FIFA will only allow natural grass fields at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.The stipulation is contained in requirements sent to bidding nations and follows controversy over the use of artificial turf at the 2015 tournament in Canada.Some players launched a gender discrimination case —which was later withdrawn — over FIFA’s use of turf four years ago because men’s World Cup games have always been on grass. They claimed the artificial surface is less forgiving than grass and impacts the game because of concerns over injury. They also claimed balls travel and bounce differently on artificial turf. FIFA said it wanted the same surface in every stadium.This year’s 24-team tournament in France will not have any artificial pitches at the nine venues. FIFA has made it clear such surfaces won’t be acceptable in 2023 Cheap England Soccer Team Uniform , either. What is permitted is the hybrid system used at many leading stadiums where millions of synthetic grass fibers are woven in between and beneath the natural grass.“The pitch shall feature a natural grass playing surface,” FIFA’s bidding requirements state. “Hybrid-grass systems are considered natural grass according to FIFA’s requirements and hybrid reinforcement should be considered for stadium pitches.”FIFA also is asking bidders to ensure that each training ground has at least one grass field.There is record interest in hosting the 2023 tournament, with nine countries having expressed their intent to bid.The most intriguing bid is by South Korea, which wants to combine with North Korea. But FIFA now includes an evaluation on human rights and worker conditions when assessing Women’s World Cup bidders, just like the new requirements for prospective hosts of the men’s tournament. That could prove problematic for North Korea, which would also have to provide visas in a “non-discriminatory manner” while currently being one of the most closed countries in the world.From Asia, there also is interest in hosting from Australia and Japan. There are three potential bidders from South America: Argentina, Bolivia www.thetopsoccer.com/national-team-kit/france , Brazil and Colombia. New Zealand and South Africa are also pursuing becoming candidates ahead of the April 16 deadline to register a bid. FIFA set an Oct. 4 deadline to submit bid books.The 37-member FIFA Council will pick the host in March next year after inspectors produce bid evaluation reports.The bidding document also states that the opening game and final must be played in venues with at least 55,000 seats. For other games up to the quarterfinals, 20,000 seats are required. The semifinals must be played in 35,000-capacity venues.In the technical evaluation, five aspects of infrastructure will be given grades between zero and five: stadiums, team and referee facilities, accommodation Cheap Germany Soccer Team Uniform , the international broadcast center site and other competition-related sites. There’s also a score on commercial matters, including revenue and costs projections.“The scores received may have a bearing on whether or not the bid is eligible for consideration by, or presentation to, the FIFA Council,” the bidding documents state. “FIFA reserves the right to deem the bid ineligible on the basis that a bid does not achieve the minimum scores” of 2.0 for the overall mark, or stadiums, accommodation and facilities for teams and referees. MILAN (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo had a penalty saved but it mattered little as Juventus beat last-placed Chievo Verona 3-0 to extend its advantage in Serie A on Monday.Douglas Costa and Emre Can scored first-half goals and Daniele Rugani added the last late as league leader Juventus restored its nine-point advantage over second-placed Napoli, which beat Lazio 2-1 on Sunday.It was a bad start to what will already be a difficult week for Ronaldo. He makes an unwanted trip back to Madrid for an expected guilty plea to tax fraud related to his time at Real Madrid.“There are more important penalties … he missed a similar one this morning www.thetopsoccer.com/national-team-kit/italy , too, in training,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “However, what’s important is the team won in the end.“Ronaldo was betrayed in the first half by too much desire to score a goal. Things went better for him in the second half, when he was trying to do easier things.”Ronaldo is expected to appear before a judge in Madrid on Tuesday and receive a suspended two-year sentence as part of a deal struck with Spain’s state prosecutor and tax authorities last year. The agreement will cost him nearly 19 million euros ($21.6 million) in fines.Separately, Ronaldo is facing a rape allegation in the United States.Kathryn Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit in Nevada in September claiming Ronaldo raped her in his Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. Police reopened an investigation into the allegation at her request. Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.Ronaldo has been playing and scoring regularly since the rape allegation emerged but the Portugal superstar appeared distracted on Monday as he uncharacteristically missed decent opportunities.His penalty was turned around the post by veteran goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino at full stretch. Sorrentino, who was accidentally knocked unconscious by Ronaldo in the opening round of matches, turns 40 in March.There was some perceived justice in this for Chievo Cheap Mexico Soccer Team Uniform , which felt the penalty was harsh as Mattia Bani was trying to get out of the way of the Douglas Costa shot when it hit his hand.Juventus was already in control by that point as Douglas Costa scored in the 13th minute with a powerful 20-yard effort into the bottom right corner.On halftime, Paulo Dybala was surrounded by Chievo players but managed to thread the ball to Emre Can to score his first goal for Juventus since his offseason move from Liverpool.Chievo, which is nine points from safety, played well but abysmal defending gifted Juventus a third six minutes from time as Rugani was allowed a free header on Federico Bernardeschi’s free kick.CHAMPIONS-LEAGUE CHASINGAC Milan moved back into the Champions League qualifying spots with a 2-0 victory at Genoa.Fabio Borini and Suso scored in the second half to put Milan in fourth place. Suso did not celebrate scoring against his former team.Milan also got help from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. He made a spectacular double save before the goals, first denying Miguel Veloso and then smothering Daniel Bessa’s follow-up from close range.