Before last week's announcement of the cancellation of the 2012 WPS season, it was widely reported that the league and magicJack owner Dan Borislow had reached an agreement to settle their ongoing legal battles that would involve his team playing a series of exhibition games against WPS teams.

While those reports made clear that any settlement was contingent upon the approval of US Soccer, it appears now that US Soccer and FIFA rules would have prohibited any exhibition games involving non-league magicJack playing WPS teams.

Thanks to Robert Mugabe's unique approach to democracy and socioeconomic policy, the Zimbabwe national football team doesn't get a whole lot of action outside of Africa and Asia. The Warriors are about to get a lot less action, as the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has suspended 67 players following a match-fixing scandal.

Imagine a bad breakup with someone you shouldn't have hooked up with in the first place, someone who seemed perfect for you but who belittled you to your friends, was a slob, didn't pay their half of the rent and utilities and criticized your sexual performance. Now imagine having to have that person spend one weekend a month at your house for the next two years.

Referee Alejandro Mariscal gained some international experience during France's 1-1 tie against Brazil
The 2011 Development Academy Winter Showcase provides an opportunity for the country's top referees to be identified and trained in a positive learning environment. No test at the Premier Sports Campus here in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

A new youth soccer tournament created by the merger of the Chesterfield United Icebreaker and the Kickers Invitational, The Ultimate Cup tournament features a Girls and Boys weekend, scheduled to launch February 24-26, 2012 and March 2-4, 2012. Applications are available; click here for the Girls Weekend application, and here for the Boys Weekend application.

That the Seattle Sounders will set another MLS attendance record is not really news. In fact, they already have the single-season MLS attendance record. In the game against DC United, the Sounders broke their old record, which they set in 2010 when they broke the record they set in 2009. Sense a pattern?

This time of year, we're used to watching NBA preseason action. However, with the NBA lockout putting things on hold, we'll have to settle for exhibition games of another sort. But there's an interesting one being put together that will take place on the campus of Florida International University on October 8th.

When I was a boy, the Merseyside Derby ranked up with those Old Firm games from North of The Border in passion and sheer entertainment. At that time, Everton were no better a team than they are now, and I'll grant you that in those days, Liverpool were the dominant team, not only in England but across the whole of Europe.

The No. 19 University of Denver men's soccer team opens the regular season against No. 6 Creighton at CIBER Field on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Pioneers earned a pair of draws last weekend against Wisconsin and Ohio State in exhibition games.

Denver returns 17 letterwinners, including eight starters, from a squad that won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular season championship in 2010 and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament, the team's second in the past three seasons.

MLS just played its All Star Game, which as we all know was Manchester United against an MLS All-Star 11 who had never played meaningful minutes together prior to Tuesday's training session. That was always bound to not end well, and it ended in predictable fashion, 4-0 to United (following a 5-2 loss last season).

Even though the MISL season has not begun you can still catch some great soccer.
The Milwaukee Wave will play two exhibition games this upcoming week featuring members of the 2011 Championship Team.
The Summer Soccer Showcase will be held on Wednesday, July 20th at 1 pm and the Beach Soccer game on Saturday, July 23rd at 2 pm.

As usual with anything LA, Carmageddon has been overblown. I got here to the stadium so early for the Real Madrid - Galaxy match up that they wouldn't even let me in for half an hour. Luis disagrees, but I like the LA Coliseum. Yes, it's a crumbling concrete heap, but that gives it something of a more authentic feel - isn't the real Coliseum a ruin as well?

Tonight is the second of four total international friendlies and the first of three in the month of July. It also happens to be the singular international friendly that was not included as part of the Portland Timbers season ticket package which means that if you want to see the guys play tonight you're absolutely going to have to fork over some cash.

The next to final mention of soccer in the ESPN history book is on page 715, courtesy of writer/personality Bill Simmons.
Now, I can appreciate that Simmons is a new fan to the sport of soccer, but honestly, nothing makes me roll my eyes more than a) Those who act as if Americans, not English, invented the word "soccer" for the game b) Those who act as if the sport needs to change to appeal to Americans.

The next to final mention of soccer in the ESPN history book is on page 715, courtesy of writer/personality Bill Simmons.
Now, I can appreciate that Simmons is a new fan to the sport of soccer, but honestly, nothing makes me roll my eyes more than a) Those who act as if Americans, not English, invented the word "soccer" for the game b) Those who act as if the sport needs to change to appeal to Americans.

MIKE JACOBS COLUMN, Evansville Courier Press, June 4, 2011
Those who watched Barcelona defeat Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final last weekend were able to witness the potential of a soccer revolution here in the United States.
According to figures compiled by Nielsen Media Research, as reported by Soccer America, the telecasts of the game delivered a 2.

The FIFA World Cup Qualification had just announced the draw for the Asians football teams. Timor Leste were put against Nepal, the Himalayas Nation. Nepal whose rank only 172 ; meanwhile, Timor Leste only rank 201.

The first leg of this tournament will be at in Kathmandu, Nepal which have 42 degrees in temperature.

Tonight marks the first exhibition game for the Portland Timbers. If you happened to have bought season tickets this game will be marked as "Game A" which is to be used for this match.

I've already explained briefly who Ajax is and why they're important. If you haven't yet checked out that article, I recommend taking a look if you don't really know who the club is.

Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey head a 24-man roster as the United States brings in most of its top players for exhibition games against Argentina and Paraguay.

Players will start gathering Sunday in Cary, N.C., for training. The U.S. plays Argentina on March 26 in East Rutherford, N.

The Quakes returned from their adventures in north London with an eye towards more lineup changes. They are negotiating with Tottenham to sign midfielder Simon Dawkins on a year long loan deal. Dawkins trained with the Quakes and the Tottenham reserves the last 2 weeks and even played for the Quakes in two of their exhibition games.

Tomorrow the Quakes are scheduled to return to San Jose. They finish up their 10 days in London with a 2-1 record for their exhibition games. The team beat the Tottenham reserves and Colchester United, while losing to Leicester City. The Colchester United and Leicester City games were mainly games for the trialists.

The Quakes leave today for 10 days of training and 3 exhibition games at Tottenham's training grounds, Spurs Lodge, in London. The Quakes trained in London with Tottenham during preseason last year and both coaches and players stated that the time spent training and bonding in London helped them make the playoffs in 2010.

The Quakes leave today for 10 days of training and 3 exhibition games at Tottenham's training grounds, Spurs Lodge, in London. The Quakes trained in London with Tottenham during preseason last year and both coaches and players stated that the time spent training and bonding in London helped them make the playoffs in 2010.

January 27, 2011 North American Soccer League (NASL) FC Edmonton EDMONTON, AB. It's been five months since their last competitive match against Miami FC of the NASL, and even that was a friendly. It's no wonder that the FC Edmonton coaching staff and players are champing at the bit to get the 2011 [.

FC Toronto's new coach, the Dutchman Aron Winter, watched a season's worth of Toronto games back in Amsterdam before taking the MLS coaching job. What'd he think?
"The way they were playing, it's really that old-style English soccer that's really on high speed -- kick and rush soccer," said Winter.