Tag Archives: soccer

US Soccer Equalizes Pay For Men’s And Women’s Teams

The Associated Press reports: The U.S. Soccer Federation reached milestone agreements to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally, making the American national governing body the first in the sport to promise both sexes matching money. The federation announced separate collective bargaining agreements through December 2028 with the unions for both national teams on Wednesday, ending years of often acrimonious …

Read More »

British Pro Soccer Player Comes Out, First Since 1990

The Guardian reports: The Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has ended decades of silence within men’s football to become the first player in the UK to come out as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990. Daniels only made his senior debut for the club earlier this month, but the 17-year-old says he is ready to act as a role model for …

Read More »

Russia Loses Appeal To Compete In World Cup Playoffs

The Associated Press reports: Russia’s request to freeze a FIFA ban on its soccer teams ahead of next week’s World Cup qualifying playoffs was denied Friday. FIFA said the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the Russian soccer federation’s bid for an urgent interim ruling to freeze the ban pending a full appeal, which could come within weeks. The CAS …

Read More »

Ukrainian Soccer Stars In Tears As UK Stadium Plays “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” To Start The Match

The Liverpool Echo reports: Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko fought back the tears after embracing Vitalii Mykolenko ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Everton at Goodison Park. Both sets of players also took to the pitch showing their support for Ukraine. City first entered the field of play wearing t-shirts with the Ukrainian flag on and had the …

Read More »

US Women’s Soccer Team Wins $24M Settlement

The Washington Post reports: Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and other members of the U.S. women’s national team reached a $24 million settlement with their employer, the U.S. Soccer Federation, over claims that they had been systematically underpaid for years compared with the men’s team.  The settlement, announced Tuesday, ends a landmark case over gender discrimination, one that could resonate throughout …

Read More »

Top Australian Soccer Player Comes Out [VIDEO]

The Guardian reports: A-League midfielder Josh Cavallo says he knows there are other players “living in silence” after becoming the only known current male top-flight professional footballer in the world to come out as gay. Cavallo on Wednesday became a rarity in men’s professional sport, announcing on social media he was “ready to speak about something personal that I’m finally …

Read More »

US Women’s Soccer Takes Bronze In Win Over Australia

NBC News reports: The United States beat Australia 4-3 on Thursday, sealing a women’s soccer bronze medal in what could be a final prize in the international careers of several iconic American stars. Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe sealed the Olympic medal for Team USA with two goals apiece in Kashima, aided by a late defensive effort to survive a …

Read More »

German Soccer Star Sends “Love” To Hungary’s LGBTs

The Hill reports: German soccer player Leon Goretzka sent a message in support of gay rights after scoring his national team’s second goal during a match against Hungary, which has faced growing backlash to a new law seeking to curb the distribution of LGBT content. After Goretzka, a vocal supporter of LGBT rights, scored the equalizing goal, which put Germany …

Read More »

Qatar: All 2022 World Cup Fans Must Be Vaccinated

USA Today reports: Qatar will require spectators at the 2022 World Cup to have received coronavirus vaccines to get into games, the government has announced. Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani told Qatar newspaper editors that the Gulf nation is trying to secure a million vaccine doses to immunize fans wanting to watch the tournament. Sheikh …

Read More »

Mexico Sanctioned For Anti-Gay Slurs By Soccer Fans

Axios reports: FIFA on Friday ordered Mexico to play two official home matches without spectators as a punishment for its fans’ repeated use of a homophobic slur this year. Fans have chanted the slur at Mexican matches for years. Mexican officials stepped up efforts to halt the behavior this spring after growing criticism, but social media campaigns and stadium announcements …

Read More »

US-Mexico Soccer Match Halted For Anti-Gay Chants

ESPN reports: The CONCACAF Nations League final in Denver between the United States and Mexico was marred by unruly fan behavior that included objects thrown onto the field and a brief pause in the game because of fans using an anti-gay chant. The pause occurred during the final moments of the second half before the game went to extra time …

Read More »

DC Pro Soccer Team Paints “I Can’t Breathe” On Field

The Hill reports: Washington D.C.’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team D.C. United on Sunday unveiled a statement in support of the protests over George Floyd’s death: giant letters reading “I can’t breathe” on the team’s Audi Field turf. A tweet from the team Sunday afternoon showed members of the organization posing on the field around the massive statement, which dwarfed …

Read More »

Major League Soccer Suspends Season For 30 Days

Just in via press release: Major League Soccer has suspended match play for 30 days, effective immediately, as the league continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 with its medical task force and public health officials. At the appropriate time, the league and clubs will communicate plans for the continuation of the 2020 season and update the status of league …

Read More »

Bulgarian Soccer Head Resigns After Racist Incident

Politico Europe reports: The head of Bulgaria’s football federation resigned Tuesday, bowing to Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s call for him to quit following a match in Sofia during which Bulgarian fans hurled racist abuse at black England players. “After yesterday’s shameful loss of the Bulgarian national team and in view of our poor football results, I ordered [Sport] Minister Krasen …

Read More »

FIFA Match Suspended Over Nazi Salutes, Racist Chants

Reuters reports: The Euro 2020 qualifier between Bulgaria and England was twice halted by the match referee in the first half on Monday under a three-step UEFA protocol to tackle racist abuse from the crowd. Britain’s Sky Sports television said racist chanting was heard from the stands and reported by England players to manager Gareth Southgate, with the referee informed …

Read More »

FIFA Names Megan Rapinoe Female Player Of The Year

Sports Illustrated reports: Know your audience. Megan Rapinoe has always had an uncanny ability to pick the right tone and the right words when she speaks in public, and she did it again on Monday in Milan as she received the FIFA award for the women’s world player of the year. On this occasion, Rapinoe realized that the audience she …

Read More »

LIVE VIDEO: NYC’s World Cup Ticker-Tape Parade

FiveThirtyEight reports: A ticker-tape parade through lower Manhattan is pretty much the quintessential homecoming for American heroes. So it’s fitting that the conquering U.S. women’s soccer team — which won the World Cup on Sunday — will get its second parade in four years down New York City’s “Canyon of Heroes” on Wednesday morning. That’s an appropriate honor after one …

Read More »

Trump Congratulates “Exciting” World Cup Winners

CNN reports: The US Women’s National Soccer Team captured a record-extending fourth World Cup Sunday with a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the championship game. Megan Rapinoe — who has publicly feuded with President Donald Trump in the lead up to Sunday’s win — scored a penalty goal in the second half to give the Americans a 1-0 lead. …

Read More »

US Wins World Cup In 2-0 Victory Over Netherlands

The New York Times reports: The United States was denied for a half. But in the end, there was no stopping the Americans. The United States women’s soccer team claimed its fourth straight Women’s World Cup title on Sunday, beating a valiant Netherlands team. 2-0, in Lyon, France, to repeat as world champions. Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle scored second-half …

Read More »

US Beats England 2-1 To Advance To World Cup Final

The New York Times reports: It’s OVER!! The United States is back in the World Cup final! The United States returned to the World Cup final with a thrilling 2-1 victory over England on Tuesday in Lyon, France. Christen Press, a surprise starter for an injured Megan Rapinoe, and Alex Morgan, on her 30th birthday, scored for the Americans. It …

Read More »