I posted this earlier but then this photo of tonight’s Leagues Cup game from @harjournalist.bsky.social popped into my feed and I’m clearly wrong. Everything’s perfectly fine. This franchise that is 50/50 to exist in a few years is clearly beloved and the product is perfect. Don’t change a thing.

Anthony DiCicco@adicicco.bsky.social · yesterday

Cleaner way to do it: MLS 1, MLS 2 - 15 teams each, 28 game, home and away, regular season. Promotion/Relegation 5 up, 5 down, increases the value of the Leagues Cup and Open Cup. But Berg ain’t going to be that guy.

Arguing Pro/Rel in the US on the internet harkens back to the early days of Twitter. Kind of nostalgic rn.

Don’t lose money. Build community. Grow the product, increase the value of your franchise while all 30 teams share in SUM profits which is where the real money is anyway.

Alex Campbell@acampbellsports.bsky.social · yesterday

Why would a team who recently paid $500 million to join the league voluntarily go into a second tier? I love the idea, but billionaires arent going to line up to lose money on purpose

Cleaner way to do it: MLS 1, MLS 2 - 15 teams each, 28 game, home and away, regular season. Promotion/Relegation 5 up, 5 down, increases the value of the Leagues Cup and Open Cup. But Berg ain’t going to be that guy.

Alex Campbell@acampbellsports.bsky.social · yesterday

There isn’t a super clean way to do this. Best I can figure: COL, MIN, POR, SEA, VAN Galaxy, LAFC, RSL, SD, SJ ATX, DAL, HOU, KC, STL CHI, CIN, CBUS, NSH, TOR ATL, CLT, DC, MIA, ORL MTL, NE, NYCFC, NYRB, PHI Someone gets screwed no matter what and it’s probably gonna be Minnesota

Victor Montagliani was chair of the Canadian national teams committee in 2008. The Bob Birarda abuse scandal scandal in Vancouver was made worse and put more young athletes in danger. Montagliani shouldn’t be in any position of power on soccer, let alone FIFA President. www.cbc.ca/sports/socce...

Review says Canada Soccer mishandled sexual assault allegations against coach | CBC Sports

An independent review has concluded that Canada Soccer "mishandled" sexual assault allegations in 2008 against then under-20 women's coach Bob Birarda.

cbc.ca

Philippe Auclair@philippeauclair.bsky.social · 4d ago

Another indication of the birth of a UEFA-Concacaf axis (90 votes out of 211 at the Fifa Congress). I'd suggested Concacaf president Victor Montagliani could be a UEFA-backed candidate at a Fifa election. Still do. I also think both may call for an extraordinary Congress to be convened.

And UGA is commemorating that later this month by staging a game vs JMU “between the hedges,” and hoping to break an NCAA soccer attendance record in the process

Anthony DiCicco@adicicco.bsky.social · 4d ago

30 years ago today, 8/1/1996, the first ever Gold Medal for Women’s Football at the Olympics was awarded. It was won by the USWNT 🇺🇸 after defeating China 2-1 in Athens, Georgia on the campus of UGA.

30 years ago today, 8/1/1996, the first ever Gold Medal for Women’s Football at the Olympics was awarded. It was won by the USWNT 🇺🇸 after defeating China 2-1 in Athens, Georgia on the campus of UGA.

Better late than never, I guess

Miguel Delaney@migueldelaney.bsky.social · 6d ago

Am told sentiment from Concacaf meeting was that vast majority of members have lost confidence or are losing confidence in Infantino as Fifa president

What is in Fifa's 25-page sales pitch: a reference to more than doubling the number of global tournaments held each year, from 200 to 450 What is not in Fifa's 25-page sales pitch: a single reference to women's football

Fifa’s sales pitch revealed: more tournaments, more debt … but no mention of women’s game

Fifa’s sales pitch to persuade members to approve the sale of the World Cup’s commercial rights clearly states that their plans for financial growth will be achieved by staging more tournaments, havin...

theguardian.com

Often get accused - along with others who work predominantly in Germany - of being overly defensive of the tenets of German ⚽️ that make it what it is, wider extension of community. But we can never take it for granted when bad actors acting in pure self interest abound.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last wk.

Fifa accused of ‘selling the soul of football’ over $20bn plan to sell World Cup commercial rights

This is the best thing I've ever seen. Game ended with a 1-1 tie. The 3 elites were URI woso players

Jackie Contreras@jackiedigital.bsky.social · 2w ago

Apparently Boston Legacy's halftime show tomorrow will include 300 youth players battling it out with 3 elites and I absolutely cannot wait to witness this.

BEiIN sports in the US

Nanjala@nanjala.bsky.social · 2w ago

Did you know that women also play football? The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which also serves as the continental World Cup qualifier, starts tomorrow. It’s going to be free to air in a bunch of countries - check with your national broadcaster.

I don’t know how it will affect their results on the world stage, but I admire Morocco & the FRMF for launching their Morocco Blueprint to elevate developing federations across CAF with investment in world class facilities, strengthening diaspora integration & fostering continental collaboration…

Nigeria. IMO they're the first African team that has a sincere chance of winning the World Cup *despite* the nonsense they deal with regularly. Also Argentina. Probably won't have the results necessary to instill the change they deserve, but the tournament's proximity might increase visibility.

2019: USWNT 🇺🇸 fight for Equal Pay (and the sitting President), win the World Cup 2023: Spain WNT 🇪🇸 fight for better working conditions, win the World Cup Fighting for something bigger than yourselves galvanizes a team. What country is ready to tackle issues off the field to win the 2027 World Cup?

Ian Wright saying we shouldn’t forget the way the Iranian team and the Somali referee were treated. Correct.

Dying at @theguardian.com caption

Still only 4 Senior Teams have won back-to-back World Cups: Italy Men 🇮🇹 1934, 1938 Brazil Men 🇧🇷 1958, 1962 Germany Women 🇩🇪 2003, 2007 USA Women 🇺🇸 2015, 2019

Parades fulfilling his destiny

JM =^D@jm539581.bsky.social · 2w ago

Leandro Paredes with a red card after the final whistle

Arsenal have more World Cup Champions this year than Real Madrid 🇪🇸

So that’ll be the first time one nation has held both the men’s and women’s World Cup at the same time

That might be the best defensive tournament of all time by Spain. 1 goal conceded is nuts.

I can’t believe they’re not putting Emi Martinez in the box for these corners

When the story of this World Cup is written Merino’s sacrifice should not be forgotten

JM =^D@jm539581.bsky.social · 2w ago

DOINK!

Torres recreating Enzo’s 2nd YC for his celebration with the corner flag playing the role of Spain

Poor bastard’s starving

Mephisto, by Joaquín Espalter y Rull, 1872, 📸 by Dan Mullan

I don’t have a foul there

‘94 Brazil 🇧🇷 - Italy 🇮🇹 was played at 12:30pm at the Rose Bowl and it felt like the surface of the sun in Pasadena, so it maybe even worse…so little energy from either team. 0-0 through 120. At least Spain 🇪🇸 have tried to win this.

Phil Baki@philtalksfooty.bsky.social · 2w ago

Worst WC Final ever?

The beautiful game of rugby 🏉

Shades of Blue Network@shadesofbluenw.bsky.social · 2w ago

What sport are Argentina playing?