Relevent Sports and US Soccer settlement opens up opportunity for European games in the US

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After a six-year legal battle, US Soccer and Relevent Sports have reached a settlement in the latter’s antitrust lawsuit which opens the potential for European leagues to play games in the US.

Recently Relevent’s lawyers filed a motion in federal court to dismiss their case against U.S. Soccer with prejudice—which means they won’t be able to bring the same lawsuit or claims against the federation again in the future.

US Soccer expresses relief as a longstanding issue is resolved, allowing the organisation to fully focus on growth and building momentum ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

“We are pleased to put this matter behind us as we remain focused on growing the game and harnessing the momentum of US Soccer ahead of next year’s World Cup,” US Soccer said via statement on ESPN.

The details of the settlement haven’t been made public, bringing an end to the long-running legal battle between the federation and Relevent Sports, the agency co-founded and owned by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Relevent had already reached a separate deal with FIFA last year, agreeing to remove soccer’s global governing body from the lawsuit as a co-defendant.

“We appreciate US Soccer’s collaboration in reaching this settlement,” Relevent chief executive Danny Sillman told ESPN via statement.

”Ultimately, we all share the same goal: growing the sport throughout America.

“We’re excited to continue supporting clubs from Europe and around the world to expand the sport’s reach and impact across the US.”

Relevent first revealed plans in 2018 to host a La Liga match between Barcelona and Girona in Miami, as part of its 15-year commercial deal with Spain’s top football league.

FIFA quickly responded by introducing a policy that banned league matches from being played outside the home countries of the participating clubs.

As a result, Barcelona pulled out of the game, there was also disagreement between La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) over the idea of playing a league match overseas.

Relevent later tried to bring an Ecuadorian league match to the US, with support from LigaPro Ecuador, but U.S. Soccer denied approval, again citing FIFA’s policy.

In response, Relevent sued both U.S. Soccer and FIFA in 2019, accusing them of working together to block foreign league games in the U.S.

The lawsuit claimed this was done to protect Soccer United Marketing (SUM), Major League Soccer’s (MLS) commercial arm, and prevent competition.

Although the case was initially dismissed in July 2021, that decision was overturned in May 2023, opening the door for a trial.

Relevent eventually reached a settlement with FIFA, which included the creation of a working group to explore possible changes to its rules on international matches.

Just last month, it was confirmed that Relevent had secured the global commercial rights for UEFA’s men’s club competitions over a six-season cycle starting in 2027/28.

This means Relevent will now manage, sell, and market the commercial rights for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League worldwide.

Additionally to collaborating with La Liga, Relevent also has commercial partnerships with the English Football League (EFL) and the Bundesliga, it’s also responsible for scheduling and promoting pre-season Premier League games in the US.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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