Latest news with #EduardoVerdugo
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Azteca Stadium to reopen 75 days before start of the 2026 World Cup
FILE - A fan gets his temperature checked as he enters Azteca Stadium before a Mexican soccer league quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Cruz Azul and Toluca in Mexico City, May 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File) MEXICO CITY (AP) — The revamped Azteca Stadium is scheduled to reopen 75 days before the start of the 2026 World Cup with improved services around it, Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada announced on Wednesday. The iconic venue closed last May for renovations ahead of next year's 48-team competition hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. Advertisement The 83,000-seat Azteca, which recently was renamed, will host five games including the tournament opener. It also hosted the first matches in the 1971 and 1986 World Cups. Brugada did not reveal further details regarding the reopening of the stadium on March 28, 2026. Stadium director Felix Aguirre said they are thinking long term. 'The stadium is moving ahead with its renovations so it can work for the next 40 or 50 years,' he said. 'We are respecting its legacy, but we also want to improve the fan experience.' The stadium owners, a company related to Televisa, Mexico's largest television network, have released images of work done on the pitch and the lower seats. The luxury boxes apparently haven't been touched because some owners refuse to release them to FIFA. Advertisement Brugada also said that for the 2026 World Cup, they are going to improve a light rail line that heads toward Azteca, will enhance outdoor lighting and a pedestrian bridge around it among other things. On game days, the Xochimilco Light Rail known as Tren Ligero is one of the fastest ways to reach the stadium, located south of the city, but it currently has 20 trains and the city's government will purchase 17 more. 'We will have around 40 trains to attend a daily requirement of over 400,000 passengers,' Brugada said. The current capacity of the trains is 160,000 passengers per day and the ride from Taxqueña station, the closest metro line, to the stadium is around 15 minutes with trains departing every 10 minutes. Advertisement Brugada said that with more trains the departures time will be shorter. The mayor said they will be upgrading the city's video surveillance camera system for the tournament and adding 40,000 to have a total of 123,000. Mexico City's video surveillance system is called the Command, Control, Computing, Communications, and Citizen contact center known as C5. Besides the cameras, the system has 1,000 panic buttons to enhance public safety. 'The video surveillance system put us in the forefront, we are the most video-monitored city in Latin America,' Brugada said. Brugada also informed that Los Pinos, which until 2018 was the Mexican president's official office and residence, will serve as the media center. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The women's soccer landscape in North America includes established-leagues, emerging newcomers
FILE - Pachuca's Jenni Hermoso, center, is greeted by teammates before a Mexican Women's soccer league match between Pachuca and Pumas at the Miguel Hidalgo stadium in Pachuca, Mexico, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File) FILE - Pachuca's Jenni Hermoso, center, is greeted by teammates before a Mexican Women's soccer league match between Pachuca and Pumas at the Miguel Hidalgo stadium in Pachuca, Mexico, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File) FILE - Pachuca's Jenni Hermoso, center, is greeted by teammates before a Mexican Women's soccer league match between Pachuca and Pumas at the Miguel Hidalgo stadium in Pachuca, Mexico, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File) What does the landscape for women's professional soccer look like in North America? The National Women's Soccer League, which kicked off in 2013, is arguably the top league in the region. Mexico's Liga MX Femenil is in its eighth season. Advertisement But in the past year, two other women's leagues have jumped into the fray: the USL Super League, which is in the midst of its first season, and Canada's Northern Super League. Two other leagues could join next year, occupying the tier below the NWSL and USL Super League on the women's soccer pyramid in the United States. National Women's Soccer League After two other attempts at professional women's soccer in the United States failed, the NWSL finally took hold. Founded with eight teams, the NWSL was boosted in the early days by the U.S., Canadian and Mexican soccer federations, which paid the salaries of their national teams players who played in the league. When Denver and Boston join next season, the NWSL will have 16 teams. Team valuations have risen dramatically in three years, with Angel City valued highest, at $250 million. The league has been able to attract some high-profile sponsors, including Nike, Ally Bank, Elf Cosmetics and AT&T. Advertisement Liga MX Femenil The women's counterpart to Liga MX in Mexico has 18 teams, all associated with men's clubs. The league, founded in 2017, features two competitions each year: the Apertura that runs from late summer through the fall and the Clausura, which runs from January to May, similar to the Liga MX men. The league has attracted high-profile foreign players including Women's World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso and France's Amandine Henry. Big-name sponsors include Nike and Amazon. Mexico also has a lower division, Liga TDP Femenil, but it is not professional. USL Super League Nearing the conclusion of its debut season, the league sits on the top tier of women's soccer alongside the NWSL, but it does