AM ET
at first glance, descriptions of what it’s like to play for U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino are littered with contradictions. Among the words players use are “intense,” “passionate” and “demanding” — but those are almost immediately followed by words seemingly at the other end of the emotional spectrum. “Family” comes up, as does “likable,” even “loving.”
In many respects, that is the nature of coaching. When trying to extract the best out of a group of players, the emotions and approaches cover a broad spectrum, and can vary widely across individuals, or even from minute to minute. There are times to drop the hammer, and other moments to put an arm around the shoulder. And despite a coach’s best efforts, they can’t reach every player. That doesn’t mean they stop trying. Based on recent evidence, Pochettino’s approach appears to be working. The USMNT is unbeaten in its past five games heading into friendly matches against Belgium on March 28 and Portugal three days later.
Granted, this string of positive results consisted of all friendlies, but with the U.S. co-hosting this summer’s World Cup, and no World Cup qualifying slog to go through, the USMNT can play only the teams that are in front of them. To that end, the team’s trajectory is decidedly upward, and that is down in large part to Pochettino’s approach — and the players’ receptiveness to his methods.
“Above all, he just expects intensity, and he expects mentality — he expects energy,” midfielder Cristian Roldan told ESPN when asked about Pochettino. “I think those things are really contagious. So he’s very likable. He’ll hug you. He’ll have a conversation with you. He’ll yell at you. But in the end, it comes from a good place. And as long as you bring what he wants, you’re going to be in a good spot.”
It was clear when Pochettino was hired in September 2024 that things needed to change within the USMNT. Like the dark side of the Force, negative habits and emotions had slowly crept into the U.S. team. Some of this was down to having two back-to-back interim managers over six months — Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan — to start 2023, and then opting to rehire Gregg Berhalter to the post later that year. The progress the USMNT achieved during the 2022 cycle wasn’t replicated in Berhalter’s second go-round. Complacency set in and the project stagnated. So, when Pochettino came on board as an objective outsider, he made it clear that there would be no guaranteed starters. Players would have to earn their spots, regardless of their perceived status within the team or from the broader public. Everyone would be held accountable. “No one’s special — when you come into camp, you’re a U.S. men’s national team player, you deserve to be here,” midfielder Tyler Adams told ESPN. “[He’ll] make sure that you get better each time you come into camp and feel worthy. But at the same time, it’s required from you to put what you’re going to get in and get out of it. So, every single camp guys have learned and adjusted to that.
“But I don’t want to say that he’s changed the culture — I’d say he’s brought the culture out of us. I think we’ve had that in us and it just took someone to bring it out of us, and I think he’s done a great job of that.” And how did Pochettino do that exactly? To hear Adams tell it, the approach — at least a high level — was simple. “I think he’s a little bit more strict in certain things,” Adams said. “I think that the standards that were set were clear from day one. You don’t break my trust. You don’t break the rules. You don’t disrespect one another or you won’t be around.” The adjustment did take some time. The performances at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League finals, when the USMNT fell in consecutive matches to Panama and Canada, were horrid. It led to multiple former USMNT players questioning the heart and desire of the current generation. Pochettino responded by not calling up certain players — most notably Weston McKennie — for subsequent camps. Due in part to injuries to the likes of Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun, but also what Pochettino called “football decisions,” the coach took a decidedly youthful squad to the 2025 Gold Cup. Twelve players on the roster had five or fewer international appearances. While the U.S. ultimately lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup final, the message was clear: Pochettino would call up the best team that worked together, not the best 26 players.
But the Argentine also showed patience. Every player encounters a coaching change at some point in their career. With Pochettino, there was an understanding that a different coach from a very different background would take some getting used to. “You understand that there’s going to be nuances and there’s going to be growing pains that come along with [a coaching change], but you also understand you have to have grace with one another,” U.S. defender Mark McKenzie told ESPN. “So I think that was the biggest thing, is recognizing that it’s not going to be perfect in the first moments. They started to learn us the same way we need to learn them.”
Is Mauricio Pochettino is under pressure to deliver success for USMNT at the World Cup?
The ‘Futbol Americas’ crew to debate if Mauricio Pochettino is under serious pressure to deliver success for the USMNT as they prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Those growing pains now appear to have been overcome. But with less than 100 days until the World Cup, and just one more international window taking place, tensions are bound to rise as the May date for the World Cup roster announcement approaches. With Pochettino’s no-favorites approach, will fear be the predominant emotion during the run-up to the tournament?”I’ll be very honest: I think some guys will probably feel scared,” veteran U.S. defender Tim Ream told ESPN. “I think that’s a realistic and a real feeling that some guys will have.”The approach that you have to take is, well, your spot is never guaranteed no matter where you are. Someone’s always younger, faster, better, trying to take your spot. So how do you hold that off as long as possible? Well, you just keep working. That’s the way the sport is.”
The USMNT’s intense ‘die for the shirt’ approach
Pochettino’s culture of accountability bleeds into the training sessions, sometimes literally. For the players, the moment the boots go on, there is nothing else in the world that matters. Perfection isn’t expected but maximum effort, intensity and laser-like focus are. Training sessions become a test of mental endurance as much they are about physical fortitude.”What’s the most important thing? That pass is the most important thing. That touch is the most important thing,” said Ream. “That piece of communication — whether you’re telling somebody left, right, go this way, go that way — is the most important thing. And so when I [refer to] how demanding he is, he wants all of that.”In every single training session, as soon as you cross the line, your focus is nowhere but there. And that can be draining. Yeah — it can be very draining.” Pochettino expects that intensity to permeate every aspect of the training session. That includes reaching a level of physicality that replicates game-like situations. Yes, the tackles do fly in at times. “Whether it’s 11-v-11, a small-sided game, yeah, I’m going to get stuck in,” said McKenzie. “I’m not doing it to the point where it’s going to harm or hurt my teammate. But at the same time, I’m not just going to jump over his foot just because — I’m going to make sure I’m getting stuck in. “I want to win this tackle. I want to win this duel. So there’s ways to go about it without harming each other, but you want to have that competitive nature, competitive edge in trainings because that’s the way we want to play the game.” The thinking behind this approach is that it raises the level of the entire group.
“You have guys that don’t normally want to get into tackles, getting into tackles,” said Roldan. “Those are the things that are contagious.”
Is Pulisic right to hit back at USMNT criticism?
The Futbol Americans crew discuss if Christian Pulisic was correct to hit back criticism aimed at him from some USMNT legends including Landon Donovan.
In terms of the cadence of the sessions, they are intended to condition the players to what they will see in the game. Every drill, tactical session, gym workout or activation has a purpose behind it. The philosophy is that there is no wasted energy.
“[The drills] all form this tunnel to make sure that the final product on the field is the way we want it to look or the way that we are training for it to look,” said McKenzie.
It results in training sessions that end with the right level of utter exhaustion and the desire to want to do it again the next day. Pochettino’s cultural reset has had the desired effect.
“I think the overarching culture is that guys would die for the shirt right now,” goalkeeper Matt Turner told ESPN.
No longer ‘inmates running the asylum’
In the previous cycle, Berhalter appointed a so-called leadership council of select players, which the coaching staff used to take the temperature on certain issues. Under Pochettino there’s no such structure in place. Multiple players said the current setup makes for better dialogue where anyone can speak up.
“It becomes almost like the inmates running the asylum,” said Ream about the past leadership council. “So, it almost becomes where there’s a group of players who have a lot of the say, and then there’s a group who are a little bit hesitant. So they’re like, ‘Well, he chose those guys. I can’t say anything.’
“Now it’s like, ‘Guys, we’re all in this together.’ OK, yes, I’m the oldest. I’m not the loudest. So, Tyler [Adams], Chris [Richards], you want to be the loudest? Be the loudest, bro. It’s no problem. And it’s a give-and-take, but everybody feels empowered to speak and say whatever they feel — equal and in a positive way.”
While Pochettino prefers to leave players alone when they are with their clubs, Ream feels the level of communication now among players, even away from camp, is greater than it has ever been. The number of group chats has increased to the point that he says he “can’t keep up with them all.”
Make no mistake. Pochettino is still the boss, and hasn’t hesitated to publicly come down on players when he feels they’ve strayed out of their lane.
The USMNT’s biggest star and face of the team, Christian Pulisic, said he “didn’t understand” Pochettino’s decision to not include him in a pair of pre-Gold Cup friendlies, even as Pulisic said he was skipping the Gold Cup. Pochettino declared that as manager, he was “not a mannequin” and would make the decisions he felt were best for the team, regardless of what Pulisic thought.
Pochettino also later criticized midfielder Timothy Weah for a seemingly innocuous comment about how high World Cup ticket prices were, stating that it’s not a player’s “duty” to discuss such topics, insisting he focus purely on his game.
Whether that’s just Pochettino keeping his players in line and focused on the task ahead, or the hints of possible discontent, remain to be seen. The ultimate judge of Pochettino’s approach will be the results of this summer’s World Cup. But for now, there appears to be total buy-in from the players — at least from what they are saying publicly.
Pochettino getting ‘personal’ with players
Communication is arguably the most important aspect of coaching. It enables a manager to impart knowledge, build trust, increase motivation and improve performance. Entire locker rooms can be lost by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Pochettino’s communication style can be divided into two parts: the way he speaks on the field, and away from it.
On the field during training, timing is everything. Knowing when to keep quiet is just as important as knowing what to say. In moments of struggle, there is benefit to seeing if players can solve problems on their own. Stop things too often, and the rhythm of the training session gets mangled.
“I think [Pochettino] does a really good job of knowing when to step in in a training session and say, ‘Guys, we have to have more. You need more. I need more from you’ or ‘We need to do this as a group better,'” said Ream. “And I think when you interject immediately when you see something wrong, I think if you do it too much, it loses its value.
“Mauricio, he has this innate ability to know when is the right time to step in and when is the right time to just watch and see.”
That dovetails well with what happens in matches. It’s a players’ game, and once the whistle blows, the manager only has so much influence. Oftentimes, it’s up to the players to figure out things on the fly. McKenzie likens it to an assembly line.”You’re going through the training sessions and you’re building that framework of the car, but the driver is going to be the one who ultimately is able to get the most out of that vehicle,” he said. “And that’s pretty much the picture I’d say of what Mauricio wants to do.”Away from the training ground is when Pochettino does some of his most important work. It’s where he can sidle up to a player, get details about their background and what’s happening with their home life. It’s a moment to communicate with a gentler touch rather than the heightened, competitive emotions of a game or practice. It gives Pochettino more data on what buttons to push with which players and when.”He’s wanting to have personal conversations. He’s wanting to know about your family,” Ream said. “He’s wanting to understand and know everybody on a much deeper connected level. Guys were a little bit uneasy about that kind of thing early on and now they understand how he operates and how he works.”Turner added: “When you have a coach that is intense, demanding, and loving, you take the time to get to know him, and you see what works communicationwise and what doesn’t work. Then, you try to learn a lot about each other and just open up.”The result is greater sense of connectedness throughout the team. During the previous cycle, there was lots of talk about the brotherhood that existed among the players. Now the word that gets used is “family” — one that includes not just players, but the entire staff as well.”That family side of it is huge,” McKenzie said, “and it creates an environment where the door is open for guys to have conversations and feel like you’re part of the team, whether it’s your first camp or whether it’s your 51st camp.”That closeness is preparing both the players and staff for the gauntlet of the World Cup, which starts for the USMNT on June 12 against Paraguay. If the USMNT performs as it hopes, the players could end up spending two months together in the intense pressure cooker of the sport’s biggest tournament, from the time their camp begins in May to the World Cup final on July 19.”It has to be that way because you’re all trying to do something incredible,” said Ream. “You’re all going to a tournament that’s going to be the biggest one in the history of this sport. You have to have those feelings. You have to be that close. You have to be that tight-knit. You have to feel all of that, because without that it doesn’t matter.”
