Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. Two of soccer's most successful men's national teams will meet at Gillette Stadium this spring, as Brazil will take on France in an international friendly on March 26. “Gillette Stadium has a rich history as a host of global sporting events, and welcoming Brazil and France—two of the most recognized and influential national teams in the world—is an extraordinary way to kick off the Road to 26 series,” Jim Nolan, chief operating officer of Kraft Sports + Entertainment, said in a release. “As we prepare to host seven FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, including a quarterfinal, this event will provide fans a world-class preview.” The four-game series features Brazil, France, Colombia, and Croatia, with two games to be played in Orlando, one in the Washington, D.C., area, and the marquee matchup to take place in Foxborough. Brazil, winner of a record five FIFA World Cup titles, is currently fifth in the FIFA men's world ranking. The two teams have met 18 times, with France winning seven, Brazil claiming five, and the other six played to a draw. The March friendly will be a chance for the French to get acquainted with Gillette Stadium, where they'll take on Norway in group play on June 26. Brazil's Group C will also play in Foxborough, but the group's marquee team will instead play one game each in New York, Philadelphia, and Miami. Get the latest Boston sports news Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Stay up to date with everything Boston. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.

If not listed, please contact your TV provider. For the United States men's national team, much of 2025 was spent worrying about whether they would be up to the task at hand of performing in a World Cup on home soil. They were struggling to score, defend, and lacked any real identity under new manager Mauricio Pochettino. It wasn't until September that things began to change, when Tristan Blackmon, Tim Ream and Chris Richards all started together in a back three for the first time in a friendly against Japan. It would lead to a 2-0 victory which sparked a five match unbeaten run to close out 2025, a run where the USMNT faced five sides who will all be in action at the World Cup. The shift is something that impressed Ream, who spoke about it on Call it What you Want, a CBS Sports Golazo network podcast. "I think it was a stroke of genius to have three center backs. But in doing that, I think it unlocked the thought of guys being able to play in a fluid four for whatever reason, we went to three center backs, we seemed a lot more comfortable," Ream said. It created a more repeatable system and added flexibility for the USMNT to go back to a back four if needed. "Flexibility gives us incredible options to change on the fly in game... it gives guys a better understanding of what everybody needs, but it gives them a better understanding of positionally where they should be at all times," Ream said. Adams is irreplaceable in a one to one shift, so changing the system was needed to make it happen. It shows Pochettino ensuring that he's creating the best system for the players at his disposal instead of trying to force something that isn't working on his team. Adams is currently recovering from an MCL injury with Bournemouth, so even during the March international break, Pochettino could need to continue seeing how to operate without his best defensive midfielder. Even with Pochettino changing the players in his XI from game to game, performance levels didn't drop off, and players knew what was expected from them tactically. It's a departure from when players sometimes didn't understand what their roles were during the end of Gregg Berhalter's tenure as manager. There is no gambling offered on this site.

Wesley Fofana has been slammed as a "habitual offender" after being fined for his tenth driving offence. The Blues defender has been injury-prone throughout his time in west London, but has managed to rack up an almost unbelievable haul of issues on the road, both during his time in west London and beforehand. Per The Sun, Fofana has been fined for a tenth driving offence after he was caught travelling at 54mph in a 40mph zone in Twickenham on February 27 of last year. The centre-back was driving a £300,000 Rolls Royce and he pleaded guilty to one count of speeding in a 40mph zone. Having racked up eight speeding offences, he was given 38 points on his licence and fined £7,569. The defender was slammed by Magistrate Alan Jefferson, ahead of being handed down a £666 financial penalty, a £266 surcharge, and £130 court costs. Jefferson said in court: “It's obvious that he's a habitual offender. “We have taken into consideration his income and early guilty plea. His licence record will be endorsed with 3 penalty points.” Kari Williamson, prosecuting, said: “He appeared before the court in May last year. “This offence occurred a couple of weeks after the most recent one. He has opened up, however, on how difficult his injury woes have been, telling the club's website: "In football it's hard to take your time because there is a game every three days, but he [Maresca] protects me and he pushes me in a good way,' says Fofana. He doesn't take risks with me because he wants, step by step, for me to be able to play every three days. "The target is to play every game; we need to carefully progress step by step towards that. Also, he protects me because of the type of player I am: aggressive, fast, not scared to have duels on the pitch. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting Fofana has revealed how desperate he is to win a trophy after missing the Conference League triumph, adding: "I want more because I missed out. "Of course I want to make up for lost time, but you can't get the time you missed back. We have a lot of competitions to play for, and the objective is to go as far as we can in all of them and fight for everything. And my objective is just to stay with the team, and fight for everything with the team."

