Wells Fargo harnessed for MLS exclusive sponsorship
August 2 – Wells Fargo has become the exclusive retail banking and commercial lending sponsor of MLS following a deal struck with MLS commercial rights agency Soccer United Marketing (SUM).
Concacaf
Jack is back, in Trinidad parliament with landslide win
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who quit football over the infamous 2011 cash-for-votes scandal during Sepp Blatter’s re-election campaign, has staged a political comeback after winning back his parliamentary seat in his native Trinidad and Tobago.
Gulati calls for transparent World Cup bid processes as 2022 debate heats up
By Andrew Warshaw
July 30 – Sunil Gulati, head of the US Soccer Federation whose country lost out to Qatar in the battle to stage the 2022 World Cup, has questioned the entire bidding process and called for greater transparency in future.
Webb hails Gold Cup a ‘huge success’ as blue riband event closes with US win
By Paul Nicholson
July 29 – CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb hailed the Gold Cup, which closed last night with 1-0 win for the USA over Panama, “a huge success, this has been a great Gold Cup”.
Klinsmann banned to stands for Gold Cup Final showpiece
By Andrew Warshaw
July 27 – United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been banned from Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Panama, CONCACAF’s showpiece fixture, after being sent off in the semifinal for dissent. The former German international striker, who managed his country at the 2006 World Cup, was dismissed in the 87th-minute of Wednesday’s 3-1 semifinal win over Honduras and incurred a one-match ban.
Jamaican national team player fails dope test
July 26 – Football may not be considered to have a drugs problem but in the same week as track and field was embroiled in a fresh doping scandal, it has been revealed that a Jamaican player failed a test following a World Cup qualifier against Honduras on June 11.
Gamers ready for Interactive Gold Cup final live at Cowboys Stadium tonight
July 23 – Tonight’s double header semi-finals of CONCACAF’s Gold Cup at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, will be split between matches by the final of the CONCACAF Interactive Gold Cup 2013 (CIGC13), played out live on the big screen in the stadium by gamers using Playstation 3 consoles.
Costa Rica coach fined for insulting remarks
July 22 – Costa Rica head coach Jorge Luis Pinto (pictured) has been fined $5,000 by CONCACAF and warned about his future conduct following remarks he made during the Gold Cup.
CONCACAF acts swiftly as Belize players report bribery attempt
July 12 – Football’s global match-fixing scourge, regarded as the biggest threat to the integrity of the sport, has now struck at the heart of CONCACAF with the confederation confirming that two Belize players were offered bribes to throw their opening match of the Gold Cup, the region’s blue riband event, against the United States.
CFU Under-20 women kick off qualifiers for place in Puerto Rico finals
July 11 – The qualifiers for The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Under-20 Qualifiers Tournament kicked off this week with the Dominican Republic losing 3-0 to Trinidad and Tobago at home.
Canadian Twitter threat leads to police investigation
By Andrew Warshaw
July 11 – Canadian police are investigating death threats sent on Twitter to the captain of one of the country’s leading clubs, Montreal Impact, which plays in the MLS. Midfielder Davy Arnaud is reported to have received threatening tweets after making a mistake that led to his team losing 4-3 at home to the Colorado Rapids in stoppage time.
CONCACAF calls for return to rotation and for the World Cup in 2026
By Andrew Warshaw
July 10 – CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb is targeting the 2026 World Cup after the United States missed out on hosting the event in 2022 when beaten to the punch by Qatar. Webb is hopeful he can harness enough support for the World Cup to be staged in his region for the first time since the USA hosted in 1994.
New page turns as CONCACAF starts its Gold Cup party
By Paul Nicholson in Los Angeles
July 7 – It could become a football quiz question. Which is the only confederation in world football where every country has a beach? The answer is CONCACAF, the confederation that covers north and central America and the Caribbean.
CONCACAF unveils Embrace Diversity anti-racism and discrimination campaign
July 8 – A new initiative to promote integration and social awareness was unveiled by CONCACAF prior to the Gold Cup’s first game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena — a direct follow-up to Fifa’s Anti-racism and Discrimination campaign approved at its recent congress in Mauritius.
Gold Cup opens with a Mariachi world record and a Mexican stand-off
By Paul Nicholson in Pasadena
July 8 – CONCACAF’s blue riband event the Gold Cup opened here yesterday with a double-header in the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California – both upsets as Canada lost to tiny Martinique and Mexico were edged out by Panama – plus a new world record for the largest ever Mariachi serenade with over 500 performers taking to the field at half-time.