FIFA on Wednesday finalized a one-time switch to Canada from Mexico for winger Marcelo Flores, thereby making the 22-year-old eligible to be selected by coach Jesse Marsch for this summer's World Cup. Revealed on FIFA's Change of Association Platform, the switch for the now former Mexico international cements a recent effort by Canada to include Flores following an unofficial call-up as a training player last November. In January, the Arsenal academy product was also called up by Marsch but was unable to take part due to his change of association not being completed. Previously involved in a push-and-pull between both countries, Flores initially committed to Mexico after a debut in 2021, but didn't earn minutes for the senior national team since 2022. Flores was born in Canada and also eligible to play for Mexico through his father. He now closes out his time with El Tri with three caps while beginning a new international chapter with Canada as he seeks a possible World Cup call-up. He plays in Liga MX for Tigres, and this season he is off to his best start with three goals and an assist in his first seven games of 2026. Before transferring to Tigres in 2023, he spent a season on loan from Arsenal to Real Oviedo in 2022. With just months to go until the start of the World Cup, Flores will now aim to be selected by Marsch for Canada's next friendlies against Iceland on March 28 and Tunisia on March 31. Also recently noted by FIFA's Change of Association Platform was a switch last week for Real Betis' Álvaro Fidalgo to Mexico from Spain.

Wambach is first major sports figure to depart agency LA Olympics chief has faced calls to step down Former US soccer star Abby Wambach has announced she is leaving the Wasserman talent agency and called for its founder and LA 2028 Olympics CEO, Casey Wasserman, to resign after emails between him and Ghislaine Maxwell were revealed in the Jeffery Epstein files. “I will not participate in any business arrangement under his leadership. He should leave, so more people like me don't have to. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. Wambach had been represented by Wasserman for at least 15 years. She has since written two books and hosts a podcast with her wife, Glennon Doyle. Documents released last month by the US government included flirtatious email exchanges between Wasserman and Maxwell in 2003. Wasserman, who is also chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organising committee, released an apology on 31 January, saying: “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell,” which he said occurred “long before her horrific crimes came to light”. “I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them,” he said. Maxwell was charged with conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse teenage girls and was convicted in 2021 on five counts of sex trafficking and abuse of minors. Wasserman has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing by any of Epstein's victims, but he has faced calls to step down from his CEO post at the agency and as LA Olympics chair. Wasserman's website says its soccer clientele includes US women's national team stars Mallory Swanson, Sophia Wilson and Naomi Girma, along with the now-retired Alex Morgan. On the men's side, its roster includes US star Weston McKennie, Real Madrid's Fede Valverde and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher. The agency also represents top players in the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB, along with actors such as Brad Pitt and Adam Sandler.

In the latest episode of the Beast Mode On Podcast, former Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman joins Adebayo Akinfenwa to chat about his career and his journey from being released by Leeds United to appearing at a World Cup. The two-time Premier League winner also runs the rule on the current Gunners squad, his honest thoughts on Jordan Pickford, THAT Ronaldinho goal and much more. Click the play button above to watch the full episode ⬆️ The Beast Mode On Podcast is available via YouTube and Spotify, with all episodes free to watch and listen to now. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

England will prepare for this summer's World Cup with friendly games against New Zealand and Costa Rica in south Florida, the Football Association has announced. Thomas Tuchel's side will face New Zealand on Saturday, June 6 and Costa Rica on Wednesday, June 10 – the latter a week before their opening game of the tournament against Croatia in Arlington, Texas on June 17. The venues for both friendlies are yet to be announced but they promise to give England a flavour of the heat which is likely to be a fixture of the tournament, and their supporters a chance to earn loyalty points (or ‘caps') which may help them to secure tickets for coveted knockout games if their side progresses to the latter stages. England will also play Ghana and Panama in Boston and New Jersey respectively in Group L, and could face potentially gruelling showdowns with Brazil, Argentina and Spain in the knockouts if they top their group. New Zealand, who are set to appear at a third men's World Cup, will face Iran, Egypt and Belgium in Group G but Costa Rica narrowly missed out on qualifying for a seventh men's finals. Tuchel's squad will be based at the Swope Soccer Village – one of Sporting Kansas City's training complexes – in Kansas City, Missouri for the duration of the tournament. The German's side, who will be among the favourites for the tournament despite not winning the World Cup since 1966, will play their final fixtures on home soil against Uruguay and Japan next month, having comfortably topped their qualification group with a 100 per cent record. Find the hidden link between sports terms Jack Pitt-Brooke is a football journalist for The Athletic based in London. He joined in 2019 after nine years at The Independent.

