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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Vera Pauw out as Ireland women’s head coach

The 60-year-old is a controversial figure following allegations of body shaming and excessive control

Vera Pauw will not be offered a new contract as Ireland women’s national team head coach, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has confirmed.

Pauw’s current deal will expire on Thursday and following a lengthy meeting on Tuesday, the FAI confirmed that the Dutchwomen’s four-year spell in charge will end.

“On behalf of the Football Association of Ireland, we would like to thank Vera for her hard work and commitment over the past four years and wish her well for the future,” said Jonathan Hill, the FAI chief executive in a statement.

“In particular, I wish to acknowledge the role she played in leading Ireland to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 where our women’s team made history and inspired a nation,” he added.

“The future is bright for women and girls’ football and our focus now is building upon the work done by Vera and the historic achievements of our women’s team, which we see as a platform to support the next phase of the journey for the team, and more broadly the development of women and girls’ football in this country.”

Pauw led Ireland to the women’s World Cup for the first time ever this summer, with the team exiting in the group stage following defeats to Australia and Canada and a draw with Nigeria.

The 60-year-old has become a controversial figure in the coaching world after allegations of body shaming and excessive control were made against her in last year’s NWSL/NWSLPA joint investigation.

As a result, Pauw was conditionally banned from the NWSL.

Pauw, who coached the Houston Dash for one season in 2018, has vehemently denied the allegations against her, saying earlier this year: “These allegations in the report are absolutely ridiculous and false. There is no truth in it, and I know I find a lot of safety in the truth.”

Ahead of the World Cup, Ireland captain Katie McCabe called the allegations “a real negative distraction” after a media session in which Pauw stated “there is a person that is targeted to destroy my career.”

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Spanish federation, for some reason, launches bizarre defense of Luis Rubiales

The RFEF is going to keep digging

When you find yourself in a hole, the Spanish soccer federation’s advice is to just keep digging.

That’s the only conclusion that can be drawn from an extraordinary public statement published by the federation (RFEF) after midnight on Saturday in Spain, which purported to defend its president, Luis Rubiales.

Rubiales has come under intense criticism for his actions following Spain’s World Cup final victory, which include kissing attacker Jenni Hermoso on the lips — an act Hermoso has called non-consensual in public statements — calling the team together to announce that he would marry Hermoso in Ibiza, and grabbing at his nether regions while celebrating at full time.

“The RFEF announces the presentation of as many legal actions as may correspond in defense of the honorability of the President of the RFEF who has exposed in a clear and simple way how the events that are the cause of conflict and ridicule on the part of broad sectors of the society occurred against [Rubiales],” read the RFEF statement.

Going much further than this, the statement then claimed “that the facts exposed by Mr. President are absolutely true and that he is not lying,” offering as proof a four-photo slideshow claiming to prove that Hermoso lifted the (much larger) Rubiales, and that this lift exonerated the federation head.

This allegation comes despite video from the trophy ceremony showing Rubiales, very much with his feet on the stage throughout an overly long hug that ended with a kiss that Hermoso called “an act without any consent on my part” in a social media post of her own.

Rubiales was criticized most pointedly for the kiss, eventually offering a tepid apology. The reaction grew louder, with the acting prime minister and second deputy prime minister among the voices calling for a more thorough apology or Rubiales’ resignation.

While he was reportedly on the verge of doing so, and just one day after FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against him, Rubiales instead chose to lash out at his critics, declaring that he would not resign at an RFEF meeting. In a particularly grim coda, this declaration was met with a round of applause from the heavily male officials and observers present.

If these do not sound like the appropriate actions for a federation president to you, that’s probably because you are anyone but the decision-makers at the RFEF.

RFEF defiant in face of criticism

Since then, the condemnation from around the soccer world has grown into a deafening roar. Spain’s players — you know, the ones that literally just won the World Cup — signed a collective letter saying that none of them would play for the federation until “sporting and structural changes” were implemented. Spain men’s forward Borja Iglesias said he, too, would refuse call-ups as long as Rubiales is in place. Multiple Spanish clubs called for Rubiales to go, as did star players from around the soccer and sporting world.

