Rose Lavelle finishes 27th as Alexia Putellas wins the 2026 Ballon d’Or Féminin

Lavelle is the lone American on the Ballon d’Or shortlist

Rose Lavelle finished 27th in voting for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Féminin, after becoming the only American named to the 30-player shortlist. Spain’s Alexia Putellas won the award for the third time, her first win since 2022.

Lavelle scored the winning goal in Gotham FC’s 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Championship. ESPN reported that the award’s European calendar can disadvantage NWSL players, whose season runs on a different schedule, while retired U.S. international Crystal Dunn said the award has skewed toward European players.

NWSL and players’ union expand access to high salaries

The NWSL and its players’ union reached a settlement that lets clubs use High Impact Player funds for any player meeting a salary threshold, rather than only players meeting the original performance criteria. The changes take effect in 2027, and clubs will be able to spend up to $1 million outside the salary cap once they reach it.

The agreement resolves six outstanding grievances, including disputes over the HIP rule and Trinity Rodman’s initial contract. It does not meet the union’s request to raise the salary cap by $1 million. ESPN’s survey of executives at all 16 clubs also found broad concern about teams making side payments to players.

Diego Chara to retire after Portland’s 2027 sprint season

Portland Timbers captain Diego Chara announced he will retire after the 2027 MLS Sprint Season. The 40-year-old joined Portland for its inaugural MLS season in 2011 and holds the club’s MLS records for games played, starts and minutes.

Chara helped Portland win the 2015 MLS Cup and the 2020 MLS Is Back Tournament, and reach MLS Cup in 2018 and 2021. The 2027 sprint season is scheduled to run from February to May, with teams playing 14 regular-season matches.

Andrew Farrell to retire after 14 seasons with New England

New England Revolution defender Andrew Farrell announced he will retire after the 2026 season. The 34-year-old spent all 14 of his MLS seasons with the club and holds its records for games played, starts and minutes.

Farrell was the No. 1 pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft and helped New England win the 2021 Supporters’ Shield. The club said he will continue in his player development and Revolution Academy assistant-coaching roles full time in 2027.

Columbus unveils renderings for NWSL training center

Columbus’s incoming NWSL franchise and Haslam Sports Group released renderings of a two-story, 45,000-square-foot training center at McCoy Park. The OhioHealth Training Grounds are expected to be completed by January 2028, ahead of the team’s planned spring 2028 debut.

The facility is planned to include three grass pitches, exercise equipment, locker rooms, pools, a sauna and wellness and rehabilitation spaces.

Nashville claims its first Supporters’ Shield

Nashville SC clinched its first Supporters’ Shield with a 2-0 win over CF Montréal. The club had 70 points and, with three matches left, was chasing the MLS single-season record of 74, set by Inter Miami in 2024.

Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar scored in the win. Nashville’s Shield victory also secured the club a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Dylan Chambost named MLS Player of the Matchday

Columbus Crew midfielder Dylan Chambost was named MLS Player of the Matchday after recording three assists in a 4-2 win over Toronto FC. The French midfielder became the sixth player in club history to record at least three assists in a regular-season game.

The win moved Columbus to 10th in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the final Wild Card spot. Chambost’s three assists were also tied for the second-most in an MLS regular-season match in 2026.

USL Championship names its 2026 Golden Award winners

Phoenix Rising forward Ihsan Sacko won the Golden Boot with 17 regular-season goals, while Detroit City goalkeeper Carlos Herrera took the Golden Glove after recording a 0.65 goals-against average and a league-leading 14 shutouts.

Las Vegas Lights midfielder Christian Pinzón won the Golden Playmaker award with 10 assists, one more than any other player. Sacko and Herrera are set to play in the 2026 USL Championship Playoffs.

NWSL playoff race and Shield to be decided on November 1

The NWSL Shield and the final playoff places remained undecided ahead of Decision Day on November 1, when all 16 clubs are scheduled to play. Gotham FC can secure the Shield with a win or draw against Utah Royals.

Utah clinched its first postseason berth with a 0-0 draw against Seattle Reign. Denver Summit stayed in the playoff race after a 6-1 win over Racing Louisville, while Angel City beat Bay FC 2-0 to extend its unbeaten run to nine games.

Harry Kane backed for Ballon d’Or by Mauricio Pochettino

U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino said Harry Kane deserves the Ballon d’Or, ahead of the award ceremony. Kane was the frontrunner after scoring 73 goals for club and country during the 2025-26 season, according to Yahoo Sports.

Kane’s rivals included Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. Pochettino, who managed Kane at Tottenham, said he hoped the award would recognize Kane’s career and work in soccer.

Police respond to dispute at Florida game involving 3-year-old

Police were called to a Florida youth soccer game after a dispute over a 3-year-old player. His parents said he was removed because he was too good, while an i9 Sports organizer told officers the boy had pushed other children and his parents became argumentative when he was taken out.

The Winter Park Police Department said the family agreed to leave and no one was arrested or forced out of the park. i9 Sports said it had contacted the family and was reviewing the incident.

27 clubs qualify for 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup

The 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup will feature 27 clubs. Nashville SC, Forge FC and St. Louis CITY SC are among the qualified teams, alongside clubs from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Nashville qualified after clinching first place in the MLS Eastern Conference regular-season standings. Toluca won the 2026 Leagues Cup and will receive a bye to the Champions Cup Round of 16.

LAFC clinches playoff berth after rallying to draw with Galaxy

LAFC secured a place in the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy. Joseph Paintsil scored twice for the Galaxy before Denis Bouanga and Leo Walta scored for LAFC.

Bouanga’s goal was his 18th of the season and extended his scoring run against the Galaxy to eight consecutive regular-season matches. LAFC had two regular-season games left and sat sixth in the Western Conference, one point below a top-four place.

MLS and NWSL fixtures set for November 1

Nashville SC will host Red Bull New York on November 1, while LAFC hosts Minnesota United and Portland Timbers hosts Houston Dynamo. The MLS schedule also includes New England Revolution against Inter Miami.

NWSL Decision Day matches on November 1 include Gotham FC against Utah Royals, Bay FC against San Diego Wave and North Carolina Courage against Denver Summit. All eight NWSL matches are scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.