Top games to watch this week
Friday, March 24
France vs Netherlands (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Czech Republic vs Poland (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Sweden vs Belgium (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Grenada vs USA (CONCACAF Nations League)
Australia vs Ecuador (Friendly)
Japan vs Uruguay (Friendly)
Korea Republic vs Colombia (Friendly)
Saudi Arabia vs Venezuela (Friendly)
Saturday, March 25
Belarus vs Switzerland (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Spain vs Norway (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Croatia vs Wales (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Martinique vs Costa Rica (CONCACAF Nations League)
Curacao vs Canada (CONCACAF Nations League)
Germany vs Peru (Friendly)
Morocco vs Brazil (Friendly)
Portland vs LA Galaxy (MLS)
Columbus Crew vs Atlanta United (MLS)
DC United vs New England (MLS)
Real Salt Lake vs St. Louis City (MLS)
Los Angeles FC vs Dallas (MLS)
Sunday, March 26
Kazakhstan vs Denmark (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
England vs Ukraine (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Malta vs Italy (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Luxembourg vs Portugal (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Mexico vs Jamaica (CONCACAF Nations League)
Monday, March 27
Netherlands vs Gibraltar (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Ireland Republic vs France (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Poland vs Albania (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Sweden vs Azerbaijan (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Hungary vs Bulgaria (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Montenegro vs Serbia (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
USA vs El Salvador (CONCACAF Nations League)
Chile vs Paraguay (Friendly)
Tuesday, March 28
Georgia vs Norway (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Scotland vs Spain (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Turkey vs Croatia (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Wales vs Latvia (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Switzerland vs Israel (UEFA EURO Qualifiers)
Canada vs Honduras (CONCACAF Nations League)
Costa Rica vs Panama (CONCACAF Nations League)
Australia vs Ecuador (Friendly)
Japan vs Colombia (Friendly)
Korea Republic vs Uruguay (Friendly)
Germany vs Belgium (Friendly)
Saudi Arabia vs Bolivia (Friendly)
Morocco vs Perú (Friendly)
Argentina vs Curacao (Friendly)
Wednesday, March 29
Barcelona vs Roma (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Arsenal vs Bayern München (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Thursday, March 30
Wolfsburg vs PSG (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Chelsea vs Olympique Lyonnais (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: March 13-19, 2023
Soccer fans in the United States had quite a few options to watch over the weekend that recently concluded in terms of soccer games, and audiences across America confirmed their preferences when it comes to big leagues and big matches.
By now, it seems that Liga MX will be the undisputed champion for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, as not one, but two of their games surpassed one million average viewers this week. The highly anticipated Clásico between Guadalajara and América grabbed the top honors for Telemundo, while the second spot in our ranking went to the local rivalry between Tigres and Monterrey, with the latter taking the win home.
The final spot on the podium went to the UEFA Champions League match where Real Madrid defeated Liverpool. This match, which surpassed one million viewers across all platforms, also gave Univisión two of the top three games in this ranking.
This week, no Premier League games were featured among the top three, with Arsenal getting close to third place but not quite racking up the numbers needed to feature there. Another interesting clash this week was El Clásico, which gave ESPN Deportes over 500,000 average viewers during its broadcast.
Here is the full list of games that made the cut for this ranking. To be included, each game must have had over 100,000 average viewers.
What are this week's must-watch games?
France vs Netherlands live this Friday at 3:45 p.m. ET on VIX+
The 2022 FIFA World Cup runners-up return to action for the first time since their defeat on penalties to world champions Argentina in Qatar. The European giants kick off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on Friday but face a stern test from day one. Mbappe and Co. will lock horns with the Netherlands as Ronald Koeman looks to re-establish the Dutch as one of the best sides in the world. Will the Oranje beat Les Bleus at the Stade de France? Don't miss this clash.
Sweden vs Belgium live this Friday at 3:45 p.m. ET on FS1, Fox Sports GO, and VIX+
France vs Netherlands isn't the only Friday fixture to make our list, as Belgium visit Sweden in another exciting UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier. The Red Devils enter the qualifying round following their disastrous FIFA World Cup campaign, with De Bruyne and Co. crashing out of Qatar 2022 in the group stage. Roberto Martinez has left since then, with Domenico Tedesco replacing the Spaniard. Will the newly-appointed manager beat a promising Sweden side in his debut game? Don't miss this clash.
