Top games to watch this weekend
Friday
Luton Town vs West Ham (English Premier League)
Cádiz vs Villarreal (La Liga)
Borussia Dortmund vs Heidenheim (Bundesliga)
Roma vs Milan (Serie A)
Nantes vs Marseille (Ligue 1)
Al Riyadh vs Al Akhdoud (Saudi Pro League)
Al Ittihad vs Al Hilal (Saudi Pro League)
Juárez vs Mazatlán (Liga MX)
Puebla vs Tijuana (Liga MX)
Saturday
Burnley vs Tottenham (English Premier League)
Chelsea vs Nottingham (English Premier League)
Man City vs Fulham (English Premier League)
Real Madrid vs Getafe (La Liga)
Napoli vs Lazio (Serie A)
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs Bayern München (Bundesliga)
Benfica vs Vitoria Guimaraes (Primeira Liga)
Monaco vs Lens (Ligue 1)
Cincinnati vs Orlando City (MLS)
DC United vs Chicago Fire (MLS)
Sporting KC vs St. Louis City (MLS)
LA Galaxy vs Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Tigres UANL vs Querétaro (Liga MX)
Cruz Azul vs América (Liga MX)
Al Fateh vs Al Ahli (Saudi Pro League)
Al Hazm vs Al Nassr (Saudi Pro League)
Sunday
Liverpool vs Aston Villa (English Premier League)
Arsenal vs Manchester United (English Premier League)
Atlético Madrid vs Sevilla (La Liga)
Osasuna vs Barcelona (La Liga)
Inter vs Fiorentina (Serie A)
Empoli vs Juventus (Serie A)
Porto vs Arouca (Primeira Liga)
Sporting Braga vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Lyon vs PSG (Ligue 1)
Philadelphia Union vs New York RB (MLS)
Los Angeles FC vs Inter Miami (MLS)
Guadalajara vs Monterrey (Liga MX)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA - August 21-27,2023
The battle for the ratings lived an unexpected set of days this week, but the most-watched game featured one stellar guest in a rather unexpected competition.
Once again, the Messi effect in North America has proven to be worthy of praise, as "La Pulga" was involved in the most-watched game of the past week. Surprisingly, with the help of his Inter Miami teammates, he managed to win the first and second place on the ratings podium during their penalty kick win against Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.
The game was the most-watched in the country, with Telemundo and sister network Universo taking the top honors.
In what can only be described as a perfect week for NBC's affiliates, the TV network nabbed the third place in this ranking thanks to the game between Brighton and West Ham, which saw the Hammers claim a 3-1 win. That match came close to matching Messi's antics, but it narrowly missed the one-million-viewer mark.
What are this weekend's must-watch games?
Roma vs. Milan live this Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Golazo, and Paramount+
Matchday 3 in Serie A commences with a bang, with AC Milan traveling to Roma in one of two matches scheduled for Friday. The Rossoneri currently top the table after winning their opening two games of the season while the hosts are winless, drawing one and losing the other. Mourinho's men have since signed Romelu Lukaku on loan to quickly turn things around but the Belgian is not likely to feature on Friday. Don't miss this clash.
Napoli vs. Lazio live this Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Golazo, and Paramount+
From one high-flying Serie A side to another, Napoli continue their title defense over the weekend with an interesting clash with Lazio. Gli Azzurri have won their opening two games in Rudi Garcia's debut season as the Frenchman faces the tough task of following in the footsteps of Luciano Spalletti. Meanwhile, Maurizio Sarri's side have suffered back-to-back defeats and must return to winning ways immediately away to the Scudetto holders.
Liverpool vs. Aston Villa live this Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on USA Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo, NBC Sports App, and nbcsports.com
Liverpool return to action following their thrilling win at St. James' Park over the weekend where Klopp's 10-man side pulled off a 2-1 comeback victory over Newcastle. That was the Reds' second win in a row, beating Bournemouth 3-1 the week before that, and will thus be aiming to maintain this run. However, Salah and Co. host an Aston Villa side that have triumphed in consecutive league games as well, beating Everton and Burnley 4-0 and 3-1 respectively. Can Unai Emery mastermind a win over Klopp? Make sure to catch the action live.
