GM football fans. It’s Tuesday, Sept. 9 - Manchester City settles its APT case with the Premier League, the USMNT has reached its lowest rating in the modern era, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURES
UEFA World Cup qualifiers: Serbia vs. England, 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET. England are top of Group K on 12 points, five points ahead of second-placed Serbia, although the hosts, who are unbeaten in the section thus far, have a game in hand on their opponents. France vs. Iceland, 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET. Both sides took three points after their first group game. Iceland are travelling to France off the back of two victories from three, in which they’ve netted eight goals and conceded once. But they’ve failed to win any of their past 15 meetings with France. Hungary vs. Portugal, 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET. Hungary have never beaten Portugal in 14 previous occasions, with the latter winning 10 times, while there have also been four draws. Portugal are in solid form, having won their last four matches in all competitions. See all the Uefa World Cup qualifier matches here.
Results…
UEFA World Cup qualifiers (Results)
MLS: Sporting KC 1-2 Austin (Match Report)
TOP TALKING POINTS
Premier League Settles
Manchester City and the Premier League have reached a settlement in their dispute over the rules governing Associated Party Transactions (APTs). The APT rules were introduced to stop clubs from profiting from commercial deals with companies linked to their owners that are deemed above fair market value. This case is separate from City’s 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations.
In November, the Premier League amended its APT rules after an independent arbitration panel found some aspects to be unlawful. City initially challenged the changes, arguing that shareholder loans were still not scrutinised in the same way as other commercial deals. The club has now accepted that the “current APT rules are valid and binding.”
The settlement paves the way for City to proceed with a new sponsorship deal with owner-linked sponsor Etihad Airways, previously blocked under the rules. Reports suggest the Premier League has given assurances that City will not be treated differently from other clubs in these matters. The previous Etihad deal, signed in 2011, was valued at £400m over 10 years, while the new agreement is expected to be worth up to £1bn.
USMNT’s Worst Rating
The U.S. men’s national team has fallen to 48th in the world in the Elo ratings—its lowest position of the 21st century. The Elo system, adapted from chess, is widely regarded as a more accurate measure of a team’s strength (see how it’s calculated here) than Fifa’s official ranking, which currently places the USMNT 15th. See Fifa’s rankings here.
Mauricio Pochettino took charge with the USMNT ranked 37th in Elo. After 17 matches, his side has not beaten a team ranked above them, slipping to 45th after a 4-0 defeat to Switzerland in June. Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea dropped them to their new modern-era low.
Historically, the USMNT climbed to 15th in Elo after beating Portugal at the 2002 World Cup and reached 12th following a 2005 qualifier win over Mexico. Their peak came after defeating Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup, when they rose to 11th, briefly jumping to 9th later that summer.
Spurs Not for Sale
Tottenham Hotspur’s board says it has “unequivocally rejected” two expressions of interest in acquiring the club, insisting Spurs are “not for sale.” The statement follows the departure of executive chairman Daniel Levy last week, which fuelled speculation that a takeover bid was imminent.
Enic, which is run by the Lewis family Trust, owns almost 87% of Spurs, but due to the remaining shares being publicly traded, the club is subject to the UK takeover code. This required Spurs to issue a statement, and it also prevents interested parties—including an investment vehicle led by Amanda Staveley—from making another offer for six months. Staveley helped broker Saudi Arabia’s PIF acquisition of Newcastle United for £300m in 2021.
Spurs were valued at around £4bn including debt this year, placing them ninth among European clubs. Under Levy, Spurs recorded net profits of £167m, one of only four Premier League clubs to post a profit over that period–see chart here.
POLL
Do you think national team managers should be from their own country?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Italy saved their chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in a dramatic 5-4 win over Israel, which saw a stoppage-time winner by Sandro Tonali (Match Report)
> Bayer Leverkusen hire former Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand as a replacement for Erik ten Hag (More)
> Athletic Club defender Yeray Alvarez has been handed a 10-month ban for committing a non-intentional doping violation (More)
> Barcelona Women have been left without a full matchday squad amid the club’s financial crisis (More)
Americas
> San Diego Wave have officially retired Alex Morgan’s No. 13 shirt (More) | Washington Spirit, who sit second in the NWSL, overcame Seattle Reign with a 2-0 victory; Trinity Rodman scored both goals (More)
> Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez has been given an additional 3-game MLS suspension for spitting at a Seattle Sounders staff member, adding to his initial six-game ban (More)
Rest of the World
> A 94th-minute goal means Tunisia have qualified for the 2026 Fifa World Cup after their 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think clubs deserve more power when it comes to international call-ups?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👍 Yes (64%)
🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope (34%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (2%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 D.J: “Players are employees of the domestic clubs first and foremost. If they go on to play for the international team, it's for a temporary period of time, and they then go back to their club afterwards. It is essentially a secondment, and in most other jobs, if a secondment negatively impacts an employee's ability to perform in their main job (or risks doing so), then their employer can typically end it to protect their asset. Football should be the same.”
👍 M.C: “The clubs pay for the assets and the internationals use (abuse) them nearly cost-free. The system is ripe for misuse. It is similar to a Ferrari owner lending the car to an irresponsible teenager. The players are all playing too many matches in too many competitions.”
🙅♂️ G.H: “I think this is an opportunity for the players to give back to their countries that helped them initially develop into the players they are today. I get that many players go to top clubs, in other countries, at young ages but these players are recruited because of their already developed skills, which they acquired in their country of birth.”
🙅♂️J.L: “I am afraid that if clubs are given more say over their players' international play, it will have a hugely negative impact. I mean, what club wants their multi-million dollar investment playing in a friendly or risking injury and possibly their title chances? International coaches need to be able to call up whomever they see as giving that country the best chance to win, regardless of what the clubs say. If the clubs can say no, they all will say no.”
EXTRA TIME
The Premier League releases its 2025 Hall of Fame shortlist. (vote)
Analysing the leading contenders for the women’s Ballon d’Or.
Behind the scenes of Isak’s Liverpool signing.
Remembering the wonderkids who didn’t make it.
… and the game’s unique and greatest journeymen.
30 years since the famous scorpion kick.
EAFC release the highest-rated players in the game.
Liverpool’s 25-26 third kit leaked.
Are smartphones eroding the experience of watching football? (op-ed)
GAME FACE ON
Question: What do Sergio Aguero, Dimitar Berbatov, Jermain Defoe, Alan Shearer, and Andy Cole have in common?
Scroll below for the answer.
ON TODAY
UEFA World Cup qualifiers
Azerbaijan vs. Ukraine (17:00)
Armenia vs. Republic of Ireland (17:00)
Serbia vs. England (19:45)
France vs. Iceland (19:45)
Hungary vs. Portugal (19:45)
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Austria (19:45)
Cyprus vs. Romania (19:45)
Norway vs. Moldova (19:45)
Albania vs. Latvia (19:45)
*All times in UK. ET -5. CDT -6. PDT -8. MDT -7. CET +1.
Answer
They are the only players to have scored five goals in a single Premier League game.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
If you’re not sure what to do with the ball, just pop it in the net and we’ll discuss your options afterwards.
