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MLS

A sense of stagnation is setting in around MLS. The league needs a World Cup bump

The 1994 World Cup transformed the domestic game in the US. MLS will hope a similar change can give the league a much-needed joltIn the thinking of the people who put them on, mega-events can never just be their own thing. They must leave a legacy, or, if possible, a Legacy. Remake the landscape; a…

MLS

Is Pep Guardiola the man to replace Lionel Messi as MLS’s crown jewel?

The former Manchester City manager is always interested in fresh challenges. Taking on another continent could be tempting as he embarks on a new chapterWhere do you go after Lionel Messi, Major League Soccer? ?This is not just a question MLS will ponder, but one soccer in general has been thinking…

MLS

Phil Neville leaves Portland Timbers after admitting results did not match expectations

Team sit 13th in MLS’s West ConferenceNeville thanks club and fans after departurePhil Neville is no longer in charge of the Portland Timbers after they announced they had “mutually parted ways” with their head coach.“In my nearly two decades of owning and operating the Portland Timbers, there are …

MLS

‘I was upset for him’: how Real Salt Lake reacted to Diego Luna’s USMNT exclusion

Luna and Zavier Gozo’s World Cup dreams ended with a Friday email from US SoccerReal Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni was in disbelief. The US roster for the World Cup would include neither his team’s star playmaker Diego Luna nor their head-turning youngster, Zavier Gozo. While the uncapped Gozo wa…

MLS

Lionel Messi exits final Miami game before World Cup with possible injury

Messi exited Miami’s 6-4 win in the 73rd minuteArgentina’s World Cup begins in 23 days v AlgeriaLionel Messi exited Inter Miami’s wild 6-4 win against the Philadelphia Union early on Sunday night, a worrying sight for the Argentina side he captains in his last game before he joins up with the natio…

MLS

Can ‘slow progress’ lead the United States to produce a top-20 player in the world?

Figures from around the American men’s soccer scene agree that the talent level is rising, but much work remains to improve the US men’s national teamThe US men’s national team roster for the 2026 World Cup will be unveiled on Tuesday, and according to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the team is su…

MLS

MLS lobbying Ifab to explore stopping clock for pauses in play

Clock would stop for injuries, substitutions and set piecesMLS previously used a stopping clock from 1996-1999Ifab last debated a stopping clock in 2017Major League Soccer has had discussions with the International Football Association Board, global football’s rule making body, about trialing the u…

MLS

The player who chugged a beer on the field and Phil Neville returns to Miami: MLS weekend wrap

Also: Guilherme helps Houston lift off, Wilfried Zaha strikes back and Orlando City bide their time as Antoine Griezmann waitsThere are simple adages which help us navigate this mad world. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When it heaves a beer your way on the field at PayPal Park, you giv…

MLS

How MLS has become a key proving ground for Socceroos World Cup hopefuls

A sizeable contingent of Australian players in the US adds intrigue to the upcoming Group D clash between the two nationsLucas Herrington was once dubbed a “baby giraffe” for his gangly frame, but he has emerged as a genuine bolter for the Socceroos’ World Cup squad. While the 18-year-old’s rapid g…

MLS

$28.3m Messi is MLS’s top earner again, making more than twice as much as Son

The Inter Miami and LAFC stars are the highest-paid players in the league by a distance, while other new arrivals’ numbers are revealed for the first timeLionel Messi is receiving even more on his second MLS contract, as unveiled in the MLS Players Association’s latest drop of player salary informa…

MLS

New England’s Revolution are a surprise contender: MLS weekend wrap

Also: James Rodríguez finally makes his mark with Minnesota, and a perfect stat line appears in the BronxThere are points up for grabs in the East. Inter Miami tooled up to defend their MLS Cup title with uneven results. The Philadelphia Union have dropped them from the top of the heap to the cella…

MLS

Inter Miami are dropping points, and their stars are in hiding: MLS weekend wrap

Also: Cavan Sullivan had some choice words after his substitution and there’s trouble in San DiegoAnother Inter Miami match, another hat-trick by an Argentinian No 10. Just not the one you expected.Martín Ojeda put on a masterclass on Sunday and led Orlando City to a shocking 4-3 defeat of Miami th…

MLS

A World Cup surprise? The MLS youngsters who can make cases for the USMNT roster

The summer will probably come too soon, but if Mauricio Pochettino does move to bring an upstart, Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are among the contendersWith the US roster scheduled to drop on 26 May, it is crunch time for Mauricio Pochettino to finalize his World Cup squad.There were few glowing segm…

MLS

MLS commissioner’s X account called British Columbia premier a ‘liar’ in deleted post

Don Garber claims his account was ‘compromised’Whitecaps face a potential relocationMajor League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said his X account was “compromised” on Wednesday evening, a statement offered after a post on his account called British Columbia Premier David Eby a “liar” earlier in th…

MLS

Timo Werner has found his role, and his form: MLS weekend wrap

Also: Sporting Kansas City are on pace for one of MLS’s worst-ever season, and Matt Turner is giving USMNT fans something to think aboutIn his near-30-year run as a head coach in the elite tier of American soccer, Bruce Arena has never claimed to be a tactical genius. In fact he has expressed open …

MLS

A calendar flip away from summer could do more harm than good for the NWSL | Jeff Rueter

A change from a summer slate to a fall-to-spring schedule would align the league with much of global soccer, but it may not be what’s best for players and fansLong before professional soccer broke through in the American landscape, the sport was a staple of summertime.For decades, soccer has been a…

MLS

The Vancouver Whitecaps are MLS’s best team this season. Why are they on life support?

The Canadian side have the league’s best record, the best defender, a global superstar, and a ‘for sale’ sign in the windowWhen the Vancouver Whitecaps went up for sale, the club was already bruised and bloodied. It was December 2024, and Vancouver had just limped to an eighth-place finish in the M…

MLS

Diego Luna is making his strongest case for a US World Cup roster spot

Also in this week’s MLS weekend wrap, Messi saves Miami again, and the Columbus Crew simply can’t hold a leadSign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletterTwelve months ago, Diego Luna’s place on the US roster for the World Cup seemed as secure as anybody’s. He was an early favori…

MLS

Michael Bradley’s Red Bulls are impressing in MLS – what could come next?

The longtime USMNT standout is following in the footsteps of his father, coaching with a deep appreciation of what makes American soccer specialThe timing was ideal. The day after Red Bull New York won their 2026 MLS home opener 1-0, with three academy products becoming the youngest trio to combine…

MLS

MLS will have fewer US World Cup players than ever. Its impact is being felt anyway

The league’s emphasis on youth development has seen its place in the careers of US national team players shift dramaticallySign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletterWhen the United States men’s national team traveled to France for the 1998 World Cup, they did so with 16 Major …