They're taking proposals from local artists for the project until Sunday night. “Flags are really something that globally people recognize and know that it's a place of gathering or meaning and celebration, so it just felt like the right thing at the right time to pursue that as a project,” said Angi Hejduk, public art specialist for Johnson County Park and Recreation District. The call for proposals is open to both professional artists and hobbyists living in Cass, Clay, Douglas, Jackson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, Platte and Wyandotte counties. Although the project administrators will provide most of the material in the form of new ripstop nylon kite fabric, some of it will be recycled from an old hot air balloon donated for this purpose. Hejduk said that while artists' abstract designs should be inspired by nature, there's a lot of leeway . Artists aren't limited to what can be found locally in nature and might even use the flora and fauna of visiting nations as their starting point. So far, Hejduk said some submissions have come from groups of artists working together. Some flags will be attached to lamp posts, but there is money in the project budget for temporary flag poles as well. To encourage both visitors and locals to see not only the flag displays but all the other art on offer in Johnson County, the public art division will launch an art passport guide later this year that leads people to various local sites. “We're going to have millions visiting the whole metro area. I think that we'll be very surprised by number of people who we see in our communities that are enjoying and seeking to learn what our culture is here,” Hejduk said. “I think they said the average visitor will be in town for nine days. There's a lot of time between games when somebody's here that long.” For more information on the project guidelines and how to submit a proposal, visit JCPRD's website.

Manchester United interim coach Darren Fletcher has declared there is a huge amount of talent in the club's academy, in contrast to predecessor Ruben Amorim's derisory remarks about the Red Devils' youth players. Fletcher has been coaching United's under-18s this season but is temporarily in charge of the first team after Amorim was sacked on Monday. Fletcher oversaw a disappointing 2-2 draw at Burnley in his first game but almost watched his side snatch victory thanks to academy graduate Shea Lacey. While Amorim also handed debuts to Fletcher's son Jack and Bendito Mantato as well as fielding Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson and Chido Obi last season, he used academy players sparingly on the whole. He only turned to the youngsters during an injury crisis this term or as he rotated the squad heavily last term in preparation for Europa League knockout games. Amorim also angered the United fanbase with less than complimentary comments about players including Amass and Obi, and when those players responded by defending their own performances on social media, he said that young players in the club felt "entitled". Fletcher told a press conference: "I think what I see is a lot of hard-working, humble young players who aren't perfect because they're young and they're learning and they've got a lot to do. "I think we have to let them learn, educate them, help them, understand they're going to make mistakes and they're going to do things that will frustrate you but through time with good guidance of coaches, family members, players in the first team squad, all of us play a part, that's our role, that's our job of developing them to be Manchester United players and Manchester United people. "All I can say is my workings with those players as individuals and in general throughout the academy I deal with hard-working, honest, coachable, super talented kids and we've got a lot of talent in our academy and hopefully they can showcase themselves like Shea did when he came on against Burnley and so close to scoring a fantastic goal." As well as rarely calling on the players in United's under-18 and under-21 squads, Amorim neglected some of their best known academy graduates in recent years. He forced Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the club while he didn't start Kobbie Mainoo in any Premier League matches this season. Mainoo returned to action against Burnley after missing the previous four games due to injury and Fletcher said the midfielder was in good spirits. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting United face Brighton in the FA Cup third round on Sunday at Old Trafford. The competition, which United have won 13 times and most recently in 2024, is their only chance of lifting a trophy this season and Fletcher stressed the importance of doing well in it. He said: "It's an important competition and Manchester United are about winning trophies. Fletcher expects to have the same squad available to him as against Burnley as he confirmed that neither Noussair Mazraoui nor Bryan Mbeumo will be in contention even though one of them will be heading out of the Africa Cup of Nations as Cameroon take on Morocco in the quarter-finals later on Friday.

