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Soccer clubs worldwide get $125 million in money owed from player transfers, $200M more in backlog
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 4:55 p.m. | Save Story
FIFA says soccer clubs worldwide have been paid $125 million in money owed to them from transfers of their former players, with money routed via its finance house in Paris. And there's a backlog of another almost $200 million. A further $31.7 million has been agreed but not sent yet. The payments are being allocated to more than 5,000 grassroots and professional clubs by the FIFA Clearing House. FIFA published an update on two years of work by the clearing house, which started in November 2022 to bring more transparency to the often murky multi-billion dollar transfer industry. It also tries to ensure smaller clubs get cash they are owed from future sales of players they nurtured.
US women to host Japan, Colombia and Australia in 10th SheBelieves Cup
The Associated Press | Posted Nov. 20 - 4:05 p.m. | Save Story
The U.S. women's national soccer team will host Australia, Japan and Colombia in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup. The 10th annual edition of the tournament will be played in Houston, San Diego and Glendale, Arizona, from Feb. 23-26. The teams will each play three games, one game apiece in each city, with the winner determined by points.
Lyon late surge routs Roma in Women's Champions League. Chelsea, Real Madrid also into quarterfinals
Graham Dunbar, Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 3:45 p.m. | Save Story
Two goals in two minutes by substitute Kadidiatou Diani roused Lyon to a late-surging 4-1 win over Roma and a place in the Women's Champions League quarterfinals. Chelsea and Real Madrid also won in Group B to join Lyon in the knockout stage with two rounds left. Roma stung eight-time European champion Lyon taking a 74th-minute lead. That provoked a fierce fightback started by Diani scoring from close range on corners in the 77th and 79th. Lucy Bronze's spectacular volley after just 64 seconds set up Chelsea's 3-0 over last-place Celtic. Teenager Linda Caicedo was Madrid's standout in a 3-2 win at Twente.
Club World Cup pushback sees the possibility of player strike action raised again
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 3:42 p.m. | Save Story
A spokesperson for the global players' union says a strike by top soccer stars cannot be ruled out as the newly expanded Club World Cup continues to face pushback. The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year. Its new format has faced a fierce backlash, with players' union FIFPRO raising concerns about the physical and mental impact on players as a result of an increasingly congested schedule.
International star Juan Mata joins ownership group of MLS expansion franchise San Diego FC
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 3:29 p.m. | Save Story
Spanish star and World Cup champion Juan Mata has joined the expansion San Diego FC's ownership group, making him the first active international soccer player to hold an ownership stake in Major League Soccer. Mata joins David Beckham as only the second international player to be involved in MLS ownership. He has been with the Western Sydney Wanderers of the Australian A-League since September.
Eric Quill returns to FC Dallas organization as new head coach
The Associated Press | Posted Nov. 20 - 2:22 p.m. | Save Story
FC Dallas has appointed Eric Quill as the Major League Soccer club's new head coach. Quill takes over for Peter Luccin, who served as Dallas' interim head coach after Nico Estevez was dismissed in June. Quill, a former assistant for the Columbus Crew, joined New Mexico United in the USL Championship in 2023 and led the second-tier team to the conference semifinals in the playoffs as well as the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.
A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup
Carlos Rodriguez, Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 2:20 p.m. | Save Story
The winningest team in Costa Rica is asking FIFA for a spot in next summer's Club World Cup and says it is willing to take legal action if denied. Alajuelense, which has won 30 league titles, wants FIFA to enforce the rule that forbids clubs from the same ownership to participate in the tournament. Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca both qualified and belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca. Alajuelense is the best-ranked team in Central America for the CONCACAF but 40th overall in the region. The team says it will take legal action if needed. The United States is hosting the 32-team tournament.
Lockers used by Ronaldo, Beckham and other Real Madrid stars are up for auction
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 12:31 p.m. | Save Story
Metal lockers that once held the sweat-stained shirts and muddy cleats of some of the world's greatest soccer players are up for auction. Sotheby's is selling 24 lockers from the dressing room of storied club Real Madrid. Used by the team between 2002 and 2022, they were removed from the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium during renovations. They went on public display at the auctioneer's London showrooms on Wednesday. The storage spaces once used by players including Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham. Zinedine Zidane, Sergio Ramos and Luís Figo are being sold individually. Bidding starts at 10,000 pounds apiece, and is open until Nov. 26 on Sotheby's website.
France's wealthiest family eyes Klopp's help to turn Paris FC into powerhouse
Tom Nouvian, Associated Press | Posted Nov. 20 - 11:32 a.m. | Save Story
Jürgen Klopp's expertise will play a key role in the Arnault family's ambitious plan to transform second-tier Paris FC into a French powerhouse. Speaking Wednesday at the team's training ground, Antoine Arnault says he has had long discussions with Klopp who will join Red Bull as head of global soccer in January. The Arnault family is acquiring a majority stake in the club with Red Bull a minority stakeholder. Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, is set to join Red Bull as head of global soccer in January. Arnault also highlighted plans to leverage Red Bull's tools to tap into the Paris region's deep pool of soccer talent.
UEFA orders Kosovo to forfeit Nations League game after team walks off. Romania punished for chants
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 20 - 9:58 a.m. | Save Story
UEFA has ordered Kosovo to forfeit a Nations League game in Romania after its team refused to play on in second-half stoppage time, with the score 0-0, after hearing pro-Serbia chants. Romania was awarded a 3-0 win by default for the game in Bucharest last Friday. However, UEFA also ordered Romania to play its first home game in a World Cup qualifying group next year in an empty stadium. That was punishment for "racist" chants Friday by Romanian fans targeting neighboring Hungary. The default win and award of three points to leader Romania didn't affect the final standings in the teams' third-tier Nations League group.