not share the same status in the U.S. ecosystem, largely because it is new and teams are located in some smaller markets. The Super League has eight teams with a ninth set to join next year. Investors are taking notice, and Gainbridge financial services company will be the league's title sponsor next season. Advertisement Northern Super League Canada's first pro league kicked off in April with six teams: the Halifax Tides, Montreal Roses, AFC Toronto, Calgary Wild, Ottawa Rapid and Vancouver Rise. One of the highest-profile players in Quinn, who won a gold medal with Canada at the Tokyo Olympics. Quinn scored the league's first goal, converting a penalty for a 1-0 Vancouver victory over Calgary in front of more than 14,000 fans at BC Place. Sponsors of the league include Coca-Cola, Toyota and DoorDash. WPSL Pro This second-division league will launch next year with a focus on developing players. The league got a boost from the Cleveland Soccer Group, which pivoted to WPSL Pro when it did not land an NWSL team in the latest round of expansion. Cleveland's group is fielding a team and investing in the league itself. Cleveland will be joined in the startup league by teams in Atlanta, Dallas, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Advertisement NWSL Division II League The NWSL recently confirmed it had asked U.S. Soccer to sanction a lower-division women's professional soccer league that could launch as early as next year. With at least six teams, the new league seeks to develop players who aren't quite ready for the top level. U.S. Soccer has certain conditions for Division II sanctioning, including a minimum number of teams and stadiums that seat at least 2,000. In the case of the NWSL, all the lower-division teams would be affiliated with top-tier clubs, sharing ownership and infrastructure. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cruz Azul beats the UANL Tigres and will play Vancouver in the CONCACAF final
Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Players of Mexico's Cruz Azul and Mexico's Tigres argue during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Ignacio Rivero of Mexico's Cruz Azul, front, falls on the pitch challenged by Fernando Gorriaran of Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Amaury Morales of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, attempts a shot on goal challenged by Jesus Angulo of Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul (9) celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot alongside Erik Lira against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul (9) celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot alongside Erik Lira against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Players of Mexico's Cruz Azul and Mexico's Tigres argue during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Ignacio Rivero of Mexico's Cruz Azul, front, falls on the pitch challenged by Fernando Gorriaran of Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Amaury Morales of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, attempts a shot on goal challenged by Jesus Angulo of Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul (9) celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot alongside Erik Lira against Mexico's Tigres during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg semifinal soccer match in Mexico City, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) MEXICO CITY (AP) — Striker Angel Sepulveda scored on a penalty kick late in the match and Cruz Azul defeated the UANL Tigres 1-0 on Thursday to progress to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final where they will play the Vancouver Whitecaps. The 34-year-old Sepulveda converted in the 81st minute for the Mexico City team. He leads the tournament with seven goals and two assists. Advertisement 'I was able to help to get the win today and to qualify for the final long-awaited final for us,' Sepulveda said. 'We take pride in being back in the final, it is a big step, and we deserve to win it, we respect Vancouver, but we are going to try to win it.' The first leg of the series eneded in a 1-1 draw. The Whitecaps beat Lionel Messi's Inter Miami on the other side of the bracket. Mexican teams have won nine of the last 10 finals of the tournament. Cruz Azul beat Club America in the previous round to progress to the semifinals for the first time since 2022 and now is aiming to equal its crosstown rival as the club in the region with seven titles. Advertisement La Maquina is seeking its first regional crown since 2013-14 when it beat Tijuana. The Monterrey-based Tigres had advanced over MLS LA Galaxy and were trying to capture their first CONCACAF title since 2020. The match was evenly played until Marcelo Flores deflected the ball with his hand inside the area for a penalty kick that Sepulveda converted with a shot straight down the middle. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sepulveda scores twice as Cruz Azul beats America to progress to the Champions Cup semifinals
