Traditionally, North American sports commentators and fans have always been more enamored with American football than with soccer, with numerous images and portrayals of the typical football jock in movies, literature and other forms of mass culture. As a sport, soccer is a paltry fifth to the “Big 4” sporting events in the US, represented by major leagues such as the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. Although most high school kids play soccer in school, the sport has a relatively smaller fan base in the US if compared to other countries like Spain, Brazil or England where as one sports commentator puts it, is almost like a religion, with millions of faithful, if sometimes rabid, supporters. However, due to several factors to be discussed below, soccer as a sport is slowly but surely gaining popularity in the United States. With that said, let us examine the said factors so we can hypothesize the possible future of soccer in North America.

The ever-increasing popularity of soccer in the US is said to be brought about by the rising number of former soccer players who retained their love and appreciation for the sport. These players, who mostly played in their teens, have established families and have taught their children to play and love soccer too. Predictably, they have also demanded more access to soccer games on TV, the internet and other forms of social media. As a result, sports networks have been persuaded to respond to this demand, with soccer-only channels provided by sporting giants ESPN and FOX. Apart from delighting the hardcore fans of the game, the increased media exposure has also aided in introducing soccer to a whole new generation who will now patronize the game.

Also, the increasing numbers of fans have pushed companies to invest more in soccer as a sport, as evidenced by the substantial sponsorships amounting to $1 billion gotten by the Major League Soccer (MLS), which is now in its 11th season. This is certainly a remarkable feat, considering that its predecessor NASL, failed to do so. Another factor that is said to have contributed greatly to the rise of soccer in the United States is the improving performance of the players as a whole, perhaps due in part to the attention that the sport is finally getting. More supporters generally translate to better pay for the players, plus better facilities available to them—all of which definitely aid in improving their play. Also, the past few years has seen a steadily growing number of American business moguls opting to buy European football franchises, thus affording North American viewers the opportunity to see and appreciate the world’s best soccer players in action, since many of these teams play on American soil for entertainment matches.

All of these factors have contributed to the significant rise of soccer as a sport in North America. If such conditions continue, it could very well be said that soccer has a very bright future in the North American sports landscape for the years to come.

Soccer has traditionally been regarded as a man’s sport, requiring speed and physical strength mostly associated with men. Thus, it was only with the advent and relative triumph of feminism in the 1970’s that women’s soccer became accepted. Nowadays, women’s professional soccer remains as one of the few team sports for women that have professional leagues worldwide. Although not nearly as popular as men’s soccer, professional women’s soccer certainly has its own league of loyal fans and enthusiasts who are eager to know the recent developments in the game. This is proven by the ongoing fame and large fan base of the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), which largely represents the best female soccer teams in the US. Women’s soccer also enjoys relative fame in different countries such as Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Brazil. The UEFA also maintains a separate women’s league, composed of teams from England and Wales, France, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. This article hopes to encapsulate some of the most recent developments in women’s soccer, for the benefit of the millions of women’s soccer enthusiasts worldwide.

The United Kingdom generally has a very vibrant women’s soccer scene, with an active news website detailing all of the most recent results of all the games. One of the most notable bits of new for this year is Scotland coach Anna Siguel’s announcement of her team’s roster of players for the upcoming Cyprus Women’s Cup. Another exciting bit of news is the match between the combined powers of Arsenal and Chelsea of the FA WSL to be pitted against FAWPL Southern Division’s Colchester United.

Established in 2009, women’s professional soccer in the United States is largely represented by the WPS which also embodies the highest level in the US soccer pyramid for women. Despite a very promising start, with six to seven teams competing for its first three seasons, the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) has recently been shrouded in controversy and legal battles. The troubles supposedly began with accusations of mismanagement and abuse that professional soccer player Ella Masar hurled at Dan Borislow. Borislow, the owner of WPS franchise magicJack, faced a variety of complaints from his players, including alleged infringement of FIFA’s code of ethics, the player’s contract, U.S coaching requirements, and the media policy of WPS. The ensuing legal battle culminated in an announcement by the WPS management to suspend the 2012 league in order to focus on the resolution of the above-mentioned cases, an unfortunate bit of news that definitely saddened thousands of fans across the country.

Held once every four years, the World Cup is soccer’s major international competition, with over 32 teams competing for the championship and millions of fans worldwide passionately rooting for their favorite players and teams. The upcoming 2014 World Cup is set to be located in Brazil, a decision which marks the second time that the country has hosted the said event, the first one during the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Since Brazil was the sole country to enter a bid to host the 2014 World Cup, the South American Football Confederation CONMEBOL officially declared it as the host country last June 3, 2003. Brazil is certainly at the spotlight of the sports world since apart from being the host of the 2014 World Cup, the country is also set to host the much-anticipated 2016 Summer Olympics at Rio de Janeiro.

Even though the FIFA usually limits the numbers of host cities from eight to ten, it unanimously approved Brazil’s ambitious 12-city plan. A total of seventeen Brazilian cities declared intentions to become official World Cup hosts, with only the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Fortaleza, Natal, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo making the final cut.