The U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team will head to Qatar this fall to compete in its record 20th U-17 FIFA World Cup. The team, led by an eight-goal performance from Philadelphia Union II forward Malik Jakupovic, recorded two dominant wins and a hard-fought draw to finish atop Group E in the 2026 Concacaf Qualifiers. Head coach Alex Aldaz's side began the tournament on a high note by defeating host country St. Vincent and the Grenadines 8-0 last Thursday. California native Aaron Medina scored a first-half hat trick, putting the U.S. on the board six minutes in with a left-footed volley. After forcing an own goal off his deflection, Medina got on the end of two crosses to put the team up 4-0 at halftime. Red Bull New York II Midfielder Paul Sokoloff and Jakupovic both scored braces in the second half to extend the lead. Jakupovic followed his previous performance with a five-goal outing, four in the run of play and one from the penalty spot. Unsurprisingly, it was Jakupovic who got on the board first with his eighth goal of the tournament. It was Ostrander's team-leading fifth assist of the tournament. Malik Jakupovic flying with his EIGHTH goal of qualifiers 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/UXsIDpDnmz The U.S. lead was short-lived as Dominican Republic's Adiran Garcia equalized three minutes later. Haiti, Panama and Costa Rica joined the U.S. on Tuesday as the other winners of their respective groups to secure qualification. Dates have yet to be announced for the 2026 U-17 FIFA World Cup, which will mark the second year of a five-year period that will see Qatar host the tournament. In the 2025 edition, the U-17 MNT topped Group I, going undefeated in group play while only allowing one goal. The squad advanced to the Round of 32 before falling to Morocco, 4-3 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in regulation. A post shared by U.S. Soccer YNT (@usynt)

