Google Maps: MLS Western Conference Stadiums

Home Depot Center, Carson, CA - Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA

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Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, CA - San Jose Earthquakes

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Jeld-Wen Field, Portland, OR - Portland Timbers

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Qwest Field, Seattle, WA - Seattle Sounders FC

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BC Place, Vancouver, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps

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Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO - Colorado Rapids

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Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT - Real Salt Lake

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Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, TX - FC Dallas

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FIFA Club World Cup Format Idea

A couple of days ago I started thinking about new format ideas for the FIFA Club World Cup.  The current tournament just doesn't seem to make a lot of people excited, including myself, so I tried to come up with an idea to include more teams and create a more entertaining tournament.  Unfortunately, a format like this could probably never happen due to scheduling conflicts and the amount of time the tournament would take to play.

My CWC tournament would have 16 teams with 4 groups of 4 in a group stage.  The overall format would be the same as the World Cup only with half the amount of teams.


How the 16 teams would be selected
2 - UEFA Champions League Finalists
2 - Copa Libertadores Finalists
2 - CONCACAF Champions League Finalists
2 - Asian Champions League Finalists
2 - African Champions League Finalists
2 - UEFA Europa League Finalists
2 - Copa Sudamericana Finalists
1 - Oceania Champions League Winner
1 - Host Nation League Champion

Clubs that would have qualified in the last 5 years
2010
Inter Milan (Italy)
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Internacional (Brazil)
Universidad de Chile* (Chile)
Pachuca (Mexico)
Cruz Azul (Mexico)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (South Korea)
Zob Ahan F.C. (Iran)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Espérance ST (Tunisia)
Atletico Madrid (Spain)
Fulham (England)
Independiente (Argentina)
Goiás (Brazil)
Hekari United (Papua New Guinea)
Al-Wahda (UAE)

*In place of Mexico's Chivas Guadalajara who would not qualify for a South American spot

2009
Barcelona (Spain)
Manchester United (England)
Estudiantes (Argentina)
Cruzeiro (Brazil)
Atlante (Mexico)
Cruz Azul (Mexico)
Pohang Steelers (South Korea)
Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Heartland FC (Nigeria)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
Werder Bremen (Germany)
LDU Quito (Ecuador)
Fluminense (Brazil)
Auckland City (New Zealand)
Al-Ahli (UAE)

2008
Manchester United (England)
Chelsea (England)
LDU Quito (Ecuador)
Fluminense (Brazil)
Pachuca (Mexico)
Saprissa (Costa Rica)
Gamba Osaka (Japan)
Adelaide United (Australia)
Al-Ahly (Egypt)
Cotonsport Garoua (Cameroon)
Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia)
Rangers (Scotland)
Internacional (Brazil)
Estudiantes (Argentina)
Waitakere United (New Zealand)
Kashima Antlers (Japan)

2007
AC Milan (Italy)
Liverpool (England)
Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Grêmio (Brazil)
Pachuca (Mexico)
Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico)
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
Sepahan (Iran)
Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
Al-Ahly (Egypt)
Espanyol (Spain)
Sevilla (Spain)
Arsenal de Sarandi (Argentina)
Millonarios* (Colombia)
Waitakere United (New Zealand)
Kashima Antlers (Japan)

*In place of Mexico's Club America who would not qualify for a South American spot

2006
Barcelona (Spain)
Arsenal (England)
Internacional (Brazil)
São Paulo (Brazil)
Club America (Mexico)
Toluca (Mexico)
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea)
Al-Karamah (Syria)
Al-Ahly (Egypt)
CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
Middlesbrough (England)
Sevilla (Spain)
Atlético Paranaense* (Brazil)
Colo-Colo (Chile)
Auckland City (New Zealand)
Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)

*In place of Mexico's Pachuca who would not qualify for a South American Spot

Map: Real Salt Lake and Monterrey Road to the CCL Final

A map showing the locations and results of the games that Real Salt Lake and Monterrey have played on their way to the CONCACAF Champions League Final.  RSL=Red  Monterrey=Blue


View RSL and Monterrey Road to the CCL Final in a larger map

2010 MLS and English League Attendance Comparison

MLS and English Clubs with similar average league attendance in the 2009/2010 season.

