Phoenix Rising’s Ihsan Sacko wins USL Championship Player of the Month

Ihsan Sacko takes USL Championship’s October honor

Phoenix Rising forward Ihsan Sacko was voted the USL Championship Player of the Month for October after scoring a league-high five goals. His late-season run helped Phoenix reach the postseason for a fourth consecutive campaign.

Sacko scored twice against Las Vegas and twice against Orange County before adding a goal against Lexington. That final strike brought his season total to 17, earning him the league’s Golden Boot. He also tied for Phoenix’s team lead with five assists.

Haley Hopkins named NWSL Player of the Month

Kansas City Current forward Haley Hopkins was named the NWSL Player of the Month for October and November after scoring four goals and adding an assist across the team’s final four regular-season matches. It is her first time receiving the honor in four professional seasons.

Hopkins scored 12 regular-season goals, tying Temwa Chawinga for the Current’s team lead. Kansas City finished with 54 goals, tied for the most in the league, and hosts Angel City in a quarterfinal on Nov. 7.

Sixteen UPSL clubs reach final U.S. Open Cup qualifying round

Sixteen United Premier Soccer League clubs advanced to the final qualifying round of the 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, more than any other league. The League for Clubs had five qualifiers and the American Premier Soccer League had three, Inside World Football reported.

Philadelphia Lone Star and Omaha Street both advanced in penalty shootouts, while Florida Badgers beat Dreamers AFC 5-4 in extra time. The final qualifying round is scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22, with 16 places in the tournament proper at stake.

Tyler Adams scores as Bournemouth rallies in Europa League

Tyler Adams scored his first goal in European competition since 2020 as Bournemouth came from behind to beat Slavia Prague 3-1 in the Europa League, Diario AS reported. The U.S. captain entered at halftime and equalized in the 57th minute, firing in a loose ball from the edge of the penalty area.

Evanilson put Bournemouth ahead in the 81st minute and Rayan added a third. The result extended Bournemouth’s unbeaten Europa League run to four matches, according to Diario AS.

FIFA seeks talks on under-23 limit for women’s Olympic soccer

FIFA wants to discuss restricting the women’s Olympic soccer tournament to under-23 players, The Guardian reported, citing concerns about fixture congestion and the workload of senior players. The eligibility rules for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are already set, so any change could not take effect before Brisbane 2032.

No formal proposal has been made. The Guardian reported that a change would require consultation with the International Olympic Committee, players and national associations, and could face resistance because the Olympics is a major event in the women’s game.

Angel City signs U.S. youth star Maddie DiMaria through 2030

Angel City signed U.S. under-17 forward Maddie DiMaria through 2030, ESPN reported. DiMaria scored 12 goals at the ongoing Under-17 Women’s World Cup, the most by any player at any age level in a single World Cup, and had previously committed to the University of North Carolina.

DiMaria is eligible for Angel City’s Nov. 7 NWSL quarterfinal against Kansas City. ESPN reported that she signed before the league’s Oct. 8 roster freeze, despite the club announcing the move afterward.

Concacaf changes Gold Cup group-stage format for 2027

The 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup will feature two groups of eight teams instead of four groups of four, CBS Sports reported. Each of the 16 teams will play four group-stage matches, with the top four in each group advancing to the quarterfinals.

The tournament is scheduled to run from June 17 to July 11, 2027, with guest nation Saudi Arabia joining 15 teams that qualify through the preliminary round. The knockout format will stay the same.

U.S. veterans and teenagers meet in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad

The latest U.S. men’s national team squad brings young players including Cavan Sullivan together with established players such as Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, Goal.com reported. Coach Mauricio Pochettino said he wants to see how the players build chemistry on and off the field.

The Inquirer reported that Sullivan called joining the veterans a “cool opportunity” and said he had grown up watching and admiring them. Sullivan and Neil Pierre earned their selections after making their national-team debuts and continuing to perform for their club, the newspaper reported.

Sam Mewis backs Ashley Sanchez for NWSL MVP

Former U.S. international Sam Mewis made the case for Ashley Sanchez to win NWSL MVP, arguing that her individual performance should count even though her team missed the playoffs, according to Yahoo Sports.

Mewis also picked Gotham and San Diego to reach the championship game, USA Today reported. The NWSL quarterfinals begin Nov. 6, with San Diego hosting Utah, followed by Kansas City against Angel City on Nov. 7 and two matches on Nov. 8.

LAFC visits Seattle in final MLS regular-season match

LAFC visits the Seattle Sounders on Nov. 7 to close the MLS regular season, the club said. LAFC has secured the Western Conference’s No. 6 seed, while Seattle needs a win or draw and favorable results elsewhere to reach the playoffs.

LAFC will face the West’s third seed in a best-of-three first-round series, with its opponent to be determined after the final matches. The club said the playoffs begin Nov. 19 with two wild-card matches.