Arsenal vs. Manchester United live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
The standout game of this weekend sees Arsenal host Manchester United in the latest chapter of their heated rivalry. Neither side enter this tie in great form, with the Gunners having drawn 2-2 at home to 10-man Fulham last weekend while the Red Devils came achingly close to dropping points for the second game in a row at home to Nottingham Forest. These two clubs faced off in the USA during the preseason, with Ten Hag's side winning 2-0. However, Arteta's side came away with all three points when they locked horns at the Emirates Stadium last season and will be looking to repeat just that.
Los Angeles FC vs. Inter Miami live this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on MLS Pass on Apple TV exclusively
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami return to action in the MLS as the Leagues Cup champions look to return to winning ways. The Herons were recently held to a goalless draw by Nashville, the team they beat in the Leagues Cup final. LAFC, meanwhile, lost 2-1 to Charlotte in their most recent outing and are in search of a bounce-back when they host Tata Martino's side at the BMO Stadium.
The major European leagues will be starting soon, but for now, there are still plenty of games women's soccer fans can catch.
It's still a little while longer until the major European leagues in women's soccer get underway, but there are still plenty of great games being played, including from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, while the 2023 NCAA and NWSL seasons are in full swing.
Here's all you need to know ahead of another weekend of women's soccer.
NWSL
Portland Thorns currently hold a narrow two-point lead over the chasing pack as matchday 18 gets underway this Friday with Kansas City welcoming Angel City. The Thorns will look to retain their slim lead when they face Racing Louisville on Saturday; however, North Carolina Courage, who are only two points behind, could jump into first place should they beat Gotham. Both games will kick off at 7.30 pm EST (4.30 pm EST).
Meanwhile, San Diego Wave, who are also two points behind the Thorns, will aim to keep up the pressure when they take on Houston Dash in matchday 18's final game on Sunday.
Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo, fuboTV, and Bally Sports are your options to follow the upcoming round of NWSL games. For more details, including a comprehensive schedule of matches coming up, make sure to check out our special NWSL match page here.
NCAA
The 2023 NCAA Division I soccer season is already underway, as numerous teams compete to become one of the 64 who will get to feature in the annual tournament that will determine who becomes the national champions of NCAA Division I women's soccer.
Fans in the USA have several options to follow the game, with ESPN+, ESPN App, and FuboTV all providing ways to live-stream games. For a detailed schedule of games, including where and how you can watch them, check out our special NCAA Division I women's soccer page here.
Damallsvenskan, Toppserien, and Elitedivisionen
In Scandinavia, the top leagues in women's soccer are all still in process, with ongoing title races in Sweden's Damallsvenskan, Denmark's Elitedivisionen, and Norway's Toppserien.
Here's where you can catch key games in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
When do the major European leagues get back underway?
England: Women's Super League (WSL)
The 13th edition of the WSL is set to resume on Sunday, October 1st as reigning champions Chelsea aim to make it a seventh league title. As such, fans of this league will have to wait a bit longer in order to see their favorite players in action, but in order not to miss out, we suggest you bookmark our special WSL page.
Spain: Liga F
The 36th installment of Liga F gets back underway on Friday, September 8th, and continues through the weekend of the 9th and 10th. Barcelona, who won the title last season for the eighth time, will look to successfully defend their crown and make it a fifth consecutive one on the trot. Make sure you bookmark our special Liga F page so as not to miss out on match times and where to watch them.
Germany: Frauen-Bundesliga
Top-flight soccer in Germany starts on Friday, September 15th, and continues through the weekend of September 16th and 17th. This upcoming term will be the 34th since it was founded in 1990, and Bayern Munich, like the men's team, will come into this year as the reigning champions. Make sure you don't miss out on Frauen-Bundesliga games by bookmarking our special Frauen-Bundesliga page.
France: Division 1 Féminine
The 50th iteration of top-flight soccer in France will start on Friday, September 15th, and continue during the weekend of September 16th and 17th. Lyon are the reigning champions following their 16th title victory during the prior campaign. Check out our special D1 Féminine page in order not to miss out on any of the games.
Italy: Serie A Femminile
Matchday one of the 2023/24 Serie A season will start on Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th. Roma come into this season as the reigning champions after the Giallorosse won their first-ever title last season. This will be the second year that the league is playing under a fully professional status, despite being founded back in 1968. Make sure you don't miss out on Italian women's soccer by bookmarking our special Serie A page.
