Tag: FIFA World Cup

Soccer midfielder Sadie Waite selected to Canada’s U-20 FIFA World Cup team

Midfielder Sadie Waite was selected for the Canadian Women’s World Cup roster and will now compete at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2024.

Nebraska’s 2024 soccer season is underway, and players have already earned honors. Midfielder Sadie Waite was selected for the Canadian Women’s World Cup roster and will now compete at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2024.

Prior to Nebraska, Waite played club soccer at FC London, attended U17 National Team Camps, and participated in the Ontario REX program with current Husker Florence Belzile.

The St. Thomas, Ontario native now enters her junior year at Nebraska following a solid sophomore season, which included a Big Ten regular season championship and a trip to the Elite Eight. She started all 24 games and amassed 1,950 minutes on the season. Waite finished with four goals and five assists while delivering 32 shots, 13 on goal.

She also earned her first career brace in the Huskers’ tournament victory over South Dakota State. In her freshman season, Waite played 19 games and earned 16 starts, scoring one goal and earning two assists in 1,329 minutes of action.

Canada is in Group B at the FIFA U-20 World Cup alongside France, Brazil, and Fiji. It will start the tournament against France on Saturday, August 31. The match will start at 3:00 p.m. (CT) and be televised on Fox Soccer Plus.

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FIFA reveals USMNT’s potential knockout-stage path at 2026 World Cup

The USMNT has learned where a knockout-stage run would potentially bring them

The U.S. men’s national team has learned where a knockout-stage run in the 2026 World Cup would potentially bring them.

On Wednesday, two years to the day until the World Cup begins, FIFA announced the remainder of the schedule for the 48-team tournament, following the initial schedule release in February.

The only countries to qualify for the tournament so far are hosts USA, Canada and Mexico, which now all know their path through the knockout stage should they finish first or second in their respective groups.

The USMNT already knows where it will play its three group-stage games, as it will open its World Cup campaign in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium on June 12. That will be followed by a game at Seattle’s Lumen Field on June 19, before another game at SoFi Stadium June 25.

Now FIFA has outlined the path through the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

Should the USMNT, Mexico or Canada finish third place in their respective groups, they could still reach the knockout round, which will include the eight best third-placed teams out of the 12 groups.

In the event of a third-place finish, the teams wouldn’t know where their knockout-round games would be held until after the group stage.

Below is the knockout-round path for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup.

USMNT 2026 World Cup knockout path

First place in group

  • Round of 32: San Francisco Bay Area – July 1
  • Round of 16: Seattle – July 6
  • Quarterfinal: Los Angeles – July 10
  • Semifinal: Dallas – July 14
  • Final: New York/New Jersey – July 19

Second place in group

  • Round of 32: Dallas – July 3
  • Round of 16: Atlanta – July 7
  • Quarterfinal: Kansas City – July 11
  • Semifinal: Dallas – July 14
  • Final: New York/New Jersey – July 19

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Wynalda tried to save Harkes from 1998 World Cup cut — despite affair with his wife

The former USMNT striker even said he blamed himself for his wife’s infidelity

Before the Reyna-Berhalter affair last year, there was an even bigger scandal that rocked the U.S. men’s national team to its core.

Two months before the 1998 World Cup. USMNT coach Steve Sampson shockingly cut midfielder and team captain John Harkes from the squad. It took 12 years for the true reason for the decision to be revealed: Harkes was having an affair with his teammate Eric Wynalda’s wife, Amy.

Harkes has never publicly spoken about the issue, while Wynalda has occasionally mentioned the affair. But the ex-USMNT striker went into much more detail than he has previously in an appearance on the CBS Sports show “Kickin’ It” this week.

Among several details, Wynalda revealed that he blamed himself for the affair, and even went as far as lobbying Sampson to not cut Harkes from the team.

“We would go on trips with the national team and our wives would be there,” Wynalda said. “And if I’m truly being honest, and why did this all happen, is I got injured, my focus was getting healthy. I did not have time for my wife, this was too important. And that’s kind of where it happened. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t present.

“So I look at it from a different perspective, and a lot of people think I’m crazy. But John and I were such close friends, and then a lot of people said, ‘That must make it so much worse, so much more painful,’ and I think there’s a part of me that’s just more forgiving then most.

“I went to the coach and said, ‘I know what happened. He needs to be on the team.'”

