The second-tier German club’s ultras came up with the viral sensation to illustrate what a rollercoaster ride it has recently been to support the club, which has endured three promotions and two relegations since 2019.

But how did they actually put such an elaborate choreography together? Did it make a difference in their cup clash against Germany’s record champions? And where does it sit among the pantheon of the greatest football tifos?

Plus, Turkish team Mersin İdman Yurdu’s 14-year nightmare is over and Lee visits an Austrian stadium built on the rooftop of a furniture store. A goalkeeper finds the net not just once but twice in the Netherlands. And Kyrgyzstan’s spectacular yurt-themed stadium has opened in style with the World Nomad Games, a goat carcass, and an unlikely singing guest.

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for Monday’s bumper bonus podcast featuring tales such as the Kenyan dispute that has delayed the start to the season and the renegade Italian club wearing an illegal kit that the authorities have not yet spotted.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:00 – Osnabrück’s rollercoaster tifo

05:28 – Mersin İdman Yurdu’s 14-year transfer ban

10:55 – Goalkeeper bags a brace in the Netherlands

13:40 – Blau-Weiß Linz’s furniture store stadium

16:58 – Kyrgyzstan’s yurt stadium opening

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The Eagles, who are based in Béchar – a city often referred to as “the gateway to the Sahara”, finished as runners-up in the Ligue Professionelle 1 last season and sealed their spot in the qualifying rounds of the CAF Champions League.

So how did a club from this Saharan outpost ascend to Algeria’s top table in record time? Just how difficult is it for their domestic rivals who travel 3,000 kilometres to the desert? And what are their chances against Horoya of Guinea in the first round?

Plus, Mauritian upstarts La Cure Waves prepare for their first game on the African mainland, Lesotho’s Lijabatho FC come up with a curious funeral scheme for their fans and Burkinabe club Rahimo FC’s bus company business model proves a hit.

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for Monday’s bumper bonus podcast featuