Top games to watch this week
Friday, September 6
Wales vs Turkey (UEFA Nations League)
Belgium vs Israel (UEFA Nations League)
France vs Italy (UEFA Nations League)
Jamaica vs Cuba (Concacaf Nations League)
Honduras vs Trinidad & Tobago (Concacaf Nations League)
Uruguay vs Paraguay (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Brazil vs Ecuador (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Peru vs Colombia (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Australia vs Cameroon (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Mexico vs Colombia (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Fiji vs France (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Canada vs Brazil (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Morocco vs Gabon (Africa Cup of Nations qualifying)
Egypt vs Cape Verde (Africa Cup of Nations qualifying)
Cote d'Ivoire vs Zambia (Africa Cup of Nations qualifying)
Senegal vs Burkina Faso (Africa Cup of Nations qualifying)
Saturday, September 7
Ireland Republic vs England (UEFA Nations League)
Netherlands vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (UEFA Nations League)
Greece vs Finland (UEFA Nations League)
Germany vs Hungary (UEFA Nations League)
USA vs Canada (International Friendly)
Mexico vs New Zealand (International Friendly)
Columbus Crew vs Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Houston Dynamo vs Los Angeles FC (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Dallas (MLS)
Korea Republic vs Germany (FIFA Women's U20 WC)
Venezuela vs Nigeria (FIFA Women's U20 WC)
United States vs Paraguay (FIFA Women's U20 WC)
Morocco vs Spain(FIFA Women's U20 WC)
Sunday, September 8
Denmark vs Serbia (UEFA Nations League)
Croatia vs Poland (UEFA Nations League)
Portugal vs Scotland (UEFA Nations League)
Switzerland vs Spain (UEFA Nations League)
Argentina vs Costa Rica (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Netherlands vs Korea DPR (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Austria vs Japan (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
New Zealand vs Ghana (FIFA Women's U20 World Cup)
Monday, September 9
Norway vs Austria (UEFA Nations League)
Turkey vs Iceland (UEFA Nations League)
France vs Belgium (UEFA Nations League)
Israel vs Italy (UEFA Nations League)
Guatemala vs Costa Rica (Concacaf Nations League)
Tuesday, September 10
England vs Finland (UEFA Nations League)
Czech Republic vs Ukraine (UEFA Nations League)
Netherlands vs Germany (UEFA Nations League)
Honduras vs Jamaica (Concacaf Nations League)
Colombia vs Argentina (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Ecuador vs Peru (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Chile vs Bolivia (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Venezuela vs Uruguay (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
Paraguay vs Brazil (FIFA World Cup qualifying)
USA vs New Zealand (International Friendly)
Mexico vs Canada (International Friendly)
Rwanda vs Nigeria (Africa Cup of Nations qualifying)
Zimbabwe vs Cameroon (Africa Cup of Nations qualifying)
Wednesday, September 11
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
Internacional vs Fortaleza
Corinthians vs Juventude (Copa do Brasil)
Athletico-PR vs Vasco da Gama (Copa do Brasil)
Thursday, September 12
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
FIFA Women's U20 World Cup Round of 16
Atlético Mineiro vs Sao Paulo (Copa do Brasil)
Flamengo vs Bahía (Copa do Brasil)
What are this week's must-watch games?
France vs Italy live this Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET on fuboTV and ViX
France kick off their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign this Friday, taking on Italy in a highly-anticipated showdown. These two continental heavyweights face off on the back of their lackluster Euro 2024 performance, with the Azzurri crashing out in the round of 16 to Switzerland while Les Bleus stumbled to the semifinals before being eliminated by eventual champions Spain. Furthermore, Deschamps' side came close to relegation in the previous UEFA Nations League campaign and will look to make amends this time around.