Unfortunately, those expecting the quick and obvious resolution that would be Rubiales’ dismissal are probably not going to get what they want. The RFEF is nothing if not utterly defiant, much in the manner that it offered a pro-Jorge Vilda post to social media moments after the end of the final, and in its handling of 15 Spain players calling for Vilda’s ouster and other changes late in 2022.

Perhaps the most telling scene amid all of this is that applause Rubiales got when loudly and repeatedly going on about how he wouldn’t resign. Vilda and Spain men’s head coach Luis de la Fuente — both Spanish federation lifers who have not held coaching positions anywhere outside of the country’s youth national team programs in over a decade — were shown on camera joining that applause, choosing fealty to a powerful functionary over simple human respect and decency.

If the RFEF had enough voices in-house calling for Rubiales to go, he’d be gone. A man like him will be a problem in a position of power, but only as long as he’s given support and protection from those like him.

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World Cup champion Spain on strike after Rubiales refuses to step down

Jenni Hermoso has also rejected a claim from the federation president that his kiss was consensual

The entire Spain roster that won the 2023 World Cup said in a joint statement that they will not play for the national team as long as “current leaders” continue in their positions.

The letter, released through the Spanish players’ union FUTPRO, was issued as a response to an extraordinary speech given by Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales earlier on Friday, during which he refused to resign despite widespread reports he would do so.

Rubiales has been under huge pressure after his kiss on the lips of Spain star Jenni Hermoso following Sunday’s World Cup final.

In his speech on Friday, Rubiales insisted that Hermoso had consented to the kiss. But in the letter from FUTPRO, Hermoso flatly denied having done so.

“I want to clarify that, as seen in the images, at no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me and, of course, in no case did I seek to lift up the president. I do not tolerate my word being questioned, much less words that I haven’t said be made up,” Hermoso said.

A total of 81 players from Spain’s past and present signed the letter, including all 23 on the World Cup roster.

It was unclear if the Spanish players were calling for the ouster of anyone other than Rubiales. The team’s issues with the RFEF long predate the incident between Rubiales and Hermoso, with 15 players going on strike last fall to protest poor working conditions and the methods of head coach Jorge Vilda.

The RFEF, led by Rubiales, backed Vilda, who stayed in charge through the World Cup. Of the 15 players who initially revolted last fall, only three returned to the World Cup roster.

Full letter from Spain women’s national team

As a result of the events that took place this morning and given the perplexity of the speech delivered by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Mr. Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar, the players of the senior team, recent world champions, in support of Jennifer Hermoso, want to express their firm and resounding condemnation of behaviors that have violated the dignity of women.

In view of the statements made by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Jennifer Hermoso wants to flatly deny that she consented to the kiss that Don Luis Manuel Rubiales Béjar gave her in the World Cup Final. 

“I want to clarify that, as seen in the images, at no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me and, of course, in no case did I seek to lift up the president. I do not tolerate my word being questioned, much less words that I haven’t said be made up,” says Hermoso.

From our union we want to emphasize that no woman should feel the need to respond to the forceful images that the whole world has seen and of course, they should not be involved in non-consensual attitudes.

The players of the Spanish national team, current world champions, expect forceful answers from the public powers so that actions such as those contained do not go unpunished.

We want to end this statement, asking for real changes, both sporting and structural, that help the national team to continue growing, in order to transfer this great success to later generations. It fills us with sadness that such an unacceptable event is managing to tarnish the greatest sporting success of Spanish women’s football.

After everything that happened during the Women’s World Cup, we want to state that all the players who sign this letter will not return a call for the national team if the current leaders continue.

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Ashley Sanchez: USWNT World Cup role ‘not what I had planned’

Sanchez called the USWNT’s World Cup trip ‘a tough experience’

It’s safe to say that no one associated with the U.S. women’s national team had the World Cup they had envisioned.

Few players are likely feeling that as keenly as Ashley Sanchez.

The Washington Spirit playmaker did not play a single second for the USWNT at the World Cup, a wholly unexpected turn of events that has resulted in plenty of criticism for the team’s former coach, Vlatko Andonovski.

Speaking to reporters after her NWSL club’s training session on Wednesday, Sanchez declined to go into much depth about how the World Cup went for her, only conceding that she had imagined the experience would be different than it was.