36,173 - Seattle Sounders
Everton, 36,725

21,473 - Los Angeles Galaxy
Bolton Wanderers, 21,881

20,453 - Toronto FC
Burnley, 20,654
Ipswich Town, 20,841
Cardiff City, 20,717
Southampton FC, 20,982

19,252 - Philadelphia Union
Middlesbrough FC, 19,948

18,441 - New York Red Bulls
Portsmouth FC, 18,249
Wigan Athletic, 18,006

17,000+ - Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake
Reading FC, 17,408
Coventry City, 17,305
Charlton Athletic, 17,606

15,814 - Chicago Fire
Swansea City, 15,407

14,000+ - Columbus Crew, Chivas USA, and DC United
Crystal Palace FC, 14,771
Bristol City FC, 14,601
Watford, 14,345
Huddersfield Town, 14,381

13,329 - Colorado Rapids
Queens Park Rangers, 13,349

12,987 - New England Revolution
Barnsley FC, 12,964
Preston North End, 12,935

≈10,000+ - FC Dallas, Kansas City Wizards, San Jose Earthquakes
Doncaster Rovers, 10,992
Plymouth Argyle, 10,316
Millwall, 10,835
Milton Keynes Dons, 10,290


MLS numbers from TheOffside-MLS
English numbers from European Football Statistics

Supporter Videos: Hammarby (Sweden) and Apollon Limassol (Cyprus)

A video series highlighting excellent supporters from outside the 'mainstream' leagues of the world. This time around it's Sweden's Hammarby IF and Cyprus' Apollon Limassol.

Hammarby IF (Sweden)





Apollon Limassol (Cyprus)

Pictures: England Conference National Stadiums

A selection of stadiums from England's Conference National Division (5th division), also known as the Blue Square Bet Premier.


AFC Wimbledon - Kingsmeadow

Kidderminster Harriers - Aggborough Stadium

Altrincham - Moss Lane

Barrow - Holker Street

Bath City - Twerton Park

Cambridge United - Abbey Stadium

Darlinton - The Darlington Arena

Eastbourne Borough - Priory Lane

Fleetwood Town - Highbury Stadium

Forest Green Rovers - The New Lawn

Gateshead - Gateshead International Stadium

Grimsby Town - Blundell Park

Luton Town - Kenilworth Road

Mansfield Town - Field Mill

Newport County - Newport Stadium

Rushden & Diamonds - Nene Park

Tamworth - The Lamb Ground

Wrexham - Racecourse Ground

York City - Bootham Crescent

Map: Real Salt Lake Player Birthplaces

The birthplaces of the players on CONCACAF Champions League finalists Real Salt Lake.


View Real Salt Lake Player Birthplace Map in a larger map

Players Abroad from the -Stans

1st or 2nd division players abroad from the "-stan" countries.

Afghanistan
Djelaludin Sharityar - Ethnikos Achnas (Cyprus)
Qays Shayesteh - FC Emmen (Netherlands.2)
Balal Arezou - Asker Fotball (Norway.2)

Kazakhstan
Aleksey Popov - Amkar Perm (Russia)
Kazbek Geteriev - Zhemchuzhina Sochi (Russia.2)
Heinrich Schmidtgal - Rot-Weiß Oberhausen (Germany.2)
Ali Aliyev - Diyarbakirspor (Turkey.2)

Krygyzstan
Mirian Murzaev - Hapoel Petah Tikva (Israel)

Pakistan
Zesh Rehman - Muangthong United (Thailand)
Atif Bashir - Barry Town (Wales.2)

Tajikistan
Farkhod Vasiev - Zhemchuzhina Sochi (Russia.2)

Turkmenistan
Vyacheslav Krendelev - FK Luch-Energia Vladivostok (Russia.2)
Rusian Mingazov - FC Skonto Riga (Latvia)

Uzbekistan
Odil Akhmedov - Anzhi Makhachkala (Russia)
Sanzhar Tursunov - Volga Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia)
Maksim Shatskikh - Arsenal Kiev (Ukraine)
Vitali Denisov - Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine)
Server Djeparov - FC Seoul (South Korea)
Aleksandr Geynrikh - Suwon Bluewings (South Korea)
Timur Kapadze - Incheon United (South Korea)
Aziz Ibrahimov - Bohemians 1905 (Czech Republic)
Vagiz Galiulin - Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia.2)
Marat Bikmaev - Alania Vladikavkaz (Russia.2)
Andrey Akopyants - FK Luch-Energia Vladivostok (Russia.2)
Vladimir Shishelov - Zhemchuzhina Sochi (Russia.2)
Aleksandr Kovalev - Enisey Krasnoyarsk (Russia.2)

Biggest Movers April 2011 FIFA Rankings

Top 100 Nations that have gained or lost at least 10 places in the April 2011 FIFA rankings.

