Excluded by FIFA, European Leagues build EU political alliance

June 20 – Increasingly sidelined and excluded by FIFA in discussions concerning the international calendar and how it impacts the operations and financial structures of domestic leagues in Europe, the European Leagues organisation has instead moved closer to the European Union in a move to help protect the Europe’s football eco-system.

European Leagues president Claudius Schäfer, vice-president Mathieu Moreuil, and general secretary Alberto Colombo met today (Friday) with Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Youth,

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Passion meets pragmatism in Austin as Panama secure QF spot

Guatemala 0-1 Panama:

June 20 – Friday night at Q2 Stadium bore no resemblance to the venue that hosted football just 24 hours earlier. The transformation was complete, and the catalyst was simple: unbridled passion provided by the hordes of Guatemala supporters who descended on Austin. Stark contrast to the lack of interest shown by US fans on Thursday.

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El Tri’s home away from home

Mexico 2-0 Suriname:

June 18 – The Mexican national team is perhaps the only country in world football that plays home matches in two countries. The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City is, of course, their spiritual home; however, in Los Angeles – where they roared to victory over the Dominican Republic – and tonight in the heart of Texas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington versus Suriname, the team is welcomed by partisan support and rapturous anticipation.

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Costa Rica squeeze past Dominican Republic into next round

Costa Rica 2 Dominican Republic 1

June 28 – Picture this: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, a gleaming, cavernous, colossus of modern architecture, standing like a metallic monument to American excess. With its 80,000-seat capacity echoing like a vast, empty cathedral, barely 3,000 souls scattered across its bowels at kickoff. It didn’t matter.

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