The 23 referees for the 2006 World Cup: ABD EL FATAH Essam (Egypt) AMARILLA Carlos (Paraguay) ARCHUNDIA Benito (Mexico) BATRES Carlos (Guatemala) BUSACCA Massimo (Switzerland) CODJIA Coffi (Benin) DE BLEECKERE Frank (Belgium) DE SANTIS Massimo (Italy) ELIZONDO Horacio (Argentina) IVANOV Valentin (Russia) KAMIKAWA Toru (Japan) LARRIONDA Jorge (Uruguay) MAIDIN Shamsul (Singapore) MEJUTO GONZALEZ Manuel (Spain) MERK Markus (Germany) MICHEL Lubos (Slovakia) POLL Graham (England) POULAT Eric (France) PRENDERGAST Peter (Jamaica) RUIZ Oscar Colombia) SHIELD Mark Australia) SIMON Carlos (Brazil) VASSARAS Kyros (Greece) Seven alternate referees AL GHAMDI Khalil (Saudi Arabia) CHANDIA Carlos (Chile) DAMON Jerome (South Africa) GUEZZAZ Mohamed (Morocco) …

Why Hamburg?By Paul Kennedy Managing Editor, Soccer America in HamburgAmericans do things a little different in soccer.While most finalists at the 2006 World Cup will be bunkered in the German countryside, the U.S. national team will be staying in the heart of Hamburg, Germany's entertainment capital.U.S. Soccer did the castle thing in 1998 in France when Coach Steve Sampson's team was housed at the 17th-century Chateau de Pizay, 45 minutes from Lyons.''When we get here,'' recalled Jeff Agoos, ''there are 10 geese waiting for us, and you can't see a house for about five miles.''The Americans complained of boredom. They …

Updates through March 31. With club affiliations (previous college for transfers is in parentheses). AKRON Elliot Bradbrook M England (Ashland) Vedran Ilic M Rockford, Ill. Chicago Magic Ben Zemanski M/F Cuyahoga Falls, OH Cleveland Force AMERICAN Cameron Petty D Manassas, VA Reston FC Karsten Smith D Huntington Station, NY BW Gottschee Jake Van Yahres F Charlottesville, VA SOCA Lightning Dor Yasur M Boca Raton, FL Coral Springs Storm BOWLING GREEN Tim Crone M Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati United Premier Chris Davis D Jackson, MS Central Jackson SO Tyler Dean M Sydney, OH Southern Ohio Soccer Academy Jacob …

USL First DivisionAtlanta Silverbacks: G Felipe Quintero (Lobos BUAP - Mexico) Miami FC: F Romario (Vasco da Gama - Brazil) Montreal Impact: Dan Antoniuk (trade from Vancouver), M Leonardo Di Lorenzo (Argentinos Juniors - Argentina), D Gabriel Gervais (re-sign through 2008), M - Antonio Ribeiro (re-sign through 2008) Portland Timbers: D Josh Brown (Univ. of New Mexico), M Troy Ready (Cascade Surge), M Mike Randolph (Yavapai College), G Devin Zimmerman (Fort Lewis College) Rochester Rhinos: D Kenney Bertz (Univ. of Maryland) Seattle Sounders: F Maikel Galindo (re-sign), M Andrew Gregor (re-sign) Vancouver Whitecaps: Eduardo Sebrango (trade from Montreal), G Mike …

By Ridge Mahoney The maligned Western Conference, deemed inferior to the East last season, may not be any stronger in 2006, but still it boasts the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup winner (Los Angeles) as well as the team that posted the best regular-season record (San Jose, now Houston: 18-4-10.) TOP DOG. How the former Quakes adapt to their new surroundings in Houston, where the field is lush and the confines aren't much less confining than Spartan Stadium, dictates how the West will be won. Despite their playoff collapse to the Galaxy last season and the loss …

BOYS1 Klein (Spring, Texas) 22-0-02 St. Louis (Lake Charles, La.) 31-0-23 Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.) 31-2-04 Palm Harbor University (Fla.) 26-4-05 Coppell (Coppell, Texas) 20-0-26 Santa Margarita (Calif.) 25-4-07 Countryside (Clearwater, Fla.) 27-4-18 Rider (Wichita Falls, Texas) 18-0-29 Clinton (Clinton, Miss.) 22-3-410 Jensen Beach (Fla.) 22-2-0GIRLS1 Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) 23-1-12 Upland (Upland, Calif.) 28-0-33 Allen (Allen, Texas) 18-0-14 San Ramon Valley (Calif.) 23-2-25 Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) 27-2-26 Colleyville (Texas) 19-1-17 Catalina Foothills (Tucson, Ariz.) 25-0-08 Tupelo (Miss.) 19-0-29 American Heritage (Delray Beach, Fla.) 18-2-510 Coppell (Texas) 18-2-3

Chicago Fire Roster NO. POS. PLAYER COUNTRY GP P 1 G David Mahoney USA 3 - 2 D C.J. Brown USA 192 2 3 F Calen Carr USA 0 0 4 D Leonard Griffin USA 12 0 5 D Jim Curtin USA 129 3 6 M Craig Capano USA 22 1 7 M John Thorrington USA 8 1 8 M Diego Gutierrez USA 208 10 9 F Chad Barrett USA 20 1 10 M Thiago Brazil 27 6 11 F Nate Jaqua USA 64 13 12 M Logan Pause USA 71 0 13 D Jack Stewart USA 9 1 …