National Writer: Charles Boehm
USMNT roster: Pochettino sets stage for final World Cup auditions
Charles Boehm Tuesday, Mar 17, 2026, 05:06 PM
The US men’s national team are mere days away from their final gathering before a FIFA World Cup summer, this month’s high-profile friendlies against Belgium and Portugal at Atlanta United‘s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There’s now just a matter of weeks to go before that massive, long-awaited tournament on home soil kicks off against Paraguay in Southern California on June 12. And still head coach Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t have full availability of all his players due to a wide spectrum of injuries and fitness concerns, with regulars like Tyler Adams, Diego Luna, Haji Wright and Sergiño Dest left off the March roster released on Tuesday morning. It’s a recurring reality of the international game, by now familiar to ‘Poch’ and his staff. So, regardless of who’s in uniform, they expect the same high level displayed in last autumn’s wins over Australia, Paraguay and Uruguay, probably the team’s best outings under Pochettino. “Most important is to try to detect the right selection, to be very, very close to performing the way that we perform in the last two camps,” the Argentine manager told reporters after his squad was unveiled, noting there are 10 personnel changes from then to now. “October and November were a very good example that, maybe with a different roster, different names, but the team performed. And what we need to do is to have the possibility to see [that] again in this camp.” Representing the @USMNT in friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VghaPkPY9V— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 17, 2026
Questions remain
When they congregate at U.S. Soccer’s brand-new National Training Center, the gleaming facility in exurban Atlanta named after chief benefactor and ATLUTD owner Arthur Blank, Pochettino & Co. must swiftly gather their firsthand evaluations of players they haven’t worked with up close in some four months, then fashion lineups that can stand toe-to-toe with two of Europe’s most talented contenders. Is the Tim Ream-Chris Richards center-back pairing still the best choice at the heart of defense? Can anyone challenge Matt Freese’s hold on the starting goalkeeper job? Will Weston McKennie translate his superb form at Juventus to the national team? Does Christian Pulisic remain the attacking nexus despite a recent paucity of goal contributions at AC Milan? And which strikers will make the cut? “It’s an art, because every single player is different and can add different things to the team,” said Pochettino. “We cannot follow some rule, because I think it’s not fair to judge all in the same way. But I think it’s two different things that we appreciate, and we expect for the players to add to the national team. “Because all are completely different – different character, different profiles, different quality, different talent.”
Last chance saloon
Peruse this roster, then consider the notable absences – which also extends to FC Dallas product Alejandro Zendejas, left out despite his ongoing productivity for LIGA MX giants Club América – and the difficulty of the numbers game facing the coach and his players becomes evident. The USMNT called in 27 for this month’s camp. Though it’s not yet official, FIFA is expected to limit World Cup rosters to 26 players. Poch previously said he’d prefer not to call anyone in for pre-World Cup friendlies vs. Senegal and Germany who hasn’t already made the cut for the tournament itself. The writing on the wall: A handful of those who’ll gather in ATL are staring at a final audition, in addition to the ongoing search for chemistry among those who’ll work together on the pitch. “Decisions in this roster, what I can tell you [is] that everyone is saying that maybe is the last opportunity, but it’s not closed,” said Pochettino. “It’s open. This is still open. It’s not the final roster. “You can see injuries. You can see combinations,” he added. “The combinations and the dynamic of the group can change, depending on the selection. That is so important for me.”
Key names return
Motioning with an invisible ruler in his hand, Pochettino admitted there can be no hard-and-fast, objective standard for inclusion, because each player carries their own context, their own skill set and relationship to the collective, above and beyond their current status at club level. That’s why New York City FC academy product Gio Reyna and Orlando City alum Alex Freeman are back with the group despite precious little playing time with their European clubs, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Villarreal CF, respectively. Luna didn’t get the call despite making his 2026 MLS debut for Real Salt Lake last weekend as he works his way back from a nagging knee issue. “The most important is what the player can add to the team,” noted Poch, “and if he can be the right player to help the team to perform.” Charles Boehm – @cboehm
USMNT Aims to Carry Over Energy From 2025’s Statement Finish
USMNT Aims to Carry Over Energy From 2025’s Statement Finish
MARIETTA, Ga. – The U.S. Men’s National Team hasn’t seen action in more than four months, since November 18, 2025, and as the team prepares to play its first match of the calendar year against ninth-ranked Belgium on Saturday, March 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USMNT players have reportedly been itching to pick up right where they left off.
The USMNT concluded 2025 on a soaring note, defeating then-14th ranked Uruguay at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The U.S. mounted an energetic and fearless performance, scoring four first-half goals against the two-time World Cup winners en route to a statement 5-1 win.
The victory over Uruguay wrapped a highly successful back half of the year for head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his team. Under Pochettino’s leadership, the U.S. compiled an 8W-2L-2D record in its final 12 matches of the year and enters a two-match set against a pair of top-10 European sides riding a six-match unbeaten streak against World Cup-qualified opponents.
“Leaving that game, in the style how we won it, all of us wanted to come back and play the next week and continue on with it,” defender Auston Trusty said Wednesday. “It’s been three, four months since we’ve all seen each other. There’s been some time, but hopefully we bring that energy back and bring that momentum from leaving that game.”
The Celtic FC defender started the November win over Uruguay and made major contributions on both ends of the pitch. Trusty assisted defender Alex Freeman’s second goal of his brace and later helped set up midfielder Diego Luna’s finish in the 42nd minute.
Trusty was one of five center backs called up for March training camp, joining Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson. Each player in that group is looking to vie for a spot on Pochettino’s 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup later this year. Last week, the head coach used this position group to demonstrate the level of competition in this camp and emphasize that no player is guaranteed a spot on the World Cup roster at this point.
Players have reported knowing that roster spots are still up for grabs has created high intensity and competition in training. It’s also helped them stay focused and not look too far ahead.
“Individually, you have to do your thing, play your game, and put yourself in the best position to get stuff for the team,” Trusty said. “Also while you’re on the team, while you’re in the squad, in camp, it’s [about] being the teammate that’s working hard during training, supporting staff, supporting the players around you, and really giving it your all.”
Another center back in the mix is Robinson, who has earned 38 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team in his career. The two matches this week in Atlanta marks Robinson’s return to the same training site and stadium where he began his professional soccer career. In 2017, Robinson was the first MLS SuperDraft pick in Atlanta United history, going No. 2 overall out of Syracuse. The center back played seven years at the club, making 123 regular season appearances and winning the 2018 MLS Cup with the 5-Stripes, before moving on to FC Cincinnati.
“First and foremost, I’m very grateful to be back and representing the stars and stripes here,” Robinson said. “Atlanta definitely did a lot for me, in terms of my career.”
The most-capped center back in March camp, Ream, described earlier this week the importance of playing loose and confident, to not feel like your knuckles are turning white from such a tight grip. His two teammates on the backline both agreed that this moment heading into the two Atlanta matches is about staying focused on the present moment and making the most of the opportunities in front of you.
“Every day, every game, every training session is to put itself in position to make that spot, make that position for the team to be one of the key players,” Trusty said.
“It’s about understanding that every day is a mission,” Robinson said. “You have to compete at your best, recognizing that you have to be coachable. You have to understand what Poch wants from you but also have that mentality to be focused in every aspect of the game. Keep as many clean sheets as possible and do the most you can in any opportunity that you get.”
Why Mauricio Pochettino wants the USMNT’s ‘right 26 — not the best’ for the World Cup
MARIETTA, Ga. — In the two months before he finalizes his U.S. World Cup roster, Mauricio Pochettino will weigh factors that go beyond soccer ability.Without pure talent, of course, the Americans will not go very far in the 48-team tournament unfolding this summer across North America. Accordingly, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and many other regulars are sure bets for a 26-man squad revealed May 26.But Pochettino has also said he will select “the right 26 — not the best; the right 26.”In other words, he is looking to curate a team that functions well both on and off the field — one that will fortify bonds over at least five consecutive weeks at hotels, on buses and jets, and handles the searing pressure of playing in the sport’s greatest spectacle on home soil.The last thing Pochettino wants is a breach like the one involving Gio Reyna and, by extension, Gregg Berhalter’s entire unit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Over the tournament’s history, multiple teams, notably France in 2010, have been knocked off track by bad chemistry or preventable incidents.“Yes, you want great players who are going to make great plays within the game,” Brad Guzan, a reserve goalkeeper for the 2010 and 2014 U.S. World Cup teams, told Yahoo Sports. “But the reality is probably not everyone is going to see minutes, and if that’s the case, you need to make sure they’re going to be able to fit within a team environment and be able to help and contribute in other meaningful ways.”
The USMNT’s World Cup roster won’t be about talent alone under Mauricio Pochettino. (John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images)
Building the right locker room
Upon his hiring in the fall of 2024, Pochettino set out to change the team culture and set a fresh vibe. It did not come easy. It took until last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup for Pochettino’s message to get through and for the players to fully buy into his plans.
With everyone aboard, positive results began to follow. The Americans will carry a five-game unbeaten streak against World Cup-bound opponents into daunting tests at Mercedes-Benz Stadium versus Belgium on Saturday and Portugal on Tuesday. The nine-day camp marks the final assembly before Pochettino selects the “right 26.”Pochettino’s bonding efforts seemed to have taken hold. Veteran defender Tim Ream said arriving to Atlanta this week after four months since the previous camp was “like “seeing family all over again.”Because camaraderie and results went hand in hand through the fall, “Guys have a hunger,” Ream said. “They want to be a part of a team that’s moving in the right direction and playing well and fighting for each other.”
The team’s fighting spirit revealed itself in an actual fight late in the 2-1 victory over Paraguay last November. Alex Freeman was at the center of it, and within seconds, Sebastian Berhalter and others had rushed to his aid.“We backed our guy,” midfielder Tanner Tessmann said. “That is what it’s all about, man.”In the transactional period between Berhalter’s firing after the 2024 Copa América and Pochettino’s hiring months later, however, such reactions were not a given. A native of Argentina, where representing La Albiceleste is the greatest honor, the new boss needed to rekindle the U.S. fire.Now that the blaze is almost self-sustainable, Pochettino must go about picking his World Cup unit with compatible pieces.The idea of selecting the “right” players rather than the “best” players is not original.“You pick the best 26 members that make the best team, which is a concept difficult to understand,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez told Yahoo Sports. “If you’ve got a player that plays every minute and is the star of their [club] team and he comes to a national team and he can only play five or six minutes [as] a supportive player, it’s a completely different role. It’s very, very difficult to have a committed player in that role.”
Martinez, of course, has a trickier task than Pochettino, juggling many more world-class players — and egos. But the concept remains the same: constructing a team that functions on and off the field for an extended period, even if that means passing over a quality player.So how will the process play out for Pochettino? Soccer is not like basketball or baseball, sports where statistics tell most of the story.He and his staff will weigh players’ form with their respective clubs and the national team. They will consider experience, versatility, on-field partnerships and data analytics. They will rely on intuition. And they will weigh how a player fits in the group.They don’t expect any distractions from Reyna, who, from all indications, is more mature and focused than four years ago. Despite scant playing time at German club Mönchengladbach in 2026, he was invited to camp this week.Every player seems to recognize the importance of putting the team first.“You have to do your thing and play your game and be in the best position to [stay] with the team,” center back Auston Trusty said. “But while you’re on the team, while you’re in camp, it’s being the teammate that’s working hard during training, supporting the players around you and really giving them your all. That’s really just about the mindset.”Center back Miles Robinson said “you have to understand every day is kind of a mission, that you have to compete at your best, recognizing you have to be coachable. You have to understand what Poch wants from you.”
Guzan — Atlanta United’s newly appointed club ambassador and sporting adviser after a 20-year playing career — said the days between World Cup matches are when teams can come together or slip apart.“Whatever the result of the game, there’s going to be training the next day and there’s going to be guys that maybe are upset they didn’t play or play more,” said Guzan, who, as Tim Howard’s two-time back-up, didn’t play in the World Cup. “You need guys that understand what’s needed in certain moments. So from the outside, you may have the opinion that this player should be there or that player shouldn’t be there, but inside of camp, they’re offering things that aren’t seen.”A U.S. player who seems to personify that role is Seattle’s Cristian Roldan, a seasoned midfielder from the 2022 squad who, since last fall, has become a Pochettino favorite for his leadership, experience and acceptance he might never step onto the field. That doesn’t mean Roldan isn’t good enough to contribute on the field, but with a large roster and no more than five substitutions per match, Pochettino values his intangibles.“I expect competition every camp, but this one, especially leading up to the World Cup, with the things Coach said that no one spot is guaranteed, proving yourself each and every day is extremely important,” Roldan said.
