Top games to watch this weekend
Friday
Juventus vs Napoli (Serie A)
Getafe vs Valencia (La Liga)
Vizela vs Sporting Braga (Primeira Liga)
Benfica vs Farense (Primeira Liga)
Al Nassr vs Al Riyadh (Saudi Pro League)
Saturday
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool (English Premier League)
Manchester United vs Bournemouth (English Premier League)
Aston Villa vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Real Betis vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
Mallorca vs Sevilla (La Liga)
Atalanta vs Milan (Serie A)
Inter vs Udinese (Serie A)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayern (Bundesliga)
Borussia Dortmund vs RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
Vitoria Guimaraes vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Porto vs Casa Pia (Primeira Liga)
PSG vs Nantes (Ligue 1)
Besiktas vs Fenerbahce (Super Lig)
Columbus Crew vs Los Angeles FC (MLS Cup)
América vs Atlético San Luis (Liga MX)
Al Ahli vs Al Raed (Saudi Pro League)
Sunday
Everton vs Chelsea (English Premier League)
Luton Town vs Manchester City (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Newcastle (English Premier League)
Barcelona vs Girona (La Liga)
Roma vs Fiorentina (Serie A)
Stuttgart vs Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
Tigres UANL vs Pumas UNAM (Liga MX)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: November 27-December 3, 2023
The viewership numbers for soccer matches in the USA from November 27 to December 3, 2023, are in. To no one's surprise, Liga MX dominated the list, with several Apertura quarterfinal fixtures getting over the one-million mark.
In fact, one match-up took up both the first and second slots, with the second leg of Guadalajara's battle with Pumas UNAM grabbing the top spot while the first leg was the runner-up. The second leg, which ended in a 3-0 defeat for Chivas, garnered Univision 1,228,000 million average viewers as Veljko Paunović's side bowed out of the competition.
Telemundo made it to second with its coverage of the first leg, which Chivas won 1-0. Likewise, this game earned just over 1.2 million average viewers, with 1,212,000 million people tuning in, to be precise, securing a viewership rating of 0.53.
Wrapping things up is the 2nd leg Liga MX Apertura quarterfinal showdown between Club America and Leon, which ended in a 2-0 victory — 4-2 on aggregate — for the Eagles. This was another game televised by the Spanish-language network Univision, garnering just under 1.2 million average viewers and a 0.54 viewership rating, as André Jardine's men booked a semifinal clash with San Luis.
For a full breakdown of last week's most-watched soccer games in the USA, click here.
What are this weekend's must-watch games?
Juventus (2nd) vs. Napoli (5th) live this Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET exclusively on Paramount+
Starting things off is a thrilling Serie A showdown between two of the country's biggest teams. Juventus, the most successful club in Italian top-flight history, take on reigning champions Napoli on Friday as Allegri's men look to keep up pace with leaders Inter Milan. Osimhen and Co. recently lost 3-0 at home to the Nerazzurri and need to avoid back-to-back defeats. However, the Old Lady have found their groove this term and should hand the visitors a stern test.
Aston Villa (3rd) vs. Arsenal (1st) live this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on Peacock, NBC USA, Telemundo, and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
Over to the Premier League, Saturday will present fans with a top-of-the-table clash. Leaders Arsenal travel to third-placed Aston Villa on the back of their last-gasp win away to Luton Town, with Declan Rice scoring the winner with the last kick — or header — of the game. Meanwhile, Emery's men beat reigning champions Manchester City 1-0 the following day and have leapfrogged the Cityzens in the standing. Can Unai mastermind a victory over his former club? Don't miss this exciting tie.
Borussia Dortmund (5th) vs. RB Leipzig (4th) live this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESNP+, WatchESPN, and ESPN Deportes
Dortmund will be in for a tricky fixture this weekend as they host RB Leipzig following their frustrating DFB Pokal exit at the hands of Stuttgart. Furthermore, Brandt and Co. were held to a 1-1 draw by league leaders Leverkusen in their most recent outing. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig have suffered a few slip-ups already in the league but sit a point ahead of their rivals and will be aiming to stretch this lead to four points.
