Football

Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of Chelsea, has been appointed as the new head coach of the United States men's national soccer team. The announcement was made by U.S. Soccer on Tuesday, September 11, 2024.Pochettino, who parted ways with Chelsea in May after one season in charge, will take the reins of the U.S. team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The Argentine manager, who previously led Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to coach the U.S. team."The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me," Pochettino said in a statement. "I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker praised Pochettino's track record and his commitment to developing players. "Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for developing players," Crocker said. "His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage."The U.S. team has been without a permanent head coach since Gregg Berhalter was fired in July following a disappointing performance at the Copa America. Berhalter had led the team to the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but his tenure was marred by a public dispute with one of the team's brightest young talents, Gio Reyna.Pochettino will take over from Mikey Varas, who has been serving as interim coach since Berhalter's departure. The U.S. team will play a series of friendlies against Panama on October 12 and Mexico on October 15 as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Hard Rock Stadium has defended its security measures following the chaotic scenes that marred the Copa America final between Colombia and Argentina. CONMEBOL, the governing body for football in South America, accused the venue of ignoring advice that could have prevented the incidents that delayed the game by 82 minutes.CONMEBOL claimed that local organizers failed to follow suggested procedures, such as setting up an outer perimeter to screen ticketless fans. However, stadium officials stated that security measures were jointly decided by the venue, CONMEBOL, and local law enforcement.Hard Rock Stadium has a proven track record of hosting major events, including Super Bowls, international soccer matches, and Formula 1 races. The venue emphasized that security is always a collaborative effort involving the organizer, law enforcement, and the venue.According to the stadium, it implemented and exceeded CONMEBOL's security recommendations throughout the tournament and the final. Despite the presence of 800 officers, local police were overwhelmed by the situation and detained 27 people while ejecting 55 others.The security concerns raised by the Copa America final have raised questions about the United States' ability to co-host the 2026 World Cup. The incident also follows a brawl between Uruguay players and Colombian fans after their semi-final defeat in Charlotte, North Carolina.

FIFA's decision to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams has sparked excitement among football fans worldwide, particularly in Scotland. The Scots have not qualified for the global tournament since 1998, but the expanded format offers them a renewed opportunity to return to the grandest stage.FIFA President Gianni Infantino, in a tongue-in-cheek remark, suggested that the expansion was partly motivated by Scotland's absence from recent World Cups. "We decided to increase from 32 to 48 to allow Scotland to participate," Infantino told BBC Scotland.Scotland's recent qualification for Euro 2024 has boosted their hopes of making it to the 2026 World Cup. The Scots have a proud footballing history, with the second oldest national FA in the world after England. However, they have never progressed beyond the group stages in their eight previous World Cup appearances.The expanded format of the 2026 World Cup will feature 16 groups of three teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stages. This format increases Scotland's chances of qualifying, as they will only need to finish in the top two of their group to reach the round of 16.Scotland's qualification for Euro 2024 is a testament to their progress under manager Steve Clarke. The Scots finished second in their qualifying group behind Spain, ahead of Israel, Norway, Cyprus, and Romania. They will face Croatia, Czech Republic, and England in Group D of Euro 2024.If Scotland can qualify for the 2026 World Cup, it will be a major achievement for the nation. The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.