• With the U.S. women beginning their Olympic campaign Wednesay, Hope Solo and other members of the team voiced their concerns about the Rio Games. “We’re already putting ourselves in position to deal with Zika, to deal with a number of different issues and everything that’s going on in Brazil, whether that’s the President being impeached, or the police officers not getting paid,” Solo said. “There’s so many things we already have to deal with, at least make sure the athletes are secure.”
  
  
• Solo also blamed the media for its role in all this, because that’s what everyone does now. "It's a little bit unfortunate because I think the American media has been really tough on people of Brazil," Solo said. "I feel a little bit bad because when you come here you learn for yourself. I think that we've been very hard on the local people." If by “local people,” Solo means organizers and politicians, then sure.
  
  
• This would be quite a move:

A biggie from the @MLS world: League sources tell me the @PhilaUnion are in advanced talks to bring #USMNTer @AleBedoya17 back to the States

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 2, 2016

• With an aggressive American ownership group, Venezia FC secured promotion to Italy’s third tier last season, and Joe Tacopina has his sights set on a permanent spot in Serie A down the road. I fully anticipate Venezia will be at the upper echelon of Italian soccer,” Tacopina said. “It's not just a dream because I don't have dreams, I have goals.”
  
  

• Major League Soccer is preparing to increase its expansion fee to about $200 million.