Good morning, everyone. The 2025 MLS season is officially over, which means it’s time to start looking ahead to 2026. The start of next season is still over two months away, but there are still plenty of things going on in the soccer world during the meantime. We’ve got a lot to discuss this morning so let’s get right into the links.

Thomas Williams Traded

Orlando City announced on Monday that it has traded Homegrown center back Thomas Williams to Nashville SC. In exchange, Nashville sent Orlando its first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft and will also send up to an additional $100,000 in General Allocation Money if certain performance incentives are hit. That first-round pick is the 20th overall selection in the draft, meaning that Orlando now has the fifth, ninth, 14th, and the 20th overall picks, for a whopping four first-round selections. Williams’ departure means that Orlando will likely need to sign a fourth center back to join Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and David Brekalo, although whether that happens in the draft or via the transfer window/trade market is anyone’s guess.

World Cup Will Have Hydration Breaks

FIFA has announced that every game in the 2026 World Cup will be paused for three minutes during each half for a hydration break, regardless of weather conditions. The break will occur 22 minutes into each half, and effectively splits the game into four quarters. After some games in the Club World Cup were played in over 100-degree heat, the decision to include water breaks was made to prioritize player safety, and the choice to have breaks even in games where conditions don’t call for one is intended to ensure competitive balance. The decision is a sensible one when it comes to player welfare, but don’t be at all surprised when FIFA uses the three-minute time frame to run advertisements, because I guarantee that’s what will happen.

UEFA Champions League Returns

The UEFA Champions League is back for its sixth round of league phase matches this week, and there are several eye-catching matchups on the docket. Today’s action is highlighted by Liverpool traveling to the San Siro to face Inter Milan, and the Reds will be hoping for a repeat of the Round of 16 tie between the two teams back in 2021-2022, when they beat the Italians 2-0 in Milan. Meanwhile, Chelsea will hope to build off an impressive 3-0 win over Barcelona on matchday five, when the Blues travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta. The tentpole match on Wednesday sees Real Madrid host Manchester City, with the match marking the fifth straight season that the teams have played each other in the Champions League.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The January transfer window will be here before we know it, and as expected, the rumor mill is firing on all cylinders. Up first, Napoli is said to be increasing its efforts to sign Kobbie Mainoo on loan next month, as the Italian club needs capable bodies in a midfield that’s been wracked by injuries. Atletico Madrid is reportedly interested in signing Valentin Barco from Strasbourg, but Chelsea may have an advantage in landing his signature due to the fact that Strasbourg and Chelsea are sister clubs. AC Milan is said to be planning to use Luka Modric’s connection to Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to help sign the Ukrainian shot stopper if current goalkeeper Mike Maignan leaves at the end of the season. Finally, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Manchester United are all said to be interested in signing Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, but the French club wants a fee in the area of €60 million.

Free Kicks

• Here’s a peek at some of the off-season renovations underway at Inter&Co Stadium.

• The NWSL will be hosting a combine for the first time.

• Christian Pulisic scored a brace off the bench to help AC Milan to a 3-2 comeback win over Torino on Monday.
• This is a good breakdown of how travel will impact all of the 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup.
• The Houston Dash have signed goalkeeper Hillary Beal.
• Sporting Kansas City has reportedly acquired goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland from Austin FC.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work while covering high school basketball and wrestling this week. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride defender Zara Chavoshi, who turned 23 Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

World Cup Draw Reveals Favorable Group for USMNT

The FIFA World Cup draw was completed Friday in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Men’s National Team will face Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of UEFA Path C which will be decided between the winners of Turkey vs. Romania and Slovakia vs. Kosovo. FIFA also announced the match times, location, and full schedule for all the 2026 World Cup matches. The opening World Cup match for the USMNT will be June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. The Yanks will play again June 19 against Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle, before facing the UEFA playoff winner on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium.

As for the cohosts, Mexico was drawn with South Korea, South Africa, and the UEFA Path D winner between the victors in the Czech Republic vs. Ireland and Denmark vs. North Macedonia matches. Canada will face Qatar, Switzerland, and the UEFA Path A winner between whoever survives the bracket with Italy vs. Northern Ireland and Wales vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Inter Miami Wins MLS Cup

Inter Miami defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 Saturday at Chase Stadium to win its first MLS Cup, because sometimes evil triumphs over good. Miami went ahead early on an own goal by Vancouver defender Edier Ocampo. In the second half, the Whitecaps’ Ali Ahmed scored the equalizer, but Rodrigo De Paul pulled Miami back in front at 2-1. In stoppage time, Tadeo Allende added an insurance goal for Miami. Lionel Messi had two assists and was named the MLS Cup MVP. It’s the third consecutive year Miami has won a trophy since Messi’s arrival, taking the Leagues Cup title in 2023 and the Supporters’ Shield in 2024. The Whitecaps’ stellar MLS Cup playoff run ended with questions surrounding the club’s future. The Whitecaps remain for sale, but according to The Athletic, the club may relocate if it can’t secure a new lease at BC Place.

Americans Abroad

It was another busy weekend for Americans abroad in Europe. Weston McKennie added an assist for Juventus, but his side fell 2-1 to Napoli. Brenden Aaronson came off the bench in the second half, played 25 minutes, and notched an assist in Leeds United’s 3-3 draw against Liverpool. Malik Tillman played 81 minutes but Bayer Leverkusen fell 2-0 to FC Augsburg. Joe Scally played 90 minutes as Borussia Monchengladbach beat Mainz 1-0. In France, Tim Weah played 90 minutes but his side fell 1-0 to his former team Lille. Mark McKenzie played a full 90 as well, as Toulouse beat Strasbourg 1-0. Today, Christian Pulisic and AC Milan will face Torino in Serie A league action.

San Diego Wave FC Wins World Sevens Tournament

The San Diego Wave defeated Tigres 3-0 Sunday at Beyond Bancard Field in Fort Lauderdale to win the World Sevens Soccer Tournament and take home $2 million in prize money. Adriana Leon scored two goals in the match. The Wave went undefeated in the tournament, winning five matches and scoring 14 goals while conceding only three. The Wave defeated Deportivo Cali, beat Club America in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw, and beat Nacional in the group stage, while cruising to a 5-1 win over Flamengo in the semifinals. The Wave weren’t the only NWSL side in the competition; the Kansas City Current also participated but were eliminated in the group stage.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City forward Marco Pasalic’s Croatia side will face England, Panama, and Ghana in Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer.

• Detroit City FC acquired former Orlando City B forward Ates Diouf via a transfer from Lexington SC and signed him to a two-year contract through 2027 with a club option for the 2028 season.

• St. Louis City announced that Technical Director John Hackworth will leave the club to become the head coach of the U.S. Naval Academy men’s soccer program.
• LAFC announced the appointment of Marc Dos Santos as the club’s new head coach. Dos Santos has served as an assistant coach for LAFC for the past four seasons.
• Concacaf announced key details for the 2026 Champions Cup. The tournament will begin in February and end with the final on May 30. The draw for the tournament will take place Tuesday.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Happy Friday! We’ve already made it to the first weekend of December, which is either good news or a worrying reminder that less than four weeks remain of 2025. I’ll be spending the next few days working and getting some more shopping done, but I’m hoping to enjoy some rest and relaxation along the way. Let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

U.S. Open Cup Format Shrinks for 2026

The layout for next year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was announced and Orlando City will once again be participating. Orlando is one of 16 MLS teams in the tournament, which has been reduced to just seven rounds instead of eight. As a result, only 48 professional teams from around the country will be included and MLS teams join the fray in the round of 32. Orlando City and FC Naples are the only professional Floridian teams taking part next year and it will be weird not seeing the Lions beat the brakes off of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Also, FC America CFL Spurs, which is based in Orlando, is one of three amateur sides from Florida to keep an eye out for when the first round kicks off in March.

Orlando Pride Trio Make Guardian’s Top 100 Players List

The Guardian released its annual list of the top 100 women’s soccer players in the world and Orlando Pride stars Barbra Banda, Marta, and Jacquie Ovalle all made an appearance on it. Banda was 14th and only second to Temwa Chawinga, who placed sixth, among NWSL players on this year’s list. Marta isn’t far behind in 19th, which is eight spots higher than last year. Ovalle’s still settling in with Orlando after dominating with Tigres and was 94th on the list.

For the data addicts out there, you can see how voting for this list shook out, but it’s not much of a surprise at this point that the judges valued players plying their trade in Europe highly. Of the Americans listed, Arsenal’s Emily Fox and OL Lyonnes’ Lindsey Heaps were ranked the highest at 24th and 27th, respectively. The Kansas City Current had one of the best seasons in NWSL history, but only four players made the list and Chawinga is the only one in the top 50. Still, it’s cool to keep up with some of the biggest names across the pond, especially with a Women’s World Cup on the horizon.

Bay FC Hires Emma Coates as Head Coach

Bay FC announced Emma Coates as its next head coach, with Gemma Davies joining as an assistant coach. Coates has been the manager of England’s U-23 team since 2023, developing players for the senior team while excelling in the U-23 European League. She and Davies were part of England’s extended technical staff for the past two Euros and the 2023 World Cup. Bay FC missed the playoffs this year and finished the season on an 11-game winless streak, so Coates will have her work cut out for her in regards to turning things around.

NWSLPA Files Grievance Against the League

The NWSL rejected a contract offer by the Washington Spirit to Trinity Rodman and the NWSL Players’ Association has filed a grievance with the league, alleging that the denial violates the collective bargaining agreement.

“Trinity Rodman agreed to a compensation structure in good faith that would allow her to remain loyal to her first professional club, consistent with both the CBA and NWSL Competition Rules,” union executive director Meghann Burke said in a statement provided to The Associated Press on Thursday. “The NWSLPA has challenged the League’s rejection of this agreement on the grounds that it violates her free agency rights, but this isn’t about Trinity Rodman. If NWSL can deny her free agency rights, they can deny anyone’s. The NWSLPA will not allow it.”

The deal offered by the Spirit is reportedly for four years, with backloaded compensation for 2028 and 2029. Rodman is a free agent after five seasons with the Spirit and there’s worry that she will be the latest young American to leave the NWSL for Europe. The league’s position in rejecting the deal was that the offer violated the spirit of the NWSL salary cap.

Free Kicks

• Here’s a preview of Saturday’s MLS Cup final between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Inter Miami. From the star players to the unsung heroes, it should be a good match to end the MLS season.
• Hugo Lloris signed a contract extension with LAFC through 2026, with an option for 2027. The 38-year-old has made 91 appearances across all competitions for LAFC since joining the club.
• The North Carolina Courage have signed forward Ally Schlegel to a three-year contract. Schlegel scored eight goals for the Chicago Stars during the 2025 season.
• NJ/NY Gotham FC announced its end-of-season roster decisions and forward Ella Stevens is a free agent and not re-signing with the club. Midge Purce is also a free agent, but she and Gotham are in negotiations for her return.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!