FIFA Organization

SYDNEY — The unpredictability of results at the Women's World Cup, with former champions bowing out early and debutants advancing, is evidence that playing standards are improving across the board, FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG) said on Friday.

The TSG analyzed data from the first 48 matches of the tournament and have concluded that defensive organization is better and goalkeepers are better positioned and making more saves, while fewer goals are being scored.

Barcelona and Manchester United have been fined by UEFA for breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, European soccer's governing body said on Friday.

Barcelona have been fined $561,000 for wrongly reporting "profits on disposal of intangible assets" in 2022.

United have been fined $267,000 for "minor break-even deficits".

U.S. midfielder Lindsey Horan and forward Alex Morgan were named on Friday as captains of the team that will begin their quest for a third consecutive Women's World Cup title in two weeks.

The duo are assuming the captain's role as defender Becky Sauerbrunn will miss the July 20-Aug. 20 tournament in Australia and New Zealand due to a foot injury. When the players are on the field at the same time, Horan will wear the armband.

Of all the men’s national soccer teams in the world, the United States has the 11th best according to the latest FIFA rankings.

This is the highest ranking for the U.S. since December 2021 when they were also 11th. August 2021 was the last time the USMNT were among the top 10.

The latest edition of the rankings that everyone definitely takes seriously and certainly doesn’t laugh at has the USMNT above the likes of Germany, Morocco, Switzerland and Uruguay.

NEW YORK — New York/New Jersey stepped up their bid to host the final of the 2026 World Cup by promising a spectacle on par with "eight Super Bowls" at a launch event on Thursday for the tournament which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave no indication as to which of the host cities across the three countries would stage the finale when the venues were announced last year.

Europe's top soccer nations face a broadcast blackout for this year's Women's World Cup unless media can improve on their "disappointing" offers for the rights, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

Offers from "Big 5" European countries were not acceptable to football's world governing body and a "slap in the face" of the players and "all women worldwide", Infantino said.

The 'Big 5' nations are Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.