As the World Cup nears, USMNT’s center back corps remains uncertain, unsettled
ATLANTA — At nearly every position, the U.S. men’s national team enters 2026 with depth. It has multiple strikers who would have started in 2022. In midfield, regulars at Champions League clubs might need to settle for places on the USMNT bench. Even at wingback, there are three players starting (when healthy) for top-50 clubs, a fourth who just moved to one, and a fifth who’s a fixture in the German Bundesliga.And then, on the other hand, there is center back.The position, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said back in September, is “really open.”He and his predecessors have seemingly spent much of the 2026 World Cup cycle waiting for central defenders to emerge. With the tournament less than three months away, only one, Chris Richards, really has.Tim Ream, of course, is still around. For a while, he felt like a placeholder whose value was as a bridge and a veteran presence. Now, at age 38, he’s the USMNT’s most-frequent captain and apparently a starter, even as he sometimes struggles to cope with the speed of MLS.
Ream is a starter because no others have emerged to seize his place. Pochettino, who was a center back himself in his playing days and should have an intimate knowledge of the craft, called up 11 players in that position throughout 2025. He tried two other natural fullbacks on the right side of a back three. Many are decent players, but beyond Richards and arguably Ream, none would inspire confidence if thrown into a World Cup game.Noahkai Banks, left, remains undecided about his international future.Adam Pretty / Getty ImagesNoahkai Banks is the most talented. And when Pochettino welcomed him to a maiden camp in September, he said that the now-19-year-old Banks “can be a really important player, in a position that, for every single national team, is difficult to find.” He speculated that Banks, by season’s end, could “be maybe the best center back in Europe or in Germany.” As of March, he isn’t quite that, but he’s broken through and is now considered one of the top young defenders in the Bundesliga.
The problem: He’s never actually played for the USMNT, and he hasn’t yet decided whether to represent the U.S., the country of his birth; or Germany, the country where he’s spent the vast majority of his life.Banks made it “very clear” that he was “not available to be selected” for the USMNT’s March roster, Pochettino said last week. He has also said he won’t rush the decision or make it “dependent on a World Cup.” So, it feels highly unlikely that he’d commit and debut on the biggest stage of all this summer.“So,” Ream said Monday, “we work with the group that’s in [camp] right now.”That group is Richards, Ream, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and Auston Trusty, plus Alex Freeman and Joe Scally, the two fullbacks whom Pochettino has played on the right side of a three.Of the group, only Ream was at the 2022 World Cup. Richards and Robinson would have been if not for injuries. Over the three years since, Richards has grown into a consistent starter at Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. But Robinson never quite resumed his pre-Achilles tendon tear ascent. He has settled in at his level, as one of the better center backs in MLS.McKenzie has found his, too, at Toulouse, a middling club in France’s Ligue 1.Trusty, who has bounced from Birmingham City (on loan) to Sheffield United to Celtic, started the USMNT’s very first game of the 2026 cycle… and then didn’t start another one until the very last game of 2025.Trusty’s Celtic teammate, Cameron Carter-Vickers, was at one point a promising prospect, but plateaued and is now injured.Walker Zimmerman, another 2022 World Cup veteran, is now 32 and has seemingly fallen down the depth chart. At best, he would be brought to the World Cup as something of a closer, because of his ability to win aerial duels.Pochettino, in search of long shots, called up Tristan Blackmon in September, but that experiment didn’t pan out. The coach’s piloting of a hybrid back three made Scally and Freeman options on the right, but it didn’t really change the broader calculus.
And even Freeman, who earned Pochettino’s trust throughout the summer and fall, has hardly played competitive soccer since November. He moved from Orlando City to Villarreal in January, and has played just 38 minutes in four substitute appearances thus far.What You Should Read NextUSA or Germany? Noahkai Banks’ personal decision more nuanced than casual discourse around itThe 19-year-old is eligible to play for both the U.S. and Germany and faces a tough decision amid a sea of outside noise“Obviously I haven’t got the minutes I’ve wanted,” Freeman said Tuesday. He noted that the competitiveness of training sessions at Villarreal, plus “extra work” in lieu of playing time, helps him “stay sharp.” But without actual match sharpness, it’s tough to see Freeman being a reliable starter for the national team this summer.So, there is currently a question mark to the right of Richards. And to his left, there is Ream, a model of longevity but a player who has seemingly lost a step since 2022.Ream spoke this week about the secrets to his longevity. “If I had to pick one, I would say just being adaptable; understanding that different coaches do and want different things,” he said. He has adapted to Pochettino’s ways and wants. He gives the U.S. precisely what it needs as a ball-playing defender and distributor. But his lack of pace could be a liability.So the position, it seems, remains open and uncertain as friendly tests here against Belgium and Portugal beckon.“I think every day, every game, every training session we get, it’s to put ourselves in a position to make that spot, make that position for the team and be one of the key players for the team,” Trusty said Wednesday.
USMNT’s European edge: The stunning rise of Alex Freeman and Patrick Agyemang from MLS to final World Cup camp
Steven GoffContributing writer Tue, March 24, 2026 at 5:52 PM EDT·
MARIETTA, Ga. — Alex Freeman and Patrick Agyemang were among the two dozen or so U.S. players on the team bus rumbling into this Atlanta suburb Tuesday morning for the second day of the final training camp before Mauricio Pochettino selects his World Cup roster in two months.Distance from the team hotel: 12 miles. Lengths swiftly traversed in their career arc: incalculable. A year ago, Freeman was in his first full Major League Soccer season with Orlando City, best known to some as the son of a Super Bowl-winning wide receiver, Antonio Freeman. Alex had played for youth national teams but never for the senior squad.A year ago, Agyemang was still harnessing his 6-foot-4 frame after a breakout season with Charlotte FC in 2024. He had auditioned for Pochettino early in 2025, but, as with Freeman, the World Cup seemed a million miles away.A year later, both have matriculated overseas, with Freeman at Villarreal in Spain and Agyemang at Derby County in England. Both have received regular U.S. call-ups. And with the sport’s quadrennial carnival kicking off across North America in less than three months, both are in serious contention for Pochettino’s 26-man squad.“It’s been very quick,” said Freeman, who had started just 16 MLS matches before making his U.S. debut last summer. “It’s been just a moment for me to realize how serious things are but to adjust. I feel like it’s been a blessing. [I’ve] been grateful to be able to have eight or 10 months [that] kind of changed my life.”Freeman and Agyemang are among six regulars who have taken full advantage of opportunities since last summer when Pochettino broadened and accelerated the roster-building process. The others are goalkeeper Matt Freese, wing back Max Arfsten, and midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Diego Luna — players who, for the most part, were not seriously in the mix as of early 2025.Except for Luna, who recently recovered from a knee injury, all are in the nine-day U.S. camp, which will feature heavyweight friendlies at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Belgium on Saturday and Portugal next Tuesday. Pochettino is scheduled to announce his World Cup squad on May 26.While those four have expanded their MLS profiles, Freeman and Agyemang parlayed performance for club and country into missions abroad.
Alex Freeman moved to Villarreal following his rapid rise with Orlando City. (Alex Caparros via Getty Images)
Alex Freeman’s Villarreal challenge
Freeman, a 21-year-old right back and wing, joined Villarreal in La Liga in late January, though an initial dearth of playing time could cloud his World Cup outlook.“Obviously, I haven’t gotten the minutes I’ve wanted,” said the South Floridian, who has logged 42 minutes in four Villarreal appearances. “But I feel like I also got the experience at a high level in Spain to be able to stay sharp against [some] of the best players on the team and maybe even the league.”Joining a prominent club was challenging enough, but he was joining one in the middle of the season and now sitting third behind superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid while pursuing a 2026-27 Champions League berth. As Freeman has learned, the lineup does not typically change much when things are going well.Because of his MLS offseason and Villarreal bench time, Freeman has not started for any team since a two-goal performance in the 5-1 U.S. romp over Uruguay more than four months ago.U.S. teammate Cristian Roldan cautioned that “it’s going to take a whole lot for him to see the field [in Spain]. The level of competition is very high over there, but I fully expect him to tap into even more of his potential, grow as a player, be uncomfortable in certain situations, so that he continues to grow.”Before joining Villarreal, Freeman consulted with Pochettino and U.S. star Weston McKennie, a Juventus star. Freeman said they told him the move was “high risk, high reward.”Roldan, a 30-year-old midfielder in his 12th season with Seattle, praised Freeman’s ball skills and his ability to “wiggle out of pressure.”With Sergiño Dest, Pochettino’s first-choice right back, sidelined with a hamstring injury, Freeman should get the chance to continue proving his value – even if he’s not in prime form.He said he wants to show he is “the same Freeman you guys all see on the field.”
Derby County’s Patrick Agyemang is working to establish himself in England’s second-tier ahead of the World Cup. (Steven Paston – PA Images via Getty Images)
Agyemang thriving in the Championship
Agyemang, a 25-year-old striker, has been a hit at Derby County in the second-flight English Championship, recording 10 goals and three assists while starting 29 consecutive league matches for an East Midlands club locked in a heated race for a promotion playoff berth.Since arriving in England, Agyemang said, “I’ve grown into the person and player I am now. It’s been amazing. I feel myself building in all types of areas, on and off the field, and I think it could obviously translate here as well and help the [U.S.] team.”This camp is critical for Agyemang, who appears to be No. 4 on the depth chart behind Monaco’s Folarin Balogun, Coventry City’s Haji Wright and PSV Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi. Wright, however, is sidelined with a groin injury. For the World Cup, Pochettino is expected to select three or four from the pool, which also includes Toronto FC’s Josh Sargent and Vancouver’s Brian White. (Neither was invited to this camp.)Agyemang acknowledged having to adapt to the unmerciful rigors of the English Championship.“At times you think you get a foul or something, and it’s just not a call,” the Connecticut native said. “It’s play on and play on. So obviously it’s very aggressive in that nature. But I’m always a guy that always likes to go [to] new places and just work hard and put my head down and keep focused on that. It’s been a great experience for me, but [there] definitely have been differences [with MLS], for sure.”Tim Ream, a veteran center back who played in the English Championship for part of his Fulham career, was Agyemang’s Charlotte teammate last year until Derby County came calling.“You just never know with the Championship, what kind of reaction you’re going to get from guys,” Ream said. “I don’t think he could last 90 minutes when we were in Charlotte and now I’m seeing he’s playing full 90-minute matches. That tells me he’s in a place mentally and physically that he feels good. And when you feel good, you just feel like you can do anything.”With Agyemang in U.S. camp, Ream joked, “I’m going to have to knock him down a peg or two just to make sure that he doesn’t get too far ahead of himself just because that’s the way I am with him.”
Sitting next to Ream, Agyemang smiled.“It’s impressive to see what he’s done in a short amount of time,” Ream added. “Hopefully, that continues. But he’s got a good head on his shoulders and he knows that if he continues to do the small things and focus on himself within the group, he’s going to be playing a long time.”Like all players, Agyemang is trying to balance the demands of club and country and maintain focus on whichever crest he is wearing at that moment.He said he is “taking care of the business here and then when I go back [to England], it’s the same thing. … I just want to continue doing that until the end of the season and potentially the World Cup, so just trying to not stress too much about anything and just enjoy as much as possible.”
World Cup 2026: U.S. host cities awarded $625m in security funding after delay
The funding is being administered via FEMA under the FIFA World Cup Grant Program Michael Regan – FIFA via Getty Images
The 11 U.S. cities set to host World Cup games this summer have been awarded $625million in security funding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has informed members of Congress.The funding is being administered via FEMA under the FIFA World Cup Grant Program, which it says will be used to “hold operational exercises, conduct staff background checks, and strengthen cybersecurity defenses”.In a release first shared with members of Congress and seen by The Athletic, a statement from FEMA said the cities can also use awarded funds “to pay for increased police and emergency response at FIFA venues, hotels, and transportation hubs”.Representatives of the cities, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, told The Athletic that the funds had began to land.What You Should Read NextWorld Cup 2026 stadium guides: Kansas City Stadium – home of the loudest sports crowd in historyWhat can fans expect from the Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium, usually known as Arrowhead, at the 2026 World Cup?
The funding was first pledged in President Donald Trump’s domestic policy bill last summer – which he called the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill – but the processing had been delayed during the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in early 2026.Democrats were requesting more guardrails against ICE activity after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. As FEMA falls under DHS, the World Cup was dragged into the fight.The now former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Democrats of “shut[ting] down the government,” and wrote on X: “The longer DHS goes without funding, the less prepared our nation will be for threats at the FIFA World Cup and America 250.”Noem claimed that “FEMA was in the final stages of reviewing applications to ensure proper oversight” of the World Cup funding when the partial shutdown started on February 14.Yet Nellie Pou, a Democratic congresswoman representing New Jersey, subsequently claimed that the anticipated award date of the funds was “no later than January 30, 2026” — in fact prior to the shutdown.The original award of the funding represented a considerable success for U.S. Soccer, which supported the host cities in their lobbying, as well as for FIFA, whose president, Gianni Infantino, has developed a close relationship with President Trump. Yet it has taken longer than expected for the funds to be awarded.