England vs Ukraine live this Sunday at 12 p.m. ET on VIX+
And finally, we have England's home showdown with Ukraine. The Three Lions have already begun their qualifying campaign with a bang, beating Italy in Naples in their opening match. Harry Kane got on the scoresheet in that 2-1 triumph, becoming his country's all-time leading scorer along the way, but a Luke Shaw sending-off made things tricky for Southgate's men towards the end. In Ukraine, the Euro 2020 runners-up will face two familiar players: Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko and Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk. The Blue and Yellow will face an uphill battle to qualify for Euro 2024 as they are in the same group as England and Italy. Nonetheless, expect the visitors to give it their all this weekend.
Although fans will have to do without club soccer for the next fortnight or so due to the international break, the same can't be said for followers of the women's game. In fact, it's full steam ahead for club and continental soccer all over the world, including the return of the UEFA Women's Champions League, the NWSL, and more.
Here's all you need to know ahead of an exciting week in women's soccer.
UEFA Women's Champions League
The UEFA Women's Champions League got back underway earlier this week, with Lyon, Chelsea, Barcelona, Roma, Bayern Munich, PSG, Wolfsburg, and Arsenal all battling for a coveted spot in the semi-finals and perhaps beyond. Lyon, who are the reigning champions in this competition with a record-breaking eight titles to their name, lost the first leg 1-0 to Chelsea, meaning that they'll need to turn things around if they hope to continue their journey to the final.
Elsewhere, Barcelona, who won it in the 2020/21 season, have one foot into the quarter-finals after beating Serie A leaders Roma 1-0. In fact, all the first-leg ties finished as 1-0 results, with German outfits Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg beating Arsenal and PSG respectively by narrow margins. All in all, it looks set to be a very intriguing set of games once the second legs come around on March 29th and March 30th, as all eight teams do have a realistic chance of securing one of the coveted four spots in the semi-finals.
Women's Super League
There are plenty of intriguing ties taking place across England this week. First up on Friday, March 24th will be another installment of the Merseyside derby featuring Everton and Liverpool. At the moment, Everton, who will serve as hosts, find themselves in sixth place on 20 points, while visiting Liverpool are in eighth on 14 points. Considering that the Reds' Ladies were in the second tier last season, they naturally will be hoping to avoid a similar fate this time around. However, their away track record - which has seen them yet to win on the road this season - could make things a lot tougher as they prepare to take on their cross-town rivals.
Saturday, March 25th, brings another derby, with Tottenham welcoming Arsenal. Both teams have had vastly contrasting fortunes this term, with Spurs battling to avoid the drop, while the Gunners are hoping to secure a spot in next season's Champions League. Arsenal come into this tie having won their last two league fixtures, albeit they may be a bit tired following their involvement in the Champions League just a few days prior, while Tottenham, who are currently under the guidance of interim boss Vicky Jepson following Rehanne Skinner's sacking, finally ended their horrendous nine-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over Leicester City last time out.
Saturday will also feature Manchester United, who were beaten 1-0 by league leaders Chelsea about a fortnight ago, looking to get back to winning ways when they take on West Ham. The Red Devils are two points behind Chelsea, but have played one more game than the Blues, and thus will aim to take advantage of a West Ham side who have lost four of their last five Premier League games.
On Sunday, Chelsea, who earned a tough 1-0 win over Champions League winners Lyon midweek, will lock horns with Manchester City in what looks set to be a very fascinating tactical battle. City, who will host this top-three tie, are on a four-game winning streak in the Women's Super League, and could leap-frog Chelsea into the top spot should they beat the Blues this weekend.
NWSL
The 11th edition of the NWSL gets underway this Saturday, with the season opener starring North Carolina Courage and Kansas City Current. North Carolina Courage won the inaugural NWSL Challenge Cup after beating Washington Spirit 2-1 in the final, but ultimately finished in a disappointing seventh spot in the league table, while Kansas City had a much stronger campaign as they secured fifth. Saturday will conclude with part two of the day's doubleheader as San Diego Wave, who finished in third place last term thanks to the goal-scoring exploits of multiple World Cup winner Alex Morgan, welcome Chicago Red Stars, who concluded last campaign in sixth.
