Top games to watch this week
Friday, September 23
Japan vs USA (Friendly)
Qatar vs Canada (Friendly)
Brazil vs Ghana (Friendly)
Germany vs Hungary (UEFA Nations League)
Italy vs England (UEFA Nations League)
Morocco vs Chile (Friendly)
Argentina vs Honduras (Friendly)
Necaxa vs Mazatlán (Liga MX)
Puebla vs Pumas UNAM (Liga MX)
Saturday, September 24
Slovenia vs Norway (UEFA Nations League)
Czech Republic vs Portugal (UEFA Nations League)
Spain vs Switzerland (UEFA Nations League)
Scotland vs Ireland Republic (UEFA Nations League)
Serbia vs Sweden (UEFA Nations League)
Bolivia vs Senegal (Friendly)
Mexico vs Perú (Friendly)
SJ Earthquakes vs LA Galaxy (MLS)
North Carolina Courage vs NJ/NY Gotham FC (NWSL)
Houston Dash vs OL Reign (NWSL)
Sunday, September 25
Austria vs Croatia (UEFA Nations League)
Denmark vs France (UEFA Nations League)
Netherlands vs Belgium (UEFA Nations League)
Wales vs Poland (UEFA Nations League)
América vs Guadalajara (Friendly)
Portland Thorns vs Chicago Red Stars (NWSL)
Orland Pride vs San Diego Wave (NWSL)
Monday, September 26
England vs Germany (UEFA Nations League)
Hungary vs Italy (UEFA Nations League)
Tuesday, September 27
Portugal vs Spain (UEFA Nations League)
Switzerland vs Czech Republic (UEFA Nations League)
Ireland Republic vs Armenia (UEFA Nations League)
Ukraine vs Scotland (UEFA Nations League)
Norway vs Serbia (UEFA Nations League)
Korea Republic vs Cameroon (Friendly)
Ecuador vs Japan (Friendly)
Canada vs Uruguay (Friendly)
Qatar vs Chile (Friendly)
Saudi Arabia vs USA (Friendly)
Brazil vs Tunisia (Friendly)
Jamaica vs Argentina (Friendly)
Mexico vs Colombia (Friendly)
Seattle Sounders vs Cincinnati FC (MLS)
Wednesday, September 28
Corinthians vs Atlético Goianense (Brasileirao)
Fortaleza vs Flamengo (Brasileirao)
Atlético Mineiro vs Palmeiras (Brasileirao)
Internacional vs RB Bragantino (Brasileirao)
Most-watched football games in the U.S. - September 12-18, 2022
Last week's battle for the ratings saw the return of the undisputed fan favorite: the English Premier League. Once again, the top-tier category in English football claimed the No.1 place for the highest rating in the United States, leaving the MLS, the Mexican top-flight, and the Bundesliga far behind.
This time, the goalscoring fiesta between Tottenham and Leicester City was the game that caught the most attention, with over 800,000 average fans watching the game in the U.S. The match gave Tottenham the chance to reach a temporary second place, level with Manchester City and now one point behind Arsenal in the title race.
Just like in the previous week, Liga MX earned the runner-up spot with one of their top matches of the season. The "Clásico de Clásicos" between América and Guadalajara ranked second in last week's ratings with over 400,000 viewers across the country, who watched América claim a 2-1 win over their bitter rivals.
The podium was completed by one more Premier League match. The early kickoff clash between Wolves and Manchester City earned a well-deserved third place with over 300,000 average viewers in the country, leaving no doubt about how interesting the English top-flight has become in the United States.
Let us have a look at the numbers last week brought us in terms of football games.
Netherlands vs Belgium live this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET on fubo Sports Network and VIX
Next up on our list is a weekend showdown as Netherlands prepare to host Belgium in a fixture that could decide this group. Van Dijk and Co. boast the advantage as their three-point lead over the Red Devils means a draw would be enough to send them into the UEFA Nations League final. Martinez's side, on the other hand, will need to win by four goals in order to overturn the head-to-head deficit. De Bruyne recently led his nation to a 2-1 triumph over Wales on Thursday but overcoming Van Gaal's side by that score line will be difficult.