Sepulveda scores twice as Cruz Azul beats America to progress to the Champions Cup semifinals Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Kevin Alvarez of Mexico's America, left, and Mateusz Bogusz of Mexico's Cruz Azul vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Brian Rodriguez of Mexico's America gestures during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match against Mexico's Cruz Azul, in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Goalkeeper Luis Malagon of Mexico's America reacts after Mexico's Cruz Azul scoring the second goal during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Kevin Alvarez of Mexico's America, left, and Mateusz Bogusz of Mexico's Cruz Azul vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Brian Rodriguez of Mexico's America gestures during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match against Mexico's Cruz Azul, in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Goalkeeper Luis Malagon of Mexico's America reacts after Mexico's Cruz Azul scoring the second goal during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Angel Sepulveda of Mexico's Cruz Azul celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal against Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup second leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) MEXICO CITY (AP) — Striker Angel Sepulveda scored twice, including a late winner, as Cruz Azul beat crosstown rival America 2-1 on Tuesday to progress to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. Sepulveda scored his goals in the 12th and 85th minutes to help la Maquina move into a semifinal against Tigres. On the other side of the bracket, Inter Miami plays LA FC and Pumas faces the Vancouver Whitecaps. Advertisement Cruz Azul eliminated America in the knockout stage for the first time in 12 years and will be bidding for its seventh CONCACAF title. That would equal America as the most successful club in the region. Spanish midfielder Alvaro Fidalgo, who had a brief stint with Real Madrid, scored in the 57th for las Aguilas. For America, the team with the highest payroll in Mexico, it was another missed chance to win the CONCACAF title for the first time since 2016. A year ago, the club America lost in the semifinals to Pachuca. It was the first time in nine series that America was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup. With the win, Cruz Azul avenged a recent losses to America in the final of the 2024 Clausura tournament and in the semifinals of the 2024 Apertura. ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Club America settles for a 0-0 draw with Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals
Club America settles for a 0-0 draw with Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals Cristian Borja of Mexico's America, right, and Willer Ditta of Mexico's Cruz Azul, bottom, vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Ignacio Rivero of Mexico's Cruz Azul, right, is challenged by Alejandro Zendejas of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Diego Valdes of Mexico's America reacts during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match against Mexico's Cruz Azul, in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Brian Rodriguez of Mexico's America, front, and Lorenzo Faravelli of Mexico's Cruz Azul vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Carlos Rodriguez of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, challenges Kevin Alvarez of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Luka Romero of Mexico's Cruz Azul, right, and Israel Reyes of Mexico's America vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Erik Lira of Mexico's Cruz Azul, center, dribbles the ball past Alejandro Zendejas of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Erik Lira of Mexico's Cruz Azul, center, dribbles the ball past Alejandro Zendejas of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Cristian Borja of Mexico's America, right, and Willer Ditta of Mexico's Cruz Azul, bottom, vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Ignacio Rivero of Mexico's Cruz Azul, right, is challenged by Alejandro Zendejas of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Diego Valdes of Mexico's America reacts during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match against Mexico's Cruz Azul, in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Brian Rodriguez of Mexico's America, front, and Lorenzo Faravelli of Mexico's Cruz Azul vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Carlos Rodriguez of Mexico's Cruz Azul, left, challenges Kevin Alvarez of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Luka Romero of Mexico's Cruz Azul, right, and Israel Reyes of Mexico's America vie for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Erik Lira of Mexico's Cruz Azul, center, dribbles the ball past Alejandro Zendejas of Mexico's America during a CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg quarterfinal soccer match in Mexico City, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) MEXICO CITY (AP) — Club America had to settle for a 0-0 draw against crosstown rival Cruz Azul on Tuesday in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal series. Playing at home in the Estadio de los Deportes, Club America had the best scoring chances, including one by Alejandro Zendejas in the second half. Advertisement The return game will be played next Tuesday at the Olympic Stadium, with the winner advancing to a semifinal against either Tigres or L.A. Galaxy In the other quarterfinals, Inter Miami faces Los Angeles FC and Pumas takes on Vancouver Whitecaps. Club America won the last of its CONCACAF record seven titles in 2016, the last year it reached the Club World Cup. Cruz Azul is tied with Pachuca for second place in the region with six titles each. Even if it doesn't win this tournament, Club America might have a chance to return to a Club World Cup. FIFA has announced a plan for a playoff for a vacant spot between Club America and Los Angeles FC — depending on the outcome of Mexican club Leon's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after it was kicked out for breaching the tournament's rules on multi-club ownership. Advertisement On Tuesday, the Aguilas had their best chance to score in the 46th when Zendejas dragged a shot wide to the right post. A couple of minutes later, Diego Valdes's shot was sent away by Colombian goalkeeper Kevin Mier. Cruz Azul's best opportunity was in the 57th, with Angel Sepulveda's close-range header was deflected by goalkeeper Luis Malagón. ___ AP soccer:
