This year, the model changed to eight games with one large league table, with the top eight advancing automatically to the knockouts and the next sixteen playing an additional tie. The Swiss Model ...

In the new Swiss Model format ... and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham.

This game marks the start of the new Swiss model format, which replaces the traditional group stages. The 36 teams in the competition are divided into four pots for the new league stage.

In the traditional group stage format, the 32 teams play 96 games before half the field is eliminated. In the new Swiss Model ...