When Patrick Agyemang made his move to Derby County in the English Championship and left MLS, he knew it would be a gamble. Now midway through his first season in Europe, is he forcing his way onto the U.S. men's national team's World Cup roster? By virtue of his MLS success with Charlotte FC, Agyemang had become the top choice for the North American-heavy 2025 Gold Cup squad and showed flashes of what he could be for a USMNT led by manager Mauricio Pochettino. However, once the 25-year-old moved overseas, his form dipped. His rise, from college soccer in Rhode Island to MLS Next Pro, MLS and now the English second tier, has been swift but not without its hiccups at each step. Yet, after some struggles to find his footing with Derby County, his play and attacking output has improved, putting him in contention for not only the USMNT's March friendlies against Germany and Portugal, but the final World Cup squad. Standing a towering 6'4" and leaning on his long strides to separate from defenders, Agyemang has nine goals in 26 league appearances this season, often playing as a solo striker at the top of Derby's 4-2-3-1. Having scored in three of his last four matches against Preston North End, West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City, he enters this weekend's clash against Ipswich Town looking to add to an impressive tally. A win for his seventh-place side could push them above Wrexham and into the Championship playoff spots. And for Agyemang, it's about keeping his levels high and earning his spot in a competitive USMNT striker pool. The 19-year-old center back, playing in a back three for FC Augsburg, has been nothing short of exceptional and there's plenty of reasons to be excited about his future. St. Pauli, bringing them to 11th in the Bundesliga table. Banks has played 1,253 minutes in the German top flight this year and is set to surpass his last year's total against Mainz, who feature fellow American Lennard Maloney. He takes center stage of a heavy American battle this weekend as Bayer Leverkusen take on Borussia Mönchengladbach—Tillman is Bayer's representative while Gio Reyna and Joe Scally are prominent players for the opposition. 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.

Now 60° Sat 74° Sun 72° by Sophie Pendrill MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — A coalition of immigrant and civil rights organizations has issued a warning to international tourists planning to attend the FIFA World Cup in Florida, urging them to exercise caution while traveling to the state. The Florida Immigrant Coalition has released a travel advisory saying that fans should carry identification and register their travel plans with their consulate prior to arriving in the United States. Click here to view the PDF file The coalition expressed concern over tourists being detained or questioned by immigration enforcement agencies while they are visiting for the game. The tournament is set to begin in June, with seven matches scheduled to take place in South Florida. See also: 'Everglades Pizza' goes viral: Inside the iguana pie made in North Palm Beach The advisory continues to state that these operations have involved local law enforcement working in partnership with federal agencies, which could lead to traffic stops or interactions at airports. The coalition stated that enforcement activities may escalate in areas hosting major events like the FIFA World Cup, where large crowds of international visitors gather. 2026 Sinclair, Inc.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including a series of big games in France, England and Italy There is some wiggle room, though, and, in this first full weekend of February, the hope for several of the U.S. Men's National Team stars will be to navigate that wiggle room and put their teams in a better spot for the home stretch. There are big games throughout Europe this week, particularly for clubs looking to stay in crowded races at the top of their leagues. GOAL previews the main storylines among Americans abroad this weekend. They're even more tense, though, when a team isn't playing well. That's the situation for Crystal Palace as they continue to sputter. Could this weekend be the one where they really get back on track? When Palace kick off against rivals Brighton this weekend, it'll have been over two months since their last league win. For Americans, though, all eyes will remain on Richards as he looks to do his part, too. Richards, to his credit, has been one of the few shining lights for Palace in recent weeks. Captain Marc Guehi is gone, having signed with Manchester City, and manager Oliver Glasner says he'll be out the door soon, too, as he prepares to leave this summer. Tim Weah is set to face his former club this weekend, but, regardless of familiarity, there's always something pretty damn scary about facing Paris Saint-Germain. Marseille will visit the reigning Champions League winners on Sunday, pitting two of Ligue 1's top three teams against one another. PSG are, of course, at the top of the league, but there is some hope that someone, anyone, can challenge them, particularly if Marseille can knock them down a peg with a win this weekend. To win, Marseille will need to be near perfect, but the good news is that Weah has been more than pulling his weight of late. Playing as a right-wingback, Weah has a goal and two assists since mid-January, which has helped Marseille go unbeaten in the league since that point. Of course, Sunday will be a different type of game with the American likely staring down Les Parisiens' starBradley Barcola, which means far less license to get forward on that right-hand side. The season isn't dead, of course, but it would be very alive with a win this weekend. Staying in France, Mark McKenzie might just be the USMNT's most in-form player, which is saying something given the levels some of his international teammates are playing at. With his contributions to Toulouse's 1-0 win over Amiens in the cup, McKenzie has now played all 90 minutes in each of the team's last eight games. More importantly, five of those games have seen McKenzie and Toulouse's backline keep clean sheets, allowing them to leap up the Ligue 1 table and into European contention. There's still some work to do there, as they sit eighth at the moment, but Sunday's clash with Angers presents a chance to rise up the table even more. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting Juventus will still be reeling from Thursday's Coppa Italia loss to Atalanta. There's room to rise or fall, but that'll depend on results. A loss would set off panic, particularly knowing how tough the next one will be, too.

