We start the soccer news with the end of the November international window and the return to the club schedule. For the USMNT, the losses to England and Italy is the latest prelude to an announcement of the new coach. For the players, it's once again assuming that club performance will predict national team opportunity. In Europe, that puts the pressure on players who aren't getting time with . . .
Making the Nations League matter
The soccer news starts with an obvious point about the Nations League. It's going to take more than UEFA adding it to the schedule to make the games count. Everybody involved has to buy in. That's the challenge for any new competition, something that the Nations League is already struggling with at some levels. For all the upside when two big teams meet in League A, there's leagues B through D to . . .
Canada and the Nations League
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON DC (Oct 12, 2018) US Soccer Players - The United States Men’s National Team is in a weird place. A year out from losing to Trinidad & Tobago and missing out on the 2018 World Cup, one of CONCACAF leading nations is trying to figure out how to regain it’s lost prestige. During the October FIFA window, the Americans are playing friendlies against Colombia and Peru . . .
The Concacaf Nations League
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Aug 27, 2018) US Soccer Players – With MLS heading towards an exciting regular-season finish and Europe’s domestic leagues monopolizing our Saturday mornings once again, focus shifts quickly. The international schedule returns in early September, with the club game making way for national teams. For the United States, the 2022 World Cup cycle starts this fall with . . .
How much does the 2018 Concacaf Champions League matter?
We start the soccer news with a new version of an old question. Thanks to Concacaf revamping the Champions League, for the teams most likely to lift the trophy it's now a short-run knockout tournament. Eight games from late February to mid-April to win the championship, rather than first having to navigate a group stage. What that means competitively is not a lot of difference, with MLS and Liga . . .
MLS wins again in the Concacaf Champions League
The soccer news starts with Concacaf insisting on a new spelling for the confederation's acronym and MLS teams winning two more first-legs against Liga MX teams in the Champions League. Both of those things didn't seem likely this time yesterday. Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders join the New York Red Bulls in carrying first-leg leads into next week's quarterfinal finales. The difference is that . . .
Concacaf officially announces Nations League and new logo
Concacaf held an event in Miami on Wednesday to officially debut the Nations League and the confederation's new logo. Once again, Concacaf's leadership stressed inclusiveness and providing more games that count for teams outside of the elite level that regularly makes the Hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying. “The launch of the Concacaf Nations League, conceived over the last two years and . . .
CONCACAF announces Nations League details, new ranking system
In advance of Wednesday's official announcement of the new Nations League, CONCACAF released details. The new competition will start during the September 2018 international window, but through March of 2019 those games will serve as qualifying for the Nations League. The six teams that made the Hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying during the 2018 cycle will not have to qualify. That means the . . .
CONCACAF changes the Gold Cup
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Feb 28, 2018) US Soccer Players - Every two years, CONCACAF trots out the Gold Cup tournament and tries to showcase the best the confederation has to offer. And every two years, the showcase comes short as the tournament always leaves room for improvement. For the first time, though, those improvements may actually happen. The Gold Cup could take steps toward . . .
Moving to the CONCACAF Nations League
Wednesday's soccer news starts with a press release that's more of a teaser from the fine folks at CONCACAF. What they initially referred to as the League of Nations is now falling into line with Europe by using Nations League. On March 7 in Miami, we'll learn the specifics of what CONCACAF has in mind. The quick takeaway is a response to anybody extending the calendar on the next competitive . . .
