Total Futbol

Traffic buys Copa Latina

   The ownership group behind Miami FC, the area's only professional soccer franchise, announced Thursday that it has acquired the popular Hispanic tournament Copa Latina and its parent company Se Habla Futbol.
   Traffic Sports -- a Brazilian-based soccer club which owns Miami FC -- has purchased the  ''Latin World Cup,'' and will keep on the tournament's founder, Tom Mulroy, as executive director of its nascent Grassroots Events and Sponsorship Activation Division.
   In addition to fielding professional soccer teams, Traffic is in the player development business, and will get a close look at some of the area's best Hispanic talent. George Weah, who spent time in both the Premier League and La Liga, is among the hundreds of players of have competed in Copa Latina since its creation in 1993.
   This year's tournament begins on March 6.

Miami makes the cut!!

18 cities:: MIAMI, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indy, KC, LA, Nashville, NY, Philly, Phoenix, SDiego, Seattle , Tampa, Washington DC

Looks like Miami is in...

The official announcement is still five hours away, but according to a source on the U.S. World Cup bid committee, Miami will be one of the 18 cities named as a finalist to host games, should the US be awarded the World Cup for 2018 or 2022. From those 18, FIFA will likely require the US to trim the list to about a dozen cities.

The U.S. bid is due to FIFA by May 14, and FIFA will announce the winning country in December. Other countries bidding are Australia, England, Japan, Spain/Portugal, and Russia.

Stay tuned! Michelle.

Potential World Cup cities announced Tuesday

Miami will learn Tuesday if it is one the 18 cities included in the United States' bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

The announcement by U.S. Soccer President and USA Bid Committee Chairman Sunil Gulati and USA Bid Committee Executive Director David Downs will come at 3:30 p.m. from the ESPNZone in New York City. The press conference will be telecast live on ESPNews.

Miami FC lives on...

US Soccer announcing today that it will, in fact, support two Division 2 leagues for the 2010 season -- the USL and the NASL, which includes Miami FC.

The league will consist of two six-team conferences – the USL Conference and the NASL Conference. The USL Conference will include teams from Austin, Minnesota, Portland, Puerto Rico, Rochester and Tampa Bay. The NASL Conference will consist of teams from Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Montreal, St. Louis and Vancouver.
more details to come...

MLS Combine this weekend

Happy New Year, soccer fans.

Yes, it's cold. Yes, the World Cup is five months off.

But no, the futbol season never ends.

Major League Soccer might not think South Florida's a fit market for a franchise, but the league sure doesn't mind poaching the area for its annual combine.

The event, which runs Friday through Tuesday, is held again in Fort Lauderdale. Matches Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday are held at Central Broward Regional Park.

For a complete list of players, click here.