In a memo to members of Congress, FEMA claimed that staff were impacted by three separate funding lapses, but claimed that the administering of the funds “is a testament to the Trump Administration’s commitment to getting resources into the hands of law enforcement.FEMA also awarded $250m to states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches through the Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program. They say this is to defend against the threat of drones.In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Pou said: “Finally. Matches begin in less than 90 days. Congress passed this funding long in advance and officials needed this money months ago. So I’m glad to see DHS finally do the right thing and release these overdue funds.“I am hopeful that with this money released, host cities and law enforcement have what they need to make the 2026 World Cup a massive success. We cannot waste a once-in-a-generation chance to show the best of America.”In a subsequent news release, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, said: “We are proud of the collaborative efforts between federal agencies, local partners and the White House Task Force in preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This grant program provides valuable funding to host cities, helping them strengthen security operations and protect their communities.”
World Cup fans from several nations facing $15k bonds to enter U.S. – and players may not be exempt
Senegal supporters are among those impacted by the bond payments Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images
Fans from several countries participating in this summer’s World Cup must deposit up to $15,000 in bond payments to be granted a tourist visa to enter the United States, while organizer FIFA is privately pressing the Trump administration to make exemptions for players.The difficulties have emerged as nationals from certain countries travelling to the U.S. on a business or tourist visa — known as B-1 and B-2 visas — have been subject to bond payments after policy changes by President Donald Trump’s administration.The “Visa Bond Pilot Program” relates to 50 countries, five of which have qualified for the World Cup. The policy has impacted nationals from Algeria, Cape Verde, Senegal and the Ivory Coast since January 21 this year. Last week, World Cup participants Tunisia were among the countries added to the list, which comes into effect from April 2. Cape Verde — an archipelago of only 525,000 people — has qualified for the men’s World Cup for the first time in its history.A U.S. State Department spokesperson told The Athletic that all applicants, regardless of age, are subject to the same legal standards and must demonstrate they qualify for and intend to comply with the terms of a visa. They added that those who depart the U.S. in a timely fashion before their visa expires will recover their money, while they also said the visa bond requirement is not retroactive and does not apply to holders of existing valid visas.However, there is no wording outlined in the Visa Bond Pilot Program that grants immunity to athletes competing in major sporting events such as the World Cup. Athletes who do not already have U.S. visas will largely apply for the B-1 or B-2 visas during the tournament, meaning they, too, could be asked to deposit bonds. The State Department said that all visa applications will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis by officers.The policy states that there is “no procedure” for applicants to apply for a waiver of the bond, but consular officers can determine whether a waiver “would advance a significant national interest or humanitarian interest based on the applicant’s purpose of travel and employment.”When contacted by The Athletic this week, neither the State Department nor FIFA took the opportunity to rule out that players from the designated countries would be required to pay the bonds. FIFA declined to comment on all aspects of this report.
The situation is causing concern among the soccer federations of designated nations. Sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, told The Athletic the matter was raised with FIFA at pre-World Cup preparation workshops that competing federations attended this month in Atlanta. Fewer than 80 days out from the World Cup, FIFA is attempting to convince the Trump administration to waive the bonds for official members of a competing federation’s delegation, which would likely include players, coaches and support staff, as well as federation executives and possibly key personnel from sponsors.ABehind the scenes, FIFA is working on contingencies, with the organization seeking to help the soccer teams of designated nations circumvent the bonds by supplying invitation letters for the official delegations of national federations competing at the World Cup. FIFA wants these letters to act as a waiver for the bonds. According to sources close to the matter, the current expectation is that, if successful, this will extend only to players, staff and federation executives, but possibly not to the immediate relatives of players, who may be subject to the bonds.When The Athletic asked the State Department about FIFA seeking to influence the U.S. government’s policies, a State Department spokesperson stressed that “rules, policies, and procedures for visa processing are set in Washington, D.C.,” before adding that the U.S. government “continues to engage robustly with FIFA in support of the largest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history.”While negotiations are ongoing over possible player exemptions for the visa bonds at the World Cup, it does not appear that any such privileges will be extended to fans.For supporters from the impacted countries, the bonds add a huge financial burden on any trip to watch their team in the U.S. this summer, compounding the highly expensive World Cup tickets and hotels this summer.FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly claimed this summer’s men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico will be the “most inclusive” in the competition’s history. Yet a national traveling from the impacted countries, who is deemed otherwise eligible for entry into the U.S., must now also have the means to post a bond of either $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, which may preclude or deter many from traveling at all.Gianni Infantino (right) has repeatedly stressed the World Cup will be an “inclusive” eventAndrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty ImagesThe bond payments are per person, rather than per travelling party, meaning that a parent travelling with a child would have to make two separate bond payments. Sources familiar with the process indicate that the $5,000 payments will be broadly reserved for children entering the country, with payments of $10,000 or $15,000 for adults.A State Department spokesperson told The Athletic that America’s safety and border security “will always come first” and reiterated that nationals of designated countries would be required to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 before a visa can be issued. This would appear to be an issue for Algeria, Tunisia, and Cape Verde, with Senegal and the Ivory Coast designated for broader travel bans, which would limit travel in any case.The State Department further claimed that the program “has proven effective in deterring illegal immigration and the Trump Administration is expanding it to additional countries based on a range of immigration risk factors, including high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, concerns regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement, and foreign policy considerations.”FIFA has also been asked by impacted nations to ensure that the State Department provides B-1 or B-2 visas that offer multiple entries into the U.S.This has become a challenge as the State Department has increasingly been providing single-entry business or tourist visas to nationals of designated countries, when equivalent visas previously offered multiple entries.Federations, players and fans need multiple-access visas to the U.S. because some teams in the tournament will play in more than one country during the World Cup. Ivory Coast, for example, have a group game in Toronto sandwiched between two games in Philadelphia, while Senegal’s final group-stage game is in Toronto, and they may need to return to the U.S. for knockout games. Tunisia’s first two games will be in Mexico before their final group game in Kansas City. Algeria and Cape Verde’s group games are all within the U.S.A State Department spokesperson said an applicant’s “individual circumstances” will be taken into account when a consular officer makes the final decision on whether to issue a single- or multiple-entry visa.
The knock out Stage is here with teams 8-24 battling it our to see who will face the top 8 teams in the next round. Powerhouses Real Madrid, PSG and Juventus all fell out of the top 8 setting up playoff time for them to advance. Tues gives us a beaut with the Special one Jose Mournino and Benefica hosting the club he once coached to a UCL trophy Real Madrid at home. AS Monaco and American Balogan has his chance vs defending champs PSG and Weston McKinney and his Juve will travel to Galatasaray.
After a Full weekend of FA Cup Play the fifth round draw has been made
Some interesting games ahead. Perhaps the just juiciest non all-EPL match-ups are We are Wrexham (owners Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney & their FX TV Show hosting Chelsea, League 1 foe Mansfield Town hosting EPL leaders Arsenal and perhaps Bristol City hosting Sunderland. Love it when the little guys get to host the big guys.
Home teams listed first
Fulham vs. Southampton
Port Vale or Bristol City vs. Sunderland
Newcastle vs. Manchester City
Leeds vs. Norwich City
Mansfield Town vs. Arsenal
Wolves vs. Liverpool
Wrexham vs. Chelsea
West Ham vs. Macclesfield or Brentford
MLS Kicks off this Weekend
The 2026 MLS season runs from this Saturday February 21 to early November, featuring 30 teams playing 34 regular-season matches, with a significant break from May 25 to July 16 for the FIFA World Cup. The season includes Eastern and Western Conferences, culminating in the MLS Cup Playoffs in November/December. Defending Champions are Miami and Lionel Messi who was League MVP. He will be missing many of his Barcelona buddies who all retired at the end of last season however. Read all about Miami in the Season Preview below. The games will all be broadcast on FREE APPLE TV. So if you have APPLE TV you get MLS with no additional charge like the last few seasons. (Awesome news) I still hate that more games are not on linear TV like Fox, FS1 and perhaps ESPN – because I am 100% sure NO ONE KNOWS MLS starts this weekend do you? Don’t lie – NOPE. Well you heard it here first and the first game on FOX is the Cincy vs Atlanta United game at 4:45 pm Saturday. Other notables have have Columbus traveling to Porland 10:30 pm on Apple, LAFC hosting Messi & Miami 9:30 pm on Apple, and my Seattle Sounders hosting Colorado Sunday at 9:15 pm right after LA vs NYCFC at 7 pm.
Key Details for the 2026 Season:
Duration: February 21 – November 7, 2026 (Regular Season).
Format: 30 teams; 34 games per team (17 home, 17 away).
2026 FIFA World Cup Pause: May 25 – July 16, 2026.
All-Star Game: July 29, 2026.
Decision Day: November 7, 2026.
Broadcast: All matches are available on Apple TV.
Future Changes: Starting in 2027, MLS will shift to a summer-to-spring calendar (similar to European leagues), running from July to May, with a winter break.
TV Schedule
Tues, Feb 17 12:45 pm Para+ TUDN Galatasaray vs Juventus (McKinney) 3 pm Para+ TUDN Benefica vs REal Madrid 3 pm CBSSN, Para+ Dortmund vs Atalanta 3 pm Para+_ Monaco (Balogan vs PSG 8 pm FS2 Atletico Ottawa vs NAshville SC CCC 10 pm FS2 Real Espana vs LAFC CCC Wed, FEb 18 12:45 pm Para+ Qarabag vs Newcastle United 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulilsc) cs Como 3 pm CBSSN, PAra+ Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid 3 pm Para+ Olympicakos vs Bayer LEverkus (Tilman) 3 pm PAra+ Inter Milan vs Bodo Glimt 6 pm FS2 Defense Force vs Philly Union CCC 8 pm FS2 Universidad vs Cincy UCC 10 pm FS2 Cartagines vs Vancouver UCC Thurs, Feb 18 12:45 pm Para_ Fenerbache vs Nottinham Forest 12:45 pm Para+ Zninsjki vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 3 pm Para+ Celtic vs Stuttgart Sat, Feb 21 MLS Season Starts 4:45 pm FOX Cincy FC vs Atlanta United MLS 9:30 pm Apple Free LAFC vs Miami *Messi MLS 10:30 Apple Free Portland vs Columbus Crew MLS
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 midweek viewing guide: Pushing forward
Follow along with all the USMNT action this week.
Tuesday
Galatasaray vs Juventus, 12:45p: Weston McKennie – Champions League round of 32 first leg
Dortmund vs Atalanta, 3p: Yunus Musah – Champions League round of 32 first leg
Monaco vs PSG, 3p: Folarin Balogun – Champions League round of 32 first leg
Also in action:
Charlton vs Portsmouth, 2:45p: Charlie Kelman – EFL Championship
Atlético Ottawa vs Nashville SC, 8p: Matthew Corcoran, Jack Maher, Thomas Williams – Concacaf Champions Cup first leg
Real España vs LAFC, 10p: Timothy Tillman – Concacaf Champions Cup first leg
Wednesday
Levante vs Villarreal, 2p: Alex Freeman – La Liga
AC Milan vs Como, 2:45p: Christian Pulisic – Serie A
Club Brugge vs Atlético Madrid, 3p: Johnny Cardoso – Champions League round of 32 first leg
Olympiacos vs Leverkusen, 3p: Malik Tillman, Monty Culbreath – Champions League round of 32 first leg
Also in action:
Defence Force vs Philadelphia Union, 6p: Quinn Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, Cavan Sullivan, CJ Olney, Nathan Harriel, Andrew Rick – Concacaf Champions Cup first leg
O&M FC vs FC Cincinnati, 8p: Miles Robinson, Roman Celentano, Matt Miazga – Concacaf Champions Cup first leg. Kristian Fletcher is expected back from an ACL injury in early March.
Cartaginés vs Vancouver Whitecaps, 10p: Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, Tate Johnson, Emmanuel Sabbi – Concacaf Champions Cup first leg
Thursday
Zrinjski Mostar vs Crystal Palace, 12:45p: Chris Richards – Conference League round of 32 first leg
Celtic vs VfB Stuttgart, 3p: Auston Trusty – Europa League round of 32 first leg. Cameron Carter-Vickers is out for the season with an Achilles injury.
Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzeň, 3p: Erik Palmer-Brown – Europa League round of 32 first leg
Also in action:
Sporting San Miguelito vs LA Galaxy, 8p: Harbor Miller, Ruben Ramos, Elijah Wynder – Concacaf Champions Cup first leg
Friday
Mainz vs Hamburg, 2:30p: Lennard Maloney, Damion Downs – Bundesliga
Brest vs Marseille, 2:45p: Tim Weah – Ligue 1
Puebla vs América, 10:06p: Alex Zendejas – Liga MX
In case you think American football is that big a deal ? More people watched a regular season EPL game earlier that day.
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Champions League knockout rounds: Bracket, key dates, more
Nicholas Som
Feb 16, 2026, 02:44 AM ETe draw for the knockout playoff round of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League featured some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Now that it’s complete, we know who the likes of Real Madrid and defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will be facing with a spot in the round of 16 on the line.
But which teams look to have the best path through the knockout rounds? How is the rest of the bracket shaping up?
Here’s everything you need to know about Champions League knockouts.
Which clubs are in the knockout playoff round?
Only the 16 teams that finished ninth through 24th in the league phase will compete in this round.
The top eight teams in the league phase advanced directly to the round of 16, and clubs finishing 25th to 36th were eliminated.
When is the knockout playoff round?
The first legs of each matchup will be held Feb. 17-18. The second legs will be contested the following week, on Feb. 24-25.
What are the knockout playoff round fixtures?
The teams that placed ninth to 16th are listed second, and they will have the advantage of playing at home in the second leg.
After the playoff round draw, the teams who finished inside the top eight in the league phase still have four possible opponents in the round of 16.
The knockout playoff round will whittle the number of potential opponents to two. But the exact matchups won’t be known until the round-of-16 draw.
Possible round-of-16 ties:
Arsenal or Bayern Munich will play one of the winners of: Atalanta vs. Borussia Dortmund Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos
Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur will play one of the winners of: Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid Galatasaray vs. Juventus
Barcelona or Chelsea will play one of the winners of: AS Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain FK Qarabag vs. Newcastle United
Sporting CP or Manchester City will play one of the winners of: Benfica vs. Real Madrid Bodo/Glimt vs. Internazionale
Is there any country protection?
No — clubs from the same country can play each other throughout the rest of the competition. If Borussia Dortmund defeat Atalanta, for example, they can still be drawn against fellow German club Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
What happens next?
After teams compete in the two-legged knockout playoff round in February, the draw for the round of 16 will be held Feb. 27. That draw will determine the round-of-16 matchups and finalize the bracket for the remainder of the knockout rounds.
What are the other important Champions League dates to remember?
Round of 16/quarterfinal/semifinal draw: Feb. 27 Round of 16: March 10-11, March 17-18 Quarterfinals: April 7-8, April 14-15 Semifinals: April 28-29, May 5-6 Final: May 30 (Budapest, Hungary)
Why did it matter where teams finished in the league phase table?
Last season provided a notable example of how the new system can make a huge impact. Manchester City didn’t qualify for the knockouts until the final day of the league phase, and their 22nd-place finish meant they had to compete in the knockout playoff round. As an unseeded team, they were drawn against seeded Real Madrid, who won 6-3 over two legs.
On the flip side, PSG seemed unaffected by the extra round of matches, rolling past Brest in the playoffs and all the way to the title.
This year, top finishers such as Arsenal and Bayern Munich will benefit by avoiding fellow European giants Real Madrid and PSG in the round of 16.
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USMNT Players Abroad: McKennie with two assists, goal for Busio
The weekend roundup of USMNT players abroad has Weston McKennie recording two assists in Serie A and a goal for Gianluca Busio in Serie B. In the Championship, Patrick Agyemang once again scored for Derby County. Leeds and Fulham advanced in the FA Cup.
Serie A
Christian Pulisic subbed on in the 78th for AC Milan’s 2-1 win at Pisa. Ruben Loftus-Cheek put AC Milan up in the 39th with Pisa equalizing in the 71st. Luka Modic returned AC Milan’s lead in the 85th. AC Milan’s Adrien Rabiot saw red two minutes into stoppage time. Weston McKennie’s Juventus lost 3-2 at Inter Milan. Juventus gave up an own-goal in the 17th and Andrea Cambiaso equalized in the 26th. Juventus’s Pierre Kalulu saw red in the 42nd. Inter retook the lead in the 76th and Manuel Locatelli equalized for Juventus in the 83rd with McKennie assisting. Inter Milan scored again in the 90th minute.
Andrija Novakovich subbed out five minutes into stoppage time for Reggiana’s 1-1 draw at Empoli in Serie B. Natan Girma converted a Reggiana penalty in the 26th and Empoli equalized in the 72nd minute. Gianluca Busio’s Venezia won 4-0 at Cesena. Busio opened the scoring for Venezia in the 38th, Andrea Adorante doubled the lead a minute into stoppage time, and Antoine Hainaut scored in the 62nd. Lion Lauberbach converted a Venezia penalty two minutes into stoppage time.
FA Cup – Fourth Round
Antonee Robinson’s Fulham won 2-1 at Stoke City. Trailing from the 19th, Kevin equalized for Fulham in the 55th and Harrison Reed scored in the 84th minute. Brenden Aaronson subbed on in the 68th for Leeds United’s 1-1 draw at Birmingham City. Leeds advanced 4-2 on penalties. Lukas Nmecha put Leeds up in the 49th and Birmingham equalized in the 89th minute. Birmingham City failed to convert in rounds two and three of penalties while Leeds converted on all four of their attempts. Aaronson scored in round three.
Championship
Patrick Agyemang subbed out in the 89th for Derby County’s 2-0 home win over Swansea City. Rhian Brewster opened the scoring for Derby County in the 47th and Agyemang doubled the lead in the 67th. Agyemang saw yellow in the 27th minute.
Bundesliga
Malik Tillman subbed on at halftime for Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-0 home win over James Sands’s St Pauli. Sands subbed out in the 68th. Jarrell Quansah put Leverkusen up in the 13th, Patrik Schick scored in the 14th, and Edmond Tabsoba made it 3-0 in the 52nd. Ernest Poku finished off the Leverkusen scoring in the 78th minute.
Joe Scally subbed on in the 65th for Gladbach’s 3-0 loss at Eintracht to goals in the 24th, 34th, and 75th minutes. Kristoffer Lund’s FC Koln lost 3-1 at Stuttgart, trailing from the 15th. Ragnar Ache equalized for Koln in the 79th, but Stuttgart retook the lead in the 84th and scored again two minutes into stoppage time.
In the 2.Bundesliga, John Tolkin’s Holstein Kiel lost 2-1 at home to Schalke. Trailing from goals in the 16th and 29th, David Zec converted a Holstein Kiel penalty in the 55th minute. Terrence Boyd subbed on in the 62nd for SV Waldhof’s 1-1 draw at Energie Cottbus in the 3.Liga. Down a goal from the 10th, Sanoussy Ba equalized for Waldhof in the 64th. Waldhof’s Janne Sietan saw red a minute into stoppage time. Boyd saw yellow four minutes into stoppage time.
La Liga
Johnny Cardoso subbed out in the 63rd for Atletico Madrid’s 3-0 loss at Rayo Vallecano. Atletico fell behind in the 40th and Rayo Vallecano added goals in the 45th and 76th. Cardoso saw yellow in the 29th minute. Alex Freeman subbed on in the 78th for Villarreal’s 2-1 home loss at Getafe. Trailing from a penalty in the 41st and a goal in the 53rd, Georges Mikautadze scored for Villarreal in the 76th minute.
Jonathan Gomez’s Albacete drew 1-1 at home with Sporting Gijon in the Segunda Division. Jefte Betancor converted an Albacete penalty four minutes into stoppage time and Gijon equalized from the penalty spot in the 78th minute.
Ligue 1
Folarin Balogun subbed out in the 76th for AS Monaco’s 3-1 home win over Nantes. Simon Adingra scored for Monaco in the 25th and 28th and Denis Zakaria made it 3-0 in the 30th. Nantes pulled a goal back a minute into first-half stoppage time. Monaci’s Aleksandr Golovin saw red in the 65th minute. Tim Weah’s Marseille drew 2-2 at home with Strasbourg. Mason Greenwood put Marseille up in the 14th and Amine Gouiri scored in the 47th. Strasbourg pulled a goal back in the 73rd and converted a penalty seven minutes into stoppage time. Weah saw yellow eight minutes into stoppage time.
Tanner Tessmann’s Lyon shutout Nice 2-0 at home, going ahead from a Corentin Tolisso goal a minute into first-half stoppage time. Noah Nartey doubled the Lille lead in the 64th. Tessmann saw yellow in the 52nd minute. Mark McKenzie’s Toulouse lost 2-1 at LeHavre. Playing a man down from the 2nd, LeHavre took the lead in the 43rd. Toulouse’s Djibril Sidibe equalized three minutes into first-half stoppage time. Le Havre went ahead for good in the 53rd minute.
Elsewhere in Europe
Sergino Dest’s PSV lost 2-1 at Volendam in the Eredivisie. Dennis Man scored PSV’s goal in the 82nd. Volendam equalized in the 67th and scored again in the 87th minute.
Auston Trusty’s Celtic won 3-2 at Kilmarnock. Trailing 2-0 from goals in the 21st and 28th, Celtic’s Sebastian Tounekto pulled a goal back in the 56th and Benjamin Nygren equalized in the 64th. Julian Araujo scored Celtic’s winner seven minutes into stoppage time.
Champions League Power Rankings: Real Madrid rounding into form as the playoffs for the knockout stage begin
The Champions League playoffs will be back this week around Europe
The 2025-26 edition of the Champions League will be back this week when the 16 teams involved in the playoffs take the stage across Europe, competing for the remaining eight spots left in next month’s knockout. There are some big teams around Europe that are currently shiniing, such as Arsenal and Bayern Munich, while others will try to get involved in the race to win one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of soccer. Let’s take a look at our weekly power rankings:
1. Arsenal (–)
Week after week there is an increasing feeling Arsenal will win the Premier League this season, not only because of the advantage they have on Manchester City in the table, but also because the team coached by Pep Guardiola doesn’t look as solid as in the past years. There is still time and the Champions League will also be back soon for them and Arsenal also are among the leading candidates to win the European tournament as well. Clearly the class of Europe at the moment.
2. Bayern Munich (–)
A six points advantage on Borussia Dortmund is definitely enough for them to hope for another Bundesliga win and this is something than can help them in the last weeks of European soccer when they will also try to win the Champions League under Vincent Kompany. They’ve also got Harry Kane who is in incredible form this season.
3. PSG (–)
They are finally back on the right track. After a predictable slower start after the highly successful 2024-25 season they are now fully in the right place, both domestically and in Europe. The fact they will face AS Monaco in the playoffs shouldn’t threaten them and won’t change the fact they are still the team to beat in the knockouts.
4. Barcelona (–)
Hansi Flick’s team is among the best teams around Europe, but the 4-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid last week will definitely put more pressure on the Blaugrana in the coming weeks. The Copa del Rey defeat doesn’t really change their status, but it’s now what Flick’s men needed ahead of the crucial stint of the season.
5. Inter (–)
The Nerazzurri finally won a matchup against a big team over the weekend against Juventus. Even if the result was widely overshadowed by a controversial red card, the win against Luciano Spalletti’s team will give more self confidence to the Nerazzurri, who desperately needed a win against one of the top teams before meeting Bodo/Glimt on Wednesday for the first leg of the playoffs.
Alvaro Arbeloa has done a pretty good job so far, but the key match will be the one against Benfica that will take place this week in Lisbon. Real Madrid will be back facing Jose Mourinho’s team in the same stadium where Benfica managed to win an incredible game that led them to the playoffs thanks to the late goal scored by their goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin in January.
7. Manchester City (-1)
We were all expecting more from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City this season but there is still in time to win trophies. There are increasing doubts on the future of the Spanish coach who might leave at the end of the current season, and this is not helping the team, even if they can still potentially win at least one trophy.
8. Chelsea (–)
The impact of new head coach Liam Rosenior is already proving significant for Chelsea, who now sit just one point off the top four in England. The renewed energy and tactical clarity he has brought to the side have revitalized their push up the table. With momentum on their side, Chelsea can aim for a top-four finish and even set their sights on a trophy.