Brazil vs Ecuador live this Friday at 9 p.m. ET on Telemundo, ViX, and fuboTV
Brazil resume their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign this Friday, with the Selecao hosting Ecuador in desperate need of a win. The South American powerhouses sit sixth in the table, suffering more losses (3) than wins (2) in their first six matches. Fortunately, sixth place is enough to qualify thanks to the expanded World Cup tournament. Nonetheless, Brazil have failed to win their last four qualifiers in a row and must return to winning ways as soon as possible.
Ireland vs England live this Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on FS1, ViX, and fuboTV
England return to action for the first time since their Euro 2024 heartbreak, having lost the final 2-1 to Spain. The Three Lions embark on their UEFA Nations League campaign in this fixture, which will be the first in the post-Gareth Southgate era. Lee Carsley is currently in charge on an interim basis as the back-to-back European Championship runners-up look to bounce back.
Germany vs Hungary live this Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET on fuboTV and ViX
Germany enter the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign having lost several key players to retirement, with Ilkay Gundogan, Toni Kroos, and Manuel Neuer all joining Thomas Muller in hanging up their boots. The four-time FIFA World Cup winners take on Hungary in their opening game and while Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, and Joshua Kimmich are all present to offer continuity, all eyes will be on Nagelsmann's side during this transitional period.
Portugal vs Scotland live this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET on FS1 and ViX
Portugal are back in action in the UEFA Nations League this weekend only a few days after kicking off their campaign with a 2-1 win over Croatia. Cristiano Ronaldo scored in that opening-day victory, sealing his 900th career goal and shattering even more records along the way. Scotland, meanwhile, will need to regroup following their Euro 2024 group-stage exit but will be in for an excruciating test at the Estádio da Luz.
Switzerland vs Spain live this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET on fuboTV and ViX
And wrapping things up is Spain's trip to Switzerland as the reigning UEFA Nations League champions aim to secure their first win of the 2024-25 tournament. La Roja got things underway on Thursday with a goalless draw away to Serbia and will look to rekindle their Euro 2024 form this weekend. Switzerland, meanwhile, were beaten 2-0 in their opener against Denmark and will want to recover immediately.
What to stream on NWSL+: September 6 to September 8, 2024
Matchday 19 of the 2024 NWSL season gets underway on Friday, September 6th, and there will be plenty of great games fans will not want to miss.
Viewers in the United States plus other select countries around the world will once again be able to live stream several games via NWSL's in-house streaming service, NWSL+.
NWSL+'s coverage of matchday 19 starts on Friday, September 6th with a 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) tie featuring Angel City vs Seattle Reign.
On Saturday, September 7th, it's an action-packed day on NWSL+, with a triple header starting at 12:30 p.m. ET (09:30 a.m. PT). First up will be a match starring Washington Spirit vs Portland Thorns, followed by two more games at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT) and 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).
Finally, NWSL+'s coverage concludes on Sunday, September 8th with a triple header. Highlights include an 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) match that will see San Diego Wave take on North Carolina Courage. This game will be especially notable as it's set to be the last match for striker Alex Morgan, who recently announced that she is expecting her second child and has decided to call time on her career to focus on her family.
*Here is the full schedule of matches live streaming on NWSL+ from September 6th to September 8th, with details as to what games are available for your specific location.
MLS Season Pass - Full soccer schedule for September 6, 2024
While Europe's major leagues are on pause due to the September international break, the ongoing Major League Soccer season continues, with six fixtures taking place this Saturday exclusively on MLS Pass on Apple TV.
The matches are split across three timeslots, with the action kicking off with three simultaneous 7:30 p.m. ET showdowns, the two standout fixtures being New York Red Bulls vs Sporting KC and Columbus vs Seattle Sounders.
The Sounders currently sit in eighth in the Western Conference and are running out of time to climb out of the wildcard spot and secure qualification for round one. However, Adrian Hanauer's side boast 40 points and are only four points behind fourth-placed Colorado, who won't be in action until after the break.
