Carlos Vela has been a hot topic this week. Not only because of the commanding way he led LAFC to the MLS Cup Final against Philadelphia Union this Saturday, but also because of the heavy criticism he has received in Mexico after a report emerged saying he had refused to represent the national team in the World Cup. Again.
Major League Soccer wants to add a 30th team early next year, with San Diego and Las Vegas the top candidates.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber confirmed the expansion plans during his annual State of the League address on Thursday in Los Angeles, where LAFC and the Philadelphia Union are preparing for the MLS Cup Final on Saturday.
Garber said the league is in "active discussions" with both cities and hopes to finalize an agreement "sometime in the first half" of 2023.
Video from a Kellyn Acosta press conference ahead of the MLS Cup clash between LAFC and the Philadelphia Union has been spreading on social media after a reporter asked a bizarre question.
Acosta has plenty on his mind. The 27-year-old midfielder is in his 11th season playing in Major League Soccer and has the chance to win his first MLS Cup on Saturday. Acosta is a lock for the United States’ World Cup roster and could make his World Cup debut 16 days after playing in MLS Cup.
The United States’ largest soccer supporters group, the American Outlaws, came under fire Thursday following a New York Times article claiming that a board member accepted a free trip to Qatar in exchange for reporting individuals who are critical of the host nation. The Outlaws have vehemently denied these allegations and issued a statement, saying the organization has never taken money from FIFA or Qatar and will never do so.
There's no one really to blame here. LAFC didn't know it'd be hosting MLS Cup this Saturday until defeating Austin in the Western Conference finals last Sunday, and I will entertain no talk of the game being shifted back to a predetermined neutral location — I'm old enough to remember the Colorado Rapids taking on FC Dallas in Canada.
But Saturday's MLS Cup final at Banc of California Stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles — kick off at 1:05 p.m. on the West Coast — has run directly into a scheduling conflict with the behemoth USC Trojans football program.
Toward the end of September, it looked like LAFC was about to unlock the best of Gareth Bale. He hadn't scored in his last seven appearances (totaling 245 minutes) after finding the net twice in his first four (96 minutes), but more importantly, the 33-year-old Welshman had just recorded his second start.
For the first time in far too long, MLS Cup is a meeting between the premier teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences. If it feels like we've been waiting a while for this sort of heavyweight clash, the anticipation is only heightened by two sides that make creating a 2022 MLS Cup prediction feel like a fool's errand.
Both teams and their respective squads have been steadily building towards this moment for years, and the pain of falling agonizingly short time after time has been eased with a first-ever MLS Cup appearance for both clubs.
In three weeks, the USMNT begins its World Cup campaign in Qatar. Much is still to be decided for the final roster — especially at the goalkeeper position.
During the September international break (with Zack Steffen omitted as a precautionary measure as he recovered from injury), Matt Turner started against Japan and Saudi Arabia. Turner had a strong showing against Japan, and was arguably the top American performer that day, before having little to do in a dull match versus the Saudis in Spain.
Replace the batteries in your TV remote, set your alarm for way-too-early a.m. and get ready to watch the best month of sports of the year as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch World Cup 2022 in the United States.