World Cup draw today, Fletcher says goodbye, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
Happy Friday! I write to you from Austin, TX, where I am visiting family this weekend. I am not too disappointed about missing the *excitement* of being the World Cup Draw city, but I am sorry to miss the first snow of the season.
For those of you who would like to watch the draw, here are the details. American Outlaws DC are also hosting a watch party at Solace Outpost. Our own Donald Wine is in attendance and will be reporting on the event.
White House won’t rule out ICE raids at World Cup matches (Pro Soccer Wire)
COOL. It sounds like this is going to be a GREAT EVENT, a true celebration of the world’s game.
We have news of another D.C. United departure. Kristian Fletcher said his goodbyes on Instagram yesterday.
Reviewing the MLS survey: What did fans say about DC United? (The DP)
Donald gives us a detailed look (with charts and everything!) of how surveyed fans felt about D.C. United after this season.
D.C. United Set to Compete in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (D.C. United)
Next year’s tournament begins the week of March 17, but MLS teams will not join until the Round of 32 in April. D.C. United will be one of 16 MLS teams participating. Maybe they can put in a stronger showing this year. Loudoun United will also be participating in the Cup.
Players union says NWSL engaged in ‘flagrant’ violation of Trinity Rodman’s free agent rights (The Athletic $)
More on the NWSLPA’s grievance over Jessica Berman’s rejection of a contract for Trinity Rodman.
NWSLPA executive director Meagan Burke also went on Sam Mewis’s The Women’s Game to talk about the union’s concerns with the rejction:
The 100 best female footballers in the world 2025 (The Guardian)
The final list is out! Do I think it’s a particularly good list? No. Am I happy to see four Washington Spirit players on it (Trinity Rodman, Sofia Cantore, Leicy Santos, Gift Monday) on it? Yes!
The Vancouver Whitecaps are in their first MLS Cup tomorrow, but the specter of possible relocation looms in their future. The lease with their current stadium is ending, and Don Garber has made it clear that a different long-term solution is needed.
For some Friday fun, please enjoy the cursed image of the new U.S. Soccer mascot:
Finally, your schedule of games for the weekend: DC Power is still trucking along, with three more games before their winter break!
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC Power FC vs. Dallas Trinity FC | Sat., Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. | Dallas, TX | Peacock |
Kristian Fletcher played 498 minutes for DC United in MLS. Randall Leal played more than that. Derek Dodson played more than that.
Fletcher is young enough to recover from his ACL surgery and return to the USMNT Youth teams. He will be better off at a club that will develop him properly.
I wanted to congratulate the DP staff on all of the fantastic feature and analysis pieces this week, in addition to the always great Freedom Kicks. Excellent work by all!
Thank you! I have been thinking we’re doing our best work here in the offseason!
I agree with everything you just said. The DP Staff is quite a team.
Really unfortunate news about the Whitecaps. I think all of the potential relocation cities that I’ve seen floated would make for great MLS markets, but they should really just get their own teams in expansion, and not at the expense of one of the oldest teams in MLS.
Yep. Vancouver is a great city, very multi-cultural. What a bummer it would be for the ‘Caps to win MLS Cup this year and then skip town. Not good.
Had a Vietnam flashback to United’s struggles to move on from RFK when I saw Garber’s statement about Vancouver.
This man is MLS commissioner, but every time there’s a venue crisis for an established team, he’s basically like, “tough titties, we’ll move your players somewhere else if you can’t figure it out. Daddy wants another expansion franchise fee dump!”
Using league resources and clout to aid in venue resolution is something that never enters his warped and shitty mind.
Sigh. Happy World Cup Draw day
If I understand this, we drew probably the weakest team in Pot 2. Which means we’re likely to get the weaker teams from, Asia, Africa or South America — though we are also fairly likely to get a remaining European team
Uzebeks Saudis, Scots, maybe Bfana Bfana would be good here.
We’re bound to have a European team in there. And we can still end up with Italy
Oof. Paraguay. Tough match-up
Those are two teams we’ve recently beaten 2-1.
They’re not the easiest to puncture, but FIFA, in perpetrating the underhanded process they normally do, is using an evidence based approach. They hope they can give the primary hosts a decent run.
Wait. Why isn’t Uzbekistan or Panama in with France? I don’t understand why they’re shifted to pots with other Euro teams.
Argentina and Belgium I think looking like the easiest draw so far. France too, but Norway with Haaland could surprise anyone.
We’re going to get Ghana again, won’t we?
Shite. It’s going to be Turkiye
Not quite a Group of Death, but the USMNT might have the toughest path to advance of any Pot 1 teams
I was going to say that this was probably one of the best groups we could have asked for.
Turkiye is probably the most potent of the teams still looking for a spot, though I realize people will think Italy based on past history. Hard to think Turkiye won’t be heavily favored to win the Group. I guess getting Paraguay is about the best we could hope for from South America, but I would have preferred an Asian team for sure.
Yeah, that’s fair. The group could certainly be weaker, but given what the US has gone against in the last couple World Cups, this one seems decent all things considered. We could have been worse off an had Croatia and Columbia, or we could have gotten Uzbekistan and New Caledonia. But based on what was possible, this seems pretty ok, at least
As good as it felt to beat Japan recently 2-0, I would not want to play them in a group game. If they played their first eleven with stakes like that, would have been pretty nerve wracking.
Same with South Korea, though that’s less about technicality and more about familiarity and Son’s
last hurrah.
And had it been a middle eastern team, I don’t think Pulisic’s nuts could take it.
Overall, I like the group the US is in: Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey/Slovakia/Kosovo/Romania. I think the key point is this: it would not be a stretch to think the USA can beat each of these teams. Yes, Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey are all good teams–none would be a cakewalk. But it’s nowhere near as tough as Group L (England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana).
Since we’re on the topic of World Cup draws, the draw for Australia 2027 Rugby World Cup also took place this week. And the US isn’t gonna get out of its group unless it performs better than recent results.
https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/47186764/rugby-world-cup-draw-pool-pool-analysis-england-new-zealand-australia
Pool E:
France, Japan, USA, Samoa. This past Pacific Nations Cup we got walloped by Japan and won a tightly contested match (until pulling away in the last 10 minutes) against Samoa. The pressure is on for the US to somehow advance as a top 2 from this group ahead of hosting in 2031.