Portugal vs Spain live this Tuesday at 2:45 p.m. ET on fubo Sports Network and VIX
And finally, wrapping things up is Spain's highly-anticipated trip to Portugal. These two continental powerhouses will face off in the final round of the group stage in a tie that could decide who wins the group. Before this showdown, La Furia Roja will first lock horns with Switzerland while Cristiano and Co. will visit the Czech Republic. Both nations should win their respective ties, meaning they should head into their battle with only a single point separating the two. Luis Enrique's men currently top the group, meaning they boast the upper hand. However, when you have Ronaldo in your squad, anything is possible. Don't miss this tie!
With the men's category living an international break, it will be up to women's football to step up and keep fans glued to their seats with interesting games from their respective leagues.
With most top leagues already underway, it is important to focus on the top competitions taking place across the globe. Women's football fans would surely recommend following the NWSL, which will be entering its final weeks with many teams fighting for playoff spots.
One more competition to keep an eye on is the FA Women's Super League, which will carry on with its tradition of elegant football. This week, fans will be in for a treat, as the North London Derby in the women's category will be one of the top clashes to watch.
If those domestic leagues are not interesting enough, the option to watch UEFA Women's Champions League matches should change your mind. Those games will be held between Wednesday and Thursday, which is why we encourage you to follow the domestic fixtures to identify the teams that will become contenders in the continental tournament.
Without further ado, let's have a look at what the beautiful game will offer in terms of women's football matches for the next seven days.
2022 NWSL season
The North American competition will put an end to its regular season during the first weekend of October, which means that the upcoming games could have a lot to do with the outcome of the league and determine the teams involved in the playoffs.
This week, the top games will include the Portland Thorns facing the Chicago Red Stars and the San Diego Wave making a trip to face the Orlando Pride. Out of these teams, the Pride are the only ones that have been eliminated, which means that the other three sides could see themselves in trouble if they can't win their respective matches.
2022-23 FA Women's Super League
The FA Women's Super League enters its second week with some of the top games to watch in the women's football category.
The first one of those matches taking place this weekend will be the North London Derby, with Arsenal and Tottenham ready to face each other for the first time in this campaign. Both teams won their first match of the tournament last week, which will make this North London Derby edition even more interesting.
Elsewhere, Chelsea are ready to battle Manchester City with their sights set on their first win of the season. The defending champions lost their first match of the campaign against Liverpool (2-1), which makes it even more relevant for them to triumph in this clash.
Last, but not least, Liverpool welcome none others than Everton in another edition of the Merseyside Derby. The Reds won their first game of the season, while Everton were not so lucky to start with a victory. Taking that under consideration, we should have quite an interesting encounter in our hands!
UEFA Women's Champions League
The top club competition in the world will define the final teams in the tournament via the Champions Path and the League Path. The first of those includes teams such as Benfica, Slavia Prague, and Juventus, while the other road to play in the tournament will see teams such as PSG, Bayern, and Real Madrid. The games will be taking place on September 28 and September 29, with the draw set to be held on October 3.
For more details on games, standings, and news, visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.
Biggest stories of the week
Chaos at Juventus as ultras turn on Bonucci and Allegri
What a difference two seasons can make.
Back in 2020, Juventus won the Scudetto. While the Bianconeri, then under the leadership of Maurizio Sarri, were far from their best, they did just enough to edge out Inter by one point to win their ninth consecutive league title.
It, to date, would be the last time La Vecchia Signora were on the winner's podium as far as the Scudetto was concerned. A year after winning their 36th league title, Juventus were dethroned as Inter clinched their first Scudetto since 2010, and last season saw AC Milan finally win the coveted prize after 11 long years. Interestingly, the Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri were the last teams to win the Scudetto before Juventus's nine-year undisputed reign as champions of Italy.
This season, Juventus now have Massimiliano Allegri back on the tactician's bench, but it is safe to say things have not gone as planned. Last weekend saw La Vecchia Signora shockingly drop points during a 1-0 loss to newly-promoted Monza, and it is not surprising that fans are up in arms regarding the team.
