Vancouver Whitecaps in deadline crunch over adding USL franchise

USL Pro

September 9 – MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps are still in the process of discussing plans for a USL Pro team with the local community, despite their intention to start play in the 2015 season. The club signed a memorandum of understanding with New Westminster (part of the Greater Vancouver district) in July but have yet to finalise stadium plans.

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Women’s draw emphasises progress being made in the CONCACAF region

CONCACAF Womens World Cup draw

By Paul Nicholson in Miami
December 8 – CONCACAF has completed the final draw for the CONCACAF Women’s Championship 2014. The eight team finals, to be played this October, will not only crown a CONCACAF champion but will also qualify three teams for the finals next year in Canada (Canada qualify automatically as hosts) with a fourth team getting a play-off against the third-placed CONMEBOL team.

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Prince Ali warns FIFA it needs to get ‘positive’

Prince Ali bin al Hussein

By Andrew Warshaw in Manchester
September 8 – Twenty-four hours before he was due to address many of the game’s movers and shakers at the Soccerex convention in Manchester, FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, one of world football’s most committed reformists, warned that the next four years would be “make or break” for the governing body to get its act together.

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