Soccerwise | U.S. Soccer, MLS, NWSL

The Timbers jumped from 11th to eighth in a single weekend. Are they getting hot at the right time, or is it proof that nobody else in this scramble is any good? With Decision Day next, Gass, Tom and Doyle hash I all out across both conferences, from the bubble to the clubs already planning for next year.

Out East, Nashville SC rallied from two down against Red Bull New York and look like the favorites even with Inter Miami lurking. Charlotte FC’s ceiling may hinge on whether Allan Saint-Maximin’s red card will cost him more games. The Columbus Crew are surging, while NYCFC, Toronto FC and the Red Bulls are done. Plus, a farewell to Alejandro Bedoya.

0:00 Mad Hatter, Sully and a West Logjam

9:17 Nashville SC Closing in on the Record

17:28 Diego Chara and a Portland Revival

26:34 Saint-Maximin’s Taunt Worth a Red Card?

32:41 Charlotte FC Feast, but Real Tests Ahead

39:04 Revs and Miami Fight for Second

46:58 Alejandro Bedoya’s Union Legacy

52:30 Galaxy in Control of a Shaky Bubble

1:00:18 Wide Open From Vancouver on Down

1:04:54 Columbus Crew Surge as Cincinnati Steady

1:12:06 Worst Exit: NYCFC, Toronto or Red Bulls?

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.

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Back in Columbus after two years with Bournemouth’s multi-club owners, Tim Bezbatchenko knows where MLS already holds its own against European clubs, and where it doesn’t. Gass, Tom and Doyle ask him how the league’s roster rules should change, and he takes them inside the room where the Crew set the budget for a star signing.

Now overseeing the Columbus Crew and the city’s new NWSL team, he weighs promotion and relegation and whether more spending leaves a pathway for homegrown and college prospects. He also covers their new NWSL training ground, how much the sport has changed since he watched the Crew as a teenager, and what would make MLS the first choice for players.

0:00 Tim Bezbatchenko’s Road Back to Columbus

3:09 MLS Measuring Up Against Europe?

6:06 Pro/Rel and the U.S. Soccer Pyramid

7:25 Simpler, Looser Roster Rules?

10:00 Homegrown Pathways Meet Bigger Payrolls

14:33 How Much is a Star Worth?

19:06 NWSL Facility Planned for Player Care

21:32 Soccer in America, Then and Now

23:46 Expansion Club, World-Class NWSL Goals

26:27 Making MLS a Destination

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.

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Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

Two games left, Decision Day next weekend, and New York and Seattle are in must-win mode as a jumble of clubs fight for the last postseason spots. Gass, Tom and Doyle, fresh off a wild midweek, debate which clubs hold their nerve and whether anyone outside of Nashville is truly good.

Red Bull New York and the Columbus Crew chase FC Cincinnati and Orlando City in the East, while Real Salt Lake, the LA Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids crowd the Seattle Sounders in the West. Along the way, they dig into MLS’ new Sprint Season and size up the New England Revolution as an MLS Cup contender, heartbreaks and all.

0:00 Tom’s Men’s League & Open Mic Preview

7:36 Sprint Season: Single-Elimination Format

11:58 Standalone Slots Could Fix MLS Schedule

16:00 Nightly First Round: Value or Devalue?

18:28 Record Goals and Sporting KC’s Defense

22:26 Atlanta: Is Tata Martino Safe?

25:43 D.C. United’s Seven-Year Drought

28:54 Cup Hangover Hits St. Louis

36:08 Portland’s False Nine Experiment

39:55 Chicago Fire: Do We Still Believe?

44:38 Nashville, Vancouver Pull Away

47:44 FC Dallas: Smash-and-Grab or Contender?

53:38 Columbus Chases Cincinnati, Orlando

59:36 Red Bull and Toronto: Must-Win Games

1:07:26 Seattle Sweats as RSL, Galaxy Close In

1:15:11 New England’s MLS Cup Heartbreaks

1:24:50 Revs Now: Turner, Gil, Academy Talent

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.

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Where does the USMNT pool stand now that so many U.S. players have reached Europe’s top leagues? David Gass and Charlie Boehm dig into how far it has come and what Mauricio Pochettino weighs ahead of his November roster.

