VANCOUVER WHITECAPS & MLS NEWS
Whitecaps FC to kick off 2020 MLS regular season on February 29 against Sporting Kansas City – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC will kick off the 2020 Major League Soccer regular season when they host Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, February 29 at BC Place. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.
MLS Announces Season and Home Openers – NY Times
MLS runner-up Toronto FC will visit the San Jose Earthquakes in one of eight matches to be played on Feb. 29, the opening day of the 2020 season.
Impact to host Champions League match, MLS opener at Olympic Stadium – Montreal Gazette
It marks the first time in the club’s MLS history that it will open the season at home.
FC Dallas signs Brazilian midfielder Thiago Santos from Palmeiras – Pro Soccer USA
FC Dallas signed Santos, 30, using targeted allocation money. His deal will run through 2022, with team options for more years.
MLS hopes to put 30th team in Charlotte, North Carolina – NBC Sports
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper made a presentation to MLS owners Thursday when they met in a hotel near the Brooklyn Bridge.
The complete list of free agents for the 2020 MLS season – MLS
MLS Free Agency is officially open, and there are a host of players available to sign where they please. The process will be ongoing throughout the offseason, and if you need a handy place to keep track of all the moves as they happen, look no further.
Key transfer window, preseason dates announced for 2020 – Whitecaps FC
Several key MLS dates in 2020, including both the winter and summer MLS transfer windows, were officially released ahead of the new regular season which kicks off on February 29.
MLS teams no longer will play every opponent each season – NBC Sports
Major League Soccer is breaking away from soccer’s tradition of having each team play every opponent in its league.
PACIFIC FC & BC SOCCER NEWS
VISL Division 1 Preview, Week 13 – BC Soccer Web
VISL Division 1 league play is approaching, the dreaded week 13. It could be a weekend that shatters dreams, or gets teams one step closer to achieving success.
Leaders Croatia drop points as Rino’s and Hurricanes close gap at the top of the VMSL Premier Division (with video highlights of two matches) – AFTN
Week 13 of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League (VMSL) is in the books and it was another entertaining weekend of local football action that saw another twist in the title race and a lot of late drama in some of the matches.
Comox Valley United remains atop Vancouver Island Soccer League second division – Comox Valley Record
The Comox Valley United men’s soccer team won its 10th game of the season Dec. 1 with a 6-2 victory over Hellas FC in Victoria.
Whitecaps Academy Report: U-17s kick off Winter Showcase with 2-2 draw – Whitecaps FC
The Whitecaps FC U-17 academy boys – part of the Whitecaps FC Academy System – played their first of three matches at the 2019 Development Academy Winter Showcase on Thursday against FC Cincinnati in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
T-Birds women’s soccer national champions recognized at BC Legislature – UBC
The 2019 U SPORTS National Champion UBC Thunderbirds women’s soccer team enjoyed a unique and privileged opportunity last Thursday, November 28 as their recent title win was recognized at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in Victoria.
Penticton athlete taking soccer career to the next level – Penticton Western News
Since the age of two, Maria Iannone has spent her evenings on a soccer pitch. Now, the Penticton local will have the chance to take her soccer career to the next level when she joins Thompson River University’s WolfPack team next season.
West Vancouver Place for Sport celebrates fundraising success – NS News
The planned $4.9-million facility at West Vancouver Secondary will be for school and community use, and accommodate track and field, soccer, lacrosse, walking and running for all ages, wheelchair sports and various competitive events.
Another Soccer Quest Protégé Stars in Atlanta – Soccer Quest
Soccer Quest is pleased to announce that Aiden Muzio has been selected to play for the Whitecaps U12 Adidas Generation Cup in Atlanta. Aiden has been in the Soccer Quest program for the past 5 years and has worked tirelessly to gain his selection for this MLS academy event.
BC Soccer Web’s 2019-20 Guide to Soccer on TV and Online in Canada – BC Soccer Web
In our 2019-20 Guide to Soccer on Canadian TV, we do our best to sort through the leagues, service options and hardware needed to help you get the most out of your soccer weekends this season. The TV situation is constantly changing as leagues are added and Canadian broadcast rights are sorted out at the last moment, so come back for updates!
PCSL CHALLENGE CUP FINAL PHOTOS: FC Tigers Vancouver 4 Victoria Highlanders 4 (FC Tigers win 4-2 on PKs), July 28, 2019 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.