Cries for Allegri to be sacked have grown louder, but reports claim that several Juve execs are still opting to stick with the struggling coach - at least, for now.
Meanwhile, skipper Leonardo Bonucci has also drawn the ire from ultras due to his perceived lack of leadership ability and inability to rally the side. Specifically, the ultras noted that "Bonucci has never been a leader and never will be: not at Treviso, nor Pisa, nor Bari, nor Milan and certainly not at Juventus [because] a good soldier does not necessarily make a good general."
The defeat to Monza means that Juventus have now won just one of their last five Serie A games and have slid to eighth in the table. Although it is still early, their performances in the Champions League, which saw them lose to PSG and then Benfica, have been hardly encouraging. Indeed, Juventus are facing an early exit from a tournament that they have been desperate to end a decades-long wait for a title, and overall have won just two of their last nine matches across all comps.
At the moment, the team are on break for the latest international pause. It will be very interesting to see if this hiatus will help Juventus regain focus as they prepare for a busy campaign across all fronts, and more significant, how long the difficult situation between the fans, the coach, and the club's skipper will endure in what has been shaping up to be a very unpleasant campaign for the Italian giants so far.
END OF AN ERA: Barça legend set to leave club next summer
First, it was Xavi. Then, Andrés Iniesta's time to leave came. Last year, it was Lionel Messi, and next summer, that trio will be joined by another member of that legendary team who will end up leaving his boyhood club when this season comes to an end.
According to a report by Catalan newspaper Sport, the end of an era is fast approaching at Camp Nou as Sergio Busquets is allegedly getting ready to part ways with the Blaugrana side.
The report by the Catalan media outlet states that Busquets' talks with the club to see his contract extended have failed, which is why he has decided to end his tenure at Camp Nou by the end of the season. The Spaniard wanted a one-year extension with the possibility of including one more, while Barcelona offered him two years but with a heavy pay cut. Talks came to a halt last summer, and it seems highly unlikely at this point that the Blaugrana icon puts pen to paper on a new contract.
While his future may still seem uncertain, Busquets has been tempted to join Inter Miami next summer. In fact, the American club had already offered the Spanish midfielder a chance to sign a deal with them last summer, but Busquets turned it down in favor of one final season with the Catalan side.
The 34-year-old will put an end to a 15-year stay at Camp Nou, where he won almost every title Barcelona played for during his time there. Some of those accolades include eight La Liga crowns, seven Copa del Rey titles, three UEFA Champions League trophies, and three UEFA Super Cup wins. Busquets will put an end to his love story with Los Culés after winning 30 trophies with them, the third-highest total in club history behind Lionel Messi (35), Andrés Iniesta (32), and level with Gerard Piqué.
Milan sees long-standing run end following defeat to Napoli
On Sunday, Milan took on Napoli in a highly-anticipated match. Coming into that tie, the Rossoneri were in excellent form, already having beaten fellow Scudetto contenders Inter in a thrilling 3-2 Derby della Madonnina earlier this season.
However, things did not go as planned for Stefano Pioli's side, who came into that contest having earned a well-deserved 3-1 win over Eastern European outfit Dinamo in the Champions League a few days prior.
Against Napoli, the Rossoneri went down by a goal following Matteo Politano's effort in the second half. Despite veteran striker Olivier Giroud restoring parity shortly after, a late goal from Giovanni Simeone, the son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, gave Luciano Spalletti's side all three points and condemned Milan to their first loss of the season.
The defeat was notable not only because it happened at the Stadio San Siro, but also because it marks the first loss for the reigning Scudetto champions since January, when they were shockingly beaten 2-1 by minnows Spezia.
Prior to Sunday's match, Milan were on a very impressive 22-match unbeaten streak in Serie A, with 15 wins and seven draws.
Next up for the Rossoneri, who have slipped into the fifth spot, will be a match against Empoli taking place on October 1st after the latest international break. It is safe to say that they really will be hoping to rebound quickly and close the gap on Napoli, who are now top of the table.
Nacional's boss reveals Luis Suárez plans beyond the 2022 FIFA World Cup
It seems that the love story between Luis Suárez and Nacional will be short-lived, as the footballer will not continue playing for the Uruguayan side after the end of the year.
