Soccer

Opinion

JON SUPER / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo (left) and Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz fight for the ball the last time the two sides met back in April. The Sky Blues are certain to get a rough welcome by Reds fans as the two clubs meet at Anfield next Sunday for the first time since Man City’s guilty verdict of breaking more than 100 Premier League financial rules between 2009 and 2018 — a span that saw Manchester take the league title and Carabao Cup over Liverpool.

Premier League would be all too relieved if Blues simply went away for a while

Jerrad Peters 6 minute read Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

Manchester City will face Liverpool in the Premier League next weekend.

That is a statement of fact. The match will kick off Sunday, October 11 at 4:30 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m., CT, FuboTV) at Anfield, though the 90 minutes that follow will be more a spectacle than a game, if not a circus.

By now the football world — as well as the general news cycle and relevant authorities — has had more than a week to absorb the shock of the sport’s biggest tremor of recent times.

Man City, according to the findings of an independent commission, broke more than 100 of the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018. Its breaches, per the ruling, were deliberate, premeditated and at industrial scale.

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Soccer

NSL Photo AFC Toronto forward Lena Silano (far right) robbed Ottawa goalkeeper Mollie Eriksson of the ball last Saturday before a beauty of an undefended finish to open the scoring. The Mighty Maroons would shut out the Rapid 3-0.

Around the NSL: Silano’s spectacular strike; Rapid treading water; Post-season posturing

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Silano’s spectacular strike; Rapid treading water; Post-season posturing

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026

And just like that, the Northern Super League playoffs are nearly set with only fourth place — and home-field advantage, of course — up for grabs.

AFC Toronto is on a tear, and the Wild continue to terrorize the post-season race. Week 23 was a wild ride — pun intended.

With three weeks of the regular-season schedule remaining, the crystal ball of who has the best chance of taking the Diana B. Matheson Cup has never been cloudier.

And with a pivotal Friday night matchup, here’s an early edition of View from Row Z.

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Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026

Soccer

Mark J. Terrill / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch will have to rely on a number of prospects during the team’s friendlies, a move that’s necessary due to injuries and absences rather than a generational shift.

Friendlies more of a juggle for Team Canada bench boss than homecoming

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

Friendlies more of a juggle for Team Canada bench boss than homecoming

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

Ahead of the roster announcement for Canada’s upcoming friendlies, it might have been tempting to want a glimpse of the younger and fringier players who might just be the future of the national men’s program. An experimental squad, in other words.

Well, that is not what head coach Jesse Marsch has assembled in the run-up to matches against Chile, Peru and the United States. Yes, a number of prospects will see action, but their minutes have been necessitated more by injuries and absences than a generational shift.

After all, the purpose of this international window isn’t to anticipate coming accomplishments, but rather to honour past ones.

It’s right there in the branding for Saturday’s tussle with Chile in Toronto (6 p.m., TSN 4) and next weekend’s appointment with Peru in Montreal (Oct. 3, 1 p.m., TSN 4 & 5).

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Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

Soccer

NSL Photo AFC Toronto celebrates Victoria Pickett’s bending corner in the opening minute of play last Saturday. The marker for the visiting side was credited to Halifax Tides goalkeeper Anika Tóth.

Around the NSL: A corner to remember; De Filippo’s boot; a highlight-reel brace

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: A corner to remember; De Filippo’s boot; a highlight-reel brace

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

You better believe the race to the finish line is on and this weekend’s action proved just that.

The standings picture didn’t get any clearer — aside from the Roses securing their playoff ticket in a 2-2 road draw against the Rise last Saturday — with five of the league’s six club’s still very much in the post-season race.

Words of advice? Embrace the chaos of the final four weeks. But first, here’s the highlights and storylines out of an eventful Week 22.

Highlight of the week

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Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

Soccer

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Dayna Spiring has been appointed as president of NSL Winnipeg pro women’s soccer team.

