The soccer news starts with the latest version of what most would see as an old situation. FIFA's mandate to grow the game however their membership sees fit pushing up against what the fans of the game might want. The conclusion of UEFA's Nations League suggested that this is a tournament some fans might want. At least fans of the teams that advanced to the semifinals. What that isn't is a broader . . .
USMNT U-20s move on at the World Cup
The soccer news starts with a simple presumption that it's hard to call any result an upset at the U-20 World Cup. It's a different type of soccer than the senior tournament, with the age restrictions lacking the sense of familiarity and experience. That's part of the point, of course. It takes nothing away from the teams that do their job by advancing to the next round. The USMNT did that, . . .
FIFA keeps pushing for a 48 team World Cup
We start the soccer news with FIFA president Gianni Infantino stumping for World Cup expansion. Like an good politician, Infantino is making sure he has the support for a 48-team World Cup in time for the FIFA Congress in Paris on June 5. That means finding at least one other country willing to host games in 2022. So far, that hasn't been easy. AP's Rob Harris reports that Infantino is working to . . .
Europe and the soccer calendar
The soccer news starts with more from UEFA, this time announcing a memorandum of understanding with the European Club Association. The biggest point for those of us outside Europe is a focus on the international calendar after 2024. The current version of the international calendar that removed single match windows was in large part due to pressure from Europe. The double matchday calendar isn't . . .
RB Leipzig and Schalke advance in the DFB Pokal
The soccer news starts with more from the DFB Pokal. Tyler Adams's RB Leipzig shutout John Brooks's Wolfsburg 1-0 at home. Matheus Cunha scored the game's only goal in the 9th minute with Peter Gulacsi keeping the clean sheet with one save. "Our off-the-ball play was really good again today," RB Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick said. "We only let Wolfsburg have one clear chance, which Peter Gulacsi . . .
The power of UEFA in world soccer
We start the soccer news with an open question. Is FIFA president Gianni Infantino the most powerful person in world soccer, or is it UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin? As Reuters' Brian Homewood reports, Ceferin will win reelection for a second term as UEFA president since he's the only candidate on the ballot at Thursday's congress in Rome. Ceferin's rise in global soccer politics was quick, . . .
The power of the FIFA presidency
The soccer news starts with what everybody wants to talk about on a Tuesday, bureaucracy in soccer. With FIFA president Gianni Infantino seemingly keen on pushing through an agenda for revamped and new tournaments to unlock outside money, the pushback is the issue. Europe isn't happy, interesting considering Infantino is the former secretary general of UEFA. Reporting for the NY Times, Tariq . . .
MLS moves on, FIFA task force meets over new competitions
The soccer news starts with the MLS champions Atlanta United and runners-up Portland Timbers. For the technical staffs on both teams, there wasn't a lot of time for either of them to celebrate or wonder what they might've done differently. By Sunday, they were announcing the players they're keeping for the 2019 MLS season. The league moves on, with Sunday a half-day trade window where moves . . .
FIFA, the World Cup, and changes to world soccer
Over the weekend, reports linked CONMEBOL with the latest proposal for FIFA holding the World Cup every other year. How seriously FIFA decides to take that proposal is an open question, but it does raise a simple issue. If FIFA wants a global Nations League in the even years between World Cups, how is that different from a World Cup? It's CONMEBOL asking. “The proposal we have made to FIFA is to . . .
Infantino talks World Cup expansion for 2022
The soccer news starts with what we already know. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will have 48 teams. That's approved and set as the Confederations work through what happens with qualifying. What isn't so sure is whether or not the 2022 World Cup goes ahead at 32 or 48 teams. FIFA president Gianni Infantino highlighted that uncertainty in comments to the Asian Football Confederation. "Will it happen in . . .