On Sunday, OL Reign, who are the reigning NWSL Shield champions, will aim to do it all over again when they travel to face Washington Spirit. That game will kick off about an hour before Portland Thorns, who clinched the NWSL title last term, face an Orlando Pride side skippered by iconic striker Marta. Sunday's matches conclude with the newly-formed Angel City FC starting their sophomore campaign by hosting Gotham FC.
Didn't find your favorite women's league on this list? No worries, as this is just a highlight of some of the exciting games coming up this week. Make sure to check out our special women's soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
Major League Soccer - Full preview and details ahead of Matchweek 5
There might be an international break going on across the world, but MLS fans will get to watch their favorite clubs going at it for one more weekend.
The maiden season of the dominant St. Louis SC has shocked all experts, and with four wins in a row, the new club in the competition has already nabbed a spot in the league's history. Without a doubt, the team will want to increase their tally in terms of games won, and their clash this week against Real Salt Lake will be quite interesting.
Other games that will keep fans glued to their TV sets and streaming devices will feature, without a doubt, Columbus Crew vs Atlanta United, who will have to make do without Thiago Almada, and defending champions Los Angeles FC facing FC Dallas in one of the stellar matches taking place this Saturday.
Without further ado, here's what you should keep in mind before Matchweek 5 gets underway.
How to watch Matchweek 5 in the 2023 MLS season?
Fans in the USA and Canada can watch select games on regular TV networks. The first one of those will be Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy, a game where the away side will try to win their first match of the season. Meanwhile, San Jose vs Toronto will be one to keep an eye on, as the hosts look for their third win of the season against a team that has been hit hard due to the absence of their international players. The rest of this week's matches will be available to be streamed in over 100 countries via MLS Season Pass.
Top news of the week in Major League Soccer
CF Montreal grant contract extension to highly-rated defender
The Canadian side has decided to extend the current deal for defender Joel Waterman, who helped the club to win the Canadian championship in 2021 and was also key to their best-ever season in the league. Waterman will be able to show off his new deal next week, as Montreal have been given a bye for this weekend.
Thiago Almada claims second Goal of the Matchday this season
The Argentine international has made his mark in the North American league, and he has confirmed his reputation as one of the best players in the league.
The league's top scorer celebrated his fourth goal of the season with a stunning free kick, which was a true candidate for Goal of the Matchweek with barely any opposition.
Austin FC ready to end their woes by signing loan deal for Serbian footballer
The Texan side has struggled this season with two losses and an early exit from the CONCACAF Champions League. With that in mind, the team's hierarchy has chosen to add depth to their defense by agreeing a loan deal for defender Aleksandar Radovanovic.
The 29-year-old defender makes it to the league on loan from Jupiler Pro League KV Kortrijk, and his European experience will come in handy for a team that has conceded nine times in six matches across all competitions.
For additional details regarding Major League Soccer's schedule, top scorers, and more, visit our bespoke MLS page here.
Biggest stories of the week
France reportedly secure two-time AFCON winning manager as new coach
Earlier this month, we reported that France's preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup had been thrown into disarray following the dismissal of head coach Corrine Diacre. Diacre, who had been in charge of Les Bleues since 2017, had been involved in several flashpoints with key members of the French squad, leading several players to declare that they would not join the team for the upcoming World Cup.
These players included highly experienced defender Wendie Renard, who has earned over 140 caps for the French women's senior squad, and prolific striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who had been shockingly snubbed by Diacre for the 2019 edition of the World Cup.
Shortly after the players' announcements, Diacre was sacked - but not before she repeatedly lashed out at the media and made accusations of an "organized smear campaign" that sought to discredit her in the eyes of the public.
With just a few months to go until the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, there has been growing worry that France's coaching situation would prove to be a much-unwanted distraction as the team hopes to finally make major inroads in the competition.
Now, new reports indicate that France's search for a new manager may have finally brought good news. Herve Renard, who masterminded Saudi Arabia's brilliant 2-1 upset of South American titans Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has been linked with taking over on the tactician's bench.
