Top games to watch this week
Friday
Martinique vs Panama (Gold Cup)
El Salvador vs Costa Rica (Gold Cup)
Vélez Sarsfield vs Arsenal (Argentina Primera Division)
América vs Juárez (Liga MX)
Tijuana vs Pumas UNAM (Liga MX)
Saturday
Cuba vs Guadeloupe (Gold Cup)
Guatemala vs Canada (Gold Cup)
Tigres UANL vs Puebla (Liga MX)
Atlas vs Cruz Azul (Liga MX)
Sao Paulo vs Fluminense (Brasileirao)
Internacional vs Cruzeiro (Brasileirao)
Cincinnati vs New England (MLS)
Dallas vs Los Angeles FC (MLS)
St. Louis City vs Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Seattle Sounders vs Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Barracas Central vs River Plate (Argentine Primera Division)
Sunday
USA vs Trinidad and Tobago (Gold Cup)
Jamaica vs Saint Kitts and Nevis (Gold Cup)
Honduras vs Haiti (Gold Cup)
Mexico vs Qatar (Gold Cup)
Athletico-PR vs Palmeiras (Brasileirao)
Atlanta United vs Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Toluca vs Necaxa (Liga MX)
Santos Laguna vs Querétaro (Liga MX)
Monday
León vs Guadalajara (Liga MX)
Goiás vs Coritiba (Brasileirao)
Newell's vs Gimnasia la Plata (Argentine Primera Division)
Tuesday
Canada vs Cuba (Gold Cup)
Guadeloupe vs Guatemala (Gold Cup)
Panama vs El Salvador (Gold Cup)
Costa Rica vs Martinique (Gold Cup)
Dallas vs DC United (MLS)
LA Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC (MLS)
Wednesday
New York vs Charlotte (MLS)
Racing Club vs San Lorenzo (Argentine Primera Division)
River Plate vs Colón (Argentine Primera Division)
UEFA Euro U21 – Semifinal 1
UEFA Euro U21 – Semifinal 2
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: June 26-28, 2023
The numbers are finally in! In the absence of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and Liga MX (which returns soon), the CONCACAF Gold Cup dominated the viewership numbers among soccer fans in the USA, with the exciting tournament treating us to a handful of interesting games on Monday through Wednesday.
The USMNT and Canada were in action during this period and despite them being two of the biggest nations in the North America, Central America, and Caribbean region, it was the showdown between Guatemala and Cuba that garnered the largest audience for one single network. Just over a quarter of a million people tuned in to TUDN to catch Guatemala's 1-0 victory while FS1 brought in an additional average viewership of 194,000 for this tie.
Nonetheless, the Stars and Stripes made it to the podium, finishing in a close second with an average viewership of 276,000 and a viewership rating of 0.12 on TUDN with their 6-0 thrashing of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Jesus Ferreira scored a hat-trick for the USA in this victory; however, the reigning champions have not secured progression yet and will need to avoid defeat in their final group-stage game in order to do that.
And finally, we have Panama's 2-1 win over Costa Rica, with an average viewership of 226,000 tuning in to TUDN to catch Los Ticos' disappointing loss. Jose Fajardo and Édgar Yoel Bárcenas Herrera scored the goals for Los Canaleros, leaving them in pole position to make the knockout round.
Mexico vs Qatar live this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, the FOX Sports App, Foxsports.com, TUDN USA, TUDN App,TUDN.com, Univision, and Univision NOW
Mexico have sealed progression to the knockout stage after beating Haiti 3-1 but El Tri will want to wrap up the group stage with a bang. The North American giants have won both of their games so far, scoring seven times while only conceding once, and could finish the group stage with a perfect record. However, for Qatar, it is do or die as the Gulf nation need to beat the competition's most successful team in order to progress. Even a win might not be enough for Al-Annabi as Haiti, who play bottom-of-the-table Honduras on the final day, are two points ahead, thus setting up an exciting end to Group B.
León vs Guadalajara live this Monday at 10 p.m. ET on TUDN USA, the TUDN App, and TUDN.com
Liga MX is back! Matchday 1 of the Apertura gets underway on Friday with Juarez's trip to Club America but the match to watch this round will be Guadalajara's clash with León on Monday. Chivas, who were last season's Clausura runners-up, having lost the final to Tigres UANL, take on the CONCACAF Champions League winners in their opening game. Los Esmeraldas, meanwhile, return to the pitch for the first time since beating LAFC 3-1 on aggregate to be crowned the champions of CONCACAF. Will Leon continue their lovely form and triumph over Guadalajara? Tune in to TUDN to catch the action live.
Excited for the new Liga MX season? Check out our comprehensive TV and streaming guide for the 2023 Apertura campaign to find out where to catch all the action live in your country.