Andriy Shevchenko, president of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) and former footballer, is hoping to meet Gianni Infantino at UEFA's Congress in Brussels. But in an hour-long interview with Sky News on February 2, Infantino claimed Russia's ban “has not achieved anything” and revealed he will be looking at removing the ban, as well as possibly changing FIFA's statutes to prevent similar sanctions in the future. “We have to,” Infantino responded when asked, by Yalda Hakim, host of The World on Sky News, whether he is going to explore lifting the ban. On the possibility of changing the governing body's statutes to stop national teams being banned, Infantino went further and said they “should actually never ban any country from playing football because of the acts of their political leaders”. “It's a good sign,” Alexei Sorokin, the Russian FA's representative, told reporters in Brussels, Belgium, when asked for his response to Infantino's comments. However, Infantino received widespread condemnation for his views, particularly from Ukraine, with the UAF releasing a statement hours later opposing the 55-year-old's suggestion. “We believe that exclusion from participation in competitions is an effective method of pressure on the aggressor. At a press conference in Ukraine on Monday, Shevchenko said: “The UAF responded immediately to Infantino's comment. We clearly stated our position, which has not changed: while the war continues we are adamantly opposed to Russians returning to football. “Over these days there has been communication with FIFA representatives at different levels. I am planning a meeting with Gianni Infantino to once again convey, in concrete terms, information about the war in Ukraine and our position. Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign affairs minister, described Infantino as a “moral degenerate” following his comments on Russia. “679 Ukrainian girls and boys will never be able to play football — Russia killed them,” Sybiha posted on social media. “And it keeps killing more while moral degenerates suggest lifting bans, despite Russia's failure to end its war. Future generations will view this as a shame reminiscent of the 1936 Olympics.” The UAF has opened its doors in Kyiv to help colleagues who are left without electricity or heating and has also set up a space for children to visit. Employees without electricity, heating or warm water have also been able to stay overnight, as well as being able to shower in the changing rooms. Dan Sheldon is a football news correspondent for The Athletic.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his sympathy for Thomas Frank after he was sacked by rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. Spurs sit only five points clear of the Premier League's relegation zone having failed to win a single game in domestic competition in 2026, despite managing to finish fourth in the league phase of the Champions League. Frank leaves Spurs as statistically the worst-ever manager of a big-six Premier League club. Tottenham are at serious risk of being dragged into a fight to beat the drop having now gone eight league matches without a win. The decision to sack Frank was announced on Wednesday. "Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together. "Throughout his time at the Club, Thomas has conducted himself with unwavering commitment, giving everything in his efforts to move the Club forward. At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Arsenal boss Arteta was asked for his thoughts and feelings on the club's north London rivals deciding to part company with their manager. "Well, always very sad news when you have a colleague that doesn't continue doing his job because Thomas is an excellent coach, he's an extraordinary man as well and he's proven that in the league. We know that our responsibility is beyond just performance," Arteta replied. We wish him all the very best for whatever he decides to do next." Arteta was also quizzed on whether the Premier League is becoming more impatient, while it was put to him that Spurs have now cycled their way through eight different managers during his time in the Arsenal dugout. I don't think you can just take every example in the same possible way. "I think every era is different at every club and we have in this Premier League two of the most iconic managers with Arsene and Sir Alex as well for so many years. In my opinion the first one is if you have the players right behind you and they enjoy what they do and they believe in what you do, it's a big thing. Then you have to win a lot of games because at the end, if you don't do that, you're not going to continue in the job, and that's the reality of our job." A source said: "He was constantly going on to the players about Arsenal and they quickly got sick of it. The feeling among some was very much 'just shut up about Arsenal'." Frank also upset supporters by mentioning Arsenal's 'Invincibles' team in his opening press conference when insisting Spurs would '100 percent lose games', while he was also spotted drinking from an Arsenal-branded cup prior to their defeat to Bournemouth in January. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly billed Mauricio Pochettino as their “ideal new manager” after bringing an abrupt end to Thomas Frank's tenure but it would take a “huge,” potentially record-breaking compensation fee to extract the U.S. men's national team head coach from his contract before this summer's World Cup. All 17 months of Pochettino's reign for the USMNT have been explicitly geared towards the global jamboree on home soil, yet he has made little secret of his desire to return to club management. When the prospect of Pochettino's terms first being broken were raised last year, BBC Sport quoted a source within the United States Soccer Federation who claimed that it would take “one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history” for any team to pry the 53-year-old away. Tottenham are no strangers to splashing the cash on a coaching hire. However, it would reportedly take more than triple that sum to secure Pochettino's services. It also comes with a buyout clause valued in the same region as the £21.7 million Bayern Munich paid for Julian Nagelsmann in 2021. The most expensive managerial appointment in Premier League history belongs to Chelsea, who spent roughly £21.5 million on getting Graham Potter out of Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022. Without even taking his salary into consideration, that's about £700,000 per match. Pochettino has made his position abundantly apparent. “I would like one day to come back,” the former Spurs boss bluntly told Sky Sports last March. This overt stance on returning to N17 was undoubtedly linked to the presence of Daniel Levy, the club's former chairman who Pochettino still has a “very good relationship” with. However, Levy was relieved of his duties back in September, paving the way for a new-look leadership group without any obvious ties to the USMNT boss. That hasn't stopped Pochettino pining after the Premier League. As recently as December, the Argentine coach opened himself up to a return to club management in England. It is the most competitive league, and of course I would love to come back again.” For all the public flirting, Pochettino is said to be “fully committed” to the USMNT, per BBC Sport. Grey Whitebloom is a writer, reporter and editor for Sports Illustrated FC. Born and raised in London, he is an avid follower of German, Italian and Spanish top flight football. 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.

