Happy Friday! I hope many of you are enjoying a day off of work like I am.
The NWSL announced a new media rights deal with CBS, ESPN, Prime Video, and Scripps Sports worth $60 million a year. Games will be divided between those networks, which could make it a bit harder for fans to follow the league. Nestled into this announcement is the fact that there will be 4 quarterfinal matches, meaning the playoffs will be expanding to 8 teams next year.
As many of you already saw, CF Montréal fired Hernán Losada in kind of a terse statement yesterday. The Athletic tried to explain where it all went wrong. I figure when your boss is saying things like “we only played half the season” because the away performance was so bad, you have to know your days are numbered.
U.S. Soccer announces November USMNT Nations League roster (SSFC)
In preparation for quarterfinal matches against Trinidad & Tobago, US Soccer has announced a 24-player roster. Tyler Adams, Tim Weah, and Christian Pulisic will miss the games due to injury.
NWSL free agency season is officially heating up! Midfielder Crystal Dunn announced she will be leaving the Portland Thorns, and fans are already speculating about where she’ll end up. Dunn is a former Spirit but unlikely to return to Washington. My hot take: she’ll head to France, home country of her athletic trainer husband Pierre Soubrier whose termination could be part of the reason she’s leaving Portland.
Looking for some soccer to watch this weekend? The NWSL Championship match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and OL Reign kicks off at 8 p.m. on Saturday on CBS. The game pits league originals Ali Krieger and Megan Rapinoe against each other in the final match for both and only Championship for one.
As part of the festivities, the league is putting on a skills challenge this afternoon with one player from each of eliminated teams competing in a variety of events. Goalie Aubrey Kingsbury will represent the Washington Spirit, although I find the overall team composition a little baffling. There are two GKs on the West team! How is that going to work? I don’t think this is airing anywhere but will update if I learn more.
That’s all for me from now. Have a good weekend!
The divvying up of NWSL’s matches continues my suspicion that the dividing up of soccer between various streaming services is more coordinated than competitive.
Anyway, I’ll reiterate I’m really excited for Kevin Parades’ opportunity to absolutely stamp his place on the roster for the ‘26 WC, and I think he likely earns a start with both Pulisic and Weah out.
Annie, the West has to have two GKs playing at the same time in order to be equivalent to Kingsbury alone in goal–isn’t that obvious? ; )
Yeah, Montreal’s owner is a tough guy to work for. Still, given all the talent they sold off, I’d have figured they’d have given Losada another chance.
And your guess about Dunn going to Europe makes a lot of sense to me. Unless you’ve got inside information, that sounds like smart analysis on your part. Plus, she played for Emma Hayes. And so she’s probably figuring “if I’m going to be part of the USWNT under Hayes, some more European experience will help my credibility–especially if I want to be more than a left back!”
No insider info, just my own persistent inclination toward snarky comments about Pierre every time Dunn moving comes up.
In other “former DC United employees leaving their current job” news, it was announced this morning LEWIS NEAL has left his position as Miami FC’s coach
John Harkes, Lewis Neal, Marcelo Gallardo… the world is our oyster!
Or Etcheverry gets promoted from the U-15s.
Only if they keep on Brillant.
How long until Josh Wolff is available? Or…Ritchie Williams?
I’m sure Richie Williams is totally out at New England and any other franchise that has part of the Bruce Arena fan club.
He’s more radioactive than plutonium
I guess Inter Miami and NYCFC are having a friendly today for some reason and Apple is all over it.
Messi needs to stay in shape for the Conmebol qualifiers next week so his teammates are just helping him out. Argentina plays both Uruguay and Brazil. That is a set of brutal games to be play back to back.
Sure, but what does NYCFC get out of it?
They are allowed to tell their grandkids: “I played with Messi…”
Just a heads up for early risers or those with FS1 and a record function on their tv (likely my method), the US U17 boys are playing South Korea at 7 AM tomorrow morning. I’ll be interested in seeing some prospects, personally, see if there are any 18 year old wunderkinds ready in ‘26
The US dominated Brazil 48-3 in the first game of the Vila International Rugby Cup in Spain. They will play the winner of Spain/Canada next Saturday.
https://eagles.rugby/news/usa-mens-eagles-make-a-statement-in-dominant-win-over-brazil-20231111