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Temwa Update, USMNT, Sporting KC and Macario’s Mega Deal

Good KC Current injury updates, USA World Cup kits and friendly rosters and a lot of Sporting KC news in the Digital Crawl.

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Credit: Thad Bell | Canva

Digital Crawl

A times, there is just so much soccer we can’t keep up! Check out the Digital Crawl archives if you missed any stories. Plus, it’s a nice tie in for a similar segment at the end of every episode of the For the Glory KC podcast.

Temwa Chawinga Update

Temwa is back in training! And she’s not alone, as both Lo LaBonta and Rocky Rodriguez were there alongside her.

Kansas City Current head coach Chris Armas was not able to say when they will be available to play, but their inclusion in team drills is a good sign. What is less of a good sign is the next three games are on turf as the Current hit the road to Chicago, Seattle and Portland before finally returning home on April 4th.

On the most recent episode of the Keeping Current podcast, that was a date many targeted for a potential return. The KC Current need healthy players for the playoffs, after they crashed out in the first-round last year. No need to take risks this early in the season.

Borges Not Available Quite Yet

New Brazilian center back signing Diego Borges is already in Kansas City and already has his P-1 visa and he’s already at practice.

However, don’t expect him to be on the field on Saturday when Sporting Kansas City host the Colorado Rapids. When head coach Raphael Wicky spoke with the gathered media on Tuesday, he indicated that Borges shouldn’t be expected to be in the lineup.

Wicky says it is unlikely that Borges plays this week. Expect him more after the INTL break. #SportingKC

— Daniel Sperry (@danielsperrykc.bsky.social) 2026-03-17T18:39:40.605Z

Instead, expect Borges to be available after the international break, which comes right after the Rapids game. Sporting KC will be back in action after the break on April 4th against Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah.

Behind the Scenes for SKC’s Win

Sporting KC have made a habit of putting out “Behind the Shield” videos in recent seasons. While not under that name, Sporting Kansas City released a behind the scenes look at this past Saturday’s road win against the LA Galaxy that is worth a watch.

The KC Current did something similar that is also worth a look.

“DUBS IN THE CHAT BABYYYY” 🗣️Relive our thrilling comeback at home 🎥

— KC Current (@kansascitycurrent.bsky.social) 2026-03-18T03:20:11.812Z

Sporting KC Games to be Rebroadcast for Free

A lot has been made of Major League Soccer choosing to put their games behind a paywall. I would argue, it’s relatively cheap to watch every game for Sporting KC (or whatever team you are into) because you just need an Apple TV subscription. Unlike, say, the NWSL where games are spread across a confusing number of platforms.

However, the Apple deal is an impediment to some. The barriers are coming down a little in a move that other MLS teams have done in recent seasons. Sporting KC announced a partnership with 38 The Spot to watch all their games a few days later for free.

Sure, it’s not as good as live, but it’s a chance for someone to stumble upon a game and become a fan, something that won’t happen as easily behind a paywall.

MLS Team of the Week

Sporting KC had two bench players for this week’s TOTW. Dejan Joveljic made it alongside Sporting KC’s newest addition (who has actually played in a game), Lasse Berg Johnsen.

No surprises here 🙂‍↔️ Deki & Lasse earn their place on MLS Team of the Matchday!📰: https://skcsoccer.co/3NtJE4p

— Sporting Kansas City (@sportingkc.com) 2026-03-16T18:00:23.133146552Z

USA World Cup Kits Released

On Monday, US Soccer unveiled their 2026 World Cup kits.

These are our Stars & Stripes. Kits for the believers who dare to want more.

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@usmnt.ussoccer.com) 2026-03-16T12:11:18.562Z

The primary kit is in homage to the “Waldo” kits of the past and the stars kit is apparently heavily influenced by the players wanting something they could wear to the club. The Athletic has a fascinating story on how the kits came to be.

USMNT Roster Released

While it’s not the final World Cup roster, it is the last set of friendlies before the World Cup.

A massive March awaits. Mauricio Pochettino has selected his 27-man roster for upcoming matches against Belgium and Portugal! #NeverChaseReality x AT&T

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@usmnt.ussoccer.com) 2026-03-17T15:30:24.096Z

Certainly Thad, Robert and whoever else they get on the podcast will have thoughts on this roster. (BTW, my vote for the podcast name is Shades of Red, White and Blue.)

Macario to the NWSL

There had been rumors for months that Catarina Macario was coming to the National Women’s Soccer League. According to Sportico, she’ll be coming to the San Diego Wave for a record deal worth nearly $8 million over five years. There are also incentives that can reportedly push the deal higher.

Landing Macario is a big deal for the NWSL. In recent seasons stars like Naomi Girma, Alyssa Thompson, Emily Fox and Sam Coffey have headed to Europe instead of staying in the United States during their prime years.

There is no doubt the NWSL is the best overall league in the world, but landing (or keeping) big players is a big step in the right direction to prove it. USWNT veteran Lindsey Heaps is set to return to the US after the World Cup break when she joins expansion side Denver Summit.

Quick Hits

  • The MLS released their playoff schedule and there are no international breaks. The season is going later than ever, wrapping up with MLS Cup on Friday, December 18th. It’s the final winter MLS Cup chance with the calendar flip coming in 2027.

  • The LA28 Olympic football schedule is out. St. Louis will host eight games, spread between the men’s and women’s tournaments. As the host nation, the United States has automatically qualified.

  • Kansas City is officially getting the last $59 million in federal funds they were promised for the 2026 World Cup.
  • FIFA reached an agreement with YouTube to stream the first 10 minutes of each World Cup game on their respective nation’s YT pages.
  • The KC streetcar extension to CPKC Stadium is set to open in May.
  • The NWSL broke their single weekend attendance record last weekend with the addition of two expansion teams. They hit 129,202 fans. The wild thing is, the KC Current were the second lowest attendance, despite continuing their NWSL sellout streak. Stadium expansion time?
  • USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi is reportedly moving from PSV to Fulham for a €36m package deal.
  • And finally, it is quite difficult to know how to watch NWSL games:

How do you watch the NWSL this season? Get your note pad ready.

— Gal Pal Sports (@galpalsports.bsky.social) 2026-03-12T21:13:57.659Z

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Since 2014, Chad Smith has been deeply involved in covering Kansas City soccer. He's written about Sporting KC, the KC Current and SKC II for numerous platforms, including The Blue Testament, which was the precursor to the KC Soccer Journal. While his initial connection to Sporting KC was established in Phoenix covering preseason, he now resides in the Kansas City area, offering thorough analysis and a strong commitment to local soccer.

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ar_jhawk

I know we’ve touched on this before, but CPKC was built to be expandable. Do you know how that would work? I can’t imagine closing in the River End, but that would gain the most seats. Corners? Another Deck?

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