Asked if he believed the affair had happened when he first learned about it, Wynalda replied: “I did believe it, and it made sense. John [and I], we went on vacations together with family. We were as tight as you can get.”

Wynalda and his wife Amy divorced in 2003, while Harkes stayed together with his wife despite the affair.

Wynalda said that he was glad his former teammate managed to keep his family together, while insisting that the entire scandal wasn’t as bad as it was portrayed.

“It wasn’t as painful as people make it out to be,” the 55-year-old said.

Watch Wynalda discuss Harkes affair

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Lalas: USMNT ‘glued to TV’ as OJ chase unfolded on eve of World Cup

Several USMNT stars didn’t get the sleep they needed ahead of the biggest game of their life

Former U.S. men’s national team star Alexi Lalas recalled one of the wildest moments in recent American history on Thursday, following the news that O.J. Simpson had died of cancer at age 76.

On June 17, 1994, the nation was captivated by a slow-speed car chase on the freeway in Los Angeles, as Simpson sat in the passenger seat of a white Ford Bronco driven by his friend Al Cowlings.

Earlier in the day, Los Angeles police said the ex-NFL star was a fugitive who was sought in the killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman.

Eventually, Cowlings and Simpson led police to Simpson’s home, where he surrendered. Simpson was acquitted of the murders after a trial that captivated the nation over 11 months between 1994 and 1995.

The events of June 17 took place the night before the USMNT opened the 1994 World Cup on home soil, facing Switzerland at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan.

As news spread of Simpson’s death, Lalas went on X to recall the surreal moment.

“It was the start of our World Cup,” he said. “Biggest game of our lives. Night of June 17th, we all sat in our hotel rooms glued to the OJ Bronco chase happening in LA.”

Lalas also spoke to The Athletic in 2019 about the events of that summer evening on their 25th anniversary.

“Look, everybody remembers where they were, if they were around, and cognizant of what was going on,” Lalas said. “It is that seminal type of moment: Where were you when this was happening? It was the ultimate reality show unfolding in real time in front of you.

“The whole team was doing this. Everybody was watching it. You would move from the television in the lobby of the hotel, to the television where we were eating, to the television in our room. It was this running show that seemed like it would never end. And yet you couldn’t turn away and you were waiting for that conclusion.”

Former USMNT goalkeeper Tony Meola told ESPN in 2014 that he wasn’t as rested as he should have been for one of the biggest games of his life, which would end in a 1-1 draw.

“I was exhausted on the day of the game. I roomed with John Harkes and we had spent the night watching the O.J. Simpson chase. Harkes kept yelling at me to turn the television off but I was totally glued to it,” Meola said.

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New Jersey governor: 2026 World Cup final down to Dallas or New York/New Jersey

According to Murphy, the final will be at AT&T Stadium or MetLife Stadium

FIFA’s decision over the host of the 2026 World Cup final is down to the Dallas area against the New York City area, according to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

The two venues vying to host the final are AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“They’re going around, but they’ve been pretty clear publicly that it’s Dallas or here in our bid with New York City,” Murphy said in quotes on NorthJersey.com.

“It’s not just the final. That means every stadium gets their package of games. So you don’t know the teams yet, but you know the dates and you know what you’re going to sell generally.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been recently spotted attending NFL games at both venues.

Two weeks ago, Infantino was at AT&T Stadium to watch the Dallas Cowboys take on the New York Jets, calling the venue “incredible.”

Infantino took in another Jets game over the weekend, this time watching the Aaron Rodgers-less franchise face the New England Patriots at their home of MetLife Stadium.

Murphy, along with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, have been publicly lobbying this summer for MetLife Stadium to host the final.

“The biggest game should be played on the biggest stage and there is no stage bigger on the globe than this region,” Adams told Reuters in July.

“No team or player will come to our region and feel homesick,” Adams added. “You point to a country on the globe and you are going to find a community here.

“That is our biggest selling point, our diversity and how everyone is going to feel at home playing here.”

Other possible contenders for the final include SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Whichever venues don’t end up hosting the final will likely be considered for semifinal matches or for the tournament’s opening game.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first time the tournament has included 48 teams. The United States, Mexico and Canada will serve as co-hosts, with the U.S. featuring 11 of the 16 host cities.

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USWNT schedule 2023: TV, streaming, results and fixtures

It’s going to be a massive year for the USWNT

This year is shaping up to be a huge one for the U.S. women’s national team.