Tottenham appeals against severity of Bentancur's ban for offensive comments on South Koreans
The Associated Press | Posted Nov. 20 - 9:07 a.m. | Save Story
Tottenham has launched an appeal against the severity of Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur's seven-match ban for making an offensive comment about South Koreans in relation to a remark about Spurs teammate Son Heung-min. Tottenham says "while we accept the guilty finding against Rodrigo by the independent regulatory commission, we believe the subsequent sanction is severe." Bentancur will remain suspended from domestic competitions while the appeal is heard. The ban doesn't cover European competitions so he can play in the Europa League.
Germany optimistic with 2026 World Cup on horizon after a much-improved year
James Ellingworth, Associated Press | Posted Nov. 20 - 4:16 a.m. | Save Story
Twelve months ago Germany was on a run of awful results and seemed on course to struggle when it hosted Euro 2024. Now it's back among the top teams in Europe, with an eye on the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Germany will end 2024 with 10 victories from its 15 games. In 2023, it won just three and lost six. It's been a big year for younger players like Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, the "Wusiala" combo expected to shine at the 2026 World Cup.
Patrick Vieira hired as Genoa coach with potential implications for Mario Balotelli
The Associated Press | Posted Nov. 20 - 3:58 a.m. | Save Story
Genoa has confirmed Patrick Vieira as its new coach. That could have implications for Mario Balotelli, less than a month after the former Italy forward joined the Serie A club. Vieira and Balotelli were teammates at Inter Milan and Manchester City but fell out when Vieira was Nice coach, eventually leading to Balotelli moving to Marseille. The 48-year-old Vieira previously managed New York City FC in Major League Soccer and went on to coach Crystal Palace and then Strasbourg after leaving Nice. Vieira's first match in charge of Genoa will be at home against Cagliari in the Italian league on Sunday. Both teams are just one point above the relegation zone.
Mexico overcomes 2-goal deficit, reaches CONCACAF Nations League semifinals with US, Canada, Panama
The Associated Press | Posted Nov. 19 - 9:45 p.m. | Save Story
Mexico overcame a two-goal, first-leg deficit and reached the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals with a 4-0 win over Honduras at Toluca behind two goals from Henry Martín and one each from Raúl Jiménez and Jorge Sánchez. With the 4-2 aggregate victory in the quarterfinal, Mexico advanced to play Canada on March 20 at Inglewood, California. The three-time defending champion United States faces Panama in the first game of the semifinals doubleheader. At Toronto, Jonathan David got his record 31st goal for Canada and Jacob Shaffelburg scored twice in a 3-0 win over Suriname for a 4-0 aggregate victory.
Argentina beats Peru to close in on World Cup spot; Brazil and Uruguay draw
Debora Rey And Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press | Updated Nov. 19 - 8:32 p.m. | Save Story
Lautaro Martínez's goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Peru in a South American qualifying match in Buenos Aires and put the hosts close to a spot in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Meanwhile its main continental rival Brazil drew 1-1 against Uruguay on Tuesday in Salvador, Brazil with two impressive goals in an otherwise lackluster match. Federico Valverde gave Uruguay the lead from the edge of the box, and Gérson scored his first for Brazil from a similar position.
Pep Guardiola reportedly agrees to contract extension at Manchester City
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 19 - 5:29 p.m. | Save Story
Pep Guardiola has agreed to a contract extension to stay at Manchester City for at least another season according to British media reports. The City manager's contract was due to expire at the end of this season. He has overseen a period of unprecedented dominance since joining the club in 2016. City has won six Premier League titles in seven years and won the Champions League. City has not commented on several media reports that the 53-year-old Guardiola would extend his stay into a 10th season with the deal including an option for an additional year.
Germany denied by last-chance penalty for Hungary in Nations League. Sweden's Gyökeres scores 4
James Ellingworth, Associated Press | Updated Nov. 19 - 3:40 p.m. | Save Story
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time to deny Germany a victorious end to the Nations League group stage and show why Hungary is one of the hardest places to win in world soccer. Szoboszlai's penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for Hungary, which last lost at home in 2022. The Netherlands drew 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina after Ermedin Demirovic canceled out Brian Brobbey's opening goal for the Dutch team. Viktor Gyökeres scored four goals as Sweden beat Azerbaijan 6-0. Wales and the Czech Republic both won promotion to the top tier of the Nations League.
World Cup qualifying draw seedings in Europe completed by Slovakia, Czech wins in Nations League
The Associated Press | Posted Nov. 19 - 3:26 p.m. | Save Story
The draw seedings for 2026 World Cup qualifying groups in Europe have been decided. The last round of Nations League games saw Slovakia and the Czech Republic secure a higher status. FIFA makes the draw on Dec. 13 in Zurich for the 12 European qualifying groups. The 12 first-place teams next November advance direct to the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Four more entries are decided in playoffs. The top-seeded 12 nations were already known before Tuesday. Slovakia's 1-0 win over Estonia and the Czechs beating Georgia 2-1 ensured they complete the pot of second-seeded teams.
Viktor Gyökeres overtakes Erling Haaland to be Nations League top scorer
The Associated Press | Updated Nov. 19 - 3:20 p.m. | Save Story
didn't stop there and added his fourth goal of the game soon after.