Major League Soccer: Preview, news and broadcast details for Matchday 22
Matchday 22 of the 2023 MLS season is set to get underway this weekend, with all but one of the matches taking place on Saturday, July 1st. As such, it's set to be another action-packed round, with plenty of great games and interesting storylines to keep fans entertained throughout.
Here's all you need to know ahead of matchday 22 in MLS.
How to watch Matchday 22 in the 2023 MLS season
One of the biggest games this weekend will star the two top teams in the Eastern Conference: Cincinnati and New England Revolution. Cincinnati, who are having their best-ever start to the campaign, come into this crunch clash having suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to DC United last time out. That marked only the second loss for the current Eastern Conference leaders, who have now seen their lead cut to seven points ahead of Saturday's game.
Meanwhile, the Revs have been revving it up lately, with three wins on the spin to help them vault up the table and climb into second spot. Should they pick up a win on Saturday, they will cut Cincinnati's lead to just four and potentially shift the conversation in the title race.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, Nashville will aim to rebound from back-to-back defeats when they host DC United. Nashville are in third spot, just one point behind New England Revolution, meaning that if they can beat United and the Revs slip up against Cincinnati, they could ultimately move into second. And Philadelphia Union are another side who could move up a couple of places in the table, depending on the results from their clash at Atlanta United on Sunday, July 2nd.
Over in the Western Conference, the leadership board has changed after last round. Currently, it's St. Louis who are on top of the table, with 32 points, and it goes without saying that they will be looking to try to retain that place when they host struggling Colorado Rapids this weekend. Meanwhile, Los Angeles are tied on 32 points with St. Louis, but slid into second following their loss last round. They can still reclaim top spot should they beat a Dallas side who've won just one of their last five MLS games. Interestingly, both the St. Louis-Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles-Dallas games will be taking place at the same time (20.30 EST/17.30 PST), so the two top spots could end up flip-flopping several times as those games get underway.
Some fans, especially those in the USA and Canada, will be able to follow some of these games on TV. However, for those who can't access MLS games via TV or prefer a more flexible option, MLS Season Pass offers live streaming of MLS matches in over 100 countries worldwide.
Top news of the week in Major League Soccer
New boss for struggling Inter Miami...and a reunion with two of his former players
In a desperate bid to revive their fortunes, Inter Miami, who sacked Phil Neville a few weeks back, have now turned to a very familiar face to lead the team: Gerardo "Tata" Martino. The Argentinian tactician is no stranger to MLS, having coached Atlanta United, where he led them to win the MLS Cup during his second season in charge.
Martino's appointment is especially interesting as it will see him reunite with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, both of whom he coached during his brief spell at Barcelona. Fans will naturally hope that a new man on the bench, as well as two big name players, will be the tonic Inter Miami need in order to start working their way up the table.
Can Toronto turn their season around after Bob Bradley's departure?
Toronto's latest poor result, a 2-1 defeat to New England last weekend, proved to be the final straw for the team's executives as far as Bob Bradley was concerned. The American tactician had been publicly criticized by several of his players, namely Italian duo Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernadeschi, but now, with Bradley gone, it's clear that Toronto's owners will expect them, as well as others, to step up to the plate.
Terry Dunfield is set to take charge of the struggling club, who are second from last in the Eastern Conference and will hope to revive themselves as they host Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
Make sure to check out our special Major League Soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
Biggest stories of the week
DONE DEAL: Juventus reportedly finalize $13M deal for USMNT striker
Juventus are nearly close to finalizing one of their summer signings, as reports from Italy indicate that Timothy Weah has undergone a medical and just needs some final touches to officially register him as a Juventus player.
The Bianconeri, who are facing problems both on and off the pitch, ended up finishing in a very disappointing seventh place following their points deduction for financial irregularities. That means that the Turin giants will miss out on Champions League football, but that nonetheless has not stopped them from being ambitious in this summer's transfer market.
According to reports, Weah, a USMNT international, has cost them approximately $13.5 million to prize him away from Lille. The son of Liberian icon and president George Weah, who won a Ballon d'Or while at AC Milan, will be eager to also make his mark in Serie A in what will be his first foray into Italian football.
Weah also becomes the second American signing for Juventus, following in the footsteps of his USMNT colleague Weston McKennie, but will hope for better luck than McKennie, who started out well at Juventus only to go on loan with Leeds and now find himself in a tough spot after the English side were relegated.
All in all, it will be interesting to see what role Weah plays in Juventus's team for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old is quite versatile, as he has played as a winger on both sides of the pitch for Lille and a more front-facing role for the USMNT.