Tottenham (5th) vs. Newcastle (7th) live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on USA Network and Telemundo Deportes
Will Tottenham finally end their concerning winless run? Spurs lost 2-1 at home to West Ham on Thursday, leaving them without a win in five games, four of which ended in defeats. As a result, the North London heavyweights have slowly plummeted down the table. Meanwhile, Newcastle enter this game on the back of a frustrating 3-0 loss at Everton and are reeling with an injury crisis. Neither side can afford to drop further points.
Barcelona (3rd) vs. Girona (2nd) live this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes
Barcelona have not been the best Catalan club in La Liga this season as that honor belongs to Girona. However, Sunday's showdown presents the Blaugrana with the opportunity to slash the four-point gap separating the two. Xavi's men are unbeaten in their last four La Liga outings but have been anything but impressive as of late. The visitors, meanwhile, are on a seven-game unbeaten run and will look to register a memorable victory over their regional rivals.
Tigres UANL vs. Pumas UNAM live this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on TUDN USA, Univision USA, Univision NOW, and fuboTV
And wrapping things up is an interesting Liga MX showdown between Tigres UANL and Pumas UNAM. These two sides will lock horns on Sunday in the 2nd leg of their Apertura semifinal match-up. The Clausura 2023 champions won the first leg 1-0 and will have the home advantage in the rematch. Who will make the highly-anticipated final? Tune in to TUDN and Univision to find out the answer.
With the latest international break now over, all attention will turn back towards club soccer, with many of the top leagues in the women's game resuming action this week.
Here is all you need to know ahead of another weekend of women's soccer.
What to watch in women's football: December 8 to December 10
D1 Féminine
The latest round of games in the 2023/24 D1 Féminine gets underway on Friday, December 8th with reigning champs Lyon welcoming Lille. As expected, Lyon, who have won more titles than any other team in history, have a comfortable lead over the chasing pack after winning all nine of their matches to start the current campaign. A tenth straight win - as many expect - against a struggling Lille side will help them move eight points clear of second-placed Paris FC.
Frauen-Bundesliga
Meanwhile, things pick up once again in the Frauen-Bundesliga, with the eighth round of games commencing on December 8th with relegation-threatened sides RB Leipzig and FC Nürnberg locked in a desperate battle for points. Leipzig, who will be hosting the game, are only just narrowly out of the drop zone, while Nürnberg could get themselves out of some trouble with a much-needed win on Friday. Elsewhere, Wolfsburg, who sit in second place and are just one point behind league leaders Bayern Munich, could leapfrog die Roten if they beat Cologne on Saturday.
Women's Super League
The Women's Super League will resume on Saturday, December 9th as Manchester City, who are in third place, welcome Aston Villa, who sit in tenth. The Cityzens will certainly fancy their chances at claiming all three points following their stunning 7-0 demolition of Tottenham in their last game before the international pause, which does not bode well for an Aston Villa side hoping to remain above the relegation zone.
Sunday will be a very busy day for WSL fans, with proceedings kicking off with a highly anticipated clash between Arsenal and Chelsea. Not only is this, of course, a London Derby, but the two sides sit in the second and top spot respectively, and are separated by three points. A win for the Gunners would not help them move to the top of the table, as Chelsea have the overwhelming goal advantage - unless, of course, they manage to somehow beat the Blues by a whopping margin - but would at least put pressure on Emma Hayes's squad as we head into the midway point of the season.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, who have won their last five on the spin and have yet to lose a game this term, will naturally aim to pick up a victory to put a bit more breathing room between themselves and the rest of the table.
Serie A (Women)
Over in Serie A, an interesting battle for the Scudetto is beginning to shape up. At the top of the table sit Roma, who are hoping to win what would be their second title on the trot after clinching it last season. The Giallorosse have made a perfect start to the current campaign, with nine wins from nine games, and are expected to make it 10 in a row when they host floundering Milan on Sunday, December 12th. Meanwhile, Juventus, who have been largely flawless save for a sole loss to Roma, sit in second spot on 24 points but could temporarily pull level with Roma if they, as many expect, defeat a Pomigliano side who caused plenty of drama a while back by threatening to leave Serie A - only to reverse that decision.