The player wanted to win a CONMEBOL-sanctioned trophy with Nacional, but he failed to lead the Uruguayans to the final stages of the Copa Sudamericana, where the white and blue side was eliminated by Atlético Goianense. Added to that, the footballer agreed to return to Uruguay under one condition: becoming a free agent by the end of 2022.
Speaking in an interview with Uruguayan TV show Punto Penal, Nacional's president José Fuentes admitted that Suárez has his sights set on leaving the club once the ongoing competition comes to an end.
"When the tournament ends, Suárez will leave Nacional. I have to be clear about this so there are no false hopes from our fans," Fuentes said.
Suárez's impact for the club has seen him score four goals in seven matches during the Clausura 2022 tournament, leading Nacional to the second spot in the competition against River Plate, although both teams are level with 22 points. His performances have seen the team's president praising the footballer, especially due to the commitment he has shown since day one.
"Luis Suárez made a great effort to come here, and every time I have been asked this question my answer will be the same: he is leaving. I've said it, he's said it more than once, that was our deal," Fuentes stated.
President Fuentes refused to say where Suárez will be playing next, although sources close to the player hint that the former Barcelona ace may still want to try his goalscoring shoes in Europe, where he was linked to teams such as Juventus, Fenerbahce, and Villarreal. Other options that have emerged for Suárez include moves to Liga MX and the MLS, where he has been linked to Inter Miami.
FIFA World Cup: Mexico boss Tata Martino reveals whether MLS star Chicharito will head to Qatar 2022
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup being just two months away, questions as to who will make the trip to Qatar and who will not have already begun. And with an international break having just started, journalists were given the opportunity to pose this topic to national team managers, including Mexico boss Tata Martino.
In fact, when it comes to El Tri, the mystery–for the most part–centered around one player: Javier Hernandez, better known as Chicharito.
The former Manchester United striker currently plies his trade in the MLS, with LA Galaxy being his employers. While the 34-year-old isn't the top scorer in the league this term, that honor goes to Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC with 25 goals, the former Premier League ace has enjoyed the campaign, netting an impressive 15 goals in 29 appearances (28 starts).
As a result, Tata was asked if this form could pave a way back into the national team set-up for Chicharito, who hasn't featured for the CONCACAF giants since 2019. The manager's answer was short and simple: the Dignity Health Sports Park goalscorer won't be in consideration for Qatar 2022.
"In the case of Chicharito as I've been saying all along I've decided to go to with other forwards," were the manager's words.
Those other forwards Martinez is referring to are Raul Jimenez, Rogelio Funes Mori, Henry Martin, and Santiago Gimenez. Not all of these players are fit, namely, Wolves ace Jimenez, but it should be noted that the latter two have scored 10 times each so far this season.
Nonetheless, it should also be noted that the 11-time Gold Cup winners faced struggles in front of goal during the CONCACAF qualifiers for this year's FIFA World Cup, netting only four times in their last five games. As a result, they finished second in the table behind first-placed Canada.
Additionally, Chicharito isn't the only Mexican sensation in the MLS set to watch Qatar 2022 from home as LAFC star Carlos Vela has ruled himself out. El Tri fans will hope this does not come back to bite them. The North American heavyweights have been placed in Group C and will battle with Argentina, Poland, and Saudi Arabia for their eighth round of 16 appearance in a row.
Rooney hailed after subbing off DC United player for allegedly calling Inter Miami defender the n-word
Wayne Rooney has garnered public praise for his actions during an intense showdown between DC United and Inter Milan in the MLS, but unfortunately, this had little to do with the Englishman's tactical set-up for that Eastern Conference clash.
The action was paused mid-game due to an altercation between the Black-and-Red forward Taxi Fountas and Inter Miami defender Damion Lowe in the second half. Things got heated between the pair and, initially, little was known about the root of this incident that resulted in play being halted for several minutes.
However, it became evident that something more sinister–allegedly–occurred on the pitch when match official Ismail Elfath called upon both the two opposing captains and managers for a dialogue.