While New York has decided to charge for some of its fan activations, Philadelphia has stated that its fan festival at Lemon Hill will remain free. There's been considerable discussion surrounding what many feel are exorbitant ticket prices to attend a match at this summer's FIFA World Cup. But another recent announcement seemingly sent people over the edge. “Since our selection as a host city in 2022, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 has remained committed to making sure every fan can share in the excitement, culture, and community of this generational sporting event,” Meg Kane, host city executive of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, said in a statement to The Inquirer on Wednesday. » READ MORE: To kick-start a generation of city kids playing soccer, it will take more than just a place to play While general admission will remain free for the scores of fans who are expected to descend upon Philly over the course of five group matches and a massive round of 16 game on July 4, there will be “optional VIP experiences,” including expedited entry into festival grounds, and are expected to be available for purchase at a later date. Kane's announcement mirrors that of other cities, such as Kansas City and Vancouver, which also have stated their intention to keep admission free for their events. Amid the news that FIFA plans to charge for its fan festivals, it was overlooked that only one delegation has formally announced its intent to charge an upfront entrance fee. A FIFA spokesperson confirmed this and added on Thursday that while some host city delegations have begun relaying their fan festival plans, “FIFA will communicate the full suite of details [for all 16 host cities] in the first quarter of 2026,” where, in addition to what's to come at those sites, announcements of which ones might consider charging a fee will be made public. FIFA's spokesperson also noted that “fan experiences can take many forms — from large-scale gatherings to more decentralized, community-driven activations,” which dovetails into the preliminary plan of attack of the New York-New Jersey delegation, which isn't viewing its overall fan engagement strategy as hosted one large site, but several. » READ MORE: FIFA slashes price of some World Cup tickets to $60 after fan backlash Essentially, by putting a limit on the number of people expected to descend upon the area to watch a series of matches in June and July, the Liberty Park fan festival can be capped at a number, one anticipated to still be in the tens of thousands, daily. To accommodate a global population, the delegation plans to bring in a scaled-down version of its festival, termed as “fan zones,” into all five New York boroughs. As of now, New York-New Jersey is the only host city committee planning fan experience that's not situated in a single location. “New York-New Jersey is building a regional fan experience unlike anything seen in World Cup history, Alex Lasry, CEO of the New York-New Jersey host committee, told The Inquirer. » READ MORE: Follow the Inquirer's complete coverage of World Cup soccer here!

U.S. women's national team head coach Emma Hayes said she wasn't consulted before the NWSL announced its new High-Impact Player rule last month. But the rule has proven controversial due to some of the criteria needed to be considered a high-impact player. Though she now has some say over who qualifies for a bigger contract in the NWSL, Hayes revealed that she wasn't consulted prior to the rule's introduction. The NWSL Players Association has come out strongly against the rule, advocating instead for an increase in the salary cap that will allow teams to spend money at their discretion. "Under federal labor law, changes to compensation under the salary cap are a mandatory subject of bargaining — not a matter of unilateral discretion," the NWSLPA said in a statement after the rule was announced. A league that truly believes in the value of its Players would not be afraid to bargain over it." The NWSLPA has said it is planning to take legal action. Amid vociferous opposition from its players' union, Hayes said the NWSL may end up making some changes to the rule before all is said and done. "I'd say it's between them to try and do that. To be honest with you, it's probably going to be a little bit longer until they resolve what that criteria is."