'Tata' Martino shares details of first talk with Messi ahead of Inter Miami reunion
Most fans and experts believed that Lionel Messi was just ready to kick back and enjoy his final days in soccer when he chose to join MLS side Inter Miami. According to newly-appointed coach Gerardo Martino, that is not what he has in mind.
During the press conference where he was unveiled as Inter's new coach, Martino revealed details of a juicy conversation he had with both Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, who are set to join the MLS side next month after signing lucrative deals. In the presser, Martino revealed that those who believe Messi has lost his competitive fire after joining the league might be in for a surprise.
"When we spoke with Leo and with Sergio (Busquets), we talked about coming here to succeed, to compete, and do it the right way. Sometimes you associate playing in the U.S. and most of all in Miami with a vacation, and that is not it. We want to compete, they are looking forward to it," Martino said.
The former Mexico and Atlanta United coach went on about how their desire to increase their resume will do wonders for the team.
"They come here after winning World Cup titles, after winning La Liga, they are not the type of players that are going to come down here to relax. They can't afford that luxury because it is in their blood, and that is what we will try to do with this team," Martino added.
Before the Q&A ended, the coach admitted that the league will face a different landscape once Lionel Messi joins the competition.
"Having the best player in the world coming here will open a lot of growth opportunities. I see the U.S. as a country where it is not common to let these opportunities go away, and Messi's presence in this league will make the MLS even better," Martino concluded.
Martino will work one more time with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets after his failed spell with Barcelona in 2014. He then went on to coach "La Pulga" with La Albiceleste between 2014 and 2016, failing to win any titles with the national team while ending as runner-up in two consecutive Copa América editions.
Inter Milan ace snubs Barcelona to join CR7 in Saudi Arabia
Being tempted by Barcelona has been enough for some players to turn down offers from Saudi Arabian teams, but in this case, not even the Blaugrana side's interest was able to get one of Inter's finest players to join them.
The Italian club confirmed that midfielder Marcelo Brozovic will no longer be part of the club, as he has decided to take an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr. Apparently, the deal had to be put on hold due to Barcelona's interest in hiring the player, but things did not go as the Spanish club wanted to, and the Croatian footballer is now on his way to meet his new teammates, including Cristiano Ronaldo.
In fact, Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed that Brozovic was "too expensive" for the team he is in charge of to try and lure him away from Inter.
Following Laporta's words, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano revealed that Brozovic will be joining Al Nassr on a three-year deal, which will grant the midfielder over $30M per season. Once Brozovic is unveiled with the yellow and blue club, he will be joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Hakim Ziyech and David Ospina in an attempt to win one more title for the Faris Najd.
Brozovic will add his name to a list of footballers who have decided to join the Saudi Arabian league, which includes N'Golo Kanté, Edouard Mendy, Karim Benzema and many more.
DONE DEAL: Manchester United seal move for Chelsea's Mason Mount
Chelsea's decision to offload some of their players due to their lack of European football next season keeps seeing some of their talented players leaving, and this time, the team that will claim the benefits is none other than Manchester United.
Reports surrounding Chelsea's camp suggested that Mason Mount was set to sign a deal to join the Red Devils. Those reports were subsequently followed by the confirmation provided by Fabrizio Romano, who revealed details of the agreement between the two English clubs.
According to Romano, the deal between Chelsea and the Red Devils will see the latter paying their Premier League rivals over $75M for the player's services. Romano added that terms between the club and Mount had been agreed weeks ago, but the deal was delayed due to a difference in valuation.
Mount, who still had one year left in his contract, had been sought out by Bayern München and Arsenal, but his heart was reportedly set on joining Manchester United from day one. Mount will now join an all-star midfield featuring players such as Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen, to name a few.
The Red Devils will now set their sights on boosting their squad in other positions, such as goalkeeper, where David de Gea is set to leave the club after a 12-year stay. Meanwhile, Chelsea will surely continue to transfer footballers in order to make room for some of coach Pochettino's preferred signings.
PSG enraged as Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappe reveals what it will take to leave Paris this summer
The rift between PSG and Kylian Mbappe reaches a new high as the striker has named his demands to leave the club this summer.
Under normal circumstances, the Ligue 1 champions would fight tooth and nail to keep ahold of the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner. But after the attacker publicly confirmed that he will not be extending his Parc des Princes deal past 2024, the continental giants are desperate to cash in on the superstar.
The 24-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and while there is an option for an additional year, only Mbappe can trigger that clause. As a result, the player's decision means PSG are at risk of losing their talisman for free in 12 months, hence the urgency to cash in on him now.
And there is another huge issue. Kylian has no desire to leave the French capital. The player confirmed this on social media in response to a report claiming he is trying to force a move to Real Madrid.