Top news in women's soccer
Manchester United reportedly reject 'world record' bit for shot-stopper
Mary Earps's dynamic performance for England at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup certainly has not gone unnoticed.
The 30-year-old featured in all seven of England's games as the Lionesses made a run to the tournament finals, and while she was unable to prevent her team from losing 1-0 to Spain, she nonetheless received deserved plaudits for her showings for Sarina Wiegman's side. As a result, the Nottingham-born goalkeeper received the Golden Glove prize. She was also a key protagonist for England as they beat Brazil on spot-kicks during the re-instated Finalissima competition while her heroics were vital in England's triumph at the UEFA Women's EURO competition in 2022.
Domestically, Earps, who plays her club football for Manchester United, played an equally instrumental part in the Red Devils' excellent run in the WSL, where they were narrowly pipped to the league title by Chelsea. Not surprisingly, Earps clinched several personal accolades, including the WSL Golden Glove and receiving a nomination to the PFA WSL team of the year (her second since being named during the 2016/17 season).
So, it's no surprise that, according to several reports, Manchester United have received a huge bid for Earps. While the exact amount and the interested team have not been publicly revealed, it's safe to say that her team will be keen on getting her to extend her contract, which has one year remaining on it.
Since signing with Manchester United in 2019, Earps has played in every single minute of WSL action for the past four seasons, and the Red Devils' leadership will certainly look to ensure that she remains with the team for years to come.
USWNT veteran Megan Rapinoe set to retire in September
After 17 years, Megan Rapinoe is set to call time on her USWNT career next month. The 38-year-old has been part of the team set up for nearly two decades, where she has made over 200 appearances and has been directly involved in nearly 140 goals (63 goals, 73 assists). During her playing career, the California-born attacker has won two World Cups as well as an Olympic gold medal and made history back in 2019 when, at the age of 34, she became the oldest woman to score in a Women's World Cup final.
Unfortunately, Rapinoe's career did not end the way she had wanted, as she was one of three players to miss a penalty during the USWNT's loss to Sweden in the round of 16. In addition, her activism and outspoken nature earned her plenty of criticism from pundits back in the USA, some of whom blamed her for several younger players' refusal to sing the national anthem.
In any case, Rapinoe's final match for the USWNT is set to take place in September, when the Stars and Stripes face South Africa in a friendly match on the 24th, and naturally, she will certainly hope to have a starring role in what will be her final match for Team USA.
However, while Rapinoe is concluding her career with the USWNT, she intends to continue playing for her club team, OL Reign until the end of the 2023 season.
Didn't find your favorite women's league on this list? No worries, as this is just a highlight of some of the exciting games coming up this weekend. Make sure to check out our special women's soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
Biggest stories of the week
2023-24 UEFA Champions League draw - PSG, Newcastle share 'Group of Death'
Once again, the UEFA Champions League draw attracted the attention of all fans across the globe, and there will be some interesting fixtures after all teams were allocated.
The fate of the title holders may look easy right from the start, as Pep Guardiola's team was handed a draw that includes RB Leipzig, whom they have met before, Crvena Zvezda, and Swiss side Young Boys.
The toughest group coming out of the draw is, without a doubt, Group F. PSG will face tough opposition to escape this group after being paired up against Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United, and former champions AC Milan.
Another highlight of the draw came in Group A, where Bayern München and Manchester United will add to their rivalry. Both were drawn along with Kobenhavn and Galatasaray.
Without further ado, here are the groups for the tournament that will begin on September 19.
UEFA reveal the winners of the 2022-23 Player and Coach of the Year awards
Thursday, August 31 was not only about the UEFA Champions League draw. After wrapping up the draw for the 2023-24 group stage, European soccer's governing body announced the winners of their annual awards.
This includes the Coach of the Year prize in both the men's and women's game while the best men's and women's players were also crowned on the stage.
To no one's surprise, Pep Guardiola was named the best manager of the 2022-23 campaign, beating out competition from Luciano Spalletti and Simone Inzaghi after winning the treble — the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup titles.
Unfortunately, the Spaniard, who has undergone back surgery, is still recovering and was not able to pick up his prize.
Meanwhile, Sarina Wiegman was the recipient of the 2022/23 UEFA Women's Coach of the Year after her remarkable 12 months with England, leading the Lionesses to the UEFA Women's Euro title last summer before finishing second in the FIFA Women's World Cup this summer.
