Soccer

Soccer

NSL PHOTO Calgary Wild goalkeeper Katelin Talbert backstopped her team to the club’s first regulation win of the season last Saturday.

Around the NSL: Quarterfinal upset; Wild win; Rapid still human

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Friday, Aug. 14, 2026

Oh, the drama in the week that was.

The quarterfinals of the inaugural W Canadian Championship have been a wild ride since the Calgary Wild shut out CS Mont-Royal Outremont 4-0 on Aug. 5. The development this week? The NSL’s second-best team dropped a 1-0 decision to semi-pro Simcoe County Rovers FC on Wednesday in front of a hometown crowd at Stade Boréale.

Club backlash over the loss has been swift as the Montreal Roses promptly fired manager Robert Rositoui on Thursday. First assistant coach Maryse Bard-Martel has been placed as the interim bench boss until a new head coach is hired.

Rositoui was the club’s inaugural head coach, who led the Roses to a semifinal berth in Montreal’s inaugural season. It’s a shock that after a loss in a knockout tournament would amount to his firing — but the club claims a “new spark” is needed.

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Soccer

Luca Bruno / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Real Madrid has turned to José Mourinho for a second time. The last time Mourinho coached the club was 13 years ago.

Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid a classic rebound

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid a classic rebound

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Aug. 14, 2026

Not quite a month ago, nearly two million people lined the streets of Madrid to see the World Cup paraded by the Spanish national team. It might as well have been another lifetime.

By the time the Plaza de Cibeles was swept up and sprayed down, the country’s attention had shifted to the only thing — or person — it seemed anyone wanted to be talking about: José Mourinho.

And they haven’t stopped talking about him. He hasn’t let them.

On June 11, the same day the World Cup kicked off in Mexico City, Mourinho was appointed head coach of Real Madrid for a second time. In his initial stint at the sport’s biggest club, which had ended 13 years prior, he’d won the Copa del Rey his first season, La Liga in his second and nothing in his third.

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Friday, Aug. 14, 2026

Soccer

NSL PHOTO Halifax Tides forward Jordyn Rhodes (left) and AFC Toronto’s Kaylee Hunter earned braces to cap off Week 15 of game action in the Northern Super League.

Around the NSL: A brace of braces; Rapid rule; Jostling in the standings

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: A brace of braces; Rapid rule; Jostling in the standings

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

WHAT a long weekend in the Northern Super League. If fans thought the eight goal tally between the first two games of Week 15 was wild, how about the final two games this past weekend?

A total of 11 goals were scored by AFC Toronto, the Halifax Tides and the Ottawa Rapid — that’s a whopping 19 in just one week of footy.

How did we get here? Let’s dive into the storylines.

Braces of the week

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Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Soccer

NSL PHOTO The Ottawa Rapid came away with a 2-1 win over the Halifax Tides in Week 13. Halifax gets its chance to avenge the loss at home on Monday.

Around the NSL: Roaring Rapid; Mighty Maroons motoring; Wild still looking for first win

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Roaring Rapid; Mighty Maroons motoring; Wild still looking for first win

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

WELCOME back to the View from Row Z!

What a fortnight of footy in the Northern Super League. With two Week 15 games already in the books, this edition of the View will look a little different, capping off all the action from Week 13 and 14.

Let’s start with questions going into the two games left in Week 15.

Can the Rapid be stopped?

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Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

Soccer

Supplied Australian fans were keen to party as well.

Trump’s graceless own goal sabotaged World Cup’s spirit of fair play

Carrie Serwtnyk 7 minute read Preview

Trump’s graceless own goal sabotaged World Cup’s spirit of fair play

Carrie Serwtnyk 7 minute read Saturday, Jul. 18, 2026

Like many Canadians, I have avoided crossing the U.S. border in the last couple of years. For me, it was a mixture of defiance and uncertainty. What if border guards ask me what I think about President Donald Trump? I would fail the lie detector test.