9. Liverpool (+1)
Too many ups and downs this season for Arne Slot’s team. In just the last few weeks they’ve lost at Anfield against Manchester City after winning 4-1 in the same stadium against Newcastle. Their lack of continuity is affecting their position in the Premier League standings.
10. Atletico Madrid (-1)
What can you say to a team that won 4-0 against Barcelona? A lot, because it’s the same team that three days later lost 3-0 to Rayo Vallecano in the league. It’s the perfect representation of their season and the reason why I don’t expect them to win a major trophy in the upcoming months.
11. Juventus (+1)
Despite losing to Inter at San Siro, Juventus are in great shape. Under Spalletti’s management, the Bianconeri have improved a lot and are now in the race both in the Serie A standings and in the Champions League where they will meet Galatasaray in the playoffs this week.
12. Atalanta (-1)
Since Raffaele Palladino took over the club, things have drastically improved. Atalanta needed a change after a disappointing start under Ivan Juric who replaced Gian Piero Gasperini in the summer 2025. They will now face a playoff tie against Borussia Dortmund, not the easiest opponent but at least the second leg will be in Bergamo.
13. Newcastle (–)
The 2-1 win against Tottenham slightly improved their position in the Premier League standings, but they are definitely not where they should be and the playoffs against Qarabag will tell us more about their European ambitions.
14. Borussia Dortmund (–)
Despite the six-point gap with Bayern Munich they are they only team that is at least trying to keep pace with the German leaders, but this is probably not enough.
15. Sporting CP (–)
What they are doing is impressive because staying close to Porto wasn’t an easy job to do this season, as the team coached by Francesco Farioli won 19 games, drew twice and only lost one while Sporting CP are sitting in second place four points behind the leaders.
16. Tottenham (–)
What a week it was for them. Thomas Frank was sacked after the defeat against Newcastle and they hired former Juventus coach Igor Tudor as caretaker manager until the end of the season. We could predict this scenario, especially considering Frank only won two of the last 17 Premier League games he coached.
17. Galatasaray (–)
I was definitely expecting more from this team that will now face Juventus in the playoffs. I see the Italians as favorites but the Turkish side has players to believe in.
18. Bayer Leverkusen (–)
They are in a similar spot as Borussia Dortmund, even if they also have to perform domestically to qualify again for the Champions League next season. Facing Olympiacos in the playoffs can guarantee them a spot in the knockouts.
19. AS Monaco (–)
They don’t really have much chance to qualify against their French rivals PSG.
20. Benfica (–)
Drawing Real Madrid in the playoff round was likely not what Jose Mourinho had hoped for with his Benfica side. But being among the top 24 teams in the Champions League already feels like an achievement in itself, showing again the status of the Portuguese coach.
21. Qarabag (–)
The biggest surprise of the league phase will meet Newcastle in the two legged playoffs. Will they do it again?
22. Club Brugge (–)
It feels like Atletico Madrid can potentially become a manageable opponent to face this week in the playoffs, but they need to perform much better than the league phase if they want to have a chance.
23. Olympiacos (–)
The Bayer Leverkusen playoffs are not a bad outcome for them, even if they could have done much better in the league phase.
24. Bodo/Glimt (–)
If you’ve followed them over the past few years, it should come as little surprise to see them reach this stage. However, drawing Inter in the playoffs is probably the toughest opponent they could have faced.
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.
So what do you think? It should be noted that the logos will feature a metallic silver effect, rather than the plain white color shown in this mock-up.Obviously that’s a Women’s Jersey with the 4 stars on it. But not bad I guess. I little too dark for me.
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.
So I guess I missed Girls in Sports Week this Week – so for all our Girls playing Soccer @ Carmel FC & Everywhere Here’s to You! – Thanks Abby!
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.
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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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?
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 Septemberand 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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.”
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.
US Women vs Paraguay 5:30 pm Saturday TNT, HBO vs Chile 10 pm Tuesday TBS, HBO
A young USWNT will kick off in California on Saturday, as the world No. 2 takes on No. 46 Paraguay in the first of two January friendlies to open the 2027 World Cup qualifying year. “It’s really exciting to see the opportunity presented to a lot of players in this camp,” said midfielder Olivia Moultrie prior to Saturday’s match, which will pull from a 26-player USWNT January lineup that boasts an average age of just 24.1 years old. “It’s players that I’ve played with on youth teams, and just seeing kind of start coming into the league.” This month’s camp falls outside an official FIFA window, leaving the US without both European club players and Gotham FC’s squad as the 2025 NWSL champs prepare to contend in the first-ever FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in London next week. “There is no question we will keep — I hope — improving what we’re doing,” said USWNT manager Emma Hayes. “You don’t do that gradually, you don’t do that by changing things all of the time.” Additionally, Saturday’s match will honor two-time World Cup champion Christen Press with a pregame ceremony, after the star forward announced her pro soccer retirement at the end of last season. Really awesome to see Rodman will be on hand after signing her record breaking 2 million dollar deal with the Washington Spirit – great to see her stay home in the US for NWSL!
2026 January Training Camp Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 6) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 4), Jordan Silkowitz (Bay FC; 0) DEFENDERS (8): Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC; 5/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 9/1), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current; 1/1), Tara Rudd (Washington Spirit; 9/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 7/0), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 4/0), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC; 2/0), Kate Wiesner (Washington Spirit; 2/0) MIDFIELDERS (8): Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit; 5/0), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 11/1), Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage; 0/0), Lo’eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 4/0), Sally Menti (Seattle Reign FC; 0/0), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign FC; 2/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 11/5) FORWARDS (7): Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign FC; 0/0), Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars FC; 1/0), Trinity Rodman (Unattached; 47/11), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 15/2), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 12/4), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 13/4), Reilyn Turner (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0)
USMNT’s Pulisic welcomes world to Milan for Winter Olympics
The video kicks off with Zlatan singing Milan’s praises, before Pulisic gives Olympic attendees a quick guide to Milanese coffee etiquette. Modric is charged with capturing the San Siro stadium in oil paints (just before they go and knock it down) while Adrien Rabiot indulges in a fitting for a razor-sharp suit. Soo-Jeong Park from AC Milan’s women’s team also introduces a few local landmarks, notably the gothic splendor of the Duomo cathedral, before Ibra returns to sign off with a hearty “Benvenuti a casa nostra.”
Champions League Final Group Stage Games Wednesday 3 pm on Paramount Plus –
Wow some huge upsets last week as Man City was sliced and diced by Bodo/Glint in the Arctic Circle, Tottenham who is dismal in the EPL dominated Dortmund to move to 5th, Sporting scored twice to beat PSG in the last 20 minutes and Copenhagen puts Napoli on the edge of elimination with a 10 man win vs the Italians. Only Arsenal 1st and Bayern Munich 2nd are guaranteed in the Top 8 and a buy in the round of 16. 30 teams still have a chance at making the knockout stages. Here’s How Teams Can Advance. Grab your popcorn and 30 tv’s for Wed! Mckinney Scores Winner for Juventus again That’s 10 Champs League Goals -3 in his last 5 games. With his goal, McKennie now has 10 career Champions League finishes, putting him two behind USMNT teammate Christian Pulisic for most ever by an American player.
GAMES ON TV
Sat, Jan 24 7:30 am USA West Ham United vs Sunderland 9:30 am ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Ausburg 9:30 am ESPN+ Leverkusen vs Werder Bremen 10 am USA Burnley vs Tottenham 10 am NBCSN Man City vs Wolverhampton 10 am Peacock Fulham (Jedi) vs Brighton 12:30 pm USA Bournemouth vs Liverpool 12:30 pm ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Athletic Club 3 pm ESPN+ Villarreal vs Real Madrid 5:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Paraguay Sun, Jan 25 8 am ESPNd,+ Atletico Madrid (Cardoso) vs Mallorca 9 am USA Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 9 am peacock New Castle vs Aston Villa 9:30 am ESPN+ MGladbach (Scalley, Reyna) vs Stuttgart 10:15 am ESPN+,D Barcelona vs Real Oviedo 11:30 am Peacock, Serius Arsenal vs Man United 12 pm Para + Juventus (Mckinney) vs Napoli 2″45 pm Para+ Roma vs AC Milan (Pulisic) Mon, Jan 26 2:45 pm USA Everton vs Leeds United (Aaronson) Tues, Jan 27 10 pm TBS, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Chile Wed, Jan 28 — Champs League EVERYONE 3 pm Para+ Napoli vs Chelsea 3pm Para+, CBSSN Dortmand vs Inter Milan 3 pm Para+ Monaco (Weah) vs Juventus (Mckinney) 3 pm Para+ PSG vs Newcastle Frankfurt vs Tottenham Atletico (Cardosa) vs Glint Man City vs Galatasaray PSV vs Bayern Munich Athletic Club s Sporting CP Ajax vs Olympiakos P Arsenal vs Qarabag Barcelona vs Kobenhavn Benefica vs Real Madrid Club Brugge vs Marseille Thurs, 1/29 EuropaPara+ 3 pm 3 pm Para+ Celtic (Trusty) Aston Villa vs Salzburg Young Boys vs Lyonnais (Tessman) Roma vs Stuttgart Lille vs Freiburg Nottingham Forest vs Ferencvaros Porto vs Rangers
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
We have more head-to-head matchups this weekend, an American coach making his presence known in Spain, and stars in Italy vying for the top of the Serie A table. There’s all that and more in a packed USMNT weekend, so let’s get to it.
Friday
St. Pauli v Hamburg – 2:30p on ESPN Select: James Sands and St Pauli host Hamburg and Damion Downs on Friday afternoon. Sands scored his first Bundesliga goal for St. Pauli last weekend but they fell to Borussia Dortmund 3-2 while Downs has started his first two matches with Hamburg but has not yet found the scoresheet and his club is coming off a scoreless draw with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Saturday
Middlesbrough v Preston North End – 7:30a on CBSSN: Aidan Morris has started four straight matches for Middlesbrough who have won three straight and are in second place in the Championship, two points ahead of Ipswich town for direct promotion to the EPL. Middlesbrough host sixth place Preston North End who have a one point lead for the final promotion playoff spot.
Bayern Munich v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks will be serving a one match suspension this weekend due to yellow card accumulation and will miss Augsburg’s matchup with Bayern Munich. Banks has been a starter for Augsburg since October but will miss the teams rematch with Bayern. Banks saw just a minute off the bench in the first matchup of the season, which Augsburg dropped 3-2.
Mainz v Wolfsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Lennard Maloney and Mainz will host Kevin Paredes and Wolfsburg on Saturday. Maloney has come off the bench in three straight matches, seeing just spot minutes for 17th place Mainz. Meanwhile, Paredes is being worked back to fitness for twelfth place Wolfsburg, getting 45 min as a halftime substitute for the team last weekend in their 1-1 draw with Heidenheim.
Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman and Leverkusen fell to Hoffenheim last weekend, their second straight loss to an opponent competing for a top four finish in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen are in sixth place and will be facing a Werder Bremen side that is five points out of the relegation playoff position but played Leverkusen to a 3-3 draw in their first meeting of the season.
Fulham v Brighton and Hove Albion – 10a on Peacock: Antonee Robinson went the full 90’ last weekend as Fulham fell to Leeds 1-0, their first loss since Robinson returned to the lineup in December. Fulham are in eleventh place now, one point ahead of this weekend’s opponent, Brighton & Hove Albion who are coming off a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
Le Havre v Monaco – 1p on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun and Monaco have dropped four straight matches, and seven of eight to fall from second place in Ligue 1 to ninth place, a nineteen point gap to their prior position, now held by PSG. They will be facing fourteenth place Le Havere, who are just four points behind them at this point. Monaco was also embarassed 6-1 by Real Madrid on Tuesday in Champions League play and need to find their confidence again.
PSV v NAC Breda – 2p on ESPN Select: Sergino Dest missed the past two matches for PSV, including Wednesday’s Champions League match against Newcastle which PSV lost 3-0. The Dutch side look to continue their march through the Eredivisie when they face seventeenth place NAC Breda who are looking like a relegation candidate though they played PSV close in their first matchup, falling 1-0.
Olympique Marseille v Lens – 3:05p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah scored for Marseille last weekend in the team’s 5-2 win over Angers in league play and went the full 90’ midweek in Champions League action though the team fell to Liverpool 3-0. They remain in third place in league play, eight points back of their opponent this weekend, league leading Lens.