She beat out competition from Spain boss Jorge Vilda and Barcelona tactician Jonatan Giráldez. Wiegman took time to publicly show her support for Jenni Hermoso and the Spanish players following the controversy involving their FA president Luis Rubiales. Rubiales was caught on camera kissing Hermoso while handing her her medal, with Sarina highlighting this issue during her speech on the podium and calling for the public to support the female players.
Aitana Bonmatí, the Barcelona sensation who won the UEFA Women's Champions League last season and led Spain to the FIFA Women's World Cup title this summer, won the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award.
The 25-year-old midfield maestro, who is all but destined to win the Ballon d'Or this year, capped off her remarkable year with yet another individual trophy.
As for UEFA's Men's Player of the Year, the obvious recipient was Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian striker winning this award after his historic goalscoring exploits en route to the treble.
The Manchester City superstar beat out competition from 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi and club teammate Kevin de Bruyne. All eyes turn to the Ballon d'Or where Haaland is expected to face stiff competition from those two same players again.
USMNT star Christian Pulisic makes history with goal for Milan against Torino
It's safe to say that Christian Pulisic is settling in very well with his new club AC Milan.
The American star, who struggled for form and fitness during a frustrating spell at Chelsea, appears to be a totally new player since moving to Milan this summer on a four-year deal that cost the Rossoneri approximately $22 million.
On matchday one, he scored one and assisted the other as Stefano Pioli's side earned a 2-0 win over Bologna to kickstart the 2023/24 Serie A season on the right foot.
Then, this past weekend, in Milan's first home game of the season, Pulisic grabbed his second and Milan's first as the Rossoneri cruised to a 4-1 win over Torino.
In doing so, the 24-year-old attacker now becomes just one of five players to have scored in his first two games for the Rossoneri since Serie A was reformatted back in the mid 90's.
Next up for USMNT star Pulisic and his colleagues at Milan will be an interesting match against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in just a few days' time.
Speaking of the USMNT…
USMNT boss Berhalter opts to 'snub' Dortmund's Reyna from team selection
Gregg Berhalter has returned for a second spell in charge of the USMNT, and there is one player who has not been included in the team's upcoming camp.
That person is none other than Giovanni Reyna, who, along with his parents, became the center of an unpleasant scandal during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Reyna's parents took umbrage to the lack of playing time given to their son during the tournament and tried to use their influence to bully Berhalter to amend that. When that failed, they resorted to blackmail by exposing an alleged incident between Berhalter and his wife when they were in college. However, their underhanded and bare-knuckle tactics backfired on Reyna's parents miserably.
Although Berhalter resigned, the Reynas were also exposed, with many slamming the couple for behaving quite akin to some overeager parents in American kids' club soccer - except on a bigger stage with more nefarious purposes.
In any case, Berhalter was eventually brought back in from the cold after an investigation proved him innocent of any wrongdoing, while Reyna's father, Claudio, is no longer in his position as a footballing executive.
Notably, Behalter recently admitted in an interview that he has not yet spoken with the younger Reyna, who plays his club soccer for Borussia Dortmund. The youngster is currently battling his way back to full fitness following another injury, and all eyes will be on Berhalter to see if Reyna, should he recover, be included in the USMNT's games in October where they will face Germany and Ghana.
Here are the players called up for national team camp ahead of the USMNT's matches against Uzbekistan and Oman in September:
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest), Drake Callender (Inter Miami)
Defenders: Tim Ream (Fulham), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United)
Midfielders: Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Malik Tillman (PSV), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional)
Forwards: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Juventus), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Ricardo Pepi (PSV)
Liverpool reportedly eye EPL ace as potential replacement for Salah
Jürgen Klopp may have rejected any bids for Mohamed Salah coming in from Saudi Arabia, but that does not mean Liverpool are ready to kick back and relax in case their star attacker decides to leave.
The player has been linked for the past seven days with a move to Al Ittihad, where he would join N'Golo Kanté and Karim Benzema as the marquee players for the Saudi Arabian champions. Klopp spoke of this issue after their comeback win against Newcastle, and he did not shy away from the topic but tried to put an abrupt end to all speculation.
