The NWSL is preparing for its Challenge Cup beginning on Saturday, June 27 at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah. The nine teams participating in the 25-game tournament have been back training, but with the time-crunched preseason, not all the big names will be making an appearance.
Several USWNT players will not be joining their respective teams due to injury or concern over the possible spread of the coronavirus.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard praised Christian Pulisic as the American forward scored an equalizer five minutes after coming off the bench to help Chelsea earn a 2-1 comeback win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
Pulisic leveled on the hour after Kortney Hause had given Villa a 43rd minute lead and Frenchman Olivier Giroud netted the winner two minutes later, tightening Chelsea's grip on fourth place.
Trailing Aston Villa 1-0 with just over half an hour remaining, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard turned to Christian Pulisic off the bench and the American responded by scoring the equalizer just five minutes later.
Although Chelsea dominated possession in the first half, it was Villa center back Kortney Hause who opened the scoring in the 43rd minute following a cross from Douglas Luiz.
Two Atlanta United players and one player on expansion club Inter Miami CF have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Per the Atlanta United, their two unidentified players are asymptomatic and are in isolation.
In a statement Saturday, Atlanta United said the club will continue non-contact training on Monday. If negative test results for all players and staff are received on that day, the club will resume full team training on Tuesday.
On Friday, exactly 155 years after Union troops marched into Galveston, Texas, to announce to all enslaved people in Texas they were free, more than 70 black players in MLS joined together to announce the creation the Black Players Coalition to fight the racial inequalities in that still exist in the league and the country.
Former United States soccer coach Bruce Arena questioned the relevance of playing the country's national anthem before matches in professional sports leagues, saying it was inappropriate.
Arena said he understood why some athletes take a knee to protest racial discrimination during pre-match renditions of "The Star-Spangled Banner," saying it was appropriate as long as it was respectful.
Amazon announced that it will air the rest of its Premier League matches for free on Amazon Prime while live streaming them on Twitch. No membership will be required to watch the four matches shown by Amazon.
One of the four matches has yet to be announced, but the other three include Crystal Palace vs. Burnley on June 29, Everton vs. Southampton on July 6 and Watford vs. Newcastle on July 11.
Bill Hamid, one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, took to social media to trash restrictive social distancing rules surrounding the upcoming MLS Is Back Tournament. This being social media in 2020, it took no time at all for someone to point out how Hamid has failed to properly social distance himself lately.
The United Women's Soccer league is a national second-tier league with regional conferences in the United States and Canada. The league was created to provide high-level competition for top current/post collegiate players, aspiring/former professionals and international stars. The season is usually played from May through July, but due to COVID-19 the season was suspended.
It was reported at the start of June that NBA superstar Kevin Durant had bought a minority stake in the Philadelphia Union. On Monday the club confirmed Durant and his company, Thirty Five Ventures, bought a 5-percent stake of the club.