Freelance sports and football writer for the Morning Star newspaper, FotMob, World Soccer magazine, Guardian US, BBC, and the Soccer Times. MLS, USL, US Open Cup, Concacaf and American soccer reverie. They have a world [cup] to win.
"In the World Cup, we all enjoyed knockout games after the group stage. I call those games of consequence or games of jeopardy." If only there were a US domestic knockout competition older than the World Cup itself that MLS could enter all its teams into.
Jonathan TannenwaldHere was his full answer to the promotion-relegation question:
Spanish FIFA World Cup winner and goalscorer in the final, Ferran Torres, throwing the first pitch at Yankee Stadium ahead of the New York Yankees vs St. Louis Cardinals tonight
USL League One team Portland Hearts of Pine is set to build a new 9,000- to 11,000-seat soccer-specific stadium for its men's and women's teams, aiming to open in 2029. The stadium will be located by the waterfront at Cassidy Point, overlooking the Fore River estuary.
This week's newsletter on the history of the 'Dutch Big Three' was my 100th on Substack. Thanks to those who have followed/subbed so far. It's FREE! Here you go... outsidewrite.substack.com/p/the-histor...
The History of the Netherlands’ ‘Big Three’The Dutch ‘Big Three’ of Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord from Rotterdam and PSV Eindhoven have won 91% of all Eredivisie titles contested since its launch in 1956/57. Here’s how it all began for them.outsidewrite.substack.com
Colorado Rapids done it again (sold their best player and ensured they’ll miss the playoffs for another year)
Tom BogertColorado Rapids done it again. Some deals in recent years: 🇦🇺 Lucas Herrington, $17m + $6m add-ons (Hull City) 🇺🇸 Djordje Mihailovic, $8m (Toronto) 🇨🇦 Moise Bombito, $7.7m + add-ons (OGC Nice) 🇺🇸 Auston Trusty $3m (Arsenal) 🇺🇸 Cole Bassett, $2.65m (Portland)
airbnb I’m staying at unintentionally created the toughest punk album cover of 2027
Also online here morningstaronline.co.uk/article/foot...
Football’s future is not for saleJUST when you think the culmination of the World Cup would mean at least a brief respite from the antics of Fifa president Gianni Infantino, a new development sheds some light on the reasons behind hi...morningstaronline.co.uk
When MLS first started in 1996, Chicago was a very Eastern European side with Peter Nowak and Lubos Kubik and a couple of others. Appealed to the big Polish population in Chicago. Nice to see him there.
Amid all of this, and some comebacks in MLS, the game of the night is probably Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Louisville City in the USL Championship
James NaltonLoads of soccer happening all at once but most importantly @vermontgreenfc.bsky.social are undefeated champions of USL League Two for the second season in a row, defeating Flint City Bucks 2-1 at Atwood Stadium in Michigan.
Kai Wagner crossing to 6ft 6 Neil Pierre might be an MLS cheat code.
Matthew De GeorgeWatch Dylan Nealis get absolutely sonned by Neil Pierre
It’s crazy to me that withdrawing from a major domestic cup is a regular and almost incentivized/logical (i mean from a logistics/schedule p.o.v.) thing in the USA You’d normally ban teams outright in the subsequent tournaments
James NaltonOpen Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup should be the priority for US Soccer teams, not the Leagues Cup, especially not this season with the World Cup break. Instead MLS withdrew teams from the domestic cup again to accommodate it. There are similarities between FIFA's latest stunt and how MLS/SUM operate.
Concacaf drops a hammer on Gianni Infantino: "This recent unilateral and egregious act of poor governance and leadership follows a pattern of missteps and similar behaviour. A comprehensive reckoning with this presidency is imperative." www.concacaf.com/news/concaca...
Concacaf and its 41 Member Associations welcome the withdrawal of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise | ConcacafConcacaf Statementwww.concacaf.com
If we win here we will win everywhere. The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for. The official match poster for Vermont Green FC vs Flint City Bucks, the 2026 USL League Two Final. Designed in Burlington by Tyler Littwin.
The @tampabayrowdies.bsky.social were the first professional sports team in the #TampaBay region, launched in 1975. In the half-century since, the club's original players built a culture that produced #USMNT internationals, and a brand that still resonates. www.uslchampionship.com/news_article...
How the Tampa Bay Rowdies Built a Legacy that Endures Half-a-Century OnThe first pro club on Florida’s Gulf Coast has been joined by others, but has both built the sport locally and remain ingrained in the landscapewww.uslchampionship.comInviting private equity to buy a stake in the World Cup explains a lot of Infantino's behavior during a 2026 tournament where everything was for sale. It is already a blight on the club game and should be resisted in international football. This weekend's Morning Star column.
Maybe I'm just a very, very tired cynic but I don't think we're heading for actual reform just Infantino being a little restrained about the depths of his corruption, he'll stay in place, geasing the MAs that he needs to. The status quo is too beneficial.
James NaltonStatement from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, announcing that plans to introduce a commercial arm of FIFA with stakes for private equity has been scrapped.
Another game being played at Yankee Stadium tonight, as New York City FC face Toronto. Two World Cup hosting cities, but sadly Yankee Stadium wasn't used as the New York New Jersey venue for the World Cup final.