A deal to sell the 28-year-old to AC Milan for a fee of around £30million fell through on transfer deadline day, with the Italian side pulling out partly due to concerns over his knee which were flagged during a medical. Palace manager Oliver Glasner says a call on whether to continue managing the problem or seek a longer-term solution will be taken by Mateta after a final medical opinion has been sought, with the striker's hopes of making France's World Cup squad this summer in the balance. “If you visit three doctors, you have three opinions,” Glasner said in his press conference before Sunday's Premier League match with Brighton & Hove Albion. “This is what we have right now — one from English, Italian and French, and we get another one from German doctor JP trusted when he had knee surgery as a Mainz player. This is especially what JP is considering, his dream of playing for France at the World Cup, or he can undergo surgery. Mateta has been managing the problem since November, with Palace choosing not to risk him in their FA Cup third round defeat by Macclesfield in January due to their artificial pitch. Glasner said he believes Mateta, their top scorer with eight Premier League goals this season, will miss the next two games against Brighton and Burnley regardless of the surgery decision, but he would be able to reintegrate into the squad without any problem after his failed move. “It was not a big surprise that he could fail (the medical), we all considered and knew this could happen and he knew it,” Glasner said. “If you play for two and a half months with a swollen knee and have to be managed… we all knew there is an issue with his knee. Palace signed three players during the winter window, breaking their transfer record twice in acquiring Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur for £35m and Jorgen Strand Larsen for an initial £43m from Wolverhampton Wanderers. “Everyone's wish at the club would have been that JP gets what he wants, we get Jorgen and Dwight McNeil into the building and a Marc Guehi replacement,” Glasner said. “The club tried everything with huge bids out for a Marc Guehi replacement but the (other) club said ‘no we don't sell on deadline day'. “Credit to the club that without getting money for JP they spent this big fee on Strand Larsen. “I already planned for the next day's training with him involved. One or two hours before he's doing the medical, he should be our player, because we wanted to add a left footer in attack with great set plays. He also covers topics surrounding climate and environmental sustainability in sport. Matt previously worked as a freelance writer for the South London Press and MailOnline.

A coalition of immigrant and civil rights groups issued a travel alert for international tourists traveling to the United States, "particularly in Florida," warning that their rights, liberty, and physical security could potentially be in danger. The alert was issued in response to what the groups called multiple cases of tourists and U.S. citizens being detained for immigration enforcement purposes. The statewide travel alert is primarily focused on FIFA World Cup fans who are considering coming to Florida for the matches this year. Petit added, "International visitors must ask themselves if a soccer match is worth the risk of being kidnapped and jailed until God-knows-when, in deplorable conditions, by a secret police who is using racial profiling, judging people for how they look or their accent, and getting away with literal murder in the streets of our country." The immigrant and civil rights groups are concerned about international fans planning to travel to Florida for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins in June. Civil rights leaders gathered outside FIFA's offices near Miami on Thursday, Feb. 5, warning international travelers that “Florida is no longer safe” and calling on the sports organization to take action against recent immigration tactics before the World Cup. The Florida games will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The state will also host group stage clashes, such as Brazil vs. Scotland, plus a Round of 32 match, a quarterfinal game, and the third-place match in July. Mark Pieth, a Swiss attorney who chaired an oversight committee on FIFA reform, has urged fans to skip the World Cup. "There's only one piece of advice for fans," he told the Swiss newspaper Der Bund. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don't please officials, they'll be put straight on the next flight home. Sepp Blatter, the ex-FIFA president, wrote on social media, "I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup." Contributing: Hal Habib, Palm Beach Post; Rob Landers, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network's Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida's breaking news. You can get all of Florida's best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.