Decorated business vet Spiring announced as NSL Winnipeg president

Grace Anne Paizen 6 minute read Preview

Decorated business vet Spiring announced as NSL Winnipeg president

Grace Anne Paizen 6 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2026

Manitoba’s own Dayna Spiring is no stranger to the sports world, but her latest venture into the world of football — this time of the kick-about variety — is a whole new ball game.

“I’m getting up to speed on that as quickly as I can,” Spiring told the Free Press Tuesday, shortly after the accomplished business leader was announced as Northern Super League Winnipeg’s president.

Spiring joins an already stacked roster on the first women’s professional sports team in the Keystone province alongside the likes of NSL Winnipeg’s decorated co-founders Desiree Scott and Rob Gale.

And her own stats sheet is just as historic. Spiring was one of the first women to serve on the CFL’s Board of Governors and was the first woman to serve as chair of the Winnipeg Football Club’s board of directors. She is also the first woman to have her name engraved on the Grey Cup when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers captured back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2021.

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Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2026

Soccer

Leah Hennel / NSL Calgary Wild goalkeeper Sarah Keilty-Dilling dying minutes heroics prevented the Halifax Tides from capitalizing on a late rally and two late corners.

Around the NSL: Keilty-Dilling’s hot hands; Rise rumble standings; Tides in must-win territory

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Keilty-Dilling’s hot hands; Rise rumble standings; Tides in must-win territory

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Let’s start off this week’s edition with the Week 21 matchup between the Montreal Roses and AFC Toronto that had already taken place before last week’s column was written.

It was, arguably, the heavyweight matchup of that week, with the Roses attempting to place a three-game buffer between itself and the surging Mighty Maroons while Toronto was trying to gain some breathing room between itself and the Ottawa Rapid.

Instead? A 2-2 draw thwarted any progress from either team.

Making way for the Rapid to leapfrog back into second place over Toronto… right? Well, buckle up for the riveting answer to that question and the jostling for fourth place in this column’s latest edition.

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Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Opinion

ANDREW MEDICHINI / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Defender Leonardo Balerdi (right) has been superb in his just 129 minutes in a Roma shirt, drawing applause from teammates and being compared by his manager to AC Milan legend Franco Baresi.

AS Roma’s perfect start unexpected storyline of Serie A

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

AS Roma’s perfect start unexpected storyline of Serie A

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Be honest — who had AS Roma first place in Serie A, and with a 100 per cent record through four rounds, on their calcio bingo card?

Or how about Donyell Malen? Anyone have the Dutchman scoring six goals in three weeks, including a trio of game-winners?

Leonardo Balerdi, maybe? Any chips on the defender, on loan from Marseille, being compared to the late, great Franco Baresi by his Giallorossi manager?

There’s a Jennifer Lawrence GIF for all those with their hands raised.

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Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Soccer

NSL PHOTO The Montreal Roses game on Aug. 29 at Stade Saputo broke the Northern Super League’s attendance record. The BMO Field attendance record of 15,500 held since April 2025 was smashed with 17,077 in attendance to watch the home side take on the Halifax Tides.

Around the NSL: Record broken; standings rocked; Calgary a wild watch

Grace Anne Paizen 6 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Record broken; standings rocked; Calgary a wild watch

Grace Anne Paizen 6 minute read Friday, Sep. 11, 2026

Records were broken, the standings were rocked and the Calgary hasn’t lost a match since Week 15.

The last two weeks of the Northern Super League have been electric.

With six weeks left in the regular season, here’s a rapid-fire breakdown of where each club stands.

Montreal Roses (11-4-5, 38 points)

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Friday, Sep. 11, 2026

Opinion

Alastair Grant / ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Despite the departure of Manchester City’s storied manager Pep Guardiola at the end of May, how the Sky Blues perform in Sunday’s Manchester Derby is just one of the storylines the former bench boss is impacting.