But the World Cup is going on, and I had a pass for the Seattle stadium. I needed to take advantage of it. After all, I love soccer and I love the World Cup. I see it as one of the great peace movements of our time.

But the irony of travelling to the U.S. for the World Cup wasn’t lost on me. Led by their FIFA Peace Prize-winning president, the country is dropping bombs on World Cup participant Iran. Referee Omar Artan was refused entry into the U.S., where he was to become the first Somali to referee at a World Cup. Fears of ICE raids sent shivers through international communities. Even players were harassed at border points.

It was fair to wonder: what would my experience be like?

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Saturday, Jul. 18, 2026

Faith

Adam Hunger / The Associated Press files Brazil’s Danilo Santos prays as he reacts at the end of the World Cup match between Brazil and Norway in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 5.

Soccer game days treated as religious events by some

John Longhurst 5 minute read Preview

Soccer game days treated as religious events by some

John Longhurst 5 minute read Saturday, Jul. 18, 2026

The World Cup concludes Sunday with the final match to determine the winner. It’s not a religious event, but it has religion-like elements. This includes things like pilgrimages to matches, shared songs and rituals, “saints” like Messi and Ronaldo and, for many, a deep devotion to a team.

Religion has been evident during games, too. Some players from the Christian tradition crossed themselves after scoring goals. After Germany’s win over Curaçao, players from both teams stood together on the field in a prayer circle after the final whistle. Some Muslim players performed sujood, the Islamic act of bowing down in submission and gratitude to God, after scoring, while others did dua, raising their hands in grateful prayer.

Outside of the World Cup, football has even been used as a way to explain faith. Pope Francis, an avid football fan, did that in his homilies and speeches. Football, he said, can teach Christian virtues such as community, cooperation and teamwork over individualism.

Pope Leo XIV feels the same way. “Soccer reminds us of something we must not forget,” he said before the World Cup kicked off. “Life is not a race to show off on our own, but a path we learn to walk together. Anyone who does not know how to pass the ball, even if they have talent, has not yet understood the game. Anyone who does not know how to live with and for others has not yet understood life.”

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Saturday, Jul. 18, 2026

Soccer

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS NSL Winnipeg co-founders Rob Gale and Desiree Scott announced the league’s first expansion franchise at the Forks on Tuesday.

Around the NSL: Welcome to footypeg; Rapid on top; Canadian Champ to be crowned

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Welcome to footypeg; Rapid on top; Canadian Champ to be crowned

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

Welcome to footypeg, Northern Super League superfans! It will soon no longer be a view from Row Z.

It was a long — too long — time coming, but Winnipeg will finally have its very own professional women’s league team. And what better sport than the beautiful game.

Decorated Olympian and hometown hero Desiree Scott made the announcement of the league’s expansion into the Prairies on Tuesday. The Winnipegger nicknamed the Destroyer during her playing days co-founded the seventh franchise in Canada’s women’s pro footy league with renowned former coach Rob Gale. She will serve as vice-president of community and player experience and Gale will serve as chief sporting officer.

The club’s first season will kick off in 2027 and the league has announced it hopes to expand again in 2028.

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Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

Opinion

STEW MILNE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Spain is captained by Rodri, who won the Ballon d’Or two years ago. The reigning European champions enter Sunday’s World Cup final without a defeat over 90 minutes in 37 matches.

Poise versus passion for historic World Cup final

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Poise versus passion for historic World Cup final

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

All things considered, and despite the howls of partisan rivals and conspiracy theorists, Sunday’s World Cup final is probably the right World Cup final, and for all the right reasons.

Never before have the reigning champions of Europe and South America gone head-to-head for global football supremacy. Never, that is, until Sunday. Only twice before has each finalist featured a previous Ballon d’Or winner. Sunday will be the third.