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As World Cup ticket prices soar, an industry expert warns that FIFA's premium-first pricing strategy risks empty stadiums, alienated fans, and a tournament that feels increasingly out of reach for the supporters who give the World Cup its meaning. With dynamic pricing and third-party resellers driving costs higher, the overall expense quickly spirals out of control. Including inflated accommodation prices, along with flights that can reach close to $2,000 per ticket from countries like Uruguay, a family of four can easily be looking at a $15,000 outlay before even arriving in the host nation. That reality raises an uncomfortable question: who is the World Cup really being priced for? It is clearly no longer designed for the die-hard fan, but instead for a “be there at any cost” audience, effectively locking many supporters out of attending matches. At present, face-value group stage tickets generally range from around $140 to well over $2,700, while seats for the final stretch from roughly $4,185 to nearly $8,700. This approach stands in stark contrast to UEFA's strategy for EURO 2028, which is built around transparency, fixed pricing, and broad access. By delaying sales until the draw is complete, reserving over 40% of tickets in the lowest price categories, banning dynamic pricing and limiting resale to face value, UEFA is offering a clear alternative to the World Cup's increasingly exclusive ticketing model. Urban Pitch spoke with Jim McCarthy, CEO of Impresario Strategic, a veteran of more than 25 years in live event ticket sales who specializes in helping football clubs boost attendance and revenue through tailored, multi-year strategies. McCarthy currently works with clubs across Scotland, Australia, and the United States, focusing on understanding each market's specific dynamics while refining pricing models, venue configuration, and the overall fan experience. In our conversation, McCarthy addresses growing concerns around the FIFA World Cup's expanded format and elevated ticket prices, particularly for lower-profile group stage matches that risk empty seats and weakened atmosphere. He believes FIFA has misread early-stage demand by pricing too aggressively, a sharp contrast to later rounds where interest and scarcity naturally support premium pricing. Urban Pitch: In your view, what did FIFA get wrong with their World Cup ticket pricing? Jim McCarthy: FIFA's main mistake with World Cup ticketing was treating the entire tournament as if every match carried final-level demand. With more than 100 games in an expanded format, only the later rounds truly justify premium pricing. By setting high prices early on, FIFA failed to properly account for the real market value of lower-profile games. Would that not be a major failure for the United States, given how much they hyped this World Cup and how in 1994, every match was sold out? I think it's critical that this doesn't happen, which is why FIFA needs to keep adjusting its approach. From what I can tell, some changes are already being made, but those adjustments will have to continue across the board to better reflect reality. The challenge is that application numbers don't always translate into actual ticket purchases, and without full transparency, it's hard to know how strong real demand truly is. It was a relatively new tournament in the U.S., pricing was set aggressively, and the outcome was uneven: a handful of matches drew massive crowds, while many others were played in front of large sections of empty seats. I personally attended PSG vs. Atlético Madrid at the Rose Bowl with over 80,000 fans, and the atmosphere was fantastic, but plenty of other games simply didn't generate that level of interest. We've never seen a group stage this spread out in terms of quality and traditional rivalries, and there's no real “group of death” this time around. People do want to attend World Cup matches, but not at any price. That's why further adjustments feel inevitable as the tournament approaches — because FIFA cannot afford a World Cup where empty seats become a recurring image, especially in the early stages. Even if prices go down, logistically, travel could be a nightmare for people coming overseas or traveling within the United States, who need to secure tickets, accommodations, and in many cases airfare. Is the tournament losing time to get these issues resolved? If it were up to me, I would have done the opposite: start with lower prices and gradually raise them where demand clearly justified it. That kind of measured, data-driven approach can be done well in advance and gives you a much clearer read on real demand. That's why I believe the overall pricing strategy has been flawed, unless, of course, tickets are selling far better than it appears, which I don't think is the case. Looking back at the Club World Cup, the same pattern emerged: not every match struggled, but many could have performed far better with a smarter mix of pricing, stadium selection and kickoff times. With the Club World Cup, the priority should have been filling stadiums to build momentum, history, and emotional buy-in for a new competition, rather than chasing premium prices too early. Yet current pricing appears to do little to include the everyday fans who regularly attend MLS matches or follow the game week in and week out. As McCarthy emphasizes, fans are willing to show up when pricing, logistics, and value align. In the end, full stadiums matter more than squeezing out maximum revenue, and if FIFA hopes to recapture the spirit of 1994, a more flexible, market-aware ticketing strategy isn't just advisable, it's necessary.

