James Nalton
@jdnalton.bsky.social
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.
MLS, USL, US Open Cup, Concacaf and American soccer reverie.
I wrote in January for the Morning Star about the possibility of this happening, or at least that it should happen. It seems quite late in the day to introduce it though. We'll see how it works in practice.
November 17, 2025 at 8:36 PM
I wrote in January for the Morning Star about the possibility of this happening, or at least that it should happen. It seems quite late in the day to introduce it though. We'll see how it works in practice.
A bit more from the FIFA press release on what seems a very last-minute measure.
November 17, 2025 at 8:28 PM
A bit more from the FIFA press release on what seems a very last-minute measure.
FIFA has announced that World Cup 2026 ticket holders will benefit from prioritised US visa appointments for travel to the United States. More info below.
November 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
FIFA has announced that World Cup 2026 ticket holders will benefit from prioritised US visa appointments for travel to the United States. More info below.
Monday's Morning Star back page: Who won't win FIFA's peace prize? #tomorrowspaperstoday
November 16, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Monday's Morning Star back page: Who won't win FIFA's peace prize? #tomorrowspaperstoday
DR Congo knock Nigeria out of 2026 World Cup qualification on penalties to make it to the intercontinental playoffs! 🇨🇩
November 16, 2025 at 9:58 PM
DR Congo knock Nigeria out of 2026 World Cup qualification on penalties to make it to the intercontinental playoffs! 🇨🇩
United States something like this vs Paraguay. Pochettino has them playing a fairly fluid system. Basic defensive formation on the left, combination of in and out of possession movement on the right #USMNT
November 15, 2025 at 11:37 PM
United States something like this vs Paraguay. Pochettino has them playing a fairly fluid system. Basic defensive formation on the left, combination of in and out of possession movement on the right #USMNT
Warrington Town on a pretty good run of form, apart from, erm, an 8-0 defeat in the middle of it.
November 15, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Warrington Town on a pretty good run of form, apart from, erm, an 8-0 defeat in the middle of it.
The UAE is heavily involved in football around the world, and reportedly involved in the atrocities in Sudan. This weekend's Morning Star column on how football's use as a geopolitical and sportswashing tool means it is often linked to conflicts and humanitarian crises.
November 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
The UAE is heavily involved in football around the world, and reportedly involved in the atrocities in Sudan. This weekend's Morning Star column on how football's use as a geopolitical and sportswashing tool means it is often linked to conflicts and humanitarian crises.
Big game between Curaçao and Jamaica on the final matchday of Concacaf World Cup qualifying next week. Curaçao will become the smallest nation to reach the World Cup if they avoid defeat 🇨🇼
November 14, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Big game between Curaçao and Jamaica on the final matchday of Concacaf World Cup qualifying next week. Curaçao will become the smallest nation to reach the World Cup if they avoid defeat 🇨🇼
Hidden amid the big news that MLS is changing to a July-to-May season from 2027/28 is the news that it looks like MLS will once again be withdrawing some of its teams from the US Open Cup in 2027.
November 13, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Hidden amid the big news that MLS is changing to a July-to-May season from 2027/28 is the news that it looks like MLS will once again be withdrawing some of its teams from the US Open Cup in 2027.
Cameroon will miss out on the 2026 World Cup after Chancel Mbemba scored for DR Congo in added time to win the CAF qualification playoff semifinal. DR Congo will play Nigeria in the final on Sunday for a place at the inter-confederation playoffs 🇨🇩
November 13, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Cameroon will miss out on the 2026 World Cup after Chancel Mbemba scored for DR Congo in added time to win the CAF qualification playoff semifinal. DR Congo will play Nigeria in the final on Sunday for a place at the inter-confederation playoffs 🇨🇩
Morocco and CAF have announced that fans with tickets for the upcoming AFCON can now obtain electronic visas to enter Morocco free of charge through the YALLA app, which is being used to streamline travel and ticketing at the tournament.
November 13, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Morocco and CAF have announced that fans with tickets for the upcoming AFCON can now obtain electronic visas to enter Morocco free of charge through the YALLA app, which is being used to streamline travel and ticketing at the tournament.
Cristian Espinoza has been one of the best players in MLS in recent years, sometimes overlooked because of San Jose's poor league finishes. Should be plenty of teams interested in him.
November 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Cristian Espinoza has been one of the best players in MLS in recent years, sometimes overlooked because of San Jose's poor league finishes. Should be plenty of teams interested in him.
Article by Linda Pentz Gunter in today's Morning Star on FIFA's "peace prize"
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Article by Linda Pentz Gunter in today's Morning Star on FIFA's "peace prize"
Scenes at the Canadian Premier League final between Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC, which is underway in Ottawa. Goalkeeper Nathan Ingham is helping clear snow off the pitch.
November 9, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Scenes at the Canadian Premier League final between Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC, which is underway in Ottawa. Goalkeeper Nathan Ingham is helping clear snow off the pitch.
Lionel Messi has scored eight goals and made two assists in Inter Miami's recent run of four consecutive games against Nashville SC in MLS.
November 9, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Lionel Messi has scored eight goals and made two assists in Inter Miami's recent run of four consecutive games against Nashville SC in MLS.
A few more from Everton 2 Fulham 0
November 8, 2025 at 8:42 PM
A few more from Everton 2 Fulham 0
Everton v Fulham, team lineups etc., from today's big game.
November 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Everton v Fulham, team lineups etc., from today's big game.
MLS with a 2025 best XI you can actually line up as a potentially functioning team!
November 5, 2025 at 4:11 PM
MLS with a 2025 best XI you can actually line up as a potentially functioning team!
Andy Robertson's positional discipline was also important to this, knowing when to advance to the left wing once Wirtz drifted inside, but also knowing when to stay back. Robertson's touch-map below.
November 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Andy Robertson's positional discipline was also important to this, knowing when to advance to the left wing once Wirtz drifted inside, but also knowing when to stay back. Robertson's touch-map below.
Florian Wirtz touchmap for Liverpool vs Real Madrid. Using him in this role in a 4-3-3, Slot has found something close to the left-sided No. 10 role he played for Leverkusen in a 3-4-2-1.
November 5, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Florian Wirtz touchmap for Liverpool vs Real Madrid. Using him in this role in a 4-3-3, Slot has found something close to the left-sided No. 10 role he played for Leverkusen in a 3-4-2-1.
The New York Post with an inadvertently iconic front page which actually makes Mamdani look good ☭
November 5, 2025 at 11:10 AM
The New York Post with an inadvertently iconic front page which actually makes Mamdani look good ☭
Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC wins the MLS Newcomer of the Year award for 2025 with 74% of the vote. Son Heung-min got the second-most votes despite joining LAFC towards the end of the season and only playing 10 games.
November 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC wins the MLS Newcomer of the Year award for 2025 with 74% of the vote. Son Heung-min got the second-most votes despite joining LAFC towards the end of the season and only playing 10 games.
In the win against Aston Villa, Liverpool went back to last season's title-winning tactics/shape, or as close as they can get with current personnel.
November 3, 2025 at 11:57 AM
In the win against Aston Villa, Liverpool went back to last season's title-winning tactics/shape, or as close as they can get with current personnel.
Mid-season awards already, feels like it only started last week.
November 2, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Mid-season awards already, feels like it only started last week.