The Chicago Fire kicked off its 2021 MLS season at Soldier Field, the club's original stadium where they mainly played between 1998 and 2005. The 2020 campaign was truly the team's return to this excellent stadium, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was this season that saw the long-awaited inauguration with the heart and soul of the sport: the fans.
Seville has replaced Bilbao as a host city for Euro 2020 with St. Petersburg in Russia, already a host venue, taking the three group stage games from Dublin, UEFA said on Friday.
Wembley Stadium in London has gained the Irish capital's last-16 match, taking its total number of fixtures to eight, which include the semifinals and final.
The 2021 MLS season marks the return of fans to stadiums across the league and, God willing, the death of fake crowd noise. Beginning with the start of the regular season on Friday, April 16, teams across the country will welcome back supporters at grounds with capacity generally limited to somewhere between 10 and 50 percent.
Rio de Janeiro abandoned plans to rename its famous Maracanã Stadium in tribute to Pelé on Thursday after a widespread outcry from fans.
The official proposal to give Pelé’s name to the ground that hosted the final of the 2014 World Cup and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games was vetoed by state governor Cláudio Castro.
This month's League Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur will be allowed to host 8,000 spectators as part of pilot events to pave the way for the return of large crowds to stadiums, the British government said on Sunday.
The final will be held at London's Wembley Stadium on April 25. It was due to be played on Feb. 28 but was pushed back in the hope that a later date would allow fans to attend.
With just over a month remaining before the start of the 2021 MLS season, CF Montreal announced Monday it will open its schedule by playing home games at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The move was made because of travel restrictions between the United States and Canada that started at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Toronto FC already has announced they will open their season with home games at both Orlando and Tampa. The Vancouver Whitecaps are expected to make Sandy, Utah, their temporary home next month.
When we look back at football in 2020/21 over the years to come, there will be no classics, no games to remember — because without fans, matches just don't have the same impact.
Of course, these changes were necessary to prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, and, if current trends hold, it seems that fans will soon be allowed back in stadiums again.
Historically speaking, there’s only ever been one correct answer to the question of a dream away day in the National Women’s Soccer League. As well as producing the sort of football that’s landed two NWSL championships, the Portland Thorns boast the division’s best atmosphere with an average attendance (we have to go back to 2019 to look at such things) of over 20,000 at beautiful Providence Park.
But I believe Portland has been usurped for three reasons: views, horse racing and bourbon.
LONDON - Crowds of up to 10,000 could be allowed back into English soccer stadiums from mid-May under a plan outlined by the British government on Monday to ease COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in England.
Under the third stage of the four-stage "roadmap”, stadiums will — if all conditions are met — from May 17 be allowed to hold up to 50% of their capacity, or 4,000 people, whichever is lower. A special provision will be made for large outdoor, seated venues, so that they can open their doors to up to 10,000 people or 25% of the capacity, whichever is lower.
BERLIN - The German Football League (DFL) is hoping a health concept it supported will help convince authorities of a gradual and limited return of spectators in outdoor and indoor sports and cultural events.
The German Football League was part of 40 major sports and cultural bodies, including the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra, the German Basketball League and the German Opera among others, that supported the concept developed by a group of 20 scientists and experts.
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