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James Nalton

@jdnalton.bsky.social

8.7K followers 770 following 2.6K posts

Freelance sports and football writer for the Morning Star newspaper, Forbes, World Soccer magazine, Guardian US, FotMob, BBC, and the Soccer Times. MLS, USL, US Open Cup, Concacaf and American soccer reverie.

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · Aug 1

📌 Heading into 2025/26, my freelance ⚽ writing will once again focus on Everton, Liverpool, and occasionally Manchester teams + others. Elsewhere, my coverage of American soccer from both sides of the Atlantic means I'm uniquely placed to cover the 2026 World Cup- I'm on the lookout for related work

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It’s Joncacaf @jonarnoldfc.bsky.social · 49m

The Top Three is in inboxes now with thoughts from Panama on

🇸🇷 Suriname looking Concacaf-y
🇵🇦 The atmosphere in Panama
🇨🇷🇳🇮 Cops in the locker room!
🇭🇳 Sipping that horchata
🇨🇼 Small country, big mistake?

It's the only place to find 2,500 QUALITY words on Concacaf WCQ
open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

3️⃣ The Top Three: Suriname shows they belong, Honduras finds faith

open.substack.com

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 2h

As much as anything else, one of the weirdest and most surreal World Cup build-ups bsky.app/profile/tari...

Tariq Panja @tariqpanja.bsky.social · 2h

FIFA effectively agreeing the Donald Trump and remove cities from World Cup hosting with this statement. He suggested yesterday Gianni would agree with whatever he wanted.

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Alexander Abnos @anabnos.com · 16h

Pochettino: "Cristian Roldan is maybe an example of if you want to build your perfect player...he has a little bit of everything."

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 6h

I think a lot of people must have originally put the England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 flags up to celebrate the women's rugby union World Cup win, but decided they may as well leave them up for the big England v Latvia game. Thoughtfully adding Union Jacks to support Wales and Scotland, too.

James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 6h

Lots of anti-international break stuff about, but the number of England flags I've noticed popping up recently suggests people in the UK really like international breaks. Some flags even show support for all the home nations in their respective World Cup qualifiers.

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NY International FC @nyintfc.bsky.social · 6h

We have 3 teams that play football every week. Tonight we’ll have 4 teams, but instead of competing for 3 points, we’re coming together to uplift the most vulnerable in our neighborhood. You can join us!

evloves.networkforgood.com/events/91864...

@jdnalton.bsky.social
@davidfbrand.bsky.social

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 7h

Just to say, for any sports media outlet/editor reading this, I am available to cover Cape Verde matches the next time AFCON and World Cup qualifying come around.

CallieBalloo @redsoledgooner.bsky.social · 8h

What did Cape Verde ever do other than be a really beautiful archipelago and vibrant tourist destination.

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 7h

His allies and foes seem to change daily.

James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 10h

Trump has now threatened to take World Cup games from Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump on moving World Cup games from Boston: "We could take them away. Your mayor is not good."

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Alexander Abnos @anabnos.com · 19h

I
I believe
I believe that
I believe that we
I believe that we'll be live
I believe that we'll be live
I believe that we'll be live

USA v Australia: men’s international football friendly – live updates

Rolling report: The US men’s national team host Australia in a friendly in Commerce City, Colorado. Follow all the action with Alexander Abnos

www.theguardian.com

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The Soccer Times @nysoccertimes.com · 20h

James Sands, currently on loan at St Pauli from NYCFC, starting for the #USMNT vs Australia.

U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @usmnt.ussoccer.com · 20h

Our XI at 5280'. 🏔️

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 20h

The info on this is here www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

See the Countries Under Trump’s Travel Ban, Including Those That May be Added

Restrictions on travel will affect people from more than a dozen countries worldwide. The administration is also considering adding more countries to the ban.

www.nytimes.com

James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 20h

Seen a few comments on this MLS AI issue along the lines of: there are many out there who would write this for next to nothing. But what MLS should do is pay a writer a proper fee. If they can afford to have Messi in the league, they should be able to pay a writer for reports on his matches.

An AI generated match report on the official MLS website.

James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 22h

Five of the nine African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup are on a *proposed* US travel ban list

A list of countries under consideration for a US travel ban by the Trump administration if they "do not address various security or diplomatic concerns within two months." Per the New York Times.

Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Benin
Bhutan
Burkina Faso
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Dem. Republic of Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Kyrgyzstan
Liberia
Malawi
Mauritania
Niger
Nigeria
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
South Sudan
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
Syria
Tanzania
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 22h

These are the four best runners-up from this stage, who will play off in a mini-tournament next month for a single place in the inter-confederation play-offs:
🇬🇦Gabon
🇳🇬 Nigeria
🇨🇩 DR Congo
🇨🇲 Cameroon

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 22h

The nine teams to make it through African (CAF) qualifying to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup:
🇩🇿 Algeria
🇨🇻 Cape Verde
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇬🇭 Ghana
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
🇲🇦 Morocco
🇸🇳 Senegal
🇿🇦 South Africa
🇹🇳 Tunisia

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It’s Joncacaf @jonarnoldfc.bsky.social · 1d

Here in Panama, there is pressure.

Manager Thomas Christiansen wants his team to enjoy tonight's WCQ v. Suriname, to relax rather let the country's expectations way on them.

But if they can't play beautiful football? Then, they must find a way to win.
open.substack.com/pub/getconca...

🇵🇦 With the pressure on, Christiansen tells Panama players to enjoy intense WCQ

Everyone expects Panama to make the World Cup, but they have to get there.

open.substack.com

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Alexander Abnos @anabnos.com · 1d

Wrote some blurbs on Americans Jude Terry and Julian Hall for @sport.theguardian.com NextGen 2025 - One of my favorite features we do: www.theguardian.com/football/ng-...

Next Generation 2025: 60 of the best young talents in world football

From PSG’s Ibrahim Mbaye to Brazil’s next hope, Gabriel Mec, we select some of the most talented players born in 2008

www.theguardian.com

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 1d

The size of 2026 World Cup qualifier Cape Verde shown on a map of the 2026 World Cup host countries. They are the smallest country by area to qualify for a World Cup 🇨🇻

The island country of Cape Verde overlayed on a map of North America.

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Nick Miller @nickmiller79.bsky.social · 1d

Cape Verde are going to the World Cup.

The planning to ensure this happened, the diaspora, the distances people travelled to be there, the celebrations & the life-affirming joy.

All of that & more in my piece from an incredible few days in Praia.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

Destination World Cup 2026: The miracle of Cape Verde

How does a collection of African islands, with a population of 525,000, qualify for the biggest show on earth? Nick Miller went to find out

www.nytimes.com

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Michael Battista @battista.bsky.social · 1d

We have a US Open Cup protest. Doxa FCW has filed a protest following its loss to Lansdowne Yonkers FC in last Sunday’s #USOC2026 Second Qualifying Round match. A goal through the side netting is the charge.

Story on @hudsonriverblue.com: www.hudsonriverblue.com/mind-the-gap...

#RBNY #NYCFC

Mind the Gap: Goal scored through side netting in local Open Cup Qualifier

Doxa FCW are officially protesting a 2-1 loss to Lansdowne Yonkers FC in Sunday's US Open Cup Qualifier after a ball that seemingly went out of bounds and through the side netting was called a goal.

www.hudsonriverblue.com

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James Nalton @jdnalton.bsky.social · 1d

The size of 2026 World Cup qualifier Cape Verde shown on a map of the 2026 World Cup host countries. They are the smallest country by area to qualify for a World Cup 🇨🇻

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Sam Tighe @stighefootball.bsky.social · 1d

Up on @espn.com this morning is a piece I'm very proud of!

The rise of Estêvão, with help from the youth coach who developed him from the age of 14.

How 'Little Messi' Estêvão rose from Palmeiras to Chelsea

ESPN spoke to one of Estêvão's youth coaches at Palmeiras, Rogério Ferreira, to hear the story of how tough love and hard work saw the winger reach the top.

www.espn.com

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It’s Joncacaf @jonarnoldfc.bsky.social · 1d

🇸🇷 Suriname had a rich soccer history cut short by tragedy & turmoil.

Now, Dutch-Surinamese players are looking to carry on the legacy of the players that came before them - becoming local heroes in the process.

My piece from Paramaribo for @espn.com: www.espn.com/soccer/story...

Dutch-born players are making Suriname's World Cup dreams a reality

Thanks to a recent change in FIFA rules, Suriname is drawing on its Dutch lineage to fuel a fight for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

www.espn.com

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Grace Blakeley @graceblakeley.substack.com · 2d

One thing is clear: renewables don’t fit within the political economy of neoliberal capitalism.

We have to choose between the profits of oil producers, and the health and prosperity of entire societies. But our politicians
care more about the former than the latter.
substack.com/home/post/p-...

How the rich world lost the race to renewable energy

Renewables are booming in the global South – but vested interests and corrupt governments are blocking progress in the global North.

substack.com

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