Chivas USA Roster NO. POS. PLAYER COUNTRY GP P 2 D Claudio Suarez Mexico 0 0 3 D Carlos Llamosa USA 141 3 4 M Brent Whitfield USA 0 0 5 D Ezra Hendrickson St. Vin. & Gren. 206 21 6 M Francisco Mendoza Mexico 24 0 7 M Ramon Ramirez Mexico 31 2 8 M Francisco Gomez USA 126 11 9 F Ante Razov USA 186 84 10 F Juan Pablo Garcia Mexico 9 1 11 M Antonio Martinez USA 97 10 12 M Mike Munoz USA 0 0 13 M Rodrigo Lopez USA 1 0 14 D Esteban …

Chivas USA Schedule April 2 Real Salt Lake April 8 @D.C. United April 15 Los Angeles April 29 Red Bull N.Y. May 14 New England May 20 @Red Bull N.Y. May 27 Chicago June 3 Colorado June 8 @Los Angeles June 11 @FC Dallas June 17 Columbus June 21 @Colorado June 24 @Columbus June 28 Houston July 1 FC Dallas July 4 @Real Salt Lake July 8 @Houston July 15 Los Angeles July 21 @Colorado July 26 @Real Salt Lake Aug. 5 @New England Aug. 12 @Chicago Aug. 16 @FC Dallas Aug. 19 Kansas City Aug. 26 Houston Sept. 3 …

Chicago Fire Schedule April 1 @FC Dallas April 8 @Los Angeles April 15 @Columbus April 30 @New England May 6 @Kansas City May 13 @Red Bull N.Y. May 20 @Houston May 27 @Chivas USA June 3 @Real Salt Lake June 11 New England June 17 @Kansas City June 21 @D.C. United June 25 Red Bull N.Y. June 28 Real Salt Lake July 4 Kansas City July 8 New England July 15 FC Dallas July 22 D.C. United Aug. 5 Columbus Aug. 12 Chivas USA Aug. 16 Kansas City Aug. 19 @New England Aug. 26 Colorado Aug. 30 Houston Sept. 3 …

By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor Soccer America Chelsea may have pulled out this year's MLS All-Star Game, but it has signed a deal with AEG that takes effect next year.A press conference scheduled for Monday to announce the matchup of the English Premier League champion and an MLS all-star team at the Fire's new stadium July 29 was canceled, and Wednesday Chelsea released a statement announcing it has signed a deal with AEG and will also forge a special alliance with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The club's release did not mention the All-Star Game.Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, who is …

The U.S. womenÆs national team will begin residency on April 2 as 25 players come to The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. for a six-month period that will culminate in the fall with CONCACAF qualifying for the 2007 WomenÆs World Cup.This will be the sixth residency camp for the U.S. women, but the first residency preparation in a year that does not include a world championship. The previous residency sessions came in the months leading up to the 1995 WomenÆs World Cup, the 1996 Olympics, the 1999 WomenÆs World Cup, the 2000 Olympics and the 2004 Olympics.The U.S. team …

Midfielder Eddie Gaven, 19, has been traded from the New York Red Bulls to the Columbus Crew in exchange for 24-year-old forward Edson Buddle.Gaven, who debuted in MLS at age 16, has played in 69 games (62 starts), and tallied 16 goals and 12 assists in three seasons. Gaven played for Crew coach Sigi Schmid at last year's U-20 World Youth Championship.Buddle appeared in 106 games for Columbus and notched 42 goals during his four seasons.The New York Red Bulls also traded Canadian defender Adrian Serioux, an offseason signing hailed by club president Alexi Lalas as ''just what the doctor …

Border Battle March 18-19 Missouri Under 17/18 Boys KCFC Alliance Rideout 3 Futura Elite 2 (KCFC Alliance Rideout wins on penalties.) Under 16 Boys St. Louis SC Blue 2 Lou Fusz 1 Under 15 Boys CRSA 3 Futura Force 2 Under 14 Boys KCFC Alliance Rideout 13 EFC Attack 1 Under 14 Girls J.B. Marine 3 Southern Illinois United 1 Clovis Odyssey March 18-19 California Under 14 Boys Fresno Diablos 2 Cavitt Acad. Boca Jr. Blue 1 Under 16 Girls Odyssey Fusion 2 South Valley United 0 CSA Diadora Blues City Blowout March 17-19 Tennessee Under 16/17 Boys …

WINNERS & LOSERS: Convey, Hahnemann reach the top with Reading Winners: READING, which had not reached the top tier of English soccer during its 135-year history, clinched promotion to the Premier League after its 1-1 tie with Leicester. The American duo of keeper Marcus Hahnemann and midfielder Bobby Convey are among four players who have started all 40 league games for the Royals, who have six games left in league play. Reading's only loss came in the season opener. CONOR CASEY scored his first goal of the Bundesliga season, notching Mainz's second goal in a 2-2 …