“Wake Forest University is truly honored to host the German Men's National Team as its official training base for the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Wake Forest University President Susan R. Wente said. This global partnership reinforces our dedication to support a vibrant, connected region, and we are enthusiastic about the possibilities of making the World Cup experience available to our community.” The partnership is expected to generate international visibility, stimulate economic activity, and foster meaningful community engagement, while showcasing the strength of collaboration between Wake Forest, local leaders, and statewide partners. Germany selected Wake Forest as its host training site due to its thriving collegiate environment, state-of-the-art athletics facilities, and reputation as one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Its proximity to Wake Forest's athletics facilities further positioned Winston-Salem as an ideal home base throughout the tournament. “With our Home Ground in Herzogenaurach, we found a place that allows the team to come together regularly while still providing the necessary peace and privacy. We have discovered exactly the same conditions here at Graylyn. We already find many things available on site and don't have to bring everything from Germany. We have outstanding conditions here, both on the pitch and beyond.” Germany is scheduled to open group play on June 14 at the Houston stadium, followed by matches at the Toronto stadium on June 20 and at the New York New Jersey stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 25. The World Cup Final will be held July 19 in New Jersey. More information about a community engagement event with the team upon their arrival in Winston-Salem and the fan experience in general will be shared at a later date. “Wake Forest University is truly honored to host the German Men's National Team as its official training base for the FIFA World Cup 2026. This global partnership reinforces our dedication to support a vibrant, connected region, and we are enthusiastic about the possibilities of making the World Cup experience available to our community.” “Wake Forest is proud to partner with Winston-Salem to serve as the German Men's National Team's home base during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosting a four-time World Cup champion reflects the strength of our University soccer culture, which is truly world-class — most recently highlighted by our women's program finishing as the 2024 NCAA runner-up and our men's team capturing the 2024 ACC Championship. Under the leadership of Tony da Luz and Bobby Muuss, our programs have established a standard of excellence for Demon Deacon student-athletes and fostered deep engagement with the local soccer community, including a strong tradition of outstanding youth camps that will continue this summer. This is another winning moment for Wake Forest and Winston-Salem, and I am deeply grateful for the collaboration that made it happen!” To welcome a World Cup-bound team and to play even a small role in their preparation is something our players, coaches and fans should be proud of. “Hosting the German men's national team as they prepare for the World Cup is an honor and will bring immeasurable exposure to Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem. We have three football fields in excellent condition that meet all of our sporting requirements, and they can be reached on foot or by bike in less than ten minutes. Given the vast distances across the United States, Canada and Mexico, we already have to cover long stretches when traveling, so we want to avoid additional journeys in our daily training routine. We have outstanding conditions here, both on the pitch and beyond.” “With this Team Base Camp, we are creating the best possible conditions for a successful tournament. The environment is ideal — both in sporting and infrastructural terms. Our close and constructive cooperation with FIFA, as well as with the local authorities, Wake Forest University and the hotel management, has played a key role in making this possible. “Hosting the German Men's National Team is a big opportunity for the city of Winston-Salem to showcase our renowned hospitality, vibrant city, and first-class facilities. We are proud to welcome the team, their families, journalists, and fans who will call our beautiful city home during the World Cup. We encourage all visitors to enjoy our wonderful hotels, restaurants, and shops during their visit!” “Welcoming the German national team to train at Wake Forest is an extraordinary honor for Winston-Salem and a proud moment for our community. “We are excited for the German men's national team and their guests to get to explore Winston-Salem and feel that this is their ‘home away from home' during the World Cup. We are proud to be the host city for DFB and to further the strong business relationship between North Carolina and Germany. “North Carolina is a destination for businesses and tourists from around the world, and the German national team's decision to establish its base in Winston-Salem this summer is another great endorsement of our state. This selection followed a thorough evaluation process, and it reflects the high standard of quality North Carolina offers — from our world-class facilities and hospitality to our global connectivity, including daily direct air service that positions Germany as one of our top international markets for visitation. Wake Forest University is known for its distinctive combination of world-class academics, unrivaled campus experience, intimate learning environment and Power 4 athletics in a top-growing metro market. A Charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Demon Deacons have won 59 conference titles and are one of nine ACC schools to win 11 or more national championships. Additionally, with 1.7 million people within 30 miles of campus, Wake Forest anchors the Winston-Salem and Triad market, which ranks as ESPN's seventh-best nationally from a viewership perspective. Wake Forest's comprehensive excellence includes its highly regarded school of medicine, business school, law school, innovative department of engineering and its nationally renowned Program for Leadership and Character, which prepares students to live with purpose, integrity and courage. Additionally, Wake Forest has campuses across Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Washington, D.C. – providing many academic offerings to students from across the nation and around the world. The Graylyn Estate features 85 historic and modern guest rooms located throughout its beautiful 55-acre grounds. Gray Sr., served as President and CEO of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company. After serving as student dorms, the property was transformed into a boutique hotel in 1984. Guests at Graylyn experience legendary hospitality through the staff's commitment to exceptional service, ensuring exquisite and unforgettable experiences. Graylyn has received national recognition as a top hotel in the United States, having been honored as a top 5 boutique hotel in the country for 2023, 2024 and 2025. We are Wake Forest University's primary news source and first point of contact for reporters. We help media by facilitating interviews, connecting with faculty experts or providing interesting story ideas. A staff member is on call 24/7 for media requests at 336.758.5237. Our team also offers a variety of communications resources for Wake Forest students, faculty and staff. A Private Liberal Arts University in Winston-Salem, NC / Founded 1834 / Motto: Pro Humanitate Is information on this page out of date or incorrect? A gift to the Wake Forest Fund supports student needs immediately.

If he keeps playing regularly, could there be room on the U.S. World Cup team for him? Born in Hawaii and raised in Germany from a young age, he has been on the U.S. men's national team radar for a few years now, including the 2023 under-17 World Cup squad. Last September, he earned his first call-up to the senior squad. Though he didn't play in that month's games and hasn't been called up again since, just that one invitation got a lot of attention. It might be too soon for Banks to make this year's World Cup team. The starting trio looks likely to be Chris Richards, Tim Ream, and Mark McKenzie, but no one has yet locked down a backup spot. That adds to the buzz around Banks right now, and he knows it's out there. » READ MORE: Brenden Aaronson is on a hot streak with Leeds United at an ideal time for his World Cup hopes “I don't read much, to be honest, but my mom always sends everything in the family chat because she uses a lot of Twitter and apps like this,” he said. ”The national team boasts some excellent players — [Christian] Pulisic, [Malik] Tillman, Richards — and, of course, a highly experienced coach who has managed some of Europe's top clubs. A touch of homespun warmth certainly won't hurt his standing with fans either. “To be honest, I don't think about the World Cup at the moment, because we have a difficult situation here at my club,” Banks said. He was referring to Augsburg being in the thick of a relegation fight. Augsburg fired manager Sandro Wagner in early December after just 12 games. So perhaps you can take Banks' patience as a sign of maturity. He even would have scored a late equalizer had he not been just barely offside when a corner kick was flicked on to him near the goal line. The Bundesliga season resumes this weekend, with Banks' Augsburg coincidentally visiting two other Americans: Borussia Mönchengladbach's Gio Reyna and Joe Scally (Sunday, 9:30 a.m., ESPN+). There are always lots of games around Europe for U.S. fans to watch, but that one might draw a little extra attention. It might also remind those fans that Germany has long been the top port of call for U.S. players who move abroad. Many aspire to play in England, and the doors there are much more open than perhaps they've ever been. Still, the Bundesliga's track record of being a place where Americans cannot just move but actually play and develop remains the best of any top European league. » READ MORE: The USMNT, USWNT, and your kid's youth team are all different. Former World Cup outside back Timmy Chandler has long called Eintracht home, as did Medford's Paxten Aaronson for a while. There's another young American playmaker in the club's pipeline in Marvin Dills, and Eintracht tried to sign much-touted Union striker prospect Malik Jakupovic before he decided to turn pro at home first. “FC Augsburg is a very well-run and family-oriented club,” Banks said. “The club gives me valuable playing time, which is crucial for my development.” He praised the club's managing director, Michael Ströll, for having “a clear vision: Young players should make their way into the Bundesliga, and the club is also striving to further develop its playing style — with a focus on more active football.” But Ströll didn't take the job until after Pepi left, so we'll see if things are different now. One piece of evidence is that Augsburg reportedly looked at signing 21-year-old Tampa native Santiago Castañeda in the summer. » READ MORE: The USMNT seems on course to do something it hasn't done in nearly a quarter century “I really appreciate being close to my family and the mountains,” Banks said. If he keeps playing this well, the odds of that will certainly go up.

