U.S. Opens 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup Play Saturday, July 4 at 6 p.m. PT, Live Coverage on FSC and TeleFutura

On Tuesday, CONCACAF announced a provision that allows any team participating in the FIFA Confederations Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the same year to expand its Gold Cup roster from 23 to 30 players. The provision was provided due to the extreme circumstances that teams face due to playing in back-to-back tournaments.

Less than one week after completing a historic run to the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup, the U.S. Men’s National Team begins its quest for a third-consecutive CONCACAF Gold Cup championship when it takes on Grenada on Saturday, July 4, at 6 p.m. PT.

The usssoccer.com Referee Week in Review is designed to address the issues facing referees at all levels by using video highlights from professional games as well as the U.S. National Teams. Written by U.S. Soccer Director of Referee Development Paul Tamberino and U.S. Soccer Manager of Assessment and Training Brian Hall, the Referee Week in Review will highlight specific areas of focus and current U.S. Soccer initiatives designed to improve performance and aid in the development of officials across the country.

I had just ended my sophomore year at the University of Nebraska and, like most people, I had no idea that the World Cup for women would create such an attraction. It was my first World Cup participation as a Canadian National Team member. Being a part of such an energized historical journey, I went from competing against the USA women, to admiring my opponents. I found myself becoming the fan watching each game with great anticipation. In the final when the USA won, it was the first time that I honestly experienced pride for “my competitors”.