However, the former Monaco sensation has revealed what it will take for him to accept a departure this summer, and much to PSG's distaste, those demands are quite hefty.
According to Marca, Mbappe is in line to earn £130M (approximately $165M) in his final year at the club, £52M of which is his net salary while the remaining £78M is a loyalty bonus, and he is unwilling to let that money go if he were to leave this summer.
Additionally, Marca claims that the player is eyeing a signing on fee from Real Madrid but the Spanish giants will not be able to offer that to him if here were to join this summer. Given that he has a year left on his contract, Los Blancos will have to cough up a transfer fee and are thus only willing to offer the attacker a signing on fee if he were to join for free.
As a result, PSG could also be forced to lower their £172M (just over $218M). The French giants will struggle to sell him to save money on his wages and loyalty bonus while simultaneously garnering a hefty transfer fee.
Concern for Tottenham as European giants table official bid for Spurs superstar Harry Kane
Harry Kane is one of the deadliest strikers in world soccer, and with the Tottenham superstar entering the final year of his contract in North London, he is understandably garnering interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Manchester United have been keeping an eye on the Englishman while Ancelotti named the Three Lions' all-time leading goalscorer as the ideal striker to replace Karim Benzema at Real Madrid. However, only now has an official bid been tabled for the 29-year-old and it did not come from the Red Devils nor Los Blancos.
Instead, German powerhouse Bayern Munich have made an offer for the Premier League sensation, as revealed by David Ornstein of the Athletic, with the Bavarians bidding €70M plus add-ons for Kane. With Thomas Tuchel now in charge at the Allianz Arena, Harry has been linked with the Bundesliga champions as they aim to build on their underwhelming 2022/23 campaign.
Bayern are one of several European giants on the hunt for a new striker. Victor Osimhen has also been on their radar but a move for the Napoli ace has been ruled out due to the Serie A champions' asking price. Additionally, Rasmus Højlund has also been linked but while the Atalanta forward is an undeniable talent, the Danish ace remains a young attacker in need of further development.
As a result, Kane has emerged as the ideal candidate. Not only is he an exceptional goalscorer with great technique on the ball to fit right in at a team as dominant as Bayern Munich, but he is also in the prime of his career and will thus hit the ground running in the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League.
However, as later revealed by Fabrizio Romano, the offer was immediately rejected by Tottenham. €70M translates to $77M and Spurs are unwilling to entertain the idea of selling their talisman for that figure. Manchester United, who are also shopping for a striker, have been forced to look elsewhere after being informed that the player will cost $127M.
Bayern's official offer indicates that the player, who has been keen on overtaking Alan Shearer as the Premier League's all-time top scorer, is open to a move. However, will the Bundesliga giants return with an offer closer to what Spurs are demanding? Only time will tell but Kane's time in North London could be numbered.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Mexico into Gold Cup knockout stage after win over Haiti
Mexico secured their spot in the CONCACAF Gold Cup knockout stage with a game to spare, after beating Haiti 3-1 in Glendale, Arizona, on Thursday.
The win, with all the goals coming in the second half, means Mexico lead Group B with six points from two games, with Haiti three points behind.
Qatar and Honduras both have a point each, drawing 1-1 earlier on Thursday after a stoppage-time leveller from the Central Americans.
Santos end contract of player caught up in bribery scandal
Brazilian club Santos said Thursday they have terminated the contract of defender Eduardo Bauermann, who has been implicated in a match-fixing scandal rocking Brazilian soccer.
The club said the 27-year-old had signed an agreement to end his contract, which was due to run to 2024.
Bauermann is the subject of an investigation by the judiciary of the state of Goias, which in November uncovered a criminal gang fixing first and second division soccer matches.
According to the Goias Public Prosecutor's Office, at least fifteen matches were fixed last year, including eight in the first division.
Players were paid for specific actions in a match such as drawing yellow or red cards.
Santos suspended Bauermann in May and the football authorities gave him a 12-match ban in June.
Tottenham buy Maddison from relegated Leicester
Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday completed the signing of creative midfielder James Maddison from relegated Leicester in a deal worth 40 million pounds (46.3m euros) plus add-ons.
The 26-year-old England international signed a five-year deal.
Maddison began his career with Coventry City before joining Norwich City in January, 2016. He moved to Leicester in 2018 and in five seasons made 203 appearances, scored 55 goals and helped win the FA Cup. He scored 10 goals last season as Leicester were relegated from the Premier League
He has three England caps.
Maddison's creativity will boost a Spurs squad that has lacked a player in his mould since Christian Eriksen left in 2020.
He is the club's third signing of the summer. Winger Dejan Kulusevski's loan switch from Juventus was made permanent and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario joined from another Italian club, Empoli.
