The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)’s Nations League Matchday five of six kicked off Nov. 14, short a slew of several big-name players from the English Premier League (EPL) like Martin Ødegaard, Ollie Watkins, and Cole Palmer. This has led to questions regarding teams’ lineups, their match-ups with various[Read More…]
Soccer
Professional soccer continues to prioritize commercial interests over safety and ethics
Content warning: Mentions of sexual violence, assault, and rape. The narrative that rape accusations ruin the lives of the accused is dangerous, untrue, and often not the case, especially with high-profile alleged abusers. Athletes, managers, and coaches across the sporting world have faced allegations of sexual violence and face minimal[Read More…]
Champion Reform: If it wasn’t broken, why’d they fix it?
The 2024-2025 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League (UCL) season saw the first dramatic change to the league’s format since the second group stage—introduced in 1999—was dropped in 2003. The UCL is an annual, elite showcase for Europe’s most storied clubs. Since its inaugural edition in 1955, the[Read More…]
FIFA accused of “sportswashing” by women’s soccer stars over Saudi deal
This past April, soccer’s governing body, FIFA, announced a landmark partnership and sponsorship deal with the Saudi Arabian Oil Group, Aramco. Owned almost entirely by the Saudi Arabian government and the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), this collaboration between FIFA and Aramco marks another milestone in FIFA’s continued relationship with[Read More…]
Game recap: Martlets soccer dominates Bishop’s Gaiters with a 4-0 victory on senior night
After a tough 1-0 loss last week against the Université du Québec à Montréal Citadins, Martlets soccer was determined to revive its winning streak against the Bishop’s Gaiters on Oct. 4. It was the last home game for graduating players. After initial difficulties staying composed, the team rebounded 11 minutes[Read More…]
Chelsea FC Ltd.’s most recent financial gambit
This past May, Chelsea Football Club was a bustling machine of termination and change. For the second consecutive season, the men’s team saw a finish outside of the English Premier League’s (EPL) top four—something that had not occurred since the league’s first two seasons—1992-1993 and 1993-1994. The women’s side stood[Read More…]
Alex Morgan’s most iconic moments
American soccer player Alex Morgan announced her retirement on Sept. 5, signalling the end of an era as she closes off her well-decorated career with the San Diego Wave match on Sept. 8. Morgan spent most of her playing career in the United States, playing for teams in the National[Read More…]
Martlets soccer defeats UdeM Carabins in season home opener
Martlets soccer victoriously kicked off its season, defeating the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins with a tight scoreline of 1-0. The players battled it out in the Percival Molson Memorial Stadium to energetic cheering from the nearly 800-person crowd. McGill dominated the beginning of the first 45 minutes, controlling the[Read More…]
The double standard: How media ideology magnifies mistakes of Black players
England’s National Football Team’s lackluster 1-0 defeat to Iceland’s National Football Team on June 7 was more than just a forgettable pre-European Championships match. In the post-match analysis, a curious trend materialized: 22-year-old Bukayo Saka, who played a mere 25 minutes of the game, became a focal point of criticism.[Read More…]
Why my heart is behind South Africa’s ‘Bafana Bafana’ in this Africa Cup of Nations
Saturday’s quarterfinal victory over Cape Verde was not the first time that South Africa upended expectations in this Africa Cup of Nations. This was not even their first shock of this tournament; earlier they defeated World Cup semi-finalists Morocco en route to the upcoming semifinal against Nigeria on Feb. 7.[Read More…]