Blue Links: World Cup 2018, NWSL, and Pro Referees

Good morning and happy Monday. Sporting Kansas City are top of the West. Here’s what else you need to know today.

Around the Club

• (The Blue Testament) Fresh Sporting KC blood puts four on Loons
• (Kansas City Star) Youngster’s first MLS goal keys united Sporting KC attack vs. Minnesota
• (Pro Referees) Official PRO statement regarding SKC and CLB missed red card
• (Sporting KC) Academy midfielder Cameron Duke to join U.S. U-18 MNT for training camp at Pinnacle
• (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) STLFC ends six-game skid with 2-0 win over Swope Park Rangers

Around the World

• (Pro Soccer USA) David Beckham has days to pay county nearly $1 million for stadium land. Will he?
• (The Guardian) Fifa report favours North America’s 2026 World Cup bid over ‘high risk’ Morocco
• (Yahoo) How growth spurt, unorthodox path molded Keaton Parks into USMNT’s ‘Busquets with goals’
• (The Score) True colors: Crew’s Josh Williams does ‘not want the team to go anywhere’
• (Steven Goff) “From FIFA’s bid evaluation report, highest-rated stadium proposals in North American package: 1. Denver 2. (tie) Miami 2. (tie) Houston 2. (tie) Santa Clara Lowest: Mexico City, LA, NY/NJ, Toronto”
• (Dan Lauletta) NWSL is close to announcing an expanded TV rights arrangement. Looks like a few Lifetime games could shift to an ESPN network.
• (Austin Monitor) Austin: Survey finds soccer stadium concerns; alternative development proposals on tap
• (Stars and Stripes FC) USA v. Ireland: What we Learned
• (The Athletic) Why the United States still struggles to produce true No. 10s
• (ESPN FC) The New Hooligans of Russia

Around the City

• (Royals Review) A’s bury Royals late in 5-1 loss
• (Arrowhead Pride) Why Travis Kelce is the mismatch that makes the Chiefs’ offense tick
• (Bring on the Cats) 90 DAYS TO 2018 KICKOFF: Bronson Massie
• (Rock M Nation) Mizzou’s defense had a strange relationship with penalties in 2017
• (Rock Chalk Talk) 90 Days Until Kansas Football: What if KU was in the MAC?