All about Pep

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Preview

All about Pep

Jerrad Peters 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 11, 2026

He won’t be involved, but Sunday’s Manchester Derby (10:30 a.m., FuboTV) will be all about Pep Guardiola.

It was 10 years ago that the ex-Bayern Munich and Barcelona manager, hired that summer by Manchester City, oversaw his first local clash against Manchester United. Then, like now, the match came early — on Matchday Four. And then, like now, it was played on the enemy patch at Old Trafford.

United is hoping the comparisons end there, because City prevailed 2-1 back in September 2016 and Guardiola went on to win 16 derbies to the Red Devils’ nine. He also shifted the balance of power away from a club that was only three years removed from Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement and still expecting a quick return to glory.

In Guardiola’s glittering decade in English football he guided the Sky Blues to six Premier League titles and, in 2023, the league, FA Cup and Champions League treble — a feat theretofore achieved only by United.

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Friday, Sep. 11, 2026

Soccer

SANTIAGO SALDARRIAGA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES FIFA President Gianni Infantino is borrowing directly from the Donald Trump playbook in brushing off legal concerns over his scheme to sell off the World Cup’s commercial rights.

FIFA president overshadowing the good of the game

JERRAD PETERS 5 minute read Preview

FIFA president overshadowing the good of the game

JERRAD PETERS 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

There is a big London Derby on Sunday (Arsenal-Chelsea), and the weekend schedule also features marquee matches in Turkey (Feherbahce-Besiktas) and the Netherlands (Ajax-PSV Eindhoven), as well as a showdown between the Italian teams with the last four Scudetti between them (Inter Milan-Napoli).

Then there’s the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, which is set to kick off in Poland (Canada plays England on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.).

And yet, clouding it all — and the world of football is a massive thing to overshadow — is the figure of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who suddenly finds himself facing a protracted legal battle over his scheme to sell off the World Cup’s commercial rights.

Specifically, UEFA — the sport’s governing body in Europe — is “preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino…for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code.” So reads its recent filing in a Florida court.

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Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

Soccer

FILE - Ryan Reynolds, left, and Hugh Jackman pose for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film

Hugh Jackman aims to buy into soccer club Norwich that’s a division rival of Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Hugh Jackman aims to buy into soccer club Norwich that’s a division rival of Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham

The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

LONDON (AP) — Hugh Jackman wants to join his fellow Hollywood star and friend Ryan Reynolds in owning part of a soccer club in the English leagues.

Jackman has long been a fan of Norwich, his mother’s home city in the east of England. The Wolverine star was asked in an interview broadcast on Thursday if he would like to “buy a bit” of the club which is majority owned by Mark Attanasio, the Milwaukee Brewers principal owner.

“I’m very, very interested in talking about it right now,” he told British broadcaster TalkSport while promoting his new movie, “The Death of Robin Hood.”

“You’re the first one to know that. There’s a little exclusive,” Jackman said when asked if he would “follow suit” with Reynolds, who put Wrexham on the global soccer and culture map after buying the club with Rob Mac in 2021.

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Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

Soccer

SUPPLIED Coach Anthony (Tony) Tweed (top left) with the 1983 Manitoba soccer champions

Paving the way for a league of their own

Grace Penner 8 minute read Preview

Paving the way for a league of their own

Grace Penner 8 minute read Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2026

With Winnipeg’s Northern Super League club debuting next year, helmed by footy greats Desiree Scott and Rob Gale, the history of the beautiful game in the Keystone province has been put in the spotlight.

Or, rather, Tony’s legacy has been.

Anthony Tweed always had a love for the game. Born in Cambridge, England, it came naturally. Tweed even attended the 1966 FIFA World Cup where England beat West Germany 4-2 in extra time to claim the first and only title for the country that invented the world’s most popular sport.

“Like all Englishmen, I just loved the game,” Tweed said.

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Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2026

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 Preview

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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Friday, Aug. 14, 2026

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 5 minute read Preview

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

Grace Anne Paizen 5 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

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