Spain, the European champion captained by Rodri, who won the Ballon d’Or two years ago, enters the final without a defeat over 90 minutes in 37 matches. Argentina, the South American champion captained by Lionel Messi — who boasts of a record eight Ballons d’Or — enters the final with 14 straight wins.

We could go on, but pretty much any way we’d slice it would leave us with Spain and Argentina. They are the best teams in the world in this moment, the most worthy World Cup combatants.

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Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

Soccer

Vitor Munhoz / Northern Super League Evelyn Badu leaps into the arms of her teammate at Stade Boréale. Badu had a hat trick last Saturday against the Vancouver Rise.

Around the NSL: Wild’s new bench boss; Badu hat trick; Maroons still mighty

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Wild’s new bench boss; Badu hat trick; Maroons still mighty

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

It was inevitable the Calgary Wild were going to replace Sinead McSharry. The club announced the hiring of Aussie Leah Blayney as head coach the day after dropping Sunday’s game 3-1 to Ottawa, with McSharry returning to her original role of assistant coach with the club.

In fairness to the Wild here, though, to only lose 3-1 to the Rapid — which has launched itself into team-to-beat status this season — in enemy territory isn’t that bad. Yes, a loss is a loss, but this time it wasn’t for lack of effort. Calgary came out of halftime with energy and Meggie Dougherty Howard cut Ottawa’s lead in half in the 65th minute. And the Rapid’s cushion was only padded two minutes into stoppage time by Jazmine Wilkinson.

It’s understandable something had to change, but with the regular season nearing its halfway mark, is this bench-boss changeup too little, too late?

Northern Super League superfans should find out Saturday when the club hosts the Vancouver Rise (6 p.m. CT, TSN+). But before we get to Week 12, here’s other storylines from Week 11.

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Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

Soccer

FERNANDO LLANO / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS England’s Jude Bellingham has transformed into a dominating box-to-box presence for his country.

Almost impossible not to look ahead to World Cup semifinals

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Preview

Almost impossible not to look ahead to World Cup semifinals

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

It is oh-so-very tempting to look ahead to next week Wednesday and the semifinal showdown everyone wants to see. Everyone, that is, except the Norwegians and the Swiss, whose national teams could also square off in Atlanta on July 15.

If that happened, the World Cup would be guaranteed a debut finalist — something that’s happened just four times in 60 years — and FIFA president Gianni Infantino would be outraged. So maybe Norway-Switzerland is the match-up most of us should want. You know, for the plot.

But then we’d be deprived of the tantalizing prospect of England-Argentina.

Yes, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, but it’s almost impossible not to.

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Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

Opinion

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a red card in the Oval Office as FIFA president Gianni Infantino looks on.

Red card for FIFA, Infantino

Editorial, July 9 4 minute read Preview

Red card for FIFA, Infantino

Editorial, July 9 4 minute read Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026

It took longer than most people thought it would, but U.S. President Donald Trump finally brought his brand of chaos to the men’s World Cup soccer tournament — and immediately soiled the pitch.

Trump was infuriated by a questionable red card shown to top U.S. forward Folarin Balogun during the American team’s July 1 match with Bosnia and Herzegovina — disciplinary action which meant Balogun was ejected from the game and suspended for his country’s next match versus Belgium on Monday, July 6.

Spurred on by officials including Andrew Giuliani (yes, the son of Rudy), director of the White House task force on the World Cup, Trump called up his bosom buddy, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, that very evening to ask that something be done about the suspension. He called Infantino again on July 4.

Lo and behold, FIFA announced July 5 that its disciplinary panel had suspended the application of Balogun’s one-match ban for a year, making him eligible to play in the Belgium game (which the U.S. lost 4-1, by the way). Multiple news reports quickly revealed Trump’s calls to Infantino — reaction was equally swift.

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Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026

Soccer

NSL PHOTO Ottawa Rapid goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais punches the ball away during NSL action.