GHANA Sports Minister Kofi Adams has boldly declared the Black Stars will TOP their World Cup group, despite being drawn alongside England, Croatia and Panama. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. But Adams, the man who masterminded Ghana's qualification, insists England should beware, and says he cannot wait to face them in competitive action for the first time. He told SunSport: “We know England are giants when it comes to football, but so is Ghana. Ghana have already lined up FOUR major warm-up matches ahead of the tournament, starting next month with a clash against Austria. Why Arsenal fans sing ‘She wore a Yellow Ribbon', and what are the lyrics? The Black Stars also feel conditions could play into their hands, with matches set to be played in high temperatures. England boss Thomas Tuchel has already hinted he may be forced into extreme measures – including keeping substitutes in the dressing room, to manage hydration. And Ghanaians believe Senegal's famous friendly win over the Three Lions last year can be repeated, with boss Otto Addo confident his side can spring another major upset.

The United States' Men's Under-17 National Team began its 2026 World Cup Qualifying campaign with a dominant 8-0 victory against Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. The winner of each group advances to the 48-team Under-17 World Cup in a process that runs annually, allowing more players to be involved. In these CONCACAF youth qualifiers, it is very important to build a somewhat ridiculous goal differential over the weaker sides in the group. Union II's Willyam Ferreria was named as an alternate and participated in training ahead of the matches. PSP colleague Tim Jones' visit to Union II training on February 2nd confirmed that Ferreira returned to Philadelphia and most likely has traveled to Clearwater with the rest of the available Union II team. Medina had a second in the 15th minute on the end of a low ball by San Jose's KK Spivey, but the goal was called an own goal by Saint Vincent's Damarion Peterson. Medina's brace came in the 29th minute, when Ostrander collected a ball spilled by Saint Vincent's keeper, David Butler, and played it centrally to make it 3-0. Medina was calm with the right-footed tap-in. Saint Vincent had a few hopeful attacking chances, but all of them sputtered out as soon as they were able to get the ball into the United States' defensive third. Saint Vincent's Jolanson Charles saw the first booking of the match for a hard challenge on Liam Vejrostek at midfield. Saint Vincent made two changes at the break. Malik Jakupovic scored his inevitable goal on a free kick played in by Sokoloff to make it seven. Jakupovic made it eight in the 87th thanks to a low cross by Myles Gardner. The U17MNT will play its next qualifying match in two days against Saint Kitts and Nevis, on Saturday, February 7th, at 7 PM EST. The match will be available live on FS2. James Donaldson; Prince Forfor, Liam Vejrostek, Tyson Espy, Daniel Barrett, Peter Molinari (Landry Walker– 77'), KK Spivey, Paul Sokoloff (Vicente Garcia– 72'), Will Ostrander (Mattheo Dimareli– 62'), Aaron Medina (Malik Jakupovic– 62'), Max Steelman (Myles Gardner– 72') Unused subs: Matthew White; Keller Abbott, Eddie Chadwick, Astin Mbaye, Roko Pehar David Butler; Shemron Gaymes (Adam Pierre– 64'), Jonathan Keizer (Glenrick Hazell– 84'), Xavroy Barbour, Damarion Peterson, Javier Friday, Reggie Barbour (Beau Hoyte– 46'), Gideon Bess (Julian Hendrickson– 46'), Jolanson Charles, Daemar Michael, Jaymar Williams Unused Subs: Luke Duncan, Emon Gil, Dinesh Grant, Joshua King, Mario Jr Taylor Alex is a lifelong Union fan who played club soccer up until high school. He's now an English major at Immaculata University and plans to pursue sports journalism. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Philly Soccer Page was created in 2009 to celebrate soccer and educate readers throughout the Philadelphia Region.