+/- (rank) - Nation (Results)

+25 (33) - Israel (W: Georgia, Latvia)
+25 (37) - Belgium (W: Azerbaijan, Austria)
+23 (50) - Albania (W: Belarus)
+18 (51) - Senegal (W: Cameroon)
+16 (56) - Georgia (W: Croatia)
+15 (40) - Algeria (W: Morocco)
+15 (70) - Mali (W: Zimbabwe)
+13 (58) - Libya (W: Comoros)
+11 (41) - Romania (W: Luxembourg)
+10 (78) - Malawi (W: Togo)


-25 (65) - N Ireland (D: Slovenia, L: Serbia)
-18 (62) - Guinea (D: Madagascar)
-18 (82) - Cuba (L: Panama, El Salvador)
-16 (52) - Hungary (L: Netherlands, Netherlands)
-16 (53) - Belarus (L: Canada, Albania)
-16 (61) - Tunisia (L: Oman)
-16 (64) - Jamaica (L: Venezuela)
-16 (66) - Scotland (L: Brazil)
-12 (73) - Austria (L: Turkey, Belarus)
-12 (93) - Jordan (D: N Korea, Kuwait)

Defunct National Team Logos

East Germany

North Vietnam

Ireland

Saarland

Serbia and Montenegro

South Vietnam

South Yemen

Soviet Union

Yugoslavia

Zaire

Czechoslovakia

CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States after USSR break-up)

FIFA Confederation Ranking Comparison - April 2011

Comparing FIFA Confederations using the average April 2011 ranking of the top 5 teams from each region.

Top 5 Avg. - Confederation (+/- March)

4.2 - Europe (-0.2)
1 - Spain
2 - Netherlands
4 - Germany
6 - England
8 - Portugal

10.4 - South America (+0.4)
3 - Brazil
5 - Argentina
7 - Uruguay
14 - Chile
23 - Paraguay

29.8 - Africa (+1.2)
15 - Ghana
21 - Cote d'Ivoire
36 - Egypt
38 - Nigeria
39 - South Africa

37.6 - Asia (-0.8)
13 - Japan
20 - Australia
31 - South Korea
47 - Iran
77 - China

42.0 - CONCACAF (-5.0)
22 - USA
26 - Mexico
43 - Honduras
55 - Costa Rica
64 - Jamaica

141.4 - Oceania (-1.0)
60 - New Zealand
151 - New Caledonia
156 - Fiji
165 - Vanuatu
175 - Tahiti

Worst Top Division Teams in Europe - 2010/2011

Top Division teams in Europe averaging less than a point per league game played in the 2010/2011 season. (minimum 20 games).

League
Points / Games Played - Team

England
31/32 - Wigan Athletic

Germany
28/29 - Wolfsburg
28/29 - St. Pauli
26/29 - Borussia Mönchengladbach

Italy
31/32 - Cesena
30/32 - Brescia
21/32 - Bari

Spain
30/31 - Hércules
30/31 - Málaga
26/31 - Almería

France
28/30 - Lens
13/30 - Arles

Netherlands
26/30 - Excelsior
17/30 - VVV
12/30 - Willem II

Turkey
24/28 - Bucaspor
20/27 - Kasimpasa
18/28 - Konyaspor

Scotland
31/32 - Aberdeen
28/32 - St. Mirren
16/32 - Hamilton Academical

Portugal
23/26 - Naval 1º de Maio
19/26 - Portimonense

Ukraine
23/24 - Kryvbas
22/24 - Illychivets
20/24 - Sevastopol
12/24 - Matelurh Zaporizhya

Greece
28/29 - Asteras Tripolis
25/29 - Larissa
24/29 - Panserraikos

Denmark
21/23 - Esbjerg
21/24 - AaB

Belgium (regular season only)
29/30 - Sint-Truiden
26/30 - Germinal Beerschot
24/30 - Lierse
23/30 - AS Eupen
19/30 - Charleroi

Romania
22/24 - Universitatea Craiova
21/25 - Victoria Brăneşti
19/25 - Unirea Urziceni
14/25 - Sportul Studenţesc

Switzerland
24/27 - Grasshopper
23/27 - Neuchâtel Xamax
22/27 - St. Gallen

Israel
24/29 - Bnei Sakhnin
23/29 - Hapoel Ashkelon
08/29 - Hapoel Ramat Gan

Czech Repubulic
22/23 - Příbram
19/23 - Brno
15/23 - Ústí nad Labem

Austria
22/28 - Mattersburg
16/28 - LASK Linz

Cyprus (regular season only)
20/26 - Doxa
19/26 - APOP / Kinyras

Bulgaria
17/20 - Akademik Sofia
17/21 - Kaliakra
16/20 - Sliven
15/20 - Pirin Blagoevgrad
12/21 - Rakovski

Croatia
21/24 - Istra 1961
19/24 - Hrvatski Dragovoljac

Poland
20/21 - Arka Gdynia
19/21 - Cracovia Kraków

Slovakia
24/25 - Košice
21/25 - Dubnica

Serbia
13/21 - Inđija
13/21 - Metalac GM
12/21 - Hajduk Kula
4/21 - Čukarički

Bosnia and Herzegovina
17/20 - Buducnost Banovici
17/21 - Drina Zvornik

Hungary
14/22 - Szolnoki MAV


Worst Teams Overall (0.50 pts per game or less)
04/21 - Čukarički (Serbia)
08/29 - Hapoel Ramat Gan (Israel)
12/30 - Willem II (Netherlands)
13/30 - Arles (France)
12/24 - Matelurh Zaporizhya (Ukraine)
16/32 - Hamilton Academical (Scotland)

Map: Kiwis Abroad

Players from New Zealand currently at clubs outside of Asia and Oceania.


View Kiwi's Abroad in a larger map

ENGLAND
Ryan Nelsen - Blackburn Rovers
Winston Reid - West Ham United
Rory Fallon - Plymouth Argyle (3)
Tommy Smith - Colchester United (3) loan from Ipswich Town
Chris Wood - Brighton & Hove Albion (3) loan from West Bromwich Albion
Michael Built - Northampton Town (4)

USA/CANADA
Andrew Boyens - Chivas USA
Simon Elliott - Chivas USA
Michael Boxall - Vancouver Whitecaps
Jake Gleeson - Portland Timbers
Dan Keat - LA Galaxy
Jeremy Christie - FC Tampa Bay (2)

GERMANY

Stefan Marinovic - SV Wehen Wiesbaden II (3)

Dylan Windust - SC Waldgirmes (5)

SWEDEN
Craig Henderson - Mjällby AIF
Jarrod Smith - Ljungskile SK (2)

HUNGARY

Kris Bright - Budapest Honvéd FC

IRELAND

Darren Young - Athlone Town FC (2)

ITALY
Liam Graham - Vicenza Calcio (2)

SCOTLAND
Steven Old - Kilmarnock FC

Top Scorers by Confederation in Top 5 European Leagues

South America
29 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
25 - Edinson Cavani (Napoli)
19 - Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
13 - Alexandre Pato (AC Milan)
13 - Lisandro López (Lyon)
13 - Sergio Agüero (Atletico Madrid)
13 - Nenê (PSG)
13 - Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund)

Europe
28 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
26 - Antonio Di Natale (Udinese)
21 - Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)
19 - Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich)
19 - Marco Di Vaio (Bologna)

Africa
20 - Papiss Cissé (SC Freiburg)
20 - Moussa Sow (Lille)
19 - Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan)
15 - Youssef El-Arabi (Caen)
13 - Didier Konan Ya (Hannover 96)

Asia
11 - Park Chu-Young (AS Monaco)
9 - Tim Cahill (Everton)
8 - Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund)
6 - Javad Nekounam (Osasuna)
4 - Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United)

CONCACAF
11 - Javier Hernández (Manchester United)
10 - Clint Dempsey (Fulham)
6 - Kenwyne Jones (Stoke City)
4 - David Hoilett (Blackburn Rovers)
4 - Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City)

Oceania
4 - Marama Vahirua (Nancy)
3 - Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers)

Maltese Premier League Club Logos

Club logos from the BOV Premier League in the Republic of Malta

Birkirkara FC

Floriana

Ħamrun Spartans

Hibernians

Marsaxlokk FC

Qormi FC

Sliema Wanderers

Tarxien Rainbows FC

Valletta FC

Vittoriosa Stars FC

FIFA Rankings: Top 5 by Language Spoken

The top 5 nations based on official languages spoken in each country*. (March 2011 FIFA rankings).

Arabic
35 - Egypt
45 - Tunisia
55 - Algeria
58 - Israel
66 - Morocco

English
6 - England
16 - Ghana
19 - USA
21 - Australia
34 - Republic of Ireland

French
18 - France
23 - Switzerland
25 - Côte d'Ivoire
40 - Burkina Faso
42 - Cameroon

German
3 - Germany
23 - Switzerland
61 - Austria
62 - Belgium
117 - Luxembourg

Portuguese
5 - Brazil
9 - Portugal
73 - Cape Verde Islands
93 - Mozambique
104 - Angola

Spanish
1 - Spain
4 - Argentina
7 - Uruguay
14 - Chile
24 - Paraguay




*Many nations have multiple 'official' languages. That is why in this particular list Switzerland appears in both the German and French top 5.

Photo Gallery - April 2011