Mexican football icon Rafael Marquez has officially been presented as the new head coach of El Tri with a clear mandate to lead the nation into the 2030 World Cup. The 47-year-old former Barcelona defender, who previously served as assistant coach, is determined to surpass the quarter-final ceiling that eluded him during his storied playing career.
U.S. Soccer has announced the U.S. Men's National Team's upcoming fall friendlies, which will be the team's first matches of the 2030 World Cup cycle. To start that cycle, the U.S. will start with matches against Peru and Chile before facing local rivals Mexico and Canada in the final two games of the new four-game window.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hit back at his detractors in extraordinary fashion, claiming that those who criticised the 2026 World Cup were "consumed by hate." In a lengthy and defiant statement, the head of world football’s governing body defended the tournament’s legacy and urged his opponents to "meditate or pray" instead of spreading negativity.