Sunday
Atletico Madrid v Mallorca – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso got his first start since August last weekend in Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 win over Deportivo Alaves and then played 35’ off the bench midweek in the team’s 1-1 draw with Galatasaray in Champions League group play. Atleti are tied for third, eight points back of league leading Barcelona, heading into their matchup with Mallorca.
Crystal Palace v Chelsea – 9a on USA Network: Chris Richards was back in the starting lineup for Cyrstal Palace last weekend after missing the past four matches. Palace fell to Sunderland 2-1 and have now lost five of their past seven matches and haven’t won since early December, falling from fourth place down to thirteenth place in the table. six points back of their opponent this weekend, sixth place Chelsea.
Atalanta v Parma – 9a on Paramount+: Yunus Musah started last weekend and has played in the past seven league matches for Atalanta though he didn’t come off the bench on Wednesday in their Champions League loss to Athletic Club. Atlanta are in seventh place, ten points back of the top four and a return trip to Champions League action.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Stuttgart – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Joe Scally started and Gio Reyna played 21’ minutes off the bench in Borussia Monchengladbach’s scoreless draw with Hamburg last weekend. Gladbach will host fourth place Stuttgart on Sunday.
Brest v Toulouse – 11:15a on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie was not included in the squad last weekend as eight place Toulouse handled Nice 5-1. The team travels to tenth place Brest this weekend.
Metz v Olympique Lyon – 11:15a on beIN sports: Tanner Tessmann started Lyon’s 2-1 win over Brest last Sunday as well as their midweek 1-0 win over Young Boys in Europa League action. Lyon are within striking distance of a Champions League qualifying spot as they prepare to face last place Metz this Sunday.
Freiburg v Koln – 11:30a on ESPN Select: Kristoffer Lund was a halftime substitute for Koln last weekend as they defeated Mainz 2-1 to move into the top ten in the Bundesliga standings. This weekend they will face eighth place Freiburg who they trail by four points.
Juventus v Napoli – Noon on Paramount+: Weston McKennie scored again for Juventus in Champions League play on Wednesday in the teams 2-0 win over Benfica. It was McKennie’s third straight Champions League match with a goal. McKennie has also scored twice in league play in January for Juve, adding an assist as well. The team did suffer a shock loss to sixteenth place Cagliari last weekend, dropping to fifth place in the standings and four points back of this weekend’s opponent, Napoli.
Real Sociedad v Celta Vigo – 12:30p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Pelegrino Matarazzo has picked up seven points from his first three matches with Real Sociedad, including a 2-1 win over league leading Barcelona last weekend. Sociedad moved into the top ten of the La Liga standings though they are still eight points back of seventh place Celta Vigo, who they face this weekend.
Roma v AC Milan – 2:45p on on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic is in a bit of a dry patch having failed to score in Milan’s past five matches. That doesn’t sound like an incredibly long stretch but it is the first time this season where he has gone more than one match without scoring a goal. Milan has still been able to find results over the period, they remain in second place in the Serie A table. They will have a difficult test this weekend as they visit fourth place Roma who’s twelve goals conceded leads the league through the first twenty-one matches.
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Champions League projections: Arsenal strong favourites for overall win, improving Liverpool up to third
Arsenal celebrate Gabriel Jesus’ second goal in their 3-1 away win against Inter on Tuesday Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
We are down to next Wednesday’s final-day bonanza in the Champions League, with 18 simultaneous games to close out the initial league phase. Seven matchdays in, only Arsenal and Bayern Munich have guaranteed spots in the round of 16 in March. Third-placed Real Madrid and Juventus in 15th are separated by just three points, and with some of the teams in-between them playing each other in the final round of matches, expect the table to undergo a bewildering amount of change during Matchday 8.
Before Matchday 8
How teams stack up in the race for automatic qualification and the playoffs in the Champions LeagueCHANGE PROJECTIONS:Before Matchday 8 (Jan. 28)Before Matchday 7 (Jan. 20-21)Before Matchday 6 (Dec. 9-10)Before Matchday 5 (Nov. 25-26)Before Matchday 4 (Nov. 4-5)Before Matchday 3 (Oct. 21-22)Before Matchday 2 (Sept. 30-Oct. 1)Before Matchday 1 (Sept. 16-18)
TEAM
Arsenal21 pts
24
<1%
<1%
>99%
31%
Bayern Munich18 pts
19
<1%
<1%
>99%
17%
Liverpool15 pts
18
<1%
5%
95%
8%
Barcelona13 pts
16
<1%
20%
80%
8%
Real Madrid15 pts
16
<1%
16%
84%
4%
Atletico Madrid13 pts
15
<1%
51%
49%
2%
Tottenham Hotspur14 pts
15
<1%
49%
51%
1%
Manchester City13 pts
14
<1%
40%
60%
9%
Paris Saint-Germain13 pts
14
<1%
46%
54%
6%
Chelsea13 pts
14
<1%
63%
37%
4%
Newcastle United13 pts
14
<1%
74%
26%
3%
Sporting CP13 pts
14
<1%
63%
37%
1%
Atalanta13 pts
14
<1%
87%
13%
<1%
Internazionale12 pts
13
<1%
94%
6%
2%
Juventus12 pts
13
<1%
93%
7%
<1%
Borussia Dortmund11 pts
12
<1%
99%
1%
1%
Galatasaray10 pts
11
<1%
>99%
<1%
<1%
Bayer Leverkusen9 pts
10
8%
92%
<1%
<1%
Olympique Marseille9 pts
10
5%
95%
<1%
<1%
Monaco9 pts
10
27%
73%
<1%
<1%
Qarabağ10 pts
10
<1%
>99%
<1%
<1%
Napoli8 pts
9
49%
51%
<1%
<1%
PSV8 pts
9
45%
55%
<1%
<1%
Olympiakos Piraeus8 pts
9
43%
57%
<1%
<1%
Athletic Club8 pts
9
49%
51%
<1%
<1%
Club Bruges7 pts
8
58%
42%
<1%
<1%
København8 pts
8
89%
11%
<1%
<1%
Benfica6 pts
7
73%
27%
<1%
<1%
Union Saint-Gilloise6 pts
7
91%
9%
<1%
<1%
Pafos6 pts
7
81%
19%
<1%
<1%
Bodø / Glimt6 pts
7
88%
12%
<1%
<1%
Ajax6 pts
7
92%
8%
<1%
<1%
Eintracht Frankfurt4 pts
5
>99%
<1%
<1%
<1%
Slavia Praha3 pts
4
>99%
<1%
<1%
<1%
Villarreal1 pt
2
>99%
<1%
<1%
<1%
Kairat1 pt
1
>99%
<1%
<1%
<1%
Each team plays eight matches in the new league phase, four at home and four away. They play eight different opponents, rather than facing the same teams home and away, as was the case in the previous format. The top eight sides in the league qualify automatically for the round of 16. Teams finishing from 9th to 24th in the league compete in a two-legged knock-out phase play-off, with the winner of each match-up advancing to the last 16 of the competition. Teams that finished 25th or lower in the league phase are eliminated from the competition. No teams drop down to the Europa League.
Methodology
Opta’s win prediction model estimates the probability of each match’s outcome (win, draw or loss) by using a combination of betting market odds and Opta’s team power rankings. The odds and rankings are based on historical and recent team performances and the competition in its entirety is simulated 10,000 times to produce a final projection for each side.
Credits
Editing: Duncan Alexander, Charlie Scott
Design and Development: Ryan Best, Elliot Jordan | Editing: Skye Gould, Marc Mazzoni, Laura Pelton
Illustration: Eamonn Dalton
Below, we will use our updated projections after Matchday 7 to look at the key teams and fixtures heading into those decisive games.
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Match of the week
Athletic Club’s chances of league-phase elimination stood at 82 per cent ahead of Matchday 7 after just one win in their first six matches. Conceding an opener to Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca on 16 minutes in Bergamo on Wednesday would not have helped their odds either.
But a spirited second-half comeback with three goals in 16 minutes from Gorka Guruzeta, Nico Serrano and Robert Navarro put them in control on hostile territory. Nikola Krstovic’s 88th-minute strike for the hosts was a mere consolation.
The win dropped the Bilbao club’s odds of elimination to 49 per cent, while their chances of making the knockout play-offs next month have risen to 51 per cent (from 18). As for Atalanta, they are one of eight teams on 13 points, but their odds of finishing in the top eight dropped drastically from 61 to 13 per cent after this loss.
Athletic host Sporting CP while the Italians travel to Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise on Matchday 8.
Athletic Club’s players celebrate in BergamoPiero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images
The favourites
After the first two rounds of the league phase, our projections hinted at eight contenders for this season’s title. They will all still be fancied in the knockout rounds, but Matchday 7 hurt the chances of three of those sides in particular.
Manchester City had a 13 per cent chance of a second European crown in four years halfway through the opening stage, with 10 points from four matches. However, their 3-1 loss at Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday — and the Norwegian hosts could have scored more — means they are the only one of the five Premier League representatives outside the top eight with a game to go.
City’s overall chances are still rated highly — the third-best at nine per cent — but they have seen their odds of finishing in the top eight drop from 90 per cent before the Glimt game to 60 per cent now. Visitors Galatasaray, who drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in Istanbul yesterday and defeated Liverpool there on Matchday 2 in September, will not be an easy final game.
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Defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain have once again had a wobbly league phase, after winning one of their first five matches last season and only finishing 15th. This time, they began with nine points out of nine but have had two losses and a draw in the four matches since. Tuesday’s 2-1 away defeat to a Luis Suarez-inspired (not the one you’re thinking of) Sporting CP meant PSG’s title odds dropped from 14 per cent before that trip to Lisbon to just six per cent. Their probability of a top-eight finish dropped from 84 to 54 per cent too, with a home match against Newcastle United, who are one spot behind them in seventh, to come on Matchday 8.
Holders PSG suffered defeat against Sporting in Lisbon on TuesdayOctavio Passos/Getty Images
Inter have never ranked high for title odds, peaking at five per cent after winning their first three matches by a combined score of nine goals to nil. A 3-1 beatdown by visitors Arsenal on Tuesday in a game where they spurned chances but also could not keep up with the Premier League and Champions League leaders has seen that dip to two per cent. A return of three points from their past four matches, including three losses in a row, also means Inter now have a 94 per cent chance of landing in the play-offs, up from 26 per cent before Matchday 4.
Arsenal, who saw Gabriel Jesus (twice) and Viktor Gyokeres get on the scoresheet at San Siro, are now the outright favourites for the title per our projections, which now give them a 31 per cent chance of lifting the European Cup for the first time. That is an eight per cent increase from before Matchday 7 and nearly double the 16 per cent they were given before the competition began in September. Arsenal could become the first team to win all eight league-phase games in the new format introduced last season when they host Kazakhstan’s already-eliminated Kairat next week.
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Bayern made a meal of a game they were expected to win comfortably, thanks to Union Saint-Gilloise’s spirited display in Munich. Kim Min-jae got sent off, Manuel Neuer had to make a couple of crucial saves and Harry Kane missed a penalty — though he still scored both goals in a 2-0 win. Our projections have taken notice, with Bayern’s title odds dropping by two percentage points to 17, but they are only behind Arsenal in this regard. A cross-border visit to inconsistent Dutch champions PSV awaits on Matchday 8.
Kane scored both goals as Bayern defeated USG on Wednesday to guarantee a top-two finishAdam Pretty/Getty Images
Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid tenure got its early statement victory, his side thrashing Monaco 6-1 at the Bernabeu with Kylian Mbappe (two), Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all on the scoresheet. Despite the dysfunction surrounding them, Madrid are third on 15 points with a hop over the border into Portugal to play Benfica, under their iconic former manager Jose Mourinho, rounding out their league-phase schedule next week. Arbeloa played 122 times for Mourinho’s Madrid between 2010 and 2013.
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Despite their emphatic win, Madrid have only a four per cent chance of winning this season’s Champions League, half that of La Liga rivals Barcelona. Hansi Flick’s Catalans made hard work of their visit to Slavia Prague, with four well-taken goals in the icy Czech capital making up for some woeful set-piece defending and the loss of Pedri to a hamstring injury in the second half. Last night’s 4-2 win has led to more optimism in our projections, Barcelona now have an eight per cent chance of winning it all (up from seven per cent before the Slavia game) and an 80 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight, though they are currently ninth and tied on 13 points with seven other teams.