Rooney reacted by subbing off Fountas and play eventually resumed. Once the commotion calmed down and the game came to a wrap, the source of this controversy became clearer. According to the Inter Miami camp, the DC United ace racially abused Lowe, who is Jamaican, calling him the n-word, thus sparking anger.
The Herons star DeAndre Yedlin spoke after the game, going public with the accusation against the Greek forward while admitting that he and his fellow teammates were ready to walk off the pitch if action wasn't taken against Fountas.
"Damion and another player got into a bit of a scuffle - as Damion walks away, one of their guys called him the n-word," Yedlin said, as per the Sun.
While Inter Miami boss Phil Neville did not go into great detail as to what occurred on the pitch, the former Manchester United man all but confirmed a derogatory word was directed at his player.
"There was a racist comment that was unacceptable," Neville told the press after the final whistle, as per the Guardian. "A word was used that I think is unacceptable in society. I think it's the worst word in the world. There is no place at all for racism on a football field or society."
Phil then went on to praise not only his players and the match officials for how they handled the situation, but also Rooney, who earned admiration for his reaction.
Given that the referee confirmed to the Athletic reporter Pablo Iglesias Maurer that neither he nor his fellow officials – both on the pitch and behind VAR – heard the alleged racist comment, it is safe to assume Rooney did not witness the event as well. However, play stopped in the 59th minute and only resumed when the accused player was taken off the pitch in the 66th minute. This decision was taken by the DC United boss after speaking with Neville, a former teammate from his Old Trafford days.
"I must commend my players for keeping their calm, I must commend the referee – [in] a really difficult situation he followed the protocols set out by the MLS – and I must give massive, massive respect to Wayne Rooney for dealing with it in the way that he did. I have always known him as a class act and today he went up in my estimation more than he has ever done, more than any goal he has ever scored," the Inter Miami head coach later added.
Rooney was coy on this matter but confessed that there was a complaint from the opposing team that will need investigating. The MLS later confirmed that a formal investigation has been opened into this case, reiterating their "zero tolerance for abusive and offensive language", while DC United announced in an official statement that they will be assisting the league in this matter. It should be noted, however, that Fountas has denied these allegations, as per Pablo Iglesias Maurer.
Other key headlines from the world of football
ViX and ViX+ to provide coverage of UEFA Nations League matches throughout September
All of Europe's "Big Five" leagues have gone on pause for the latest round of international fixtures, including World Cup warm-up friendlies and the UEFA Nations League.
Fans will be treated to quite a few big games over the next few days, including France vs Austria, Poland vs the Netherlands, Germany vs Hungary, Italy vs England, Wales vs Poland, Denmark vs France, England vs Germany, and Portugal vs Spain.
And thanks to streaming provider ViX, fans, especially those who speak Spanish, can follow several of those games via ViX and ViX+.
UEFA confirms ban on Russian teams ahead of UEFA Euro Qualifiers
UEFA's Executive Committee confirmed the decision that prevents all Russian teams from playing in international competitions, whether they are club tournaments or national team games.
"All Russian teams are currently suspended following the decision by UEFA's Executive Committee on February 28, 2022, which was subsequently upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on July 22, 2022. Hence, Russia will not be included in the preliminary draw," a spokesman for UEFA stated.
With this decision, 53 European teams will be drawn to play in the UEFA Euro qualifiers, which are set to begin in March 2023. The draw will distribute all teams in ten groups, seven of them with five teams and three more with six.
Huge North London Derby blow for Tottenham as key player pulls out of international duty with injury
The international break curse looks to have hit Tottenham extremely early, before national teams have even kicked a ball, as one key player has already picked up an injury. That man is none other than Hugo Lloris, the club's no.1 keeper and captain.
The 35-year-old was called up to Deschamps' squad for the final international break before the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off, but sadly, the veteran shot-stopper was forced to pull out after suffering a thigh injury.
This means that Lloris was ruled out for Les Bleus' upcoming UEFA Nations League showdowns with Austria and Denmark, and while the extent of his fitness problem has not yet been determined, there are concerns he could miss the upcoming North London Derby on October 1.
