1. Even a slight bit of suspicion is too much
One of the most damaging parts of betting scandals like the ones facing the National Basketball Association and the Turkish Football Federation is the validation it gives to those who question the integrity of the league. It is possible that none of the 149 referees suspended by the Turkish Football Federation actually compromised their ability to call games fairly. The exact details of what they were betting on are not clear.
Whether they were compromised or not, people can point to the suspensions any time they want to argue the league is rigged. This is especially problematic in Turkey, where those kinds of allegations are freely offered, even by the clubs themselves. There might not be any concrete evidence games are rigged, but if a bunch of referees are betting on soccer, it’s within the realm of possibility. There is permanent damage any time something like this happens.
2. Truly remarkable events are unfolding in Scotland
The Scottish Premiership season is exactly three months old. Celtic and Rangers have combined to win just nine of their 20 games. Both have already replaced their manager, with Celtic doing so in remarkable fashion Monday. In a statement announcing Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, wealthy shareholder Dermot Desmond called Rodgers’ behavior “divisive, misleading, and self-serving,” and claimed he had “contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club.”
Current league leaders Hearts are attempting to become the first team not named Celtic or Rangers to win the Premiership since Aberdeen in 1984-85. Beating the two Glasgow clubs has been nothing more than a dream for almost 50 years. Both of them being in such a mess has at least opened the door and made that dream feel much more realistic. Hearts currently hold a nine-point lead with one extra game played. Could this be the year?
3. The best-of-three series is still not helping the top seeds
Since Major League Soccer introduced its best-of-three series for the first round in 2023, 10 of the 12 top-two seeds have been victorious in Game 1. The two that weren’t – St. Louis City in 2023 and Columbus in 2024 – lost Game 2 as well. That means that not a single No. 1 or No. 2 seed has actually benefitted from playing a series. With the Crew beating FC Cincinnati on Sunday, nearly half (5/12) have been forced into an elimination game after winning Game 1.
Inter Miami are playing a Game 3 for a second year in a row. In a single-game format, they would have advanced both times. No. 1 seed San Diego is also in danger after losing in a penalty shootout on Saturday. Every year provides more evidence that the extra games don’t help the better teams by protecting them from one bad day; they give the underdogs confidence by giving them a chance to save their season in front of their fans.
4. Xabi Alonso signed up for the chaos; now he has to handle it
Real Madrid is not the kind of club that celebrates finally getting an El Clásico victory – and an impressive one at that – by having a relaxed, uneventful week. No, they do things like celebrate a court ruling in their effort to get compensation from UEFA for the “substantial damages” suffered as a result of the Super League’s collapse. At the same time that’s happening, numerous reports are coming out that key players are unhappy with the level of discipline Xavi Alonso is trying to impose.
It is telling that Vinícius Júnior apologized to just about everyone but Alonso for his childish outburst after being subbed against Barcelona. One could argue that more discipline might be needed when the world’s biggest club fails to win a single trophy. One could also argue players at that club shouldn’t be making the rules when they have only won three La Liga titles in eight years and made two Champions League finals appearances in seven. That’s not how it works at Real Madrid. It doesn’t matter whether Alonso’s approach is justified or whether the players like it. He will be fine as long as the results are good. The way in which those good results are achieved is pretty much irrelevant.
5. Sustained success is so hard to come by in the NWSL
A higher proportion of MLS teams (18/30) qualify for the postseason than in the National Women’s Soccer League (8/14). Of the NWSL’s 14 teams, 12 (86%) have reached the postseason at least once in the last two seasons (2024 and 2025). One team – the Washington Spirit – managed to finish in the top three both years. Bay FC moved down five spots this season while Seattle Reign improved from 13th to fifth.
Compare that to MLS, where 22 clubs (73%) made the playoffs in 2024 and/or 2025. Gotham FC looked poised for a dominant run coming off their 2023 title but are averaging 1.76 points per game since, and collected just 1.36 per game in 2025. Orlando went from being a juggernaut to a fourth-place finish with a pedestrian +6 goal difference. Nothing can be taken for granted in the NWSL, whether it’s because of injuries, player movement or general inconsistency from season to season.