Will this be the round that newly promoted Napoli finally catch a break? The Partenopei are the only side in any of Europe's major women's leagues yet to have picked up a single point after losing all nine games so far in the 2023/24 season. They will naturally hope to get a bit of respite when they face a Como side who sit in fifth place but have failed to win their last three games.
Didn't find your favorite women's league on this list? No worries, this is just a highlight of some of the exciting games this week. Check out our special women's soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
The MLS Cup is here! Columbus Crew face LAFC at Lower.com Field in 2023 season finale
On Saturday, the 2023 MLS Cup gets underway as Columbus Crew and Los Angeles battle for the coveted prize. The Crew come into this match having dramatically secured their finals spot, as they overcame a two-goal deficit against Supporters Shield winners Cincinnati to win the match 3-2 in extra time. It was a historic victory for Wilfried Nancy's men, who were not only playing as the away side but became the first team to successfully win a single-elimination match after going down by two goals.
As winners of the Eastern Conference, the Crew will now hope to take their dreams one step further when they welcome the winners of the Western Conference, Los Angeles, to their home turf on Saturday. The visiting side are the reigning champions in the MLS Cup and had a more straightforward journey to this juncture as they battled to a 2-0 win over Houston Dynamo.
Meanwhile, Steve Cherundolo's team could make history in this match. Should the Black and Gold triumph in the MLS Cup final, they will become the fourth time in franchise history to successfully win back-to-back cups - and the first in well over a decade. Interestingly, the last team to have won back-to-back MLS Cups is none other than fellow Los Angeles-based club LA Galaxy, who successfully defended their crown in 2011 and 2012. The game could also end up being the swansong for veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini
Broadcast info: Columbus Crew vs Los Angeles FC
USA: Fans in the USA have plenty of choices to watch and live-stream the 2023 MLS Cup final, including MLS Pass on Apple TV, FOX Network, Foxsports.com, FOX Sports App, and FOX Deportes.
UK: Viewers in the UK can live-stream the 2023 MLS Cup final on MLS Pass on Apple TV.
Check out our full preview of the 2023 MLS Cup for more info, stats, and global broadcast listings.
Biggest stories of the week
2024 Copa América draw results: Brazil and Colombia share 'Group of Death'
In a highly-anticipated draw that took place in Miami, the city where the title match will be held, teams from all over America learned the names of their rivals for the oldest national team tournament in the world. This time, Argentina, Mexico, the United States, and Brazil already knew the group where they would be drawn. Even so, all teams were watching how legends of the game determined their fate.
Group A will see Argentina facing a couple of familiar foes from South America in the form of Peru and Chile, while the final member of this group will be determined in the CONCACAF playoffs set to take place in March 2024 between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
Last, but not least, Group D will be one to catch the eyes of most fans, as Brazil have been paired up against Colombia and Paraguay. Their other rival will come from the play-in tie between Costa Rica and Honduras.
Real Madrid set to make new approach to sign Mbappé, but with certain restrictions
With Mbappé's deal set to expire next summer, the player will be able to start negotiations with any club that wishes to hire him in the first minute of 2024. Real Madrid know this and will pursue his signing one more time, but they will not take anything for granted and will push for a move as soon as possible...or never again.
According to a report by Diario AS, the team will get in touch with the player's agent and mother, Fayza Lamari, on January 1. They will offer their revised terms and a hefty offer to see Mbappé join Los Blancos, but the real difference between this approach and the one they had in the summer of 2022 will be the waiting period for Mbappé's decision since Real Madrid will not wait that much for him to make up his mind.
The article states that Mbappé will have 15 days to decide if he is willing to accept those terms. If he fails to make up his mind, proposes new terms, or simply turns down Real Madrid's offer, then the club will not pursue his signing again. This decision comes from Florentino Pérez himself, who took most of the heat after the failed transfer saga from 2022, which ended in Mbappé's contract extension with PSG.