“I probably shouldn’t comment on that,” said Sanchez. “Let’s just say the role was not what I had planned.”

Sanchez had solid reason to plan on some real minutes at this World Cup. For one thing, the USWNT ended the tournament on a 238-minute run without scoring a goal, the last 120 of which came with Rose Lavelle suspended. The realities of the tournament seemed to strongly indicate a need for a creative player whose whole career is predicated on opening up opposing defenses.

Additionally, Sanchez had become a regular under Andonovski. After receiving her first cap in a November 2021 win over Australia, the 24-year-old had appeared in 25 of a possible 28 USWNT matches heading into the World Cup, including a start in the team’s send-off friendly win over Wales.

Instead, Andonovski — who had raised eyebrows already by including three No. 10s, including Sanchez, on his roster — opted to start Savannah DeMelo against Vietnam and the Netherlands. Lavelle’s only start of the tournament came against Portugal, while a formation change saw Lindsey Horan deployed in a more attacking role for the team’s final game, a round of 16 loss on penalties against Sweden.

Sanchez would join center back Alana Cook, another previously established regular for Andonovski, as the only two field players who spent the entire four-game run on the bench.

Speaking more generally about the USWNT’s World Cup, Sanchez called the event “a tough experience” for the team, adding that her full attention has now shifted to Washington’s NWSL stretch run.

“Obviously we needed time to process what happened, but as soon as it was over and we’re back here, our main focus is on the Spirit,” said Sanchez. “We can’t really look back and be thinking in the past anymore, and we have a new goal to be obviously champions again. So I think that’s our sole focus right now.”

Sanchez’s teammates for club and country were quick to note that even though Sanchez was deprived of a role on the field, she still offered the USWNT everything she could throughout the tournament.

“I was so impressed with Sanchez, because obviously that is such a difficult situation,” Andi Sullivan told reporters. “I think we’re all aware that that can happen to any of us at any point. And she was so steady, at least front-facing to the group, which is part of the [USWNT] culture.

“She was contributing a lot as a teammate. Because like we said, there’s so much stress and tension, and she had the loudest laugh, making jokes, especially around the meal room… She was still giving, and giving such an important aspect to the group. So I’m really impressed with her, and proud of her.”

“I think she handled it as well she could have,” added Aubrey Kingsbury, who like Sanchez was confined to the bench as Alyssa Naeher remained first-choice in goal. “We understand that you have to embrace the role you’ve been given, even if you don’t really like it.”

Sanchez: ‘It’s hard to really process’ World Cup

Regardless of how difficult the World Cup experience was, Sanchez has already taken steps to put it behind her. Making her Spirit return off the bench against the Houston Dash in Sunday’s 1-1 draw, Sanchez scored what was clearly a statement goal roughly 40 seconds after entering as a substitute.

“That felt really good,” Sanchez conceded with a smile. “Honestly, yeah, I needed that.”

“I was laughing maniacally,” said Sullivan, who watched the game from home as she recovered from playing every minute at the World Cup.

Trinity Rodman, who like Sullivan was granted a few extra days to rest after the tournament, added that she “jumped off the couch and started screaming” as Sanchez scored.

“I saw it coming from a mile away, as soon as she started dribbling up the field,” said Rodman. “I was like ‘yup, she’s baaaack!'”

In a follow-up interview with Pro Soccer Wire, Sanchez said there were also more practical concerns in putting the World Cup behind her. Namely, she had to do battle with the major jet lag upon returning to the D.C. suburbs.

“The first two days I was waking up just so early, and couldn’t go back to sleep,” said Sanchez. “I hit the third or fourth day and I slept the whole entire day. And then since then, it’s been good.”

On the tournament as a whole, Sanchez admitted that while she knows going to a World Cup is an achievement in and of itself, it might be a while before she feels that way about an experience that didn’t follow the script.

“I feel like for me, it hasn’t really sunk in. I feel like we got back and we just like started getting into it again,” said Sanchez. “It’s hard to really process, but I feel like we didn’t achieve what we wanted to, and I feel like until we do, it’s not going to feel like an accomplishment [for me], if that makes sense. Like it is an accomplishment, but ultimately our goal was to win, so it doesn’t feel the same.”

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