NWSL to hold Challenge Cup in April, start season in May

The National Women's Soccer League will hold the preseason Challenge Cup tournament in local markets starting April 9. The 10-team league, with Racing Louisville joining this season, is set to open its ninth season May 15. Each team will play 24 games, with six reaching the playoffs. The regular season will end...

Turin mayor convicted in 2017 soccer final stampede

MILAN (AP) — Turin's mayor and four others were convicted and sentenced to a year and six months in jail on Wednesday in connection with a stampede during a public viewing of the 2017 Champions League final, which was projected on a maxi-screen in one of the Italian city’s main piazzas. More than...

European clubs' head fears pandemic losses of up to $10BN

European football teams face losing up to $10 billion due to disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest forecast of the umbrella organization for clubs on the continent. Supporters have been kept out of stadiums in Europe's main leagues longer than anticipated as the second wave of...

Watch and admire: Man City goes top of EPL after 5-0 win

Fueled by a sparkling attacking display, Manchester City's players powered to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season — and even the opposition are stopping to admire their work. In a comical exhibit for VAR's ever-lengthening highlights reel, West Bromwich Albion's defenders virtually...

Chelsea hires Thomas Tuchel as manager on 18-month contract

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea hired Thomas Tuchel as manager on Tuesday on an 18-month contract to replace the fired Frank Lampard. Tuchel, a 47-year-old German, is back in work a month after losing his job at Paris Saint-Germain following a power struggle with the club. In his 2 1/2 years in Paris, he led the...

Chelsea owner Abramovich issues Holocaust Memorial Day plea

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has issued a plea for discrimination to be challenged at the Premier League club and across the world as part of the club's campaign against anti-Semitism. The Russian made the comments in a book, “49 Flames," that the club has published to mark Holocaust...

Chelsea hires Thomas Tuchel to coach Premier League club

Sporting KC hires Feilhaber as part of technical staff

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Sporting Kansas City has hired longtime midfielder and former U.S. national team standout Benny Feilhaber as part of the Major League Soccer club's technical staff for the upcoming season. The club also announced Tuesday the hiring of trainers Randi Lininger and Eric Schwartz....

FIFA sets late-2021 target to pick 2026 World Cup cities

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA set a new target Tuesday of finalizing North American host cities for the 2026 World Cup — if the coronavirus pandemic allows. The 23 candidate cities likely need to be cut to 16. FIFA said it could confirm them at the end of the the year. The pre-pandemic schedule called for...

MLS to open season on April 3; title game set for Dec. 11

Major League Soccer will open next season on April 3, a month later than normal, and conclude with the MLS Cup title game on Dec. 11. Teams will be allowed to start preseason camps on Feb. 22. But the announcement Monday came amid ongoing uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic and whether fans will be able to...