You weren’t already following the Honduran league? 🎅🏽

Today's premium newsletter is delayed, but it'll get to y'all this evening!

A Super Bowl seems like the main target, but if this actually tracks for 2031, could it be in the Women’s World Cup hosting mix?

Two goals in to the AFCON we’ve got a Goal of the Tournament candidate. El Kaabi with an unbelievable hit, twisting his body around to make contact with an overhead kick & make it 2-0

AFCON deserves so much better than beIN’s English coverage.

Turning off @fotmob.com alerts for our brave Guadeloupe side in the Coupe de France.

During tonight’s league meeting in Guatemala, clubs discussed when players will be released for a Jan. 17 friendly for Los Chapines v. #CanMNT taking place on U.S. soil.

Institute goalpost technology.

They're upset about his pfp, but his cover photo is far more intriguing

When you hear your favorite Orlando CIty player is leaving the club.

Mexico finalizing its non-FIFA date preparation matches. El Tri will travel to Panama & Bolivia in late January, then host Iceland in Queretaro on February 25.

Leagues Cup returns from August 4-September 6! It's the same format as 2025. Here are the club rankings, with all Liga MX clubs taking part & 18 MLS teams, by Supporters' Shield standings.

Me to AI

Toluca is the back-to-back Liga MX champion & now has more titles than all but one team. Yet, no matter who won Sunday, the champion would be met with sneers from some corners of the Mexican fan base. Explaining the 'grande' debate for @yahoosports.bsky.social: sports.yahoo.com/soccer/artic...

Someone else was going to have to be Toluca's hero ... until Alexis Vega stepped up and did it again. 😈 Toluca bicampones! PLUS the Conca-catch-up including: 🇬🇹 More rocks than grass in Guatemala 🐶 A dog on the field goes wrong in Belize 🇸🇷 New Natio boss open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

Someone else was going to have to be Toluca's hero ... until Alexis Vega stepped up and did it again. 😈 Toluca bicampones! PLUS the Conca-catch-up including: 🇬🇹 More rocks than grass in Guatemala 🐶 A dog on the field goes wrong in Belize 🇸🇷 New Natio boss open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

Toluca has defended its title and is bicampeon! The Diablos Rojos win a 12-round penalty shootout to get past Tigres with Alexis Vega the hero! They now have 12 titles all-time, tied for second most. What an achievement. More tomorrow here: getconcacafed.substack.com

Yes, sadly another win for my "Let's just go to penalties after 90" effort.

Toluca goalkeeper Hugo Gonzalez dropped to the bench after his error in the first leg, while Alexis Vega appears in the squad as well for the first time in the Liguilla. Gignac again starts for Tigres.

Back from a long injury layoff, Lexi Missimo scores to put the Dallas Trinity up 1-0, then tosses a t-shirt to the crowd.

Matt Wells is arriving to coach the Colorado Rapids, with news breaking the day after a different Matt Wells was let go as K-State's offensive coordinator. Amazing fodder for my college football/soccer in the Americas podcast, "¿Qué miras, Mike Bobo?"

Some thoughts ahead of the Liga MX final, the first leg of which is tonight with the second leg coming Sunday! 💪 Grande status? 👹 No Vega, yes party for Toluca? 👨‍🦳 Tigres getting old, but... open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

Chivas announces that Chicharito's second spell with the club has come to an end. A risk for both after Chicharito's injury & the pressure for the player that simply did not pay off. Will Chicharito return to the U.S.? Retire? Find another Mexican club? We don't know.

Cruz Azul brings SHAME to the Concacaf region, becoming the first team ever to lose the Derby of the Americas.

Welp, Cruz Azul was never the favorite against Flamengo this morning, but Piovi gives the ball away at the back, right to Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who scores without any real difficulty. La Maquina down 1-0.

I suspect as we get closer to the World Cup, you'll see more columns about soccer from me! "As the Haiti v. Brazil match in Philadelphia was announced this week, Haitian community members promised jubilation, tears and rara." www.inquirer.com/opinion/worl...