Joe Scally at Borussia Mönchengladbach and Johnny Cardoso at Atlético Madrid start regularly in Europe, yet neither has a settled USMNT role, a question also hangs over Timothy Weah at Marseille and Alejandro Zendejas in Liga MX. Plus, The Subs Bench takes on the Ballon d’Or, Emma Hayes’ USWNT, “Camp Cupcake” and dual nationals.

0:00 USMNT and USWNT: The Road Ahead

3:47 Subs Bench: Ballon d’Or Overlooks NWSL?

8:15 Emma Hayes’ Depth-Chemistry Conundrum

11:39 Camp Cupcake’s December Trade-Offs

16:26 Pochettino’s Dual-National Question

20:34 Best Uncapped USMNT Player?

25:29 Charlie Boehm: U.S. Players Then vs. Now

30:09 Christian Pulisic and a Deeper Pool

34:45 Pepi, Gozo in Search of the Right Fit

39:03 Joe Scally’s Case for a USMNT Return

44:29 Johnny Cardoso and the Midfield Puzzle

48:16 Timothy Weah’s Rise at Marseille

53:01 MLS-Grown Captains at West Brom, Venezia

54:56 Alejandro Zendejas: Liga MX Underrated?

59:35 DeMarcus Beasley and the Latino Gap

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.

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Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

The final NWSL weekend of the regular season looms large with the entire table still undecided. David Gass and Jordan Angeli preview NWSL’s Decision Day weekend ahead with playoff berths, seeding and the NWSL Shield still up for grabs. New changes to the HIP rule and reactions to ESPN’s NWSL Anonymous GM survey yields interesting results.

The show caps off with a conversation with Columbus NWSL’s newly announced GM, Lucy Rushton. Lucy's first steps to building a club from scratch, what she learned at Bay FC, the next 18 months towards first kick, her old club Atlanta United joining the NWSL and where she hopes Columbus can push the NWSL towards.

00:00 - David and Jordan gather for the first time in a month

05:16 - New changes to HIP Rule

10:51 - Reactions to the ESPN NWSL Anonymous GM Survey

17:22 - Ballon d’Or Results and Reactions

24:20 - Decision Day Preview

29:46 - Gotham vs. Utah, Battle for the NWSL Shield

35:52 - San Diego vs. Bay FC

43:05 - Seattle vs. Orlando, The Fight for the final playoff spots

49:27 - Denver vs. North Carolina, Can Ashley Sanchez win MVP if NC doesn’t make the playoffs?

57:43 - The Rest of the Decision Day slate

01:04:39 - Lucy Rushton joins the show!

01:08:14 - First steps when building a club in expansion

01:11:37 - What Lucy has learned managing across MLS and NWSL

01:13:26 - How spending will go in the NWSL with mechanisms like the HIP rule

01:14:32 - Excitement over the training center

01:17:50 - What Lucy learned at Bay FC

01:20:02 - Mapping out the next 18 months towards first kick

01:24:22 - Lucy’s thoughts on her old club Atlanta United joining NWSL

01:25:49 - Where she hopes Columbus can push NWSL

01:28:10 - Close

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Nashville SC ran away with the Supporters’ Shield, and David Gass, Matt Doyle and Tom Bogert can’t say enough good things about how the club got there. And with the awards season approaching, they weigh who is leading the way for some of the biggest awards.

The guys break down the roster plan and coaching behind Nashville’s dominant season, whether the club passes the all-time points record, B.J. Callaghan or Yoann Damet for Coach of the Year and Lionel Messi’s MVP case. Plus, CF Montreal’s cup final where does the club go from here, and a playoff race in both conferences that is headed down to the wire.

0:00 Fantasy Football, Then Nashville

5:40 How Good is This Nashville Team?

15:20 Record Chase and Sustained Success

20:53 Coach of the Year: Callaghan or Damet

29:45 Messi and the MVP Ballot

33:26 Defender and Goalkeeper of the Year

37:35 El Trafico and the Galaxy’s Struggles

42:58 New England Beats Philly

44:47 Montreal’s Cup Final and What’s Next

49:37 Should Saputo Sell the Club?

55:17 Racing for the East’s Final Spots

1:04:32 Orlando’s Defense and the NYCFC Penalty

1:09:55 West Race: Galaxy, RSL and Portland

1:16:28 Staggered Kickoffs and the Apple TV Era

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.

