
THIS weekend Major League Soccer will experience its first-ever New York derby in the playoffs as New York City FC and New York Red Bulls face off in an Eastern Conference semifinal.
Such a clash has been a possibility since New York City joined the league in 2015, but though the teams have met regularly in the league and in other competitions, they have avoided each other in the post-season competition that determines the MLS champions — until now.

Vermont Green FC’s viral Bernie Sanders tifo was more than a joke. It was a sharp critique of US soccer’s top-heavy capitalism and a celebration of grassroots power, writes JAMES NALTON

Palestinian football has been decimated, its players killed, its stadiums reduced to rubble. Yet the global game has looked away silent in the face of genocide, and will remain a stain on the sport, writes JAMES NALTON

The Red’s title defence is built on clever recruitment, long-term planning, and data-led strategy. In contrast, the Magpies are falling behind — and blaming the wrong things, writes JAMES NALTON

With climate change, commercial overload and endless fixtures, footballers are being pushed to breaking point. It’s time their unions became a more powerful, unified force, writes JAMES NALTON