In their defence, a home fixture with FC Copenhagen, who have won twice and conceded 17 goals in their seven games, should be a formality.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s 3-0 win at Marseille last night saw their title odds improve to eight per cent, third-best, having dropped to just three per cent after five rounds. They are still some distance off the competition-leading 20 per cent they were given after Matchday 1 but this latest success showed growing signs of cohesion and Arne Slot’s side now have a 95 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight, with a visit from Qarabag, upbeat after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 on Wednesday, wrapping things up on Matchday 8.
The contenders
Chelsea huffed and puffed their way to a narrow 1-0 win at home to Pafos of Cyprus last night in new head coach Liam Rosenior’s Champions League debut. The performance could do with improvement, but their top-eight odds have now risen to 37 per cent (from 24 before the match), while their title odds have marginally risen from three per cent to four.
A visit to Napoli will be challenging, given Antonio Conte’s side, after being held to a 1-1 draw at 10-man Copenhagen on Tuesday, have a 49 per cent chance of a humiliating first-phase elimination. A draw could be enough to see the Serie A champions through to the play-offs, but it would require other results to all go their way.
Tottenham Hotspur, for all the negativity around them heading into Matchday 7, are fifth with 14 points after seeing off Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home. Tuesday’s win nearly doubled their odds of a top-eight finish from 26 to 51 per cent, and they will be confident of securing a round-of-16 spot when they face more German opposition in eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt, who have only one win from their seven matches.
Their Champions League games have been a refuge for Spurs this seasonShaun Botterill/Getty Images
Atletico Madrid missed an opportunity yesterday to leapfrog teams in the table, drawing 1-1 with Galatasaray in Istanbul. Diego Simeone’s side have overcome a sluggish three-points-from-nine start to the league phase for the second season running, though, and have nearly equal chances of making the top eight (49 per cent) and finishing outside those spots (51 per cent). Their final game could prove tricky as they host Glimt fresh off their greatest-ever night in Europe.
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Newcastle United were comfortable 3-0 winners at home against PSV and boast the competition’s second-best defence behind Arsenal (two) with six goals conceded. At the other end, they are averaging more than two goals per game (16), with Anthony Gordon (six) and Harvey Barnes scoring 11 times between them.
Eddie Howe’s side have a 26 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight, though that will almost certainly require them to avoid defeat against PSG in Paris. A play-offs place may not be the worst outcome, though.
Surprise packages
Qarabag headline this group of clubs, with their 3-2 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt this week the latest chapter of a successful league phase which has now brought them 10 points. The Azerbaijani club were given just a 13 per cent chance of reaching the knockout stages before the competition began. That rose to 83 per cent after the first four matches and now, having beaten Frankfurt, they have a less than one per cent chance of league-phase elimination. It is an incredible story which began in the second qualifying round last July and is almost certain to continue beyond the trip to Anfield next week.
Sporting recorded arguably the biggest surprise of this season’s league phase with their win against champions PSG, which they can add to home successes over Marseille and Club Brugge. They are yet to win away from home, though, and Athletic Club in Bilbao will pose a stiff challenge. Coach Rui Borges’ side had just a seven per cent chance of making the top eight after their first four matches, which yielded seven points. Two wins in the three since (with the other match being a loss at Bayern) has seen that rise to 37 per cent.
Galatasaray were given a 45 per cent chance of league-phase elimination heading into the tournament. That dropped to 30 per cent after Matchday 2, when they beat visitors Liverpool 1-0. Following their 1-1 draw with Atletico this week, like Qarabag, the Istanbul side have less than a one per cent chance of elimination, so are virtually guaranteed a spot in next month’s play-offs regardless of what happens against Manchester City at the Etihad on Wednesday. They will be a challenging prospect for anyone in that round, too.
Galatasaray should now make the play-offs, despite a tricky-looking final-day trip to Manchester CityBurak Basturk/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
Finally, our projections were down on Ajax before the season began, giving the Netherlands’ four-time European champions a 58 per cent chance of being eliminated before the knockouts. A run of five losses to begin their campaign, by a combined score of 15 goals to one, saw that figure rise to over 99 per cent.
But this league-phase format always gives you a second (or in their case, sixth) chance.
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Ajax have won their past two, defeating Qarabag 4-2 and Villarreal 2-1 on their own pitches to reduce their odds of an exit, albeit marginally, to 92 per cent. A win against Olympiacos, who are 24th with eight points, in Amsterdam and a series of other results going their way could now see them sneak into the play-offs.
It is a slim possibility but even keeping themselves in the mix via back-to-back away victories deserves credit.
Trinity Rodman’s new Spirit deal and what it means. Plus: Robertson to Tottenham?
Rodman warms up prior to Washington Spirit’s NWSL match against Houston Dash Jamie Sabau/NWSL via Getty Images
Rodman retained: Spirit star brings saga to close with $2m-a-year deal to stay in NWSL
Jeff Dean/NWSL via Getty Images
It would be wrong to say that Trinity Rodman is bigger than the NWSL — but entirely fair to argue that the NWSL has no bigger player in it. Not for anybody would a league go so far in fighting to cling on to an individual footballer.
A competition’s prestige depends on the calibre of athlete in it, which explains why Major League Soccer has bent so far backwards in accommodating Lionel Messi. Messi is box office, the same as Rodman. Recruiting them and retaining them makes total business sense.
The NWSL ran the risk of losing Rodman ahead of the 2026 season and realised its profile would suffer if she upped sticks and continued her club career abroad. It would be worse again if the drain of talent from America to Europe or elsewhere became incessant. And so, concessions were made.
It’s great news for the Spirit and the league, both of whom threw everything at retaining the USWNT forward. It will be a relief for Rodman, who had been stuck in the renewal cycle for longer than she would have liked. This is what she’s negotiated:
The Spirit are handing Rodman a new three-year deal. That takes her through 2028, by which point she should be absolutely in her prime.
According to her agent, the contract is worth in excess of $2m (£1.5m) a year and makes her the highest-paid player in women’s football.
That’s a sharp increase on her previous four-year deal which, in its entirety, was worth $1.1m. She’s one of the world’s best, and she’s been highly valued ever since the Spirit made her the youngest player to be drafted in the NWSL at 18 in 2021.
“The league, all of us, all the governors and the league leadership, work very, very hard to ensure that we not only attract the best talent, but we keep them here,” said Spirit owner Michele Kang. They’ve gone out on a limb in preventing Rodman from slipping through their fingers.
Salary cap dispute
The NWSL’s established salary cap would not have allowed the Spirit to pay Rodman what she thought she was worth. It’s why this process dragged on. So to create some extra wiggle room, the NWSL effectively moved the goalposts.
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It created the High Impact Player rule (already nicknamed the ‘Rodman Rule’) which allowed NWSL teams to pay up to $1m above the wage cap to any footballer who met certain criteria. The league says it is thinking about the future of the competition as a whole — but it’s hardly coincidental that the new mechanism arrived when it did.
The NWSL Players Association isn’t happy. Last week, it filed a grievance over the High Impact Player rule, something the NWSL will have to address, though Rodman will get paid regardless of what happens. The scenario underlines a problem with salary caps: they’re created with the best of intentions, in the interests of financial stability or fair competition, but in the end, and in a sport as global as football, they’re prone to market forces. Last year, Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma left the United States for Chelsea for large fees. The NWSL seems acutely aware of Europe’s growing spending power.
“This is a monumental moment, not only for the Spirit, but for NWSL as well,” Kang said. They’re making no secret of it. The league wants the brightest and the best to be playing there — and while it might not win that war long term, it won the battle with Rodman.
Our head of global women’s soccer, Emily Olsen, gave us her take on yesterday’s big-money resolution:
“Everyone wants to ‘grow the game’, yet few agree how to do that. This contract is an inflection point after a battle between those investing millions to grow the business and those investing their lives and bodies. While many will want to take credit for Rodman staying in NWSL, you can’t overlook the role of the community.
“Her rookie season involved overcoming the challenges of a pandemic, an ugly ownership battle, and a coach being removed over allegations of emotional abuse. That year, the team won a championship. The players and the fans rallied around each other in a way that’s still visible. The end result is what happens when you use investment to pay the players and foster community on and off the field.”
U.S. women’s national team forward Trinity Rodman is staying with the Washington Spirit, signing a new three-year contract to stay with the team through 2028, the team announced on Thursday in a special event at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Rodman’s new deal is set to make her the highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world, worth in excess of $2 million annually, according to her agent, Mike Senkowski of Upper 90 Sports Group.
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The forward’s previous four-year, $1.1 million extension signed in 2022 after her rookie season lapsed on Dec. 31, 2025.
On Thursday, Rodman signed her contract during the live event, flanked by Spirit owner Michele Kang, president of soccer operations Haley Carter and CEO Kim Stone in L.A., where the forward is training with the U.S. ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Paraguay.
“This is one of the biggest moments, for me personally, as well as for the Spirit. I flew all the way from London to be here today,” Kang, who also owns London City Lionesses in England and OL Lyonnes in France, said. “I can’t tell you how excited I am. I had to wait for this for a long time.”
The 23-year-old Rodman has spent her entire professional career with the Spirit. The team selected her second overall in the 2021 NWSL draft and made her the youngest player to be drafted (18) at the time. That same year, Rodman was named Rookie of the Year and the Spirit went on to win the NWSL championship. She provided the assist for Kelley O’Hara’s game-winning goal.
Before this current deal, the club had made Rodman a different multimillion-dollar offer that the NWSL rejected because it failed to honor the “spirit” of the league’s rules, according to sources who spoke with The Athletic at the time.
Rodman’s deal utilizes the new High Impact Player rule, which the league introduced on Dec. 23. The mechanism, colloquially known as the “Rodman Rule,” allows NWSL teams to spend up to $1 million above the salary cap on players who meet certain criteria, including USWNT minutes and appearances on various media lists. The NWSL insists the rule was created with the future of the league in mind, but with its timing — in the midst of the conversation about Rodman, one week before her free agency started — sources have said the player was a key factor in its creation. The rule does not take effect until July 1, but teams can start signing players to deals now.
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“The league, all of us, all the governors and the league leadership, work very, very hard to ensure that we not only attract the best talent, but we keep them here,” Kang said. “Trin’s contract certainly is benefiting from it. But it was not just for Trin. It’s much bigger than (one player). It’s for the league-wide efforts.”
Last week, the NWSL Players Association filed a formal grievance opposing the High Impact Player rule, arguing that it “circumvents the collective bargaining process” and should be rescinded. Players, through the union, also communicated their concern that the criteria “privileges a biased voting system that heavily favors European players” and does not account “for the high impact that Brazilian, African, and Japanese Players (sic) have had and will continue to have on NWSL.”
Rodman’s landmark move to stay narrowly avoids a foray into European soccer after what would have been a short but explosive career in the U.S. that included an NWSL Championship and Rookie of the Year award in 2021 and two finalist appearances. Her signing also concludes more than three months of tense back and forth between the NWSL, the Spirit, the NWSL Players’ Association (NWSLPA) and Rodman’s representation about her future; however, discussions over Rodman’s future at the club started as early as the start of 2025.
“This is a monumental moment, not only for the Spirit, but for NWSL as well. But personally, my involvement with this Spirit literally started with Trinity. I still remember the Draft Day,” Kang said. “I can’t think about Washington Spirit without her, and I hope she can’t think about her career without Washington Spirit.”
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The Spirit reached the NWSL Championship twice more in 2024 and 2025, losing to the Orlando Pride and Gotham FC, respectively. Overall, Rodman proved an irreplaceable force and a highly marketable icon. She amassed a total of 28 goals and 17 assists in 97 appearances across all competitions.
Rodman’s previous season with the Spirit was plagued by injuries: first a persistent back issue that kept her out of action for four months, and then a minor MCL strain that took a month to rehab. Despite her absences, she still scored five goals, including a game-winner in August upon her return from her back injury, and recorded two assists. She returned to the U.S. this week for her first camp under Emma Hayes since April 2025.
“It’s a monumental and game-changing moment right now,” Rodman said. “Everyone’s gonna have their different thoughts and opinions about it, but I’ve never really cared. That doesn’t change anything for me. I think I’ve always had a vision and kind of an idea of what I wanted my legacy to be and continue to be.
“This is just opening opportunities for American girls with dreams, and I am one, and was one of them. I’m just very grateful about that. And it’s perfect timing with the World Cup happening in the U.S., too.”
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