Off the Pitch

With Brimming Optimism/Deafening Pessimism, Here Are The18’s 2022 Soccer Predictions

Of all the years in the 2020s, 2021 was probably the least bad one. Maybe. But worry not; 2022 can’t possibly be as bad as the first two years of the decade, right? According to our 2022 soccer predictions, it’s going to be the best year ever, or at least the best of the last three. 

U.S. Soccer Gives Inaugural Social Impact Award To Black Women’s Player Collective Co-Founder

In October of 2020, after a devastating summer for a country unwilling to reverse centuries of systemic white supremacy, Imani Dorsey and dozens of other Black women playing in the NWSL creating the Black Women’s Player Collective, aimed at advancing opportunities for Black girls in sports and beyond. On Wednesday, the U.S. Soccer Federation honored Dorsey, one of the BWPC’s founding board members, with the inaugural Social Impact Award.

British Watchdog Calls Out Arsenal Over Misleading Crypto Ads

LONDON — Britain's advertising watchdog warned Arsenal on Wednesday over ads for its "fan tokens," a type of cryptocurrency embraced by soccer clubs this year as coronavirus pummelled their revenues.

El Paso Locomotive FC Won Copa Tejas As Best Team In Texas. Its Prize? A Chips & Dip Platter

El Paso Locomotive FC beat out eight teams across three leagues to be crowned the best professional soccer club in Texas, winning the inaugural Copa Tejas Shield. Admittedly, that wasn’t too hard given how bad the MLS and NWSL clubs in Texas were in 2021, but we’re not here to discuss merits; we’re here to discuss ... chips and dip? No, that can’t be right.

Cameroon’s Jerseys Never Disappoint — Just Look At The Latest

There's a giant question mark looming over the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place between Jan. 9 and Feb. 6, with CAF president Patrice Motsepe arriving in the host nation of Cameroon on Monday for critical talks with the government to assess its readiness to host the tournament. 

Champions League Round Of 16 TV Schedule Features A Massive, Pleasant Surprise

Soccer fans across the U.S. have often complained about big TV networks buying up the rights to major competitions only to hide them behind the additional pay walls of streaming services. All four major networks in the country have, at some point, been guilty of this in the last few years. So let’s give credit where credit’s due as CBS announced the 2022 Champions League Round of 16 TV schedule on Monday, including matches on CBS on six of eight match days.

Despite Intense Covid Surge, Premier League Has No Plans To Slow Down Busy Schedule

Premier League clubs have agreed to continue playing games scheduled over the festive period despite a surge in Covid-19 cases postponing several fixtures, the BBC reported on Monday.

Ten Premier League games have been postponed this month due to outbreaks amid a busy schedule where teams are set to play three times between Boxing Day and Jan. 3.

FIFA Claims Biennial World Cup Will Bring In Extra $4.4 Billion; Clubs Say They’ll Lose $9 Billion

International football leaders were told by FIFA on Monday that a switch to a biennial World Cup would create an extra $4.4 billion in revenues for the world body.

FIFA is holding a 'global summit' of leaders of national football federations to discuss their proposal to increase the frequency of the World Cup from every four years to every two.

The financial data forms part of an overall feasibility study which FIFA is presenting on Monday. No vote is planned from the event which forms part of FIFA's consultation process.

Day After Blaming Covid For Shock Champions League Exit, Chelsea’s Match vs. West Ham Postponed

LONDON — Chelsea said its Women's Super League game against West Ham United on Sunday has been postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in its squad, and Manchester City's game against Reading has also been called off.

Chelsea crashed out of the Women's Champions League following a 4-0 defeat by VfL Wolfsburg on Thursday, and more cases were identified when the team arrived home, leading to the cancellation of the West Ham fixture.

Why Lindsey Horan — Not Carli Lloyd — Was The Obvious Choice For USWNT Player Of The Year

Carli Lloyd passed the torch to Lindsey Horan this year. Lloyd, who won two Women’s World Cups wearing the vaunted No. 10 jersey, bequeathed the number to Horan after retiring. On Thursday night, it was Horan who honored the jersey by being named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. 

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