New York International vs Central Park Rangers on October 6th at Randall's Island
[Naoko Tanaka] 
AS A Trump rally at Madison Square Garden took centre stage in a typically awkward but nevertheless concerning manner in New York City in the build-up to the 2024 United States presidential election, the city’s grassroots soccer scene is providing an antidote.
Throughout the city, people from all walks of life come together to play sports on a daily basis and below the surface, beneath the major leagues, is an active and organic grassroots soccer scene.
Even if it is not always explicitly political, grassroots soccer in New York City carries a message in its very being that pushes back against the anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump and his cronies.
With climate change, commercial overload and endless fixtures, footballers are being pushed to breaking point. It’s time their unions became a more powerful, unified force, writes JAMES NALTON
Joao Pedro’s emotional goals against Fluminense captured the magic of an international club competition. But even as fans bring colour and passion, the Club World Cup’s deeper issues loom large, writes JAMES NALTON