(WHDH) - The FIFA World Cup games scheduled to kick off at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough this summer could face trouble as town officials are asking the federation to cover nearly $8 million in security costs, according to Foxborough town officials. At a select Board meeting this week, town officials said there is millions of dollars in security costs needed up front. “We're not in a position to put forward 7.8 million dollars up front and hope to be reimbursed,” said Paige Duncan, Foxborough Town Manager. Officials said without this funding, they will not be issued a license for the matches. “It's not up to the Town of Foxborough to support or pay for any of this,” said Bill Yukna, Foxborough Select Board Chair. The World Cup is just four months away, and is expected to bring in millions of dollars in revenue and travelers from all over the world. In a statement, the town of Foxborough told 7NEWS, “Foxborough supports the World Cup and wants to be a successful host community. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.) Sunbeam Television Corp 7 Bulfinch Place Boston, MA 02114 News Tips: (800) 280-TIPS Tell Hank: (855) 247-HANK WHDH broadcast educational and informational programming for children, and file quarterly reports with the FCC detailing the station's outreach to children. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Trump touts record-breaking ticket sales ahead of World Cup A group of immigrant and civil rights organizations issued a travel advisory on Thursday warning foreign tourists to reconsider travel to Florida for FIFA World Cup matches over the government's illegal immigration enforcement tactics and detention centers like "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Sunshine State. "Recent reporting and civil-rights litigation document growing instances in which visitors, tourists, lawful residents, and even U.S. citizens have been detained, questioned, held in immigration custody, or removed from the United States following encounters with federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement acting under expansive immigration partnerships," the alert said, citing enforcement actions in Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis' moves to have local police partner with federal immigration officials. The organizations also pointed to alleged instances in which tourists or U.S. citizens were detained. A group of immigrant and civil rights organizations issued a travel advisory warning foreign tourists to reconsider travel to Florida for FIFA World Cup matches. In a press conference outside FIFA's downtown offices near Miami, the groups said they were not calling for a boycott, but they would not take it off the table in the future as fans prepare to visit the city. "We're using this opportunity to really urge visitors and tourists to have a calculated move about whether or not they're going to come," Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, coordinator for American Friends Service Committee, a social justice and humanitarian nonprofit, said at the press conference. The coalition warned that travelers could face increased enforcement during what they described as an aggressive immigration crackdown under the current administration. "We're just warning people of the risks … under an environment where every, not just law enforcement agency but state agency, has been deputized to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement," said Thomas Kennedy of the Florida Immigrant Coalition. "What we don't want is our fans being harassed by immigration enforcement when they're just trying to attend the game," Kennedy continued, adding that he wanted "assurances that there won't be immigration enforcement happening at these games indiscriminately." Dariel Gomez, a field organizer for the ACLU of Florida, said the groups were not aiming to spread fear or panic but to "offer a sobering reality check" that some people may face racial profiling or be detained. "Because of these programs a simple traffic stop here in Miami is no longer just a routine interaction, for too many people a simple interaction by police now comes with the fear of deportation," Gomez said. The groups also raised concerns about the recent instances in Minneapolis in which federal immigrant agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, as well as the federal government's new travel bans. The Trump administration included some exceptions to the ban for players, coaches and their families, but Haiti and Iran were not covered. Foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption. The coalition cited enforcement actions in Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis' moves to have local police partner with federal immigration officials. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who awarded the inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize" to President Donald Trump in December, previously said that "fans from all over the world will be welcome." The White House has also created a FIFA task force, which includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is a native of Miami. In December, the White House did not rule out whether immigration raids were possible around the soccer matches this summer, of which seven are scheduled for South Florida. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes.