The soccer news starts with a new acronym for another group of clubs lobbying for their voices to count at the highest level. This time, it's a collection of eight clubs representing the confederations in discussions with FIFA about the revamped Club World Cup. The World Football Clubs Association had their introductory meeting with FIFA on Friday, in theory giving a way for clubs to voice their . . .
FIFA and UEFA consider the future of the club soccer schedule
By J Hutcherson (Oct 22, 2019) US Soccer Players - As the stakeholders in European club soccer try to turn the Champions League into something different to coincide with the start of the next TV deal, it's worth considering the wider audience. There's plenty of talk about the lessening importance of the group stage and the foregone conclusion that most of the big clubs will advance. To hear the . . .
Europe vs itself for the future of the Champions League
The soccer news starts with what's now an old concern. At some point, it only makes sense that the elite clubs of Europe will decide that they're better off on their own. UEFA's attempts to mullify those clubs will eventually run itself out. European soccer's governing body can only give so much before there's a super league by default. If that's the situation, why would the clubs need . . .
US Soccer adds another issue with Development Academy split
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Aug 9, 2019) US Soccer Players - From their equal-pay dispute with the USWNT to various litigation concerning the NASL, the US Soccer Foundation, and even their own commercial partners Kwik Goal, the United States Soccer Federation has come to be associated with plenty of contentious conflicts in recent years. You can now add the Fed's own boys Development . . .
FIFA’s World
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, . . .