Around the NSL: Rapid on top; Battle for second; Week 11 kicks off Saturday

Grace Anne Paizen 3 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Rapid on top; Battle for second; Week 11 kicks off Saturday

Grace Anne Paizen 3 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

IT’S footy mayhem in this country at the moment.

Between covering the relentless men’s FIFA World Cup schedule and making time to watch the Northern Super League, yours truly has had a whirlwind three weeks (with 16 more days to go).

This edition is brief, but here are storylines from the week that was around the NSL.

Highlight of the week

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Soccer

ASHLEY LANDIS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Two very different clubs will hit the pitch Saturday since the last time the two sides met at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Jonathan Osorio is one of the players for the Canadian side who started the match three-and-a-half years ago.

Canada gets its chance ‘to go after a giant’

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Canada gets its chance ‘to go after a giant’

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

A very different Canada will take on Morocco in today’s World Cup rematch (12 p.m., TSN & CTV). Different in personnel; different in preparation. And very, very different in what it expects of itself.

Three-and-a-half years ago, the Canadian men’s soccer team wrapped up its group stage campaign with a 2-1 loss to the Moroccans in Qatar. Having already been beaten by Belgium and Croatia, it caught the next flight home. The Atlas Lions, meanwhile, roared into the semifinals.

Now, three-and-a-half years might not seem all that long, but when Canada takes the pitch just prior to noon in Houston its lineup will include two, possibly three players — tops — who started that game at Al Thumama Stadium.

Goalkeeper Milan Borjan has since retired from the national team, and defender Steven Vitória is assistant manager of Indonesia.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Soccer

NSL PHOTO Vancouver Rise’s Morgan McAslan makes a save on Thursday against the Halifax Tides.

Around the NSL: Goalie clinics; first career goals; Wild have life

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Goalie clinics; first career goals; Wild have life

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Is there such a thing as an exciting draw? Yes. Did it happen three times this past week in the Northern Super League? Absolutely.

An early Week 9 kicked off in Halifax last Thursday in the first of three goalie clinics that led to three 1-1 draws by Sunday evening.

While the draws meant there was no movement in the Week 9 standings, it was a promising week for all six clubs around the league.

Here’s another look back at the week that was around the NSL.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Opinion

ETHAN CAIRNS / THE CANADIAN PRESS Just eight of the World Cup’s 48 teams entirely native-born. From left: Brampton’s Promise David, Nigerian-born, Mississauga product Tani Oluwaseyi, Toronto product Ali Ahmed and Langley, B.C., product Joel Waterman practise at Team Canada’s Friday camp.

World Cup a mosaic of the human experience

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

World Cup a mosaic of the human experience

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

On June 13, the third day of the ongoing World Cup, Morocco played more than a quarter of its Group C match against Brazil without a single Moroccan-born footballer on the pitch.

Instead, the starting eleven deployed by manager Mohamed Ouahbi between the 64th and 89th minutes included players from Belgium, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Canada. (Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was born in Montreal.) Ouahbi, himself, hails from metropolitan Brussels.

According to the BBC, nearly 25 per cent of the players at this tournament were born in countries other than the ones they’re representing.

One of the more prominent examples of this experience is Luca Zidane.

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Soccer

CARRIE SERWETNYK PHOTO Canadian superfans Les Voyageurs make their way to BC Place with a massive “Allez les Rouges” on Wednesday for the Canada-Switzerland match.

Despite loss, Canada continues to make historic firsts

Carrie Serwetnyk 5 minute read Preview

Despite loss, Canada continues to make historic firsts

Carrie Serwetnyk 5 minute read Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2026

The question coming into the Canada-Switzerland game was: is Team Canada’s success in this year’s tournament a fluke?

It kept echoing through my mind.

The team achieved its first World Cup point with a tie against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Then came a resounding and historic first win, the 6-0 victory against 56th-ranked Qatar — still the only host team in World Cup history to not win a game. And Maxime Crépeau gave the team its first shutout.

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Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2026

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