Should this come to pass, it would be the first position in women's football for the 54-year-old former defender. Renard, who made history as the first coach to win the AFCON twice with two different countries (Zambia in 2012 and the Ivory Coast in 2015), would likely be a welcome appointment among the France squad, but it remains to be seen whether players like Renard and Katoto opt to reverse their decisions with a change in management.
Cristiano Ronaldo earns one more record with Portugal in game vs Liechtenstein
After Thursday's game, each international match for Cristiano Ronaldo will be the extension of a record that will be quite hard to take away from him.
The Portuguese ace led his national team to a comfortable result against Liechtenstein, but his goalscoring antics were not the main topic of discussion, as he managed to set a new record in international football by playing his 197th game for A Selecao.
By starting this fixture, Ronaldo surpassed Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa, who played 196 games for his country between 2003 and June 2022. If CR7 (or CR197) can play three more international games, he will become the only player in history to reach the 200-game mark, something unthinkable in the history of the game.
Ronaldo also extended his lead in terms of European nations, as Spain's Sergio Ramos (who will reportedly never play again for La Roja) left his tally in 180 games. Gianluigi Buffon, another former teammate of the Portuguese footballer, holds the third spot for UEFA-based nations with 176 games and the tenth place considering all confederations.
If those numbers are not enough cause for celebration, the footballer added another milestone to his impressive international career, as he scored for his national team for the 20th year running — a run stretching from 2004 to today.
Barcelona under investigation by UEFA over alleged referee payments
For the first time since the report came out, the Blaugrana side could be facing a major sanction on the pitch for their payments to a member of the Spanish Refs Committee.
There has been a lot of ink spent in writing about the alleged bribery scandal involving Barcelona and former chairman of the Spanish Referee Committee, José María Enríquez Negreira. Now, things are about to get even more complicated for the Catalan side, as UEFA have started a new investigation into this matter, which could lead to massive sanctions for the Liga club.
According to a report initially published by AS, UEFA have asked La Liga for all the documents in this case. The main goal to reach by football's governing body in Europe is to determine any legal breaches or attempts to influence the outcome of a football match by the Blaugrana club.
"In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA's legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called 'Caso Negreira'. Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course," the entity revealed in a brief press release.
As things stand, Barcelona will have to prove that their intentions did not have anything to do with trying to influence the outcome of a match. If they fail to do so, UEFA could opt to ban the club from European competitions for a limited time, which could be the harshest sanction the team could face.
Barcelona's situation is similar to the one Juventus is facing right now, as both European giants could be left out of European tournaments due to their distinct breaches of UEFA's laws. Juventus' case has to do with a failure to report the right income for a number of years, while Barcelona's ban could come if the alleged payments had the intention to influence their games in La Liga for over 20 years.
Deschamps breaks his silence regarding claims of Griezmann being upset over Mbappe captaincy decision
Didier Deschamps has responded to claims that Antoine Griezmann is "upset and hurt" by the decision to name Kylian Mbappe as the new captain. Amid reports that the Atletico Madrid man is 'reconsidering his future' with the national team, the head coach of the French national team has come clean on how the choice was eventually made and the way forward.
Following the retirement of Hugo Lloris from international duty in January, who had captained the team to victory at the 2018 World Cup and another final in Qatar last year, the French national team was left without a captain. Raphael Varane, who was expected to take over the armband, announced his retirement at the age of 29, leaving coach Didier Deschamps in search of a new on-field leader. Finally, on Tuesday, Deschamps announced that the new captain of the team would be Kylian Mbappe.
"Kylian Mbappe is the new France captain. Antoine Griezmann is the vice-captain," he told French outlet Telefoot. "Kylian ticks all the boxes to have this responsibility. On the pitch as well as within the squad, by being a key element."
The decision has since not gone down well with Griezmann whom many deemed as the rightful successor to inherit the captain's armband. Since making his debut in 2014, he has been a mainstay in the side and has started a record 74 consecutive games for France. However, the feat could be in jeopardy, with the attacker seemingly considering his future with the national team following the latest development.
