D.C. trades international slot, Shaw to Gotham FC, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
It’s Friday! We are once again so close to the weekend, and I have some news that is mainly exciting to me: We are bringing on a new writer to help with Washington Spirit coverage! Autumn will be starting with tomorrow’s match preview, so please give her a warm welcome.
D.C. United Acquires $100,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money from LAFC (D.C. United)
D.C. adds some more GAM to the pot.
Gotham record deal for USWNT’s Jaedyn Shaw a ‘no-brainer’ (ESPN)
From San Diego, to North Carolina, to New Jersey, all in one year, is a bit of a surprise for a player as talented as Shaw. Hopefully this will be a better fit for the Spirit-who-almost-was.
What will the USMNT World Cup roster look like? We’re starting to learn. (Washington Post $)
A look at how the player pool is developing and who the Washington Post predicts will make it into the World Cup squad. We’re getting close!
The road to the 2026 World Cup: who has qualified and who is at risk (The Guardian)
Checking in on the qualifying campaign for the rest of the world.
Pro pickleball players are now getting a higher salary than WNBA, NWSL players (CNBC)
Well, damn.
USL Jagermeister Cup latest: How Sacramento Republic, Hartford Athletic booked spots in the final (Backheeled $)
The finals of the USL Jägermeister Cup have been set for October 4 on CBS Sports Golazo between two Championship league teams after the final League one team, The Greenville Triumph, were knocked out earlier this week.
Matchday 33: Who can clinch playoffs or be eliminated? (MLS)
D.C. may be out already, so we must take our playoff scenario pleasures elsewhere.
‘Game Over Greed’ – Mamdani calls for end of World Cup dynamic ticket prices (Pro Soccer Wire)
I’m not sure a candidate for mayor of New York has much power over FIFA ticketing policies, but I support his efforts!
For some Friday fun, D.C. United players were polled on which song they would choose if they got a walkout song.
Finally, here’s the schedule of matches for the weekend. Have a good one!
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC Power FC vs Lexington SC | Fri., Sep. 12 at 7 p.m. ET | Washington, DC | Peacock |
| Loudoun United vs. San Antonio FC | Sat., Sep. 13 at 5 p.m. ET | Leesburg, VA | ESPN+ |
| D.C. United vs. Orlando City | Sat., Sep. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET | Washington, DC | Apple TV |
| Washington Spirit vs. KC Current | Sat., Sep. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET | Kansas City, MO | ion |
I’m in Cincinnati for a conference. Unfortunately I’m not going to be able to take in a game, but I was able to walk around the TQL Stadium last night. It was my first time seeing it in person. It is a pretty impressive place, and sits right in the middle of a neighborhood. There’s also excavation going on to build a hotel, retail, eateries/drinkeries, and residential units right next to it. The outside light show is a pretty nice feature, and there’s a mural of Rose Lavelle on the wall. Perhaps most surprising to me, there’s an Ollie’s Trolley right next to the stadium! I didn’t realize those existed outside of DC (where they don’t really exist anymore).
I am excited to see a game there someday.
I love me some Cincinnati. While you’re there, you’ve got to hit Graeter’s (ice cream). Go for the Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip.
Sad Major League Rugby news as the Houston Sabercats announced last night that they will not participate in the 2026 MLR season. So we have San Diego and LA merged as well as New Orleans, Houston, and Miami all not participating next season. This leaves us with Old Glory DC, New England Free Jacks (3x defending champ), Chicago Hounds, Utah Warriors, Seattle Seawolves, and Anthem RC (Charlotte). Of the originals only Seattle and Utah remain. This isn’t a good thing for the development of rugby in the US as we prepare to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup and the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
I left California Legion (San Diego Legion + Rugby Football Club LA) off the list of remaining teams sorry.
Other teams that no longer exist in MLR
If y’all are interested. On Sunday at 2:35 PM EDT the US Men’s Eagles XVs play Samoa in the 5th place game for the Pacific Nations Cup on Paramount+. The winner clinches the final guaranteed berth out of the Pacific region for the Australia 2027 Rugby World Cup. The loser will go onto the regional playoff home and home series against Chile. If they lose that series then they go to the final qualification tournament with Belgium, Namibia, and the winner of Brazil/Paraguay. The US is 2-6 all time against Samoa with the most recent meeting in last year’s Pacific Nations Cup semifinal an 18-13 loss.
Okay Samoa’s Siva Tau dance is awesome (similar to Haka). The game is kicking off to be followed by both semifinal matches in Denver at Dick’s Sporting Good Park (home of Colorado Rapids). Qualification for Australia 2027 on the line.
NCC seems to be where talented attackers are (were?) sent to keep the rest of the league safe from their goal scoring efforts. Whether it was Nahas or whoever was in charge of their roster building, it seemed pretty obvious for a long while that they didn’t have the right balance of attacking players. Could a new coach make better use of them? Maybe. They’ve got a lot of money to address the needs now.
I kind of feel for the players sent marching during the whole remaking of the Spirit in anticipation of Giraldez. They moves were shrewd in that it seems like the Spirit sent two great players (and fan favorites) to two teams that are merely treading water.
On a related note, Houston Dash just announced they have signed Anna Heilferty for the rest of the season
Good. She deserves a good break.
Tubbs to Loudoun for the rest of the season on a revocable loan.
https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-loan-defender-garrison-tubbs-to-loudoun-united-fc-9-12-2025?fbclid=PARlRTSAMxOWdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp2-gh8kP2xx2zcNuRjBo75UDWRItcUYYq9ZvZINS1HMbc4j1jbTj3WlFHFdV_aem_PJf9YJ5SWRQUadj7WmeGdw
Maybe he’ll make it longer than 3 days this time!
I hope he gets to ride with them through their (am I jinxing it?) long playoff run! Will be nice to be in an environment striving for silverware vs whatever we’re doing now (though admittedly sucks that he won’t be training with Weiler).
Agreed on both fronts. This could give him a nice run of games in what should be good, competitive games (assuming he does start for them), but it does take him away from his actual coach
Yeah, about that, I think Weiler has seen enough from him in training that he doesn’t particularly need him on the bench. This seems pretty much like Tubbs is written off for now
Probably right. The other take is Weiler concluded that Tubbs is rare and is better off getting starting minutes now so he can be a possible contributor for next season. Possibly. I hope that’s the case rather than writing him off and giving him some PT so we can trade him for a bag of balls in the off-season.
You thinks this front office could get a bag of balls in a transfer?
No game thread, so I’m here. Barraza has had to make 2 big stops already.
Make that 3.
We just put a game thread up. Sorry for the delay!
Pirani puts a shot on net.
Orlando starting their attacks against Antley.
DCU gonna have to hit on the counter tonight….and Barraza keeping us in the game again at least 5 saves already.
Servania picks up a yellow…and that’s a bullshit foul that was a nothing burger…but it looks like its for persistent infringement.
Orlando has to have like 80% possession…we can’t get out of our own defensive 3rd.
Hopkins puts it in the net and Antley with the assist.
For those we haven’t seen, game thread is up for DC vs Orlando
https://thedistrictpress.com/2025/09/13/d-c-united-vs-orlando-s-c-official-game-thread/
Yup wasn’t there initially.