Meanwhile, Columbus are third in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the Supporters' Shield standings. However, the Crew have two games in hand over two of the three teams sitting ahead of them in the Supporters' Shield race and could move within two points of current leaders Inter Miami if they win those two fixtures.
*Click here for the full breakdown of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV's weekend schedule
Paramount+: Full Streaming Schedule for Sept. 5-10, 2024
If you are interested in watching top-caliber soccer, then Paramount+ should become your one-stop streaming service.
The platform will bring fans closer to some of the best soccer fixtures being held this week, whether those games take place in the U.S. or European countries and regardless of whether they feature national teams or clubs from different regions.
Speaking of club matches, the platform will cover USL Championship and NWSL games for their fans' delight in the United States, but that will not be all, as Concacaf W Champions Cup and English League One matches will also be streamed live on this service.
Furthermore, Paramount+ will keep fans informed of everything related to the Concacaf Nations League. The competition will get things going on Thursday in all its tiers, with Costa Rica, Honduras, and Jamaica entering the competition as the top teams to watch, and Paramount+ will be there to cover more than 20 games from this tournament during this week.
*Have a look at the full schedule for Paramount+ here
Biggest headlines
Ronaldo scores 900th career goal as Portugal beat Croatia
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 900th goal of his remarkable career on Thursday as Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in Lisbon in their first game of the UEFA Nations League.
Ronaldo, 39, turned in a Nuno Mendes cross in the 34th minute of the match at the Estadio da Luz to reach the landmark.
He appeared emotional as he celebrated the goal, his 131st in a Portugal shirt. Half of his goals were scored for Real Madrid, with the remainder spread across his spells at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, and current club Al-Nassr.
Diogo Dalot's goal had put Portugal in front early on before Ronaldo netted, with a Dalot own-goal reducing the deficit before the break. Read more…
Palmer left out of Chelsea's European squad to manage minutes
Cole Palmer has not been included in Chelsea's squad for the opening stages of the UEFA Conference League in a bid to manage the England star's minutes in a season that could run till mid-July.
Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana were also left out reportedly due to "load management" reasons with Chelsea set to participate in a new expanded Club World Cup in the United States, which runs from June 15 to July 13.
Palmer scored in England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain just 33 days before the beginning of the Premier League season.
The 22-year-old has pulled out of the England squad for Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland this week. Read more…
Tournament expansions pose serious threat to player welfare, union warns
Global footballers' union FIFPro believes the sport's governing bodies are "failing to meet their duty of care" towards players, denying them sufficient rest and imposing extra games with the expansion of tournaments such as the Champions League and Club World Cup.
The organization released a report Thursday calling for safeguards to be introduced for players who already face excessive workloads amid a constantly growing calendar.
The report on player workload in men's soccer underlines concerns over "growing intrusion into their private lives, and a lack of player care by football governing bodies," FIFPro says.
The union suggests bringing in a guaranteed minimum amount of time off, and even the introduction of a maximum number of games for players. Read more…
Messi missing from Ballon d'Or nominees, Spanish stars dominate
Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d'Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organizers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain's Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid's Champions League victors feature heavily.
Messi claimed the eighth Ballon d'Or of his glittering career last year. Now aged 37, he is not among the 30 contenders this time despite winning another title with Argentina at the Copa America in July.
The former Barcelona supestar, now playing club soccer in MLS for Inter Miami, was also missing from the nominees in 2022 when Karim Benzema took the honors.
However, he returned to win last year after leading Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar. Read more…
Toni Kroos trolls Real Madrid teammates as France Football reveals 2024 Ballon d'Or nominees
The 30-man shortlist for the 2024 Ballon d'Or has been revealed, and to no one's surprise, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Arsenal dominate the nominations.
The two Premier League giants have four representatives each in this list while Los Blancos, the UEFA Champions League holders, boast a whopping seven nominees. This includes Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, regarded by many as the two favorites.
