MLS Week 13: Complete Schedule and 5 Things to Watch for This Weekend

The polarizing issue that is MLS’ 20th franchise has been settled. The nine matches scheduled for MLS Week 13 have not. Welcome to MLS, New York City FC. Now, step aside. It isn’t 2015 yet. There’s actual soccer to be played this weekend.Eighteen of the 19 teams will be in action in Week 13. That’s enough soccer to preserve the Champions League hangover you’ll be undoubtedly suffering from. But with so much action on tap, what warrants your attention this weekend? Read on to find out.Begin Slideshow

Top 5 Veterans We’d Love to See in MLS

Major League Soccer continues to grow, and with growth comes bigger opportunities for players.Over the past few years, we have seen big-name players come over to the MLS. Robbie Keane, Thierry Henry and of course David Beckham are just a few of the outstanding talents who have found resurgences in America's top league.There are plenty of other athletes we would love to see hit the pitch stateside, but let's not get crazy and throw Lionel Messi into the list. We have to be somewhat realistic in our expectations. The elite of the elite are still going to test their skills at the largest clubs in the best leagues.With that in mind, here are five veterans we would love to see venture into the MLS.Begin Slideshow

New York City FC: Latest News and Speculation on Newest MLS Team

After many months in the making, it was officially announced on Wednesday that New York City FC will be Major League Soccer's 20th franchise beginning in 2015. The majority stake in NYCFC will be held by the English Premier League's Manchester City, while the MLB's New York Yankees will be a minority partner, according to Simon Evans of Reuters (via Yahoo! Sports).This is a huge announcement as it ensures that top-level soccer will be making its return to New York. While the New York Red Bulls are already in the MLS, they play in New Jersey, so New York City FC will be a true representation of the Big Apple.At the same time, NYCFC will have an international flavor due to its relationship with Man City. In fact, Manchester City players attended the press conference and appeared to be very excited about a sister club in the MLS:MLS commissioner Don Garber was present at the press conference, and he believes that this announcement can help MLS become one of the best soccer leagues in the entire world, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post:As is often the case with new franchises in sports, there is plenty of buzz ...

New York City Football Club: Creating Uniforms for the MLS Expansion Franchise

It's a big day for Major League Soccer, as the league has announced that it will be adding a 20th team for the start of the 2015 season in New York City.Manchester City FC and the New York Yankees have teamed up to bring us the club that will be known as New York City Football Club (or, presumably, NYC FC).“We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday in a league statement:This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country. The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city.There are still plenty of questions to be decided before the club begins to take form. Where will they play? How do their neighbors, the Red Bulls, feel about the expansion? Which big-name players and coaches—either domestic or foreign—will they lure to the team? But perhaps the most fascinating issue to be worked out is that of the uniforms. Most major clubs have ...

New York City FC Is a Huge Victory for MLS, Defining Moment for Don Garber

It's safe to say that in the soccer world, Don Garber and MLS have won the day.  Garber, the long-tenured commissioner of Major League Soccer, announced the creation of New York City Football Club on Tuesday, a joint venture between Manchester City FC of the English Premier League and the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, to be the league's 20th official club, starting in 2015. Garber has been working on a deal to bring the 20th team to MLS for nearly three years, essentially demanding the 20th franchise be placed in New York City despite other viable markets being ready to take on a club. And how can one forget those plucky Cosmos—whatever they are—constantly remaining a thorn in the whole NY2 concept since its inception.  Today, the story isn't about the Cosmos. Garber has taken back New York, placed his 20th franchise in the city he always wanted and took care of the coveted franchise fees of $100 million dollars the league certainly needs moving forward.From the press box of Major League Soccer, commissioner Garber is quoted as saying: We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer. This is a ...

6 Potential Transfer Targets for New York City FC in 2015

MLS will have a new team in 2015. New York City FC will be majority owned by Premier League Manchester City and partially funded with investment from the New York Yankees. A global sports mega-brand is in the offing.Read Tuesday's press release here. The news has excited football fans all over the world and upset a few, too—especially those who believe the southeast U.S. was more deserving of an expansion MLS franchise than the New York area (consolation may be on the way if David Beckham buys a franchise down that way, of course).What we know so far is the team will compete for the first time in 2015 and be located inside the five boroughs of New York City. The grand plan is to build a new stadium in New York, but that won't be ready in time for their launch."New York City FC is committed to seeking a new permanent stadium in New York," read the statement on that matter. "Until that time, the new team is arranging to play in an interim home beginning in its inaugural MLS season in 2015." In the meantime, the speculation begins as to who might be play for the inaugural NYC FC team. ...

Manchester City, New York Yankees to Partner in MLS Club: Why It’s a Good Thing

Manchester City and the New York Yankees are teaming up in the American soccer market. Their joint venture, New York City Football Club (NYCFC), is set to become Major League Soccer's 20th team, and while that might mean the league now has a super villain, it also means unprecedented investment is heading to MLS.For that latter part of the equation, NYCFC is good for American soccer, where investment lags far behind both the European game and the traditional American triumvirate of baseball, basketball and football.MLS announced the news in a press release Tuesday. Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced today that a partnership of global sports powers, Manchester City Football Club and the New York Yankees, has acquired the League’s 20th expansion club. The new team will be named New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and expects to begin play in 2015. … Manchester City will be the majority owner of the new Club. As an investor, the Yankees will be an active member of the ownership group. The Yankees and Manchester City, two of the biggest-spending teams in all of sports, already have a commercial relationship. Both have large fanbases but also often provoke negative reactions from fans.With 27 World ...

MLS, Yankees and Manchester City Announce Partnership to Create New York City FC

Major League Soccer has announced a partnership between English Premier League club Manchester City and Major League Baseball's New York Yankees to create the soccer league's 20th expansion franchise, according to MLSSoccer.com.The club will be named New York City Football Club, according to the league announcement. Manchester City is expected to be the majority owner of the club, but the Yankees will also play a pivotal part in the process, as the team's president, Randy Levine, will have a leadership role with the new club. Both powerhouse sports franchises have worked together in the past, developing international entertainment and marketing organization Legends Hospitality.   New York City FC, which will become an instant crosstown rival to the Eastern Conference-leading New York Red Bulls, is expected to begin play in 2015.  MLS commissioner Don Garber had the following to say in a statement released by the league (via MLSSoccer.com):We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer. This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country. The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club ...

Week 12 MLS Power Rankings

This weekend's matches in Major League Soccer contained a six-goal shootout, a clash of the titans and two shocking results.As a result of all the chaos that took place on the pitches of North America this weekend, this week's power rankings have a new team at the top.Read on to see what club took away the No. 1 spot from FC Dallas, who had been the top team for five consecutive weeks. Begin Slideshow

Best and Worst from MLS Week 12

If you weren't able to finish all the action in MLS Week 12, no worries. A lot of the players didn’t, either. There was no shortage of red cards, goals and dramatic finishes in Week 12. Unless, of course, you were in attendance at BMO Field Saturday afternoon.  Toronto FC fell 1-0 to the Columbus Crew, extending their losing streak to four games. Not to be outdone, Chivas USA extended their winless streak to six games and forced goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to start taking free-kicks in the process.But a temporary moratorium has been placed on the fault-finding for both clubs by this featured columnist. At least for this week. So, whose performance was worthy of being mentioned in the best and worst from Week 12? Read on to find out.Begin Slideshow