"Mo Salah is a Liverpool player and he is essential to everything we do. If there was something, the answer would be no. My philosophy in life has me thinking about a problem when I have it, and right now there is nothing of the sort going on," Klopp said.
Nevertheless, the club has started to prepare for Salah's exit, whether it comes this year or in the near future. According to a report by Football Transfers, the Reds have identified West Ham's Jarrod Bowen as a suitable replacement for Salah, in case Al Ittihad's offer satisfies Liverpool's demands.
Bowen had a pretty decent 2022-23 season, setting a personal record for games played (54). Furthermore, he scored the game-winning goal for the Hammers in the UEFA Europa Conference League final, instantly attracting interest from other Premier League heavyweights.
It is still early to determine if Salah or Bowen will change teams, but Liverpool's intentions to add fresh blood to their roster are there in case they need to. Only time will tell if Bowen is good enough to fill Salah's void since the Egyptian has been crucial to the team's recent success in England and in European tournaments.
Manchester United receive huge injury blow ahead of Premier League clash vs. Arsenal
Manchester United might have returned to winning ways over the weekend, coming back from 2-0 down to beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but the Red Devils have been rocked with a huge blow ahead of their upcoming trip to Arsenal.
Erik ten Hag's side, who are already without a few key players due to injury, could be without star defender Raphael Varane when they lock horns with the North London giants.
The Frenchman, who was signed two years ago from Real Madrid, picked up an injury in the win over Forest and was forced to leave the pitch early in the second half. Fast forward to today and the prediction is that he will be out for a few weeks.
According to Sky Sports, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner could miss up to six weeks. Not only would this rule him out for Sunday's clash with Mikel Arteta's side, but the former Real Madrid ace could also miss the games against Brighton in mid-September and the showdown with Brentford in early October.
This is a huge blow to Ten Hag's side as the Red Devils have already lost Mason Mount and Luke Shaw to injury. While a definite timeline was not publicly revealed, the aforementioned English left-back is expected to be sidelined for a significant period, with his employers entering the market for a quick solution.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Sergio Ramos set to join former Real Madrid teammate in Saudi Arabia
Time is running out for Sergio Ramos to find a new team, and with almost all suitable options to continue playing in Europe gone, the Spaniard could be closing in on joining the Saudi Pro League.
The center-back tried to join a team ready to play UEFA Champions League matches, but was snubbed by Galatasaray, Sevilla, and even Real Madrid. After turning down offers from Flamengo, Liga MX's Club América, and an alleged reunion with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the 37-year-old seems to be Pro League-bound, with one of his former teammates at Real Madrid waiting for him.
A report by Qatari media outlet Al Kass states that Ramos is ready to join Al Ittihad, where former Los Blancos star Karim Benzema started playing a couple of weeks back. The initial terms of the deal have been agreed, but the extension of Ramos' stay in Saudi Arabia is still under discussion. Apparently, the team is offering a two-year deal to the player, but Ramos would be interested in signing a three-year move.
Ramos left PSG as a free agent after two seasons, where he won two Ligue 1 titles and emerged as the team's leader in defense, especially during his second season. The turmoil surrounding the club and Luis Enrique's arrival were the main reasons for his exit, and now it seems that he will add one more league to his resume...if he can agree a two-year deal with the yellow and black side.
Spain women's coach Vilda set to be forced out amid Rubiales storm
Spain's controversial Women's World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda is set to be forced out as the sexism scandal engulfs the Spanish soccer federation, according to Spanish reports.
Over 80 national team players are striking in protest until the leadership of the federation (RFEF) is changed, in the wake of president Luis Rubiales's forcible kiss on the lips of midfielder Jenni Hermoso after the team triumphed in the final in Sydney on August 20.
Vilda, who last week applauded a speech in which Rubiales refused to resign from his position and railed against "false feminism", later criticized Rubiales' "inappropriate and unacceptable" behavior.
World soccer's governing body FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days, while the Spanish government are seeking to impose their own sanctions and the RFEF have asked him to resign.
While the majority of Spain's coaching staff offered to step down in the wake of the Rubiales incident, Vilda did not, after Rubiales publicly announced the coach was in line for a new contract with a big pay hike.
Reports in Spain on Thursday said the RFEF's regional presidents had agreed on the need for Vilda's departure at a meeting on Monday, although he is said to want another role at the federation if he leaves his current post.
