USA

Hi, do you like playing soccer? Do you like not sleeping? Then we’ve got the thing for you. To celebrate the start of the 2018 MLS season, NYCFC is hosting a 24-hour soccer marathon, with a five-a-side match that will last a full day. 

The exhibition will be played at Rockefeller Center in New York City, set to start at 4 p.m. (ET) on Friday, March 9, continuing to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 10. About 500 players will have the chance to play soccer at famed 30 Rock as Patrick Vieira, David Villa and other NYCFC players criticize your insistence on toe-poking every shot you take. 

You’ve seen it before: Goalkeeper makes a great save on a PK, pops up and saves the rebound. But this Dynamo save is something different; Houston keeper Chris Seitz made four saves in about five seconds in a preseason friendly against Phoenix Rising FC on Wednesday.

Sepp Blatter, the asshat who once allowed corruption to run rampant as the longtime president of FIFA, spoke out about the 2026 World Cup on Thursday. The man who helped award the next two World Cups to nations with countless human rights violations gave the joint bid from the U.S., Mexico and Canada a boost by saying Morocco is the logical choice to host the tournament in eight years.

For readers in the United States, we live in a time where no one can agree on anything. NBA players can’t agree that the earth isn’t flat, conspiracy theorists can’t agree that Parkland students aren’t actors and politicians sure as hell can’t agree on anything. Well, maybe that last one isn’t quite accurate. On Wednesday, 44 senators came together for a bipartisan agreement, and somehow it involved soccer. The 2026 World Cup, to be specific. 

The 2018 NWSL season will kick off on March 24 with a 2017 NWSL Championship rematch between the Portland Thorns and the North Carolina Courage.

The league released its full 2018 schedule Tuesday, including the games of the week, to be shown on the Lifetime network. Matches that aren't on Lifetime will be streamed via the go90 app and website.

Landon Donovan came in as a second-half sub for Club León on Tuesday night as the American continued his second comeback from retirement. He played about 30 minutes for the Liga MX side in a 4-1 win over second-tier Cafetaleros in Copa MX action. It was his second appearance in 10 León matches since announcing his return to football in January, which begs the question: Is he still getting back to match fitness or was his signing purely a publicity stunt?

“It’s like playing in f*cking Siberia,” said a Toronto FC player entering the pitch before Tuesday night’s CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 first leg against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. The coldest MLS game on record was last season’s “Snow Opener” between Minnesota United and Atlanta United in Minneapolis, which checked in at 19° F.

Zyen Jones, a 17-year-old forward, is set to become the latest American to move to Germany in search of playing time he can’t find in the U.S. Jones, who went on trial with Schalke in January, will move from Atlanta United’s academy to Schalke’s U-19 team when he turns 18 in August. 

We previously wondered how the Las Vegas Lights FC pledge to be the boldest club in North American soccer would play out on the pitch. Having a fantastic, neon-tubed crest and a gaudy home shirt is one thing, but it’s the product on the field that’ll ultimately sustain any interest.

Chelsea rolled into the FA Cup quarterfinals with Olivier Giroud scoring his first goal for the club in an emphatic 4-0 victory over Hull City at Stamford Bridge. The 62nd minute also saw the introduction of Kyle Scott, a U.S. U-20, for his club debut.