What to expect
Costa Rica, playing in their 16th Concacaf Gold Cup, are in a battle not just for the Gold Cup but for bragging rights in South America. Having led the way in the region they are now challenged by Panama who beat them to qualify for the Nations League finals. Once again they are in a group with Panama and the winner of this match looks likely to be the group winner.
May 23 – Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has said La Liga is a league of racists, but Javier Tebas has vehemently defended the way the Spanish topflight deals with racism.
May 23 – AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifi has said that he feels comfortable that the security situation in Syria is now safe and that the AFC and FIFA can work toward allowing international football to again be played in the country.
May 23 – Juventus have been pushed back down the Serie A table after an Italian tribunal made a ruling to dock them 10 points for the current season. The points loss puts them outside European club competition qualification with two games left to play.
May 23 – Newcastle United secured qualification for next season’s Champions League and Leicester City kept their hopes of remaining in the Premier League alive following a 0-0 draw last night at St James Park.
May 23 – Manchester City have extended their global partnership with home appliances producer Midea into a fourth term.
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Situated just west of the much larger city of San Jose in the San Francisco Bay Area, Levi’s stadium has been the home of NFL team San Franciso 49ers since 2014, when the stadium first opened.
The stadium is 40 miles south of San Francisco.
Levi’s Stadium will host multiple matches during the 2026 World Cup.
Designed as an open stadium with a natural grass field,
What to expect
Cuba are making their 11th appearance in the Gold Cup and arrive on the back of a Nations League campaign that saw them win five matches, only losing once. They are in a group with Canada, Guatemala and Guadeloupe and expect to be competitive for a place in the knockout rounds. Part of the Cuban story is always how many players they lose when they arrive in the US,
What to expect
Haiti are making their ninth Gold Cup appearance and have had some notable performances, in particular in 2019 when they knocked out Canada before going on to lose to eventual winners Mexico in extra time. With players predominantly based in the French leagues, Haiti bring athleticism and steel to their game. Fearless and committed in equal amounts they never give up until the final whistle – their intensity,
What to expect
El Salvador are playing in their 13th Concacaf Gold Cup, and ninth consecutive. In 2021 they made it through to the kickout rounds for the sixth time, but they have never progressed beyond the quarter finals. In a group with Costa Rica, Panama, and Martinique, they could find progress difficult. They have had a poor run of form into the finals, failing to win a game in the past year.
May 23 – Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin has condemned FC Barcelona players after their video message thanking Russian fans for their support on La Liga’s Telegram Channel.
May 23 – Pascale Van Damme has become the first female president of the Belgian FA (RFBA) succeeding Paul Van Den Bulck, who departed after an internal power struggle.
May 22 – Dutch online betting brand BetCity.nl, has moved its shirt sponsorship from the back of Eredivisie club SBV Vitesse Arnhem’s shirt, to the front.
What to expect
Guadeloupe fulfilled their expectation of making it through the preliminary knock-out rounds in Fort Lauderdale. They will present an athletic and physical challenge in a group that contains Canada, Cuba and Guatemala. They have the ability to pull off big results with a team that is a mix of experience and new, younger players, with many drawn from the French leagues.
Coach
May 23 – National Independent Soccer Association has approved Irvine Zeta FC’s (IZFC) application to join US third tier professional league.