While some players have locked themselves into roster spots, like in-form Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic, others are still contending to secure their spots on manager Mauricio Pochettino's roster. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. Barring something exceptional, Cole Campbell won't be at the 2026 World Cup—but for those following the future of American soccer, he's one of the most important names to watch. The 19-year-old recently moved to TSG Hoffenheim, currently sitting fifth in the Bundesliga, on loan, after struggling to get minutes at giants Borussia Dortmund. Primarily a winger who can also play centrally, the former Atlanta United academy product moved to Europe at 15 and made his senior debut with Iceland's Hafnarfjarðar in 2021-22. By making the move, he hopes to get more playing time in the top flight and that chapter begins on Saturday against Werder Bremen. The Eredivisie returns for the first time in 2026 this weekend and plenty of eyes will be on Ricardo Pepi as the battle heats up for a forward spot on USMNT's 26-player roster. While his good form stands out, he will need to ensure it isn't just early-season success, but a maintainable level through to this summer's tournament. He is likely to be in the starting lineup alongside USMNT and PSV teammate Sergiño Dest against Excelsior, who, until Wednesday, also had a young American on their roster in 21-year-old Zach Booth, before loaning him to MLS side Real Salt Lake for 2026. With Brenden Aaronson, Patrick Agyemang, Christian Pulisic and other European-based American attacking players in form, it's vital for Pepi to keep scoring at an impressive clip. While he was an attacking presence in a transitional double pivot with the USMNT, his role at Boro this season has largely been in a defensive midfield role alongside Hayden Hackney —where he has helped them to second in the EFL Championship with 20 appearances. This weekend he takes on Fulham in the third round of the FA Cup, with a chance to impress against a Premier Leageu side that contains USMNT fullback Antonee Robinson. Morris is still looking for his first goal of the season and he's contributed just two assists during 2025–26. However, he's stood out in other areas, and completed an impressive 70 passes in last week's 4–0 beatdown of Southampton. Three straight games without a goal for Patrick Agyemang is worrying for a striker who bet on himself this season to impress in the Championship with Derby County, instead of remaining in MLS as a star striker with Charlotte FC. Before his current dry streak, held goalless in 209 minutes against Wrexham, Middlesbrough and Leicester City combined, he had scored four goals in six games and looked a surefire lock for the USMNT. Yet, his stat line has dipped to six goals in 22 appearances this season and the recent spell has seen him struggle more than he had in the early stages of his time with the English side, when he battled for a starting spot. This weekend sees him take on one of the most in-form American attacking players, Brenden Aaronson, as Derby meet Leeds United in the FA Cup. At this point, Agyemang might not be on the final World Cup roster—but Aaronson is showing he could potentially create chances for whoever takes the starting forward roles. It wasn't too long ago that Brenden Aaronson's World Cup dreams looked to be over. He was not making an impact with Leeds United in the Premier League and there was no guarantee he'd even remain at Elland Road. Now, he boasts three goals and an assist in his last four Premier League contests. Midweek action saw him bag a brace in Leeds' thrilling 4–3 defeat at Newcastle United, days after he netted against Manchester United. Prior to that, Aaronson had played a key role in a 12-pass buildup for one of Leeds' best goals of the season. Now, he just has to keep it up. Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner was part of the squad for the Gold Cup in June but did not play Omar Vega/Getty Images Matt Turner's journey to the United States men's national team was as unexpected as it was unconventional. He didn't play varsity soccer until his junior year and thought about quitting the game after a mistake for Fairfield University went viral. He wasn't drafted and made the New England Revolution as a trialist. Turner hasn't forgotten how he got here. It has been a difficult year for Turner, who lost his hold on the U.S. starting goalkeeper job after struggling for playing time in Europe. He has not played for the national team since a 4-0 loss against Switzerland in June. He came back to MLS in search of regular action, rejoining the Revolution as he sought stability and an international return. Turner was solid for New England down the stretch — according to data from American Soccer Analysis, he was one of MLS' top-performing goalkeepers on a per-game basis — but was left out of Mauricio Pochettino's squad for international windows in September and November. So while he remains a face of the program — he was at a U.S. Soccer event in Times Square alongside defender Tim Ream and fellow goalkeeper Matt Freese for the World Cup draw in December — Turner knows his spot for the 2026 World Cup this summer is far from guaranteed. If I am looking too much into the future or harping too much on the past, I lose a lot of my ability to be here now, and that's something I learned in the last year. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself, like, ‘Oh my God.' Getting really, really hyped up for the times that I had opportunities to play, rather than just being in that, ‘OK, every week is the same,' and ‘Every game is kind of the same.' When you're not called upon week-in, week-out to be the guy, it can be challenging to switch that on and off. They'll get their chances with the national team. Being left off two of the last three rosters, Turner said, has only added motivation. I'm in a really good spot to do that.” Turner insisted that his “relationship with the staff is strong,” and said they have communicated, but declined to go into specifics. “I have a clear pathway in my head of what I need to do and what needs to be done to be on the field for the team,” he said. Turner said he is clear-eyed going into the 2026 season. He will get a full preseason for the first time since 2021. That allowed him to approach this offseason differently and get his body right. After heading to Crystal Palace, where he played on loan in the 2024-25 season, to train before the November window in a bid to stay fit and earn a call from Pochettino, Turner and his family took time to see London when he was ultimately left off the U.S. roster. Ever since, Turner has been focused on letting some small nagging injuries heal, and he said he feels mentally and physically sharp for preseason with New England. His goal, he said, is to peak from March to May, before Pochettino selects his World Cup roster. The U.S.'s opening game against Paraguay in Los Angeles is on June 12. I'm in control of my own destiny, and I know that if I'm playing to my maximum capability, it'll be hard for them to keep me off the pitch,” Turner said. “The competition is good and healthy and I'm going to do whatever I can to help this team be best positioned in 2026.” The goalkeeper union is strong, but there is just one starting job and Freese looks to be firmly entrenched as Pochettino's first choice — though there has been a rotating door behind him. “There are heated rivalries and intense rivalries, but when the team sheet comes out, I've always felt like I'm part of something so much bigger than myself,” he said. I've never been a me-first kind of guy. Paul Tenorio is a senior writer for The Athletic who covers soccer.

The soccer governing bodies of Brazil and France announced on Tuesday, Jan. 8 that the two sides will take each other on in a friendly at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, March 26 with a 4 p.m. kickoff scheduled. It will be the first meeting between Seleção and Les Bleus, who faced each other in the 1998 World Cup final, since 2015. The match is part of a four-game slate of friendlies called the "Road to 26" set to take place during the final international break ahead of this summer's tournament, with France also taking on Colombia at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD on Sunday, March 29 and Brazil facing Croatia at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL on Tuesday, March 31. Croatia, who fell to France in the 2018 final, will also go up against Colombia in Orlando on March 26. Brazil, led by stars such as Real Madrid forwards Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo and captained by Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos, are the most successful national team in the history of the men's World Cup with five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002). France, meanwhile, has two World Cup titles (1998 and 2022) to its name, and the side led by Real Madrid star forward Kylian Mbappé finished runners-up to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This will be the first of at least two matches for Les Bleus at One Patriot Way in 2026, with France slated to take on Erling Haaland and Norway in a key World Cup group stage match on June 26. Brazil is not slated to visit Gillette, which will be referred to as Boston Stadium by FIFA during the tournament, this summer. In addition to the five group stage matches, a Round of 32 match, in which Seleção could feature, on June 2 and a Quarterfinal match on July 9 are also set to take place in Foxboro. It's also the first international friendly in Foxboro since Brazil defeated the United States 4-1 at Gillette a year prior. If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.