Power Soccer in BC – SportAbility BC
We believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to participate in physical activity. We currently have programs in Vancouver, Surrey, Nanaimo, Penticton, and are still looking to expand. We are always looking for more athletes, officials, volunteers, and sponsors. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Becoming a BC Soccer Referee – BCSA
Whether you are an experienced referee new to British Columbia or if you are new to the discipline of refereeing BC Soccer Assoc. has a clinic and a pathway for you. The minimum age to become a referee is 12 years old (small sided) and 14 years old (11-a-side). Please enjoy the short video showcasing some Referee programs that BC Soccer offers and continue below for more on how to become a referee in BC!
Free Physiotherapy Clinical Trial for Achilles Pain at UBC – UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Do you have Achilles pain? Interested in free Physiotherapy? If yes, join our clinical trial to look at the effectiveness of intramuscular stimulation (IMS), a form of acupuncture therapy, in treating Achilles tendon pain.
The BC Soccer Web Guide to Empire Field – BC Soccer Web
Empire Fields and Plateau Sports Park is the lofty and formal name given to Vancouver’s newest addition to the soccer scene. Yet, anyone who’s ever kicked or carried both kinds of footballs around these parts knows the place by heart.
Introducing BC Soccer Web Syndication – BC Soccer Web
You can now add BC Soccer Web news to your website simply by adding our new RSS Feed! Find out more.
Send your Soccer News to BC Soccer Web! – BC Soccer Web
BC Soccer Web is the hub for soccer in British Columbia. We want to share your soccer news with the entire province, and you can help by letting us know! We want your match reports, club news, league standings, and info on upcoming tournaments and clinics. Whether you submit links to existing news on the web, or your own original writing, we want to share it with the soccer community in B.C.
CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE & CANADA SOCCER NEWS
Canada’s Jessie Fleming up for MAC Hermann Trophy for a second time – Medicine Hat News
Canadian international Jessie Fleming is one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, honouring the top NCAA soccer player.
Canadian Jessie Fleming hopes to cap UCLA soccer career with NCAA title – Lethbridge News Now
After 74 games in UCLA colours, Canadian international Jessie Fleming’s collegiate soccer career will end at the College Cup in San Jose, Calif.
Cavalry FC re-signs Brown, Minatel and Giantsopoulos for 2020 Canadian Premier League season – TSP
Cavalry FC announced the re-signings of forward Jordan Brown, attacking midfielder Oliver Minatel, and goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos Thursday, with contracts running through the 2020 Canadian Premier League season.
Alphonso Davies and Ashley Lawrence named Canada Soccer Players of the Month for November 2019 – CSA
Alphonso Davies and Ashley Lawrence have been named Canada Soccer’s Players of the Month for November 2019. Davies and Lawrence starred for both club and country during the month, with Davies at FC Bayern Munich in Germany and Lawrence at Paris Saint-Germain FC in France.
Range of pursuits in Alberta Sports Hall of Fame continues to grow – Toronto Sun
DEREK DOUGLAS of Sherwood Park was the first soccer referee from Alberta to attain the position of FIFA International Referee in 1986.
USL & LOWER LEAGUE SOCCER NEWS
TRANSACTIONS: All-League Selections Among Hounds Returnees – USL
2019 USL Championship All-League selections Kenardo Forbes and Thomas Vancaeyezeele are among eight players currently set to return to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for the 2020 USL Championship season as the club announced on Wednesday its initial offseason roster plans.
Monarchs sign 21 year-old forward Joe Gallardo – RSL Soapbox
Real Monarchs SLC have signed 21 year-old FW Joe Gallardo who played 2182 minutes in 25 matches for USL League One side Richmond Kickers in 2019. A predominantly right-footed player Joe scored 6 goals or a goal every 363.7 minutes. Gallardo’s signing is pending league and federation approval while the terms of his signing have not been disclosed.
MyCujoo steps up USL2 streaming output with new deal – Sportbusiness.com
Football streaming platform MyCujoo has struck a deal with the United Soccer League to broadcast more than 500 USL League Two matches during the US competition’s 2020 season.
WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS
Westfield W-League Review, Week 3: Victory elusive in AFC pilot tournament – The Equalizer
Week 3 of Australia’s Westfield W-League season saw another breakout performance from an American forward, as well as action abroad as Melbourne Victory learned some tough lessons in the AFC Women’s Club Championship pilot tournament.
Spending boost could usher in NWSL 2.0, but a showdown with U.S. Soccer awaits – Yahoo Sports
It’s been obvious to anyone paying attention: For the past few years, women’s soccer has been on the rise across the world. Broadcast viewership is up, tickets are selling out, and sponsors are throwing money at the chance to partner with aspirational female athletes.
The inside story of Lyon’s relentless winning machine – The Telegraph
Fifteen years on from being part of a community-based sports club in Lyon, the team now known as Olympique Lyonnais Feminin are the major force in women’s football.
The 100 best female footballers in the world 2019 – The Guardian
Sam Kerr has narrowly beaten Lucy Bronze to finish top of our ranking of the best players in the world this year.
Women’s football in focus: November 2019 – FIFA
There was plenty going on in the world of women’s football in November. FIFA.com rounds up some of the month’s highlights.
Pitch cements FA relationship in deal for Women’s Super League worldwide rights – Sportbusiness.com
The Pitch International agency has been appointed by England’s Football Association to exclusively distribute worldwide broadcast rights to the FA Women’s Super League.
WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Manchester derby: what’s gone wrong and right so far at City and United? – The Guardian
Neither club are where they want to be after 15 games but both Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Pep Guardiola still have time to make the season a success.
Arsenal endures worst run since 1977; Newcastle wins – Sportsnet
Not since 1977 have things been this bad at Arsenal. The struggling Gunners slumped to a 2-1 home loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday, taking the team’s winless streak to nine games in all competitions — its worst run in 42 years.
Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend – The Guardian
Fred is finding his feet under Solskjær, Maddison and Grealish jostle for England attention and do Everton have a new plan?
Marco Silva fired by Everton – NBC Sports
Marco Silva has been fired as manager of Everton, making him the fourth Premier League manager to lose his job in the last 16 days.
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Bayern Munich: The original Bundesliga Klassiker – DW
League leaders Mönchengladbach are set to host champions Bayern Munich, looking to extend their lead over the Bavarians to seven points. Bayern will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat under Hansi Flick.
PSG searching for best form with superstar duo back together – Yahoo Sports
With Neymar and Kylian Mbappe finally both fit and playing in the same team, the pressure is on Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel to get his all-star attack firing on all cylinders going into the second half of the season.
Brendan Rodgers: Leicester manager signs new deal to 2025 – BBC Sport
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers had signed a contract extension committing him to the club until 2025.
Saudi squeeze past Qatar in Doha to set up Gulf Cup final with Bahrain – Inside World Football
Saudi Arabia and Qatar ended 2019 the way they had began it with a blockade derby. This time the venue was Doha’s al-Janoub Stadium, with the Green Falcons winning thanks to a first-half goal from striker Abdullah al-Hamdan. The Saudis will now meet Bahrain in Sunday’s Gulf Cup final.
Bale has never asked to leave Real, says agent – London Free Press
Gareth Bale “is not ecstatic” with life at Real Madrid but has never asked to leave the club, the Welsh forward’s agent has said.
Four years after Blatter left, Infantino is set to gain admission to Olympic club – Inside World Football
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is finally set to enter world sport’s most prestigious club. The 49-year-old is one of three new International Olympic Committee (IOC) members proposed for the next IOC Session in Lausanne on January 10.
Pele’s last Brazil jersey sells for 30,000 euros in Italy – Yahoo Sports
The jersey worn by Brazilian football legend Pele during his final match for the five-time world champions has sold for 30,000 euros ($33,000) in an auction in Italy.
Italian whitewash. Institutionalised racism now making the headlines? – Inside World Football
A leading Italian sports daily has been widely criticised for a headline reading ‘Black Friday’ featuring two leading black Serie A players.
Sol Campbell: ‘Trouble is people got the wrong end of the stick about me’ – The Guardian
Six weeks in and the Sol Campbell regime at Southend has already claimed its first victim. On taking charge at the League One club in October, he quickly identified the players’ diet as one immediate area for improvement and banned ketchup and fizzy drinks from the canteen. At training, a plethora of fitness and conditioning tests sort the greyhounds from the gourmands. Campbell may still be relatively new to the coaching game but he means business.