The Brazilian narrowly edged out the English midfielder to finish as Real Madrid's top scorer across all competitions in 2023-24 but the Three Lions sensation outscored the South American attacker in La Liga alone in what was his debut campaign.
Toni Kroos, who sadly retired from soccer following Euro 2024, also got the nod and was joined by newly-signed Kylian Mbappe, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, and Federico Valverde. This sparked a hilarious joke from the German icon, who took to social media to request his former teammates bow out of the race so he could lift the prestigious award. Read more…
Osimhen inserts two clauses in Galatasaray loan that could still secure him a January Premier League, Ligue 1 move
After the summer transfer window closed on Friday in Europe's major league, Napoli decided to exile wantaway striker Victor Osimhen, omitting him from their Serie A squad and stripping him of the no.9 jersey.
As a result, both the player and Gli Azzurri agreed to a Galatasaray loan offer, with Osimhen joining the Turkish giants for the 2024-25 campaign. There is no option or obligation to buy, thus making this arrangement a straight loan, with the Super Lig heavyweights covering his full salary.
However, the striker negotiated two concessions that secured his ability to join a European elite as early as this winter. According to Sky Sport Italia, his first order of business was lowering his release clause from €130M (£109.5M) to €75M (£63.2M).
More importantly, Osimhen secured a break clause in his Galatasaray loan deal. This means a few clubs could acquire his services this January despite moving to Istanbul on a season-long loan. Read more…
Salah hints at Liverpool exit after inflicting more misery on Man Utd
Mohamed Salah hinted this will be his final season at Liverpool after scoring his 15th goal against Manchester United in a resounding 3-0 win for the visitors at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Salah has less than a year left to run on his contract at Anfield and said no discussions have taken place with the club on extending his deal.
The Egyptian has written himself into the record books of the English giants, scoring 214 goals since joining in 2017.
"I had a good summer and had a long time to myself to try to stay positive because as you know it's my last year at the club," Salah told Sky Sports. Read more…
Ten Hag clashes with reporter during press conference following Man Utd's 3-0 loss to Liverpool
Erik ten Hag endured an eye-catching clash with one journalist during his post-match press conference after Manchester United's embarrassing 3-0 loss to Liverpool.
Questions were asked of the Dutchman both by the fans — on social media — and journalists. This put the manager on a collision course with one reporter, sparking a fiery exchange.
That report, Mail Sport's soccer editor Ian Ladyman, asked the former Ajax boss if the issue underpinning Manchester United's problems is his coaching and whether the Dutchman should hold himself responsible for the regular errors his side commits.
The reporter then went on to list the mistakes he believes Ten Hag's side regularly make, saying: "Constantly turning over the ball in your own half, playing the ball out from the back, getting mugged, chances coming off the back of it, counter attacks where you are outnumbered, giving up endless chances."
However, Ten Hag was having none of this, instead opting to remind the reporter of his trophy haul since arriving at Old Trafford. Read more…
Other headlines from the world of soccer
Uruguay star Luis Suarez announces retirement from international soccer
Uruguay icon Luis Suarez announced his retirement from international soccer on Monday, confirming that he will hang up his boots following Friday's 2026 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in Montevideo.
"Friday will be my last match for my country," an emotional Suarez, 37, told a press conference. Continue reading…
"Role model" Kimmich to take over as Germany captain
Germany men's soccer coach Julian Nagelsmann said Monday he had tapped Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich to take over as national team captain.
Kimmich was a "role model for the whole group", Nagelsmann said at a press conference ahead of Germany's Nations League fixture against Hungary in Duesseldorf on Saturday. Continue reading…
Record-breaker Mueller scores as Bayern beat Freiburg
Bayern Munich veteran Thomas Mueller scored on the day he became the German giants' all-time record appearance maker in a 2-0 Bundesliga home win over Freiburg on Sunday.
Mueller, in his 710th match for Bayern, came off the bench in the 59th minute with the hosts leading 1-0 thanks to a first-half penalty from Harry Kane. Continue reading…