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Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

Jen Beattie was diagnosed with breast cancer on a Thursday and scored for Arsenal that weekend. She and host Susannah Fuller, both survivors, talk about how little she knew going in, early detection, and what she would tell someone newly diagnosed.

Beattie, a former Scotland international and now CBS analyst, remembers being diagnosed alone in Covid, then the lumpectomy and radio therapy that followed. Between two women in a club neither chose to join, the talks turns to whether the survivor label firsts and whether the fear around follow-up scans ever fades.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and early detection is the message both women come back to. Jen partners with Breast Cancer now and Novartis UK on self-checks and getting to know your body, and you can find them on Instagram.

Breast Cancer Now:

https://www.instagram.com/breastcancernow/

Novartis UK:

https://www.instagram.com/novartisuk/

0:00 Jen Beattie and the Survivor Label

6:31 Diagnosis at Arsenal During COVID

11:49 What Surprised Jen About Breast Cancer?

14:19 Self-Checks and Why She Speaks Up

16:41 Her Team Hears the News and Shows Up

19:36 Finding Joy During Treatment

23:29 Guilt and Avoidance With Loved Ones

25:59 Therapy for Spiraling Thoughts

31:14 How Much Football Did She Miss?

33:17 Scanxiety and Trusting Your Body Again

40:00 Life After Cancer

44:25 From Playing to Broadcasting at CBS

47:31 Advice for Someone Facing Breast Cancer

49:38 Early Detection and Her Partnerships

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer.

Watch, listen and follow everywhere: https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq

Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave a rating or review. It helps more fans find the show.

What did St. Louis CITY SC have that the Columbus Crew didn’t in the Open Cup final? David Gass and Matt Doyle work it out from inside the stadium, and look back at where both clubs go from here.

The guys break down the roster blueprint behind St. Louis’ historic run, how their defensive grit slowed the Crew’s attack, and whether this trophy changes how elite players view the club. Plus, they look ahead to the high-stakes weekend matches as the MLS playoff race is coming down to the wire.

Soccerwise is your home for the sharpest coverage of American soccer, covering MLS, NWSL and U.S. Soccer. Watch, listen and follow everywhere: https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq. Subscribe on YouTube and comment, or follow Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave a rating or review. Its helps more fans find the show.

0:00 American Soccer Has Come a Long Way

5:33 Open Cup Legacy & Traveling Fans

11:40 St. Louis Grinded To A Trophy Without Its Stars

17:08 Courtois Too Cautious in the Final?

19:40 Crew Needs a Center Back, Midfielder

21:31 Front Office Behind St. Louis’ Run

25:48 Will Players Want to Join St. Louis?

28:48 Division Rivalries: Fun or Overkill?

30:55 War Stories from Open Cup Finals Past

36:05 The Playoff Line, Columbus Letdown Risk

43:43 Inner Circle: Where St. Louis Fits

51:53 Cavan Sullivan Starts vs. Mexico?

The USMNT depth chart list taking shape, but who can be trusted in a must-win game? David Gass and Brian Dunseth assess the current player pool, weighing form against potential and established options versus rising talent. Some choices are clear, but who earns the final spots? Then David and Kacey White build a projected USWNT 26-player roster for the 2027 World Cup, assuming the tournament started tomorrow. With qualifying ahead, injuries and tough decisions across the squad raise the stakes. Who makes the cut and who gets left out?

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The NWSL Shield race enters its final stretch with three teams in contention and two matches remaining. Jordan Angeli and guest host Jessica Charman break down the Washington Spirit’s win over Gotham FC, San Diego Wave FC’s opportunity to close the gap, and what lies ahead of the Shield contenders.

With playoff spots still up for grabs, Angel City’s comeback against Denver Summit FC and Seattle Reign FC’s push for a postseason place take center stage alongside predictions for the final eight. Plus, Columbus hires Lucy Rushton to be their general manager, Atlanta City FC’s new branding and Richard Gunney’s appointment as chief soccer officer, and the new Crest Cup before looking ahead to the penultimate weekend.