I salute you, Turkish fan in the Northwest Territories.

Some quick thoughts on the draw for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup including 🦩Messi and Miami's path now that CCC is priorty 🥊 Rivalries (fake and real) renewed 🌇 LA teams in la-la-land? open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

Some quick thoughts on the draw for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup including 🦩Messi and Miami's path now that CCC is priorty 🥊 Rivalries (fake and real) renewed 🌇 LA teams in la-la-land? open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

Concacaf Champions Cup draw is live now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2BB...

SO MUCH to get to in today's newsletter, including - but DEFINITELY not limited to - the Liga MX final, the CCC field getting set, a bizarre forfeit in Honduras & Women's World Cup qualification. open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

SO MUCH to get to in today's newsletter, including - but DEFINITELY not limited to - the Liga MX final, the CCC field getting set, a bizarre forfeit in Honduras & Women's World Cup qualification. open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

All across the USA there are forgotten spaces of American soccer. At dawn, I’m standing at one in St. Louis. Here, at the corner of N Market & N Spring St, the young women of the Craig League played what’s often cited as the first organized women’s league match in 🇺🇸 history.

They already need a new display at the FLL gift shop.

MLS Cup is today! Get ready with some pieces I wrote for @mls.bsky.social: Jordi Alba & Sergio Busquets will play their last professional game today, & Inter Miami hopes to send the legends out with one more title. www.mlssoccer.com/playoffs/202...

Some thoughts on the hand each Concacaf team we know will be at the 2026 World Cup was dealt! 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽 The host with the MOST (difficult group) 🇵🇦 Panama's unwanted chance to show progression 🇭🇹🇨🇼 What would a good draw even have looked like for Haiti, Curacao? open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

Haiti vs. Brazil at the World Cup is going to generate some HUGE watch parties in PAP.

Concacaf should brand next week's Concacaf Champions Cup draw the "Football First Draw" Start with Carlos Fernandez in a room, explain nothing & promise finish it off in four minutes, 39 seconds or less.

So far, Austin FC is the only MLS team whose Minister of Culture has appeared in the FIFA World Cup draw, but it's not over yet!

Fantastic! How many of us long-time soccer sickos have similar anecdotes? 2010 MLS Cup flew Lubbock to Dallas to Buffalo, Megabus to Toronto - crashed with supporters & Couchsurfed - & saw FC Dallas lose MLS Cup on an own goal in extra time. Buuuut at least we also were freezing cold.

I am thrilled to announce my book, The Messi Effect, comes out June 9 and is available now for preorder. This book takes you behind the scenes of Messi in Miami, and into the MLS boardroom as owners debate how to grow in a fast-evolving American soccer landscape. read.macmillan.com/lp/the-messi...

When a star like Thomas Muller turns up, you have to build the team around him, right? But the Vancouver Whitecaps didn't, benefitting from his desire to be a team player & the way he makes those around him better. For @espn.com: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Just when I was ready to crown Alajuelense Central American champ AGAIN, it's a golazo from Juan Cardona of Xelaju to bring the SUPERCHIVAS back level. Right now, we'd be headed to extra time. Live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyxS...

It's pain for Columbus Crew faithful, but all congrats to Wilfried Nancy as he enters the Celtic Park bear pit. A deeply North American success story, and self-made. Nancy touched down in Montreal with just a backpack in 2005, and look at him now. A special one. www.mlssoccer.com/news/this-is...

This reminded me of an all time sports post

Me noticing it's possible to get to a World Cup playoff game in Monterrey/Guadalajara on March 26, Mexico's Portugal friendly re-opening the Azteca on March 28 and then the World Cup playoff decider March 31.

Wow 3,000 words from the last week in the region on: 🐐 Chivas time travel & go out 🇲🇽 All the Liguilla highlights! 🇸🇷 More on Menzo's Suriname departure & potential successor 🇵🇦 A champion is crowned! 🇬🇵 A club from Guadeloupe is headed to the mainland AND MORE open.substack.com/pub/getconca...