• Dominic Bossi

An attacking partnership that was brought to an abrupt end on the final game of a La Liga season is being rekindled in Blacktown.

FIFA has announced a new and simplified format for the 2018 World Cup draw with the teams to be grouped by their place in the world ranking rather than their continent.

• Dominic Bossi

There seems to be no stopping the red-hot Matildas and in one of their most important friendlies in history, Australia's best national team went up another gear.

• Michael Lynch

Melbourne Victory have bolstered their attacking stocks for the new season by adding Dutch attacker Leroy George to its roster.

• Michael Lynch

They are the richest club in the competition and have the widest scouting network of any A-League side. So it seems ironic that Melbourne City, just a month before the start of the new season, are strapped for numbers in key attacking positions.

Bournemouth's Jermain Defoe scored his first goal in his second spell at the club in a 2-1 win over promoted Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday as Eddie Howe's side grabbed a vital first Premier League victory of the season.

• Andrew Webster

The Matildas star famous for her post-goal backflips has been shortlisted for FIFA's Player of the Year award

• Eamonn Tiernan

Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams says their sell-out crowd in Sydney is a sign of the times in women's sport.

• Dominic Bossi

By her own admission, Lydia Williams was never a natural born leader, rather, somewhat of a battler.

• Greg Baum

One long-standing colloquialism has it that a gay person "plays for the other side". It less heard now. Some will say that is because of political correctness. Others, making more sense to me, will say simply that we are past the time of need for evasions, euphemisms and circumlocutions. Concerning gender diversity, we can be straight.

• Helen Pitt

There are many words to describe Sydney Morning Herald football writer Michael Cockerill who died last week at the age of 56 after a seven-year battle with cancer.

• Dominic Bossi

The silence on one subject spoke volumes of the Matildas' rise on the world stage. The greatest female footballer of all-time will lead Brazil against Australia on Saturday afternoon but the name "Marta" has barely been mentioned.

• Michael Lynch

The new collective bargaining agreement for women players, announced earlier this week, has delivered a major boost to women's soccer at a time when its star was being dimmed by other competitions.

​It's the homecoming that Matildas coach Alen Stajcic believes his team deserve.

• Eamonn Tiernan

Canberra United have signed American goalkeeper Hayley Kopmeyer for 2017-18 W-League season.

• Dominic Bossi

Adrian Mierzejewski shone in his first start for Sydney FC, but his coach said that performance was less than a third of his capabilities.

• Vince Rugari

The Socceroos will head to Malaysia after all for the away leg of their World Cup qualifying playoff next month against Syria.

Harry Kane scored twice as Tottenham opened their UEFA Champions League campaign by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-1, overwhelming last season's quarter-finalists with a formidable attacking display.

• Dominic Bossi

new signing Adrian Mierzejewski received a standing ovation after shining in Sydney FC's cup win over last year's champions, Melbourne City.

• Michael Lynch

Adelaide United eased into the FFA Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 quarter-final victory over a game but exhausted Heidelberg United, with Reds striker Nikola Mileusnic notching a hat-trick  in front of a crowd of almost 4000.

• Ben McKay

There are many factors at play turning the Matildas into a world soccer superpower, and foreign experience is right up there.

• Dominic Bossi

The Football Federation Australia board could be spared the embarrassment of being overthrown by FIFA after a majority agreement for a new FFA congress was reached late on Tuesday night, but only if their two fiercest opponents rubber stamp the latest proposal.

Celtic could face punishment from UEFA after a pitch invasion by a fan, highlighted by an apparent attempted kick at Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe during their 5-0 home Champions League defeat.

A mesmeric Lionel Messi scored twice and inspired Barcelona to a 3-0 win over Juventus as the Catalans got off to a flying start in Champions League Group D, avenging last season's quarter-final elimination by the Italian champions.

• Michael Lynch

Melbourne City faces a stiff challenge as it seeks to defend its FFA Cup title with an  away quarter-final against A-League champions Sydney FC on Wednesday night.

• Ben McKay

The Matildas are feeling the love from the Australian sporting public, and want to pay it back with strong showings against Brazil.

West Ham United claimed their first points of the season, beating Australian Aaron Mooy's promoted Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Monday.

• Michael Lynch

The AFL Women's competition might have grabbed most of the media attention last season – particularly for its aggressive raids on players from other sports – but Australia's female soccer players have now been given a major incentive to stick with the word game in the shape of "significantly" improved pay and conditions.

• Michael Lynch

Natioal Premier League Victoria winning coach John Anastasiadis and his championship winning vice captain Luke Pilkington have added their voices to the growing clamour for the FFA to establish a national second division sooner rather than later.