Becoming the official host of the World Cup will certainly entail an immeasurable amount of preparation and foresight on the part of the Brazilian government. The main governing body in Brazilian football, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol or CBF has predicted a total of $1.1 billion (or equivalent to £ 550 million) necessary budget for the renovation of old stadiums and the construction of new ones worthy and able to host the upcoming World Cup while ten of the country’s airports will be renovated in preparation for the heavy air traffic generated by football fans converging to watch the games. In host cities, metro, monorail and light rail train systems are also being constructed, or in some cases renovated. All in all, the Brazilian government has identified and set aside approximately $ 1.8 billion for investments in infrastructure and transportation development, all in preparation for hosting the 2014 World Cup.

However, despite the country’s efforts in preparing for the 2014 World Cup, FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke has already expressed criticism over the slow pace of development in some of the host cities; lamenting the fact that many of the deadlines set have already passed with only a minimal amount of progress made. According to Valckle, Brasillia stands to be deprived of its chance to host the opening games, especially if the numerous delays persist.

With millions of fans across all nations, soccer is certainly a sport that inspires great passion and loyalty among its fans, which come from different cultures, races and age groups. Many schools nowadays even offer soccer training programs for kids, where students can learn teamwork, goal-setting and other positive values. However, even though it may be one of the most popular games across the globe, many parents are still clueless about how to choose their kid’s proper clothing and/or equipment for his or her first soccer game. With the wide plethora of choices available on the market, it can be quite overwhelming and daunting, especially for a non-sports oriented parent, to choose and buy soccer outfits for their children. This article aims to help parents who are inexperienced when it comes to choosing the proper soccer gear for kids.

First, getting the proper soccer ball for your future athlete is a must. Remember that size five balls are mostly for adults or bigger children above the age of twelve, while size four is appropriate for ages eight to twelve. The younger ones (meaning below eight) will fare much better with a size three. Always remember to buy soccer balls that are fully inflated and it always pays to double-check for slow leaks. Also, keep in mind that you should only buy soccer balls that have sewn panels, instead of glued since glued panels usually come off after a couple of uses. There is a wide range of prices for different soccer balls of various quality, so one should check and compare the prices before going out to buy.

Another important piece of equipment for any aspiring soccer player is a good pair of cleats. Although younger players (below the age of eight) will not really require cleats, those belonging to an older age group will most definitely require cleats. In buying cleats, keep in mind that a good fit is essential—cleats too large for the player will result in his/her decreased ability to feel and control the ball.

Another must-buy is a good set of shin guards, which are compulsory for any aspiring soccer player. These are relatively cheap and will provide excellent protection to your child’s shins during the game. There are also models available that also cover the ankle area.

Parents can also consider buying specialty soccer socks which are meant to be worn over the shin guards, soccer shorts or even a specialty backpack that has an attached bag for the ball. For genuine soccer aficionados, you can check out specialty fitness shops for quality soccer gear. For those on a shoestring, the internet or your local department store will surely hold a wide variety of choices.

As the main pan-European football tournament administered by the UEFA, the UEFA European Football Championship is certainly one of the main events that any serious fan looks forward to. And now, with a mere hundred and twenty-eight days to go before the much-awaited UEFA EURO 2012, European soccer enthusiasts are surely anticipating the latest news and updates from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). This article compiled several recent news briefs to satisfy any hard-core European soccer fan.

UEFA EURO 2012 Tickets Now Available

Tickets for the upcoming UEFA EURO 2012 are now available from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) website, http://www.uefa.com. According to UEFA President Michel Platini, the 1.4million tickets will be sold partially based upon the nationality of the buyer.

Opening Ceremony for the UEFA EURO 2012 Held At Warsaw Stadium

The final venue for the UEFA EURO 2012, the National Stadium Warsaw, held a grandiose opening ceremony on the 29^th of January, with approximately 50,000 football fans in attendance. The event was marked by a free concert, games and an impressive fireworks display. The National Stadium, located in the Polish capital of Warsaw and refurbished in time for the 2012 EURO, can seat up to 50,000 people.

Training Venues of UEFA 2012 Teams Revealed

The sixteen finalists competing in the upcoming UEFA 2012 today identified their training locations and facilities, some of them brushing shoulders along the same regions. With Poland and Ukraine chosen as UEFA EURO 2012 co-hosts, it is unsurprising that a total of thirteen teams have chosen Poland as their training venue. The teams representing Poland, Croatia, Greece and Russia will be training in the capital city of Warsaw, while Denmark, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, and Spain have opted to train in the Polish city of Gdańsk. Meanwhile, Portugal chose Wielkopolska region’s capital city Poznań as a training venue. Ukraine and Sweden will both train in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, while the French team will stay in Donetsk.

Spending Cutbacks For Football Clubs

Due to the severe financial controls recently imposed by the UEFA, football clubs cut back on their spending, cutting as much as 175 million pounds from last January’s 225 million pounds. UEFA has recently ruled that clubs with consistent losses amounting to $58 million and above will be prohibited from participating in the 2014 Champions League. Financial analysts relate the decreased spending to the general wave of cautiousness and discretion that has swept Europe after the global financial crunch of 2011 that left the markets in a volatile state.