The team has plenty of friendlies on the horizon, the SheBelieves Cup and, of course, the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Vlatko Andonovski will lead the USWNT into the tournament, with his side looking to become the first team to ever win three World Cups in a row.

The World Cup will come two years after the team’s last major tournament, the Olympics in Japan, where Andonovski coached the team to a somewhat disappointing bronze medal finish.

The pressure will be on the coach and the team to return to the World Cup final for the fourth straight tournament, and win for the third time running.

Here is a look at how 2023 shapes up for the USWNT.

USWNT 2023 schedule (all times ET)

Friendlies

January 18: New Zealand 0-4 USWNT — Match report

January 21: New Zealand 0-5 USWNT — Match report

SheBelieves Cup

February 16: USWNT 2-0 Canada — Match report

February 19: USWNT 1-0 Japan — Match report

February 22: USWNT 2-1 Brazil – Match report

Friendlies

April 8: USWNT 2-0 Ireland — Match report

April 11: USWNT 1-0 Ireland — Match report

July 9: USWNT 2-0 Wales — Match report

World Cup

July 21: USWNT 3-0 Vietnam — Match report

July 26: USWNT 1-1 Netherlands — Match report

August 1: Portugal 0-0 USWNT — Match report

August 6: Sweden 0-0 USWNT (Sweden wins 5-4 on penalties) — Match report

Friendlies

September 21: USWNT 3-0 South Africa — Match report

September 24: USWNT 2-0 South Africa — Match report

October 26: USWNT vs Colombia — America First Field, Sandy, Utah. 9 p.m. ET on TBS, Universo and Peacock.

October 29: USWNT vs Colombia — Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA. 5:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.

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Hatch: I didn’t want USWNT World Cup roster snub to define me

The forward was one of the last players excluded from Vlatko Andonovski’s 23-player squad

Ashley Hatch has said that being cut from the U.S. women’s national team World Cup roster was “really freaking hard,” but added that she is determined to not let the snub define her.

Hatch was one of the last cuts from the 23-player squad, with the Washington Spirit forward making every USWNT roster in 2023 prior to Vlatko Andonovski naming his team for the World Cup.

The 28-year-old has been prolific with the Spirit in the NWSL, and has five goals in 19 USWNT caps. That strike rate is actually better than that number appears due to many of those appearances coming as a substitute: Hatch is averaging a very healthy 0.71 goals per 90 minutes with the USWNT.

With Catarina Macario injured, many projected Hatch to make the World Cup roster as a backup to Alex Morgan at striker. However, Andonovski opted to lean on the versatility of his other attackers like Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman, rather than bringing a true No. 9 like Hatch to play behind Morgan.

Hatch spoke about missing out on the World Cup squad during an appearance on the Snacks podcast.

“Just to put it plain and simple, it was really freaking hard,” Hatch said. “Everyone puts a lot of time and effort into accomplishing the goal of making a World Cup roster. And so for the past year and a half to two years, every single ounce of my energy and effort went into making that roster.

“For it to come down to that final call of Vlatko saying you’re not going to be a part of my roster, my heart definitely sunk. But also in that moment, I didn’t have any regrets because I knew that I had done everything in my power to put myself in the best position to be chosen. So it was a harsh reality that I knew I was going to have to live with, but I also didn’t want it to define who I am as a person and as a player.”

One of the most difficult aspects for Hatch was having to initially keep quiet about missing out on the roster. Andonovski notified players about a week before the June 21 roster reveal, with a weekend set of NWSL fixtures in between.

That meant Hatch traveled to Kansas City for the Spirit’s June 18 game against the Current aware she had missed out on the World Cup roster, but without the public knowing.

Hatch said she requested to travel to Kansas City a day after her teammates to process the situation, and she also asked to be subbed out of the match at halftime.

“The game against Kansas City was really difficult,” she said. “I felt like I was suffering in silence because the whole world didn’t know yet. It was a lot so I actually ended up asking if I could be subbed at halftime, just because I couldn’t take it like emotionally, mentally.”

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Hermoso files sexual assault complaint against Rubiales

The fallout continues from the federation president’s non-consensual kiss

Spain forward Jennifer Hermoso has filed a complaint with the country’s prosecutors office accusing Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales of sexual assault.

Rubiales sparked worldwide outrage when he kissed Hermoso on the lips after the World Cup final on August 20 — an act Hermoso has insisted was not consensual.

Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into Rubiales on August 28, with Hermoso’s complaint the next step that will allow the Spanish justice system to pursue charges against the RFEF president.

According to the AP, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty.

Rubiales has apologized for his actions following the World Cup final, which Spain won 1-0 over England, but has refused to resign from his post despite heavy pressure to do so.

After a defiant speech on August 25 in which Rubiales insisted the kiss was consensual and refused to step down, Spain’s entire World Cup-winning roster said it was going on strike until the president is ousted.

In addition to the complaint filed by Hermoso, Rubiales remains under investigation by Spain’s top sport court (TAD) and by FIFA, which has issued him a preliminary 90-day suspension while its inquiry continues.

With Rubiales suspended, acting RFEF president Pedro Rocha announced on Tuesday that women’s national team head coach Jorge Vilda — a controversial figure who was strongly backed by Rubiales — had been fired.

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Louis van Gaal: World Cup was rigged for Lionel Messi

The former Dutch coach is still irked by how things went down in the World Cup quarterfinal

Former Netherlands head coach Louis van Gaal has charged that the World Cup was rigged so Lionel Messi and Argentina would win.

Messi finally lifted the game’s biggest prize in December, as Argentina defeated France on penalties in the World Cup final.

On its way to World Cup glory, Argentina got past the Netherlands on penalties in a contentious quarterfinal that ended 2-2. Following the game, Messi and Van Gaal had words on the sideline in what appeared to be an acrimonious exchange.

Nine months after the game and his subsequent resignation as Netherlands coach, it was clear that Van Gaal is still rather bitter about how things went down that night at the Lusail Stadium.

“I do not really want to say much about it,” Van Gaal told reporters on Tuesday. “When you see how Argentina scored their goals and how we scored our goals, and how some Argentina players overstepped the mark and were not punished, then I think it was all a premeditated game.”

Asked what he meant Van Gaal replied: “I mean everything I said.”

Van Gaal was then asked if he was saying that Messi was predetermined to be world champion.

“I think so, yeah,” was his reply.

After Van Gaal’s comments, Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk said he did not agree with his former manager.

“I heard it this morning, indeed. And that’s actually it,” the defender told NOS. “It is of course his opinion. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. I do not share the same opinion.”

Ironically, after the game in December it was Messi and his teammate Emiliano Martínez who were fuming at referee Mateu Lahoz, of whom Messi said: “FIFA has to review it. They can’t put a referee who is not up to the task in this instance.”

Martínez added: “The ref was just giving everything for them. He gave 10 minutes [stoppage time]. For no reason, 10 minutes. He was giving free kicks outside the box for them, like two, three times. He just wanted them to score, that’s basically it. So hopefully we don’t have that ref anymore, he’s useless.”

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Naeher on winning Sweden penalty: ‘I will go to my grave claiming that I saved it’

The USWNT was knocked out of the World Cup by a penalty that crossed the line by millimeters

U.S. national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher said she’ll go to her grave claiming she saved Sweden’s penalty that knocked the USWNT out of the World Cup.

With a round-of-16 penalty shootout into sudden death, Sweden’s Lina Hurtig stepped up to the spot knowing that a converted penalty would send her side into the quarterfinal.

Naeher dove and stopped Hurtig’s shot, which popped up into the air and was then clawed out a second time by the USWNT goalkeeper. It appeared that the shootout would go on but after a review, the penalty was shown to have crossed the line by the absolute slimmest of margins.

Naeher was in disbelief on the pitch and nearly a month later, the goalkeeper still wasn’t sure Hurtig’s shot had ever actually crossed the line.

“It felt like it was in slow motion,” Naeher said on the Snacks podcast. “As I was diving, I was like, ‘Oh, this is behind me.’ So I just tried to get anything on it.”

“I will go to my grave claiming that I saved it, you cannot convince me otherwise,” she added. “I have the picture saved on my phone. I have looked at it an unhealthy amount of times since the game has ended. I genuinely thought that I saved it.”

After Hurtig’s penalty, Naeher faced an agonizing wait as the referee consulted goal-line technology to determine if the ball crossed the line. Finally the referee signaled goal, ending the USWNT’s World Cup in heartbreaking fashion.

“When [the referee] blew the whistle and I watched them run, I don’t think I can describe the sinking feeling that was,” Naeher said. “It was the most bizarre way to end the game.”

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