New soccer documentary 'The Billion Dollar Goal' set to live-stream on Paramount+ on December 11
On December 11th, fans in the USA will be in for a real treat as a new documentary is set to drop on Paramount+. Titled "The Billion Dollar Goal", the documentary, which is split into three parts, will cover the development and rise of soccer in the United States. The documentary also features the late sports journalist Grant Wahl, who passed away in Qatar at last year's World Cup. Wahl will be serving as a narrator and also acted as a supervising producer on the series.
This documentary casts an eye over several facets of soccer in the USA. These include the sport's early days, during which soccer was largely a grassroots affair, the USA's first-ever appearance at a World Cup, and the frustrations experienced during their decades-long absence from the international scene. It also covers the historic goal scored by Paul Caligiuri in a 1989 World Cup qualifier - nicknamed by some of America's media as "The Shot Heard Around the World" - as it ensured that the Stars and Stripes qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, which was their first appearance since 1950.
All in all, the documentary, which will be live-streamed by Paramount+ starting on Monday, December 11th, will provide fans with an intriguing historical analysis of the beautiful game - the ups, the downs, the joys, and the frustrations - as soccer continues to grow in significance in the United States.
Italy's anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba
France's World Cup winner Paul Pogba is facing the possibility of a lengthy ban after Italy's national anti-doping tribunal called for a four-year suspension for the Juventus midfielder, a club source told AFP on Thursday.
Pogba, 30, was provisionally suspended in September after he tested positive for testosterone. A month later a B sample confirmed the presence of the substance.
Proceedings by the Italian sports justice system are underway while the Turin public prosecutor's office has also started a judicial investigation, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Klopp slams 'ignorant' TV presenter after kick-off comment
Jurgen Klopp blasted an "ignorant" television presenter for making a joke about Liverpool's next game after Wednesday's 2-0 win at Sheffield United being on a Saturday lunchtime.
Klopp was furious when Amazon Prime Video presenter Marcus Buckland mentioned to the Liverpool boss that his team were next in action against Crystal Palace in the early kick-off on Saturday.
The German was speaking in a post-match pitchside interview following Liverpool's 2-0 success against United in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Goals from Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai at Bramall Lane moved Liverpool within two points of leaders Arsenal.
Disgraced former Spanish football chief 'forcefully kissed' England star
Disgraced former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales behaved inappropriately towards England players after the Women's World Cup final, according to Football Association chairwoman Debbie Hewitt.
World governing body FIFA in October imposed a three-year ban from all football activities on Rubiales over his conduct at the match, which included kissing Spanish player Jenni Hermoso without her consent.
FIFA has now published its findings into the case, saying it had been tempted to impose a more severe sanction.
The FIFA disciplinary committee said Rubiales had acted with "a sense of complete impunity" at the game on August 20.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
US firm Arctos Partners acquires 'minority stake' in Paris Saint-Germain: club
French champions Paris Saint-Germain said on Thursday that US investment firm Arctos Partners had acquired a minority stake in the Qatari-owned French club.
Qatar Sports Investments became the Parisian outfit's sole owner more than a decade ago and they have won the Ligue 1 title nine times since then. Arctos has already invested in more than 20 professional sports organizations around the world.
Messi, Miami heading to Hong Kong for pre-season friendly
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will play a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong in February as part of the club's first-ever international tour, the Major League Soccer side said Thursday.
Inter Miami said the club will play a Hong Kong XI made up of players from the Chinese territory's First Division at the Hong Kong Stadium on February 4.
Suarez fires farewell double to end Brazilian adventure
Luis Suarez scored twice in his farewell match for Gremio as the Brazilian side defeated Fluminense 3-2 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. The 36-year-old Uruguayan football icon, who has been linked with a move to join close friend Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, scored in the 43rd minute and then bagged a second with a cheeky panenka from the penalty spot in the 64th minute.
The victory ensured Gremio finished second in the Brazilian championship, two points behind champions Palmeiras as the season drew to a close on Wednesday.