Ahead of France's upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying matches, Deschamps has lifted the lid off the lingering issue. Asked if there was any element of disappointment on the part of Griezmann, he said: "He [Griezmann] knew very well that he had the possibility of being it (captain). I spoke with him, but despite it all giving it to Kylian is not taking it away from Antoine.
"Antoine, he has something additional as well, he has always been a very important player, I have always kept my confidence in him during much more difficult periods for him. Antoine, with what he does on the pitch, he is a key pillar in the sense of being the motor. He was and he will remain so in the future."
In the meantime, Antoine Griezmann has been named the vice-captain and is expected to play a crucial role in France's EURO 2024 journey under the guidance of Deschamps. The duo was seen in good spirits before and during a media-open training session at the Clairefontaine French national team base on Tuesday. France's upcoming EURO 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands at home on Friday will mark Mbappé's debut as captain for the national team.
Harry Kane becomes England's all-time top scorer with goal vs. Italy
It's official: Harry Kane is the all-time top scorer for England, with the national team captain surpassing Premier League icon Wayne Rooney on Thursday.
The Spurs sensation equaled the former Manchester United attacker's record in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against France, netting from the spot to draw level. Unfortunately, he went on to miss a second-half penalty and was unable to make history in Qatar.
However, the Tottenham ace wasted no time in making amends. The Three Lions returned to action on Thursday, kicking off their UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with an interesting trip to Italy.
And Gareth Southgate's men broke the deadlock against the Azzurri after only 13 minutes, with the 29-year-old striker having a hand in the opener as his blocked shot was converted by goalscorer Declan Rice.
Come the 44th minute, Kane was gifted the golden opportunity to surpass Rooney's record. The visitors were awarded a penalty following a handball from Di Lorenzo in the box. Harry stepped up, and unlike in the game against France, the striker converted with no hesitation.
And just like that, the Tottenham ace netted his 54th goal for the Three Lions, a feat that took him eight years and 81 caps to achieve. Eighteen of those came from penalties but Kane will not lose any sleep over that.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Arsenal dealt big blow with defender ruled out for the rest of the season
Mikel Arteta's side currently hold an eight-point gap over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, but are not in the clear just yet. Not only are there ten games to go, but the Cityzens do have a game in hand, meaning that there is still more work to do for the ambitious London club.
Next up for Arsenal will be a home tie against Leeds United, but the international break has unfortunately brought some bad news.
Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has proven to be a solid defender for Arteta's squad, has now been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury. The Japanese international sustained an injury during Arsenal's loss to Sporting CP during their round of 16 tie, and was subbed off early after appearing to have overextended his leg much to the concern of observers.
The club revealed that Tomiyasu successfully underwent surgery on Tuesday in London, but his rehab process will keep him out for months - meaning that the earliest he could return looks set to be during pre-season training for Arsenal ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Transfer: Financial difficulties may force Porto to sell Manchester United and Chelsea target
FC Porto is reportedly considering selling goalkeeper Diogo Costa as the club's financial situation worsens. This has put Manchester United and Chelsea on high alert, with both Premier League clubs having expressed interest in the 23-year-old.
Costa recently signed a new deal that increased his release clause to approximately £65 million due to his emergence as a star in recent seasons. Initially, it was anticipated that Porto would wait until the release clause of the Portuguese goalie was activated before selling him, considering the growing interest from numerous European powerhouses. Nevertheless, behind-the-scenes issues have created an opening for interested parties to sign the player at a reduced cost.
According to various reports from Portugal, head coach Sergio Conceicao has threatened to leave the club because the upcoming months could be unpleasant. After 25 games this season, the defending champions of the Primeira Liga are ten points behind rivals and runaway leaders Benfica, and Conceicao believes that his squad needs investment to improve. The manager's stance subsequently caused club president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa to react aggressively, and the two are now said to be at odds.
Still, this summer, new players are expected to be recruited in order to aid their bid to challenge in all competitions next season. However, before any signings can be completed, the club must first collect €50 million through the sale of current players. At the moment, Costa is Porto's most marketable player, commanding the largest transfer fee and attracting the greatest interest from potential suitors. On the back of this development, 90min has reported that the 23-year-old could be on his way out of the club this summer.