0:00 Welcome Jessica Charman

3:17 Crest Cup Announcement

7:07 Atlanta City FC Branding & Richard Gunney Hire

12:32 Columbus Tabs Lucy Rushton as GM

15:55 Gift Monday’s New Contract with Boston

17:52 Maddie Dahlien Out for the Season

19:37 Orlando Eliminated

24:26 Angel City’s Comeback against Denver

27:40 Washington Denies Gotham the Shield

31:03 Seattle Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive

33:03 San Diego Knocks off North Carolina

34:58 Three-Team Shield Race

39:23 Predicting the Final Eight

44:40 The Penultimate NWSL Weekend

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Toronto FC’s seven-point week has put them back in the Eastern Conference playoff fight, while Columbus’ win in Hell Is Real leaves FC Cincinnati under pressure heading into the final stretch. Tom and Gass break down the shifting playoff picture before previewing Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final between the Columbus Crew and St. Louis CITY SC.

0:00 Intro

6:54 Toronto’s Late Playoff Push

15:41 Hell Is Real: Columbus Downs Cincinnati

21:12 Cincinnati’s Troubles & Evander’s Slump

32:42 Orlando, Miami & the Eastern Conference Picture

41:40 Vancouver Rises as the West Shifts

46:01 Western Conference Six-Pointer Draws

51:35 The Copa Tejas Stoppage-Time Chaos

54:47 San Jose Back in the Playoffs

58:05 What the Open Cup Final Means

1:05:21 St. Louis’ Lineup Questions

1:09:01 How Columbus & St. Louis Match Up

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The San Diego Wave have built a distinct identity, combining an adventurous style of play with a commitment to developing young talent. Assistant coach Becki Tweed joins David Gass to go inside that approach, explore how the NWSL is evolving, and share her perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing players and coaches in the U.S.

0:00 Intro

0:21 San Diego’s Approach to Developing Young Players

4:23 Balancing Winning with Long-Term Growth

6:24 The Many Roads to Pro Soccer

10:39 Why It’s So Hard to Become a Coach in the U.S.

14:55 Inside San Diego’s Playing Philosophy

17:51 The NWSL’s Evolution on the Field

21:14 What Sets the NWSL Apart

25:39 Trinity Byars’ Breakout Season

29:20 Mimi Van Zanten’s Impact

31:47 Kenza Dali’s Influence in San Diego

35:03 The U-20 World Cup Question

37:18 Becki’s Journey Through Coaching

Nashville is inching closer to the Supporters Shield, but how does the other top teams in MLS stack up? David Gass, Tom Bogert and Matt Doyle assess which teams belong among the league’s top tier and examine the teams battling for the final playoff spots, including Colorado’s struggles to turn potential into results. Plus, Columbus and Cincinnati meet for another edition of the Hell is Real Derby, this time with major playoff implications.

0:00 Intro

8:37 St. Louis & Vancouver: A Playoff Preview?

14:45 Miami Finding Form

22:05 Eastern Conference Playoff Battles

24:57 The Same Old MLS Playoff Race & Golden Boot Draft

31:35 What Makes Nashville So Good?

34:58 Philadelphia’s Evolution

44:25 Colorado’s Promise Isn’t Translating to Results

55:06 What Happened to San Diego?

58:52 The East’s Playoff Race Tightens

1:05:49 Hell Is Real: More Than Bragging Rights

1:13:00 Playoff Comeback That Changed the Rivalry

1:17:17 Cincinnati’s Rise in MLS

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What did the USWNT learn from its two friendlies against the reigning World Cup champions Spain? Chicago Stars midfielder Brianna Pinto joins David Gass to break down the performances, Mal Swanson’s return and Ashley Sanchez’s comeback. From defining the U.S. style of play to exploring Emma Hayes’ options across the back line and midfield, there’s plenty to unpack as the squad turns its attend to World Cup qualifying and the road to 2027.

St. Louis matches MLS’s all-time unbeaten streak, and the Philadelphia Union just can’t lose. David Gass, Tom Bogert and Matt Doyle are back to dig into St. Louis’ remarkable turnaround, the Union’s hot streak, the questions facing LAFC after a draw with Vancouver, and what stood out from another eventful weekend in MLS.

