Men’s and women’s soccer at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will start four days before the opening ceremony and be played in seven U.S. cities. Matches will begin on July 10, giving teams extra rest days compared to previous Olympics. The schedule also adds extra recovery days after the group stage and quarterfinals. Early matches will take place in New York, Columbus, Nashville and St. Louis. The knockout rounds shift to the California cities of San Jose, San Diego and Pasadena. The Rose Bowl hosts the gold-medal matches.
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Iran’s women’s soccer team has left Malaysia for Oman after five of the seven squad members who sparked a diplomatic furor by seeking asylum in Australia reversed their decisions and rejoined the team in Kuala Lumpur. On Monday night, the team flew out from the Malaysian capital after hours of quiet waiting at the airport. Officials gave no reasons for why the players changed their minds. Two players remain in Australia in an undisclosed safe location. The Asian Football Confederation said the Iranian embassy arranged the trip and that the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA plan regular welfare check-ins.
Defender Brayan Ceballos scored two goals in the first half to spark New England to a 6-1 romp over FC Cincinnati in the Revolution’s home opener. Ceballos scored in the 25th minute to tie it after Gerardo Valenzuela scored six minutes earlier to give Cincinnati a 1-0 lead. Dor Turgeman gave New England the lead in the 31st minute before Ceballos scored three minutes into stoppage time for a 3-1 advantage at the half. Alhassan Yusuf, Griffin Yow and Peyton Miller scored in the second half for the Revs.
Hany Mukhtar scored four minutes into second-half stoppage time — the 25,000th goal in MLS history — and Brian Schwake earned his second clean sheet in his fourth MLS start as Nashville SC beat the Columbus Crew 1-0. Mukhtar subbed in to begin the second half for Nashville (3-0-1) before scoring for the second time this season. It was his 84th goal in 183 career appearances with the club. The 34-year-old Schwake saved two shots for the shutout. Patrick Schulte totaled three saves in goal for the Crew (0-2-2), who were also shut out at home last week in a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire.
The National Women’s Soccer League is embarking on its 14th season hoping to benefit from the surge in the popularity of women’s sports and a summer focused on soccer. The season starts Friday with the Portland Thorns playing at the Washington Spirit, which has been billed as a showdown between Sophia Wilson and Trinity Rodman. Wilson is back this season after taking last year off for the birth of her daughter. Rodman is back with the Spirit after re-signing in the offseason.
President Donald Trump says he doesn't think it'd be “appropriate” for the Iranian soccer team to attend this year's World Cup. The Republican president on Thursday cited “their own life and safety” as reasons the team's members should not attend as the U.S. co-hosts alongside Mexico and Canada. Trump's message seems to depart from what he relayed Tuesday at the White House to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Infantino says Trump assured him Iranian players and coaches would be welcome despite the war that broke out after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began last month. Iranian leaders say it’s “not possible” for their country to participate in the World Cup.
National Women’s Soccer League Commissioner Jessica Berman said the league will award its 18th franchise this year, with the team to begin play in 2028. The NWSL announced in November that Atlanta had been awarded the 17th franchise, with that team also taking the field in 2028. The NWSL opens its 2026 season this weekend with two new teams, the Boston Legacy and the Denver Summit.