Portland Thorns fall to Washington Spirit in NWSL semifinals

Portland Thorns eliminated by Washington Spirit

The Portland Thorns were eliminated from the NWSL playoffs after losing to the Washington Spirit in the semifinals, KPTV reported.

USL Championship names 2026 All-League teams

The USL Championship announced its 2026 All-League teams, recognizing players for regular-season performances. Sixteen players were first-time selections and six had been selected before. Detroit City FC led the clubs with five honorees.

New Mexico United goalkeeper Kris Shakes and center back Kipp Keller, along with Lexington SC midfielders Aaron Molloy and Blaine Ferri, made the First Team. Sacramento Republic FC midfielder Memo Rodriguez was also selected to the First Team, and defender Lee Desmond made the Second Team. Rhode Island FC defender Frank Nodarse was named to the Second Team.

Manchester United reportedly prepare for possible Pochettino appointment

Manchester United is finalizing a contract with United States coach Mauricio Pochettino in case the club parts ways with manager Michael Carrick, The Athletic reported, according to Bleacher Report. The Athletic also reported that Pochettino is the club’s chosen candidate if it makes a change.

Pochettino recently signed a new contract with U.S. Soccer, and reports cited a release fee of about $10 million. He is not in a rush to leave the national team, according to the Telegraph report summarized by Bleacher Report.

Robinson says USMNT players are not distracted by Pochettino links

United States defender Antonee Robinson said players are focused on preparing for their next games, despite reports linking coach Mauricio Pochettino with Manchester United. The U.S. is scheduled to play Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals on Nov. 14 and Nov. 17.

ESPN reported that sources said Pochettino would be open to returning to the Premier League, and that his contract allows him to speak with a major European club willing to trigger a $10 million release fee. Robinson said his focus was on being ready to play for Pochettino.

Chattanooga FC wins MLS NEXT Pro Cup as first independent champion

Chattanooga FC beat LAFC 2, 1-0, to win its first professional league title and become the first independent club to win the MLS NEXT Pro Cup. The club’s supporters set an attendance record for the final, with 10,228 at Finley Stadium, according to U.S. Soccer.

Chattanooga closed the season with eight consecutive wins across the regular season and postseason. U.S. Soccer reported that the streak was the longest in the club’s professional history and the longest by an eventual MLS NEXT Pro Cup champion to finish a season.

Nike to outfit AC Grand Rapids in MLS NEXT Pro

Incoming MLS NEXT Pro club AC Grand Rapids has signed a multiyear deal making Nike its official on-field apparel partner, Sports Business Journal reported. The independently owned team will be the league’s first club to partner with Nike when it begins play in February 2027.

Nike will provide match kits, training apparel, travel gear and merchandise support. The team is scheduled to play at Amway Stadium, an 8,500-seat soccer-specific venue in downtown Grand Rapids.

Antoine Griezmann named MLS Player of the Month

Orlando City forward Antoine Griezmann was voted MLS Player of the Month for October and November 2026. He tied for the league lead with six goals and 10 goal contributions in seven starts during the award period.

Griezmann recorded all 10 contributions in a five-match span from Oct. 10 to Oct. 28 and extended his streak of games with a goal or assist to 12. Since joining Orlando in the summer, he has scored 14 goals and added eight assists in 18 starts.

U.S. Soccer recounts World War I service by inaugural national team members

U.S. Soccer marked Veterans Day by recounting the military service of eight people connected with the organization’s early history: its first president and seven members of the inaugural U.S. men’s national team squad. All eight returned home after World War I, and most resumed playing soccer, the federation reported.

Half of the 14 players who represented the United States on its 1916 European tour later returned to Europe to fight in the war. Former U.S. Soccer president Manning served as a colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

NWSL players use pregame outfits to express personal style

NWSL players use individual pregame outfits, often called tunnel fits, to show aspects of their personalities beyond the field, ESPN reported. The league differs from many European leagues, where teams typically wear matching tracksuits and outfits before matches.

Portland Thorns rookie Carolyn Calzada said outfits give players a way to express themselves and let teammates’ personalities show. Washington Spirit player Gabrielle Carle said she and teammate Paige Metayer exchange ideas about what to wear.

NWSL playoff debate focuses on Gotham’s field and Utah’s upset

Gotham FC’s quarterfinal field conditions at Sports Illustrated Stadium prompted concerns, Goal.com reported. The club’s semifinal was moved to Icahn Stadium, a 5,000-seat venue, rather than its usual 25,000-seat home.

Utah Royals advanced after upsetting the San Diego Wave and were set to face the Washington Spirit in the semifinals. Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets said the team had been underestimated after being picked last by NWSL experts before the season, according to FOX 13 News Utah.

Quarterfinals set NWSL playoff records

Trinity Rodman became the first player in NWSL history to record two goals and an assist in a playoff game, while Clara Luvanga became the first to score once and assist twice in one, The Equalizer reported. They were the first players to record three combined goals and assists in a playoff game.

Gotham reached the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year, and the Washington Spirit advanced for the third year in a row. The Kansas City Current also reached the semifinals, according to The Equalizer’s review of the quarterfinals.

Pochettino’s availability for Haiti games draws questions

Mauricio Pochettino’s potential move to Manchester United has raised questions about whether he will coach the United States against Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, Diario AS reported. The U.S. is scheduled to play in Miami on Nov. 14 and in Cincinnati three days later.

Diario AS reported that Manchester United had not yet officially relieved Carrick and that U.S. Soccer had not been contacted by the club. If Pochettino leaves, assistants Jesús Pérez and Miguel D’Agostino could be next in line, while U.S. under-23 coach Steve Cherundolo was described as another possible option.

USWNT set to open Concacaf W Championship against El Salvador

The United States will begin the 2026 Concacaf W Championship on Nov. 27 with a quarterfinal against El Salvador, Concacaf reported. The tournament runs through Dec. 5 in Dallas and Houston, with qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics at stake.

The U.S. has won the tournament nine times and is making its ninth consecutive appearance. Sophia Wilson, Trinity Rodman, Alyssa Thompson and Lindsey Heaps are among the players expected to lead the team.

Atlético Dallas signs midfielder Anthony Ramirez

Atlético Dallas has signed midfielder Anthony Ramirez, pending league and federation approval, as the club builds its roster ahead of its 2027 USL Championship debut. The Dallas native is the second signing in club history, the league announced.

Ramirez developed in the FC Dallas Academy and played for North Texas SC and FC Dallas. He helped North Texas SC win the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Championship and has represented the United States and Mexico at youth level.

Nashville, Inter Miami and Vancouver tipped as MLS Cup contenders

MLSsoccer.com named Nashville SC, Inter Miami CF and Vancouver Whitecaps FC as the teams it believes have the strongest cases to win the 2026 MLS Cup. The analysis highlighted defense, attacking difference-makers and a team’s playing style as key factors.

Nashville set league records for points, goal difference and home wins, according to the analysis. Inter Miami has Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, while Vancouver finished second in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

NWSL semifinals scheduled for Nov. 14 and 15

The Washington Spirit are scheduled to play the Utah Royals at Audi Field on Nov. 14 at noon ET, according to the NWSL fixtures list.

Gotham FC is scheduled to host the Kansas City Current on Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. ET. The venue was listed as to be determined.