0:00 Intro

8:49 St. Louis’ Historic Run Continues

20:53 The Race for the Western Conference

25:07 Kévin Denkey Carrying FC Cincinnati

28:56 Late Canadian Classique Comeback

35:22 Toronto’s Playoff Push Starts Now

40:13 André Luiz Arrives as Portland’s Struggles

52:14 Philadelphia’s Unstoppable Run Under Ryan Richter

58:23 Chicago Finds Away, NYCFC Falls Apart

1:05:34 Charlotte: Dark Horse in the East?

1:14:04 LAFC Still Can’t Find Another Gear

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David Gass and Jordan Angeli look back at some of the biggest NWSL trades from the 2026 season and talk about how those moves have played out for the players and the clubs involved. Then they look ahead to next season with a few dream moves of their own, before revisiting their preseason predictions to see what they got right, and where they missed the mark. For the full breakdown of Cat Bush’s trade grades, head to our Instagram: @swwomenfc.

0:00 International Break Special

4:23 NWSL Trade Grades

10:41 Claire Hutton: Bay’s Big Win

15:29 Croix Bethune: A Win for Everyone

22:00 Ludmila: Difficult Fit for San Diego

29:43 Jordyn Huitema: Did Chicago Overpay?

34:03 Emily Sams: New Opportunity

37:49 Dream Moves for Next Season

45:53 Revisiting Our Preseason Predictions

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Decision Day is fast approaching and the margins for error are getting smaller across the MLS playoff landscape. David Gass, Matt Doyle and Tom Bogert break down the MLS who players that stood out in this USMNT camp, Nashville’s pursuit of the single-season points record, the crowded races for position in both conferences and St. Louis’ remarkable unbeaten run as the regular season enters the home stretch.

0:00 Intro

6:20 USMNT’s MLS Standouts

17:55 Can Nashville Break the Points Record?

25:38 Battle for Home-Field Advantage in the East

34:00 The Eastern Conference Playoff Bubble

42:19 Vancouver & The Top of the West

54:28 St. Louis Chases History Against the Galaxy

59:54 The West’s Wildcard Battle

1:09:00 The Games That Matter

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The USMNT is entering a new cycle, with a new generation already making its mark. Brian Dunseth and David Gass break down what we learned from the USMNT’s most recent camp and what is revealed about the team’s depth and player pool. Then Kacey White helps preview the USWNT’s big showdown with Spain, as the reigning Olympic champions battle the current World Cup champions.

0:00 Intro

1:43 Inside USMNT Camp

9:52 What We Learned This Window

19:03 Cavan Sullivan & The New Kids

27:47 The Players Who Stood Out

33:27 Captain Tyler Adams

35:19 Taking Stock of the USWNT Roster

42:12 Emma Hayes’ Selection Puzzle

52:11 What Makes Spain So Good

57:47 Predictions for USWNT vs. Spain

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Lisa Carlin, CBS Sports analyst and NWSL sideline reporter, joins David Gass to share her favorite stories, personalties and being-the-scenes moments from the 2026 season. Then, Gass welcomes World Cup champion and NWSL broadcaster Saskia Webber to break down what’s behind Angel City’s recent run of form and the changes that have made them one of the league’s hottest teams.

0:00 Intro

3:51 Lisa Carlin on Life in the NWSL

7:40 Gameday Tradition & Favorite Stadiums

11:47 Standout Moments from the 2026 Season

20:18 What You Learn Pitch Side

26:15 The Teams That Have Made An Impression

29:42 The Art of Sideline Reporting

34:10 USWNT vs. Spain

37:24 Saskia Webber on Angel City’s Turnaround

41:00 LA’s Young Core & Versatility

47:27 Ally Sentnor & the Tactical Shift

50:59 Angel City’s Playoff Push

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The USMNT is looking pretty fun. Cavan Sullivan made history, Julian Hall keeps scoring, and the U.S. put three past Mexico. David Gass, Tom Bogert and Matt Doyle break down the win, the standout performances and what it all means before looking ahead to a big match with Canada and wrapping things up with little MLS chat.

0:00 USA-Mexico, Anthony Davis & Banter

4:43 Breaking Down the 3-0 Win

9:52 Cavan Sullivan Makes History

20:27 Julian Hall & the Youth Wave

27:11 Sebastian Berhalter’s Growing Role

38:56 What’s Wrong with Mexico?

49:46 Canada Up Next

1:06:54 Chicago, Lewandowski and Mbokazi Back

1:11:43 The U22 Convo

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