Though there's no guarantee that he'll make U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino's tournament squad, Banks should be squarely on the list of names you'd want to know before the World Cup. He has played in 16 of the last 17 games for his club, FC Augsburg of Germany's Bundesliga, and has often looked good on the field. “So I thought maybe the older guys will think, ‘Who's that, or what is he doing here? » READ MORE: Noahkai Banks knows he's getting a lot of USMNT hype, but he isn't thinking about the World Cup yet “For example, Tim Ream, the first day in training, he helped me a lot, because he plays in my position,” Banks said of the fellow centerback and frequent U.S. captain. “He has coached me a lot, and helped me to get into the training and into the new tactics — because obviously, it was a big jump. “Players like [Christian] Pulisic, [Tim] Weah, they helped me a lot,” Banks said, naming two of the Americans' biggest stars. » READ MORE: Brenden Aaronson is on a hot streak with Leeds United at an ideal time for his World Cup hopes National team staff has remained in touch with him since then, further raising the odds of a March call-up. But because he hasn't formally committed to the senior U.S. team yet, the Hawai'i native can still switch allegiance to Germany, where he has lived since age 10. That happiness dates back to playing for various U.S. youth teams, including at the 2023 under-17 World Cup. “One of the best experiences in my life,” he said. “And then also at [the] u-19 and u-20 level, I was always just very happy to get into camp to see my friends again, because we were a big class of friends. It was not like I [would] go to the national team and play football, it was like I meet my friends and play football with them.” Banks does not lack for confidence, but he carries it well. Those games have earned the trust of Augsburg's coaching staff, a feat made harder by two managerial changes since last summer. The club has been fighting all season to avoid relegation. It's currently 13th in the 18-team league, but just three standings points into safety. “It has been a great year so far, because I didn't expect to play that much, to be absolutely honest with you,” Banks said. He is close with his mother Nadine, whose own athletic genes earned her a shot at college basketball before repeat tears to her ACL derailed it. She moved Banks to Germany after separating from his father, settling in a Bavarian mountain town just over an hour from Augsburg. Then he added a flourish that far-away Philadelphia would appreciate: “Also, my mom would kick my [butt] if I'm not grounded anymore, so there's no chance of that.” “As I said a lot of times before, I think it's not the right moment to think about the World Cup for me, because we have a lot of games left here,” he said. A lot of players say it, but I really mean it: I really just focus on the games we have here. And yeah, then let's see what happens in summer.”

USMNT head coach Pochettino emerges as early Spurs favorite, raising major questions ahead of the United States' home World Cup this summer. Tottenham Hotspur have fired manager Thomas Frank following Tuesday's 2-1 home loss to Newcastle United. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has quickly emerged as the early favorite to replace him. Roberto De Zerbi, Robbie Keane, Ruben Amorim and Oliver Glasner have also been linked with the vacancy. Thomas Frank has left @SpursOfficial after eight months in charge ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/Gfj36NS09E What this means for the U.S. men's national team remains unclear. Pochettino has previously spoken of his desire to return to the Premier League at some point in his career, although there is no indication whether he would be interested in taking the Tottenham job, either immediately or after the World Cup. Still, reports suggest he will at least be considered as Spurs search for their next manager. One thing that should work in the United States Soccer Federation's favor, according to a BBC source, is that Spurs would have to pay “one of the biggest financial compensation fees in football history” if they were to appoint Pochettino. Under the German, Spurs won only two of 13 home league fixtures, creating a toxic atmosphere in recent games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They did, however, qualify automatically for the Champions League round of 16, finishing fourth in the league phase, ahead of Barcelona, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Whether you're into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

The acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told a congressional committee on Tuesday that his agency is a “key part of the overall security apparatus for the World Cup” and refused to commit to pausing operations near games at this summer's tournament. Towards the end of a hearing marked by verbal sparring with Democratic representatives, Lyons faced questioning from Representative Nellie Pou, who represents New Jersey's ninth district. Pou's district includes East Rutherford's MetLife Stadium, the site of the World Cup final and seven other games, including England's group-stage finale v Panama. After saying that visitors' “confidence is plummeting and jeopardizing the World Cup”, Pou asked Lyons if ICE would commit to pausing operations around Fifa events. “We are dedicated to securing that operation and we are dedicated to the security of all of our participants as well as visitors.” Pou responded: “You realize that if [fans] feel they are going to be wrongfully incarcerated, wrongfully pulled out, that is going to hurt this entire process? Lyons responded by saying that “ICE is dedicated to ensuring everyone who visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event.” In his opening remarks, Lyons said ICE arrested 379,000 people in the last year, of whom 8,400 were known or suspected gang members or terrorists. Federal data has shown that the majority of people arrested by ICE do not have criminal history. As early as last year, World Cup host city CEOs expressed concern about the “uncertainty” they said would arise from Trump's immigration crackdown.