Top games to watch this week
Friday
Switzerland vs Spain (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Chicago Fire vs America (Leagues Cup)
Tigres UANL vs Vancouver Whitecaps (Leagues Cup)
Columbus Crew vs Minnesota United (Leagues Cup)
Cincinnati vs Nashville SC (Leagues Cup)
Toluca vs Sporting KC (Leagues Cup)
Monterrey vs Portland Timbers (Leagues Cup)
Feyenoord vs PSV (Dutch Super Cup)
Saturday
Japan vs Norway (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Netherlands vs South Africa (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Santos vs Athletico-PR (Brasileiro)
Bayer Leverkusen vs West Ham (Friendly)
Manchester United vs Lens (Friendly)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Nottingham (Friendly)
Team Zinchenko vs Team Shevchenko (Friendly)
Atlético Madrid vs Sevilla (Friendly)
Real Betis vs Real Sociedad (Friendly)
Sunday
Sweden vs USA (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Manchester City vs Arsenal (Community Shield)
Tottenham vs Shakhtar (Friendly)
Manchester United vs Athletic Club (Friendly)
Toulouse vs Roma (Friendly)
Leagues Cup Round of 16 1
Leagues Cup Round of 16 2
Leagues Cup Round of 16 3
Monday
England vs Nigeria (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Australia vs Denmark (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Bayern vs Monaco (Friendly)
Liverpool vs Darmstadt (Friendly)
Leagues Cup Round of 16 4
Leagues Cup Round of 16 5
Leagues Cup Round of 16 6
Tuesday
Colombia vs Jamaica (FIFA Women's World Cup)
France vs Morocco (FIFA Women's World Cup)
PSV vs Sturm Graz (UCL)
Sporting Braga vs Backa Topola (UCL)
Barcelona vs Tottenham (Joan Gamper Trophy)
Fluminense vs Argentinos Juniors (Copa Libertadores)
Athletico-PR vs Bolívar (Copa Libertadores)
Internacional vs River Plate (Copa Libertadores)
Monza vs Milan (Friendly)
Leagues Cup Round of 16 7
Leagues Cup Round of 16 8
Wednesday
Benfica vs Porto (Super Taca)
Boca Juniors vs Nacional (Copa Libertadores)
Independiente del Valle vs Deportivo Pereira (Copa Libertadores)
Palmeiras vs Atlético Mineiro (Copa Libertadores)
Salzburg vs Inter (Friendly)
Milan vs Panaitolikos (Friendly)
Thursday
FIFA Women's World Cup - Quarterfinal 1 (FIFA Women's World Cup)
Racing vs Atlético Nacional (Copa Libertadores)
Olimpia vs Flamengo (Copa Libertadores)
Sao Paulo vs San Lorenzo (Copa Sudamericana)
RB Bragantino vs América Mineiro (Copa Sudamericana)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: July 24-30, 2023
The numbers are in, and for another week running, the FIFA Women's World Cup bossed the list of most-watched soccer games in the USA, with the prestigious tournament grabbing the top three spots for July 24 through July 30.
In fact, one fixture took both the first and second spots on the podium, and to no one's surprise, that game was the USWNT's clash with the Netherlands. FOX's coverage of this 1-1 draw garnered outstanding viewership numbers, with just under 6.5 million average viewers tuning in for this tie. Telemundo also got over one million average viewers with their coverage of this exact same game, showing the popularity the women's game and the Stars and Stripes boast.
Wrapping up the top three is Argentina's FIFA Women's World Cup clash with South Africa on FS1. This tie earned 888,000 average viewers as the South American nation and African side played out a 2-2 draw.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Manchester City vs Arsenal live this Sunday at 11 a.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+
The Community Shield is finally here! Manchester City, last season's treble winners, and the Premier League runners-up Arsenal prepare for an exciting showdown ahead of the highly-anticipated 2023/24 season. The Gunners head into this clash on the back of their lackluster victory over Monaco in the Emirates Cup while the Cityzens recently lost 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in a friendly. Last season, Guardiola got the better of Arteta both home and away. Will we see a repeat? Don't miss this clash.
Sweden vs USA live this Sunday at 5 a.m. ET on FOX Network, Fox Sports GO, Fox Sports App, Foxsports.com, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo, Peacock, and Telemundo
This is the first of two FIFA Women's World Cup round of 16 showdowns to make our list. The reigning champions take on Sweden following a disappointing group-stage campaign in which they would have crashed out had Ana Capeta not hit the post during stoppage time in the USWNT vs Portugal showdown. Nonetheless, the Stars and Stripes finished second behind the Netherlands and lived to fight another day. Sweden, meanwhile, topped their group after winning all three games, scoring nine and conceding only once. Expect an exciting game between these two heavyweights.
England vs Nigeria live this Monday at 3:30 a.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 USA, Fox Sports Go, Fox Sports App, Foxsports.com, Peacock, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo, and Telemundo
And finally, we have England's interesting showdown with Nigeria live in the early hours of Monday. After a slow start to the campaign, the Lionesses burst into life in their decisive third group-stage game against China, with Lauren James making history after scoring twice and assisting three en route to a 6-1 triumph. Nigeria, meanwhile, secured progression after going unbeaten in their group, holding Canada and the Republic of Ireland to goalless draws while beating Australia 3-2. Who will make the quarterfinals? Make sure to catch the action this midweek to find out the answer.
Biggest stories of the week
ESPN+ covering over 200 soccer matches featuring top teams this month
The start of all European leagues is right around the corner, and fans across the United States will be able to follow all prior preparations and the start of the most notable leagues in that continent thanks to ESPN+'s coverage, which will include a big chunk of all summer activity.
The streaming platform will have a variety of games available to watch online, starting with friendly games featuring teams such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea, or Borussia Dortmund. The first week of the month will also feature the unofficial start of the Premier League season, which will see Manchester City and Arsenal going at it for the 2023-24 FA Community Shield.
And for those who are eager to watch competitive soccer, ESPN+ will give them just what they want starting on August 8, when the first games of the Carabao Cup begin. Round 2 of that tournament will also take place later this month, and the streaming platform will be there to cover all the action. This will not be the only cup tournament available to watch on ESPN+, with the DFB-Pokal living its first stages between August 11 and September 27.
To top it all, the start of the Spanish top flight and the German Bundesliga will also be included in ESPN+'s plans. Coverage for La Liga will begin on August 12 with the game between Athletic Club and Real Madrid, while all activity in Germany's top-tier category will see Werder Bremen and Bayern München playing the first match of the 2023-24 campaign.
Find out more details on ESPN+'s coverage by visiting our bespoke ESPN+ page, with details for all games being covered by the platform and official kickoff times.
Ligue 1 considering new plan to increase revenue for broadcasting rights
Broadcasting rights for leagues all around the world have turned out to be quite lucrative for the competitions, and it seems like Ligue 1 officers want a piece of that pie.
The league has revealed its plans to change its broadcasting rights cycle from four to five years, in order to make it more appealing to TV companies and streaming platforms to invest in their TV or streaming rights.
According to a source from the league speaking to L'Equipe, tournament executives believe that longer arrangements will "increase revenue and help them narrow the gap between them and leagues from England, Spain, Italy, and Germany," who have more lucrative deals than the French top flight.
The source from the league hints that longer deals will give those companies that invest in their games more time to create a loyal audience, meaning more subscriptions and more money to be shared among Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 teams year after year.
Another advantage of longer deals would go for the customer, who would not be forced to change subscriptions to pay-tv carriers or streaming services frequently in order to watch their favorite local teams. The main issue for the league right now would be to convince French ministers that these benefits will be long-term and for all parties involved, not only for league executives and teams.
The domestic broadcasting rights for Ligue 1 are held currently by Amazon Prime Video and Canal+, but their deals are set to expire when the 2023-24 season comes to a close. Speaking of international coverage, beIN Sports markets TV and streaming rights for the league, but LFP executives believe they can make more money out of that deal, which means they could be earning over €1B for their broadcasting rights across the globe and locally.
Marcelo sent off from Copa Libertadores match after HORRIFIC tackle
The first game in the round of 16 of the 2023 Copa Libertadores will be tarnished by one of the roughest images in world soccer history. To make matters worse, it involves one of the most successful players of all time and one of the toughest South American defenders.
The players in question are Real Madrid legend Marcelo and Argentinos Juniors' defender Luciano Sánchez, who got involved in a freak incident where Marcelo broke Sánchez's left leg while trying to dribble past him.
With the game 1-0 for Argentinos Juniors, Marcelo tried to get away from the sideline to find one of his teammates while controlling the ball. Unfortunately for him, after making it past one of his rivals, he was not able to put his leg anywhere but over Sánchez's leg, which was severely damaged. The referee did not wait too long to send Marcelo off, who asked for medical assistance as soon as he realized what he had done.
The legendary left-back left the pitch in tears, and even though fans were sympathetic about his actions after he realized what he did, a harsh punishment could be expected due to the seriousness of the injury.
FIFA Women's World Cup: Lauren James sets two incredible records in England's 6-1 win vs China
August 1, 2023, will forever be remembered as the day Lauren James announced herself to the entire globe.
While the 21-year-old was already highly-rated, the Chelsea attacker showed to the whole world why she is one of the hottest — if not the hottest — young attacker in women's soccer after her outstanding performance in England's 6-1 thrashing of China at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
The Lionesses were the favorites to qualify out of their group but a spot in the round of 16 had not yet been confirmed. As a result, the Women's Euro champions needed to beat China in their final group-stage game.
James, who scored the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Denmark, put in arguably one of the most memorable individual performances in this competition's history, contributing to all but one of England's six goals.
Yes, Lauren not only scored a brace but she also grabbed three assists in a performance that will be talked about for ages. The FA Women's Super League sensation set up Alessia Russo for the opener after only four minutes, assisted Hemp in the 26th minute to double their lead, scored two goals, and then assisted another goal, this time for Chloe Kelly.
Her two goals, which came on both sides of the half-time whistle, were spectacular on their own, with the first being an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner of the goal before scoring a lovely volley in the second half.
And just like that, the Chelsea ace made history. Not only is she the youngest player on record to be directly involved in 4+ goals in a single FIFA Women's World Cup, but she also became the first English player in history to have five goal contributions in a single World Cup game in both the men's and women's tournament. And with that, Sarina Wiegman's side won their group and will now face Nigeria in the round of 16.
Mbappe reportedly open to joining EPL giants Chelsea but under one outrageous condition
The Kylian Mbappe saga carries on, with PSG, his enraged employers, frantically working to sell the Frenchman. Several top teams have inquired about the goalscoring machine but to no avail.
Saudi giants Al Hilal tabled an approximate $332M transfer fee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner while Barcelona reportedly offered three players in exchange for the former Monaco sensation. However, while those two teams failed in their attempts, the player is said to be open to joining one Premier League side.
That club is Chelsea, with Todd Boehly and Co. staging conversations with Nasser Al Khelaifi in an attempt to reunite Kylian with his former head coach Mauricio Pochettino. And according to Sport, the PSG superstar could agree to Stamford Bridge; however, this would only happen under one outrageous condition: if it is a one-year deal.
Mbappe's dream destination is no secret. The attacker wants a move to Real Madrid and after refusing to extend his Parc des Princes contract past 2024, the 24-year-old appears destined to run down his deal and join Los Blancos for free next summer.
As a result, a move to London would jeopardize that dream unless it is a 12-month contract. Given that PSG could demand in excess of $250M for their all-time top scorer, it is difficult to see Chelsea agreeing to Kylian's demand.
However, all hope is not lost as a loan could be an option. It would be interesting to see how that would satisfy all parties as Les Parisiens want a transfer fee, but the Ligue 1 champions could be forced into this out of desperation.
The French giants believe the player has already agreed a deal with Real Madrid and while they have put him up for sale, Los Blancos are unwilling to cough up a staggering transfer fee for a player they could sign for free in a year. The departure of Karim Benzema could force Ancelotti's hands as they are without a talisman goalscorer but as things stand, the Spanish heavyweights are likely to land their target next summer.
Arteta reveals huge injury blow ahead of Arsenal's Community Shield clash vs. Man City
Arsenal have wrapped up their preseason with a win over Monaco, albeit a frustrating one, in the Emirates Cup. The North London giants welcomed the French outfit to their home ground and beat them 5-4 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in normal time.
Arteta's three summer signings made their home debuts, with Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber starting the game while Kai Havertz was introduced off the bench. However, one important player was missing from the squad altogether, with the manager later revealing a worrying update.
That player is Gabriel Jesus, the Gunners' first-choice striker who played a key role in the 5-3 victory over Barcelona during their tour of the USA. The Brazilian was not in the lineup or on the bench, with the club announcing that he was suffering from a knee issue that needed assessment.
Following the Emirates Cup triumph, Arteta was quizzed on the Brazilian and he made an alarming admission. The Spaniard revealed that he underwent a procedure after dealing with knee discomfort for weeks and will now be sidelined for a few weeks as a result.
And to make things worse, the knee in question is the one Gabriel injured last year at the 2022 FIFA World Cup which kept him out of action for four months.
"Unfortunately he had a little procedure this morning," Arteta said. "He had some discomfort in his knee that has been causing some issues and he had to go and resolve it. It's not something major but he is going to be out for a few weeks I think."
"It's a big blow because we had him back to his best, especially the way he played against Barcelona. He was in good condition and we lost him but he's been feeling some discomfort in the last few weeks and we had to make a decision.
"The best one was to protect the player and get him back as quickly as possible."
"It's something related to the previous injury he had and the surgery," Mikel later added. "He had some irritation in the knee and we had to get it resolved."
This means the South American ace will miss Sunday's showdown with Manchester City in the Community Shield. Last season, Gabriel played only once against his former club and he will be forced to sit out the upcoming trip to Wembley as well.
Furthermore, with Arsenal kicking off their Premier League campaign at home to Nottingham Forest on August 12, Jesus is set to miss the first few games of the upcoming season.
Fortunately, Arteta has Eddie Nketiah, who scored the equalizer against Monaco, Leandro Trossard, and Kai Havertz who can deputize. While Folarin Balogun is another great option up front, the USMNT ace is expected the leave the Emirates Stadium this summer in search of regular playing time.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Legendary Italian goalkeeper Buffon retires
Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon announced his retirement on Wednesday at the age of 45.
"That's all folks! You gave me everything. I gave you everything. We did it together," he posted in English on social media.
Buffon won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus but ended his stellar career back where it all started at Parma.
It was at Parma that he won his only European club trophy -- the 1999 UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) -- but retires without a Champions League winners medal having lost three times in the final with Juventus.
He also won a Ligue 1 crown with Paris Saint Germain in the 2018/19 season before he returned to Juventus for two more years.
Buffon holds the record for most Serie A matches contested (657) and is the most capped player in Italy's history with 176 (1997-2018).
'HERE WE GO!': NFL great Brady brings stardust to Birmingham City
NFL great Tom Brady said he "couldn't be more excited" after becoming a minority owner in English second-tier football club Birmingham City.
The 46-year-old seven-time Super Bowl champion has partnered with the club's holding company Knighthead Capital Management LLC and becomes chairman of a new advisory board.
"HERE WE GO!" the former quarterback wrote in an Instagram post.
"Couldn't be more excited to be part of the Blues family."
Brady is the latest high-profile American to become involved in English football.
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham in 2020 and celebrated as the team returned to the English Football League in April.
Three-time golf major winner Jordan Spieth is involved at Leeds after buying shares in 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers.
Championship side Birmingham have twice won the League Cup but the last time they did so, in 2011, they were relegated from the Premier League and they have not returned to the top flight since.
Messi scores two more as Miami march past Orlando
Lionel Messi made it five goals in three appearances for Inter Miami as he scored twice in a 3-1 win over Orlando City in the Leagues Cup round-of-32 on Wednesday.
Messi scored twice from close range to maintain his 100 percent winning record with Miami, who were winless in 11 league games before his arrival.
Messi will now head on the road with Miami for the first time with Sunday's match with FC Dallas in Texas offering a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament for top-flight teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga MX.
Wednesday's Florida derby was not a game that will be featured in the Messi highlight videos but despite being frustrated by tight-marking for most of the game, the seven-time Ballon D'Or winner emerged the decisive figure once again.
A thunderstorm led to a 95-minute delay to the kick-off but when the game began, Miami picked up where they left off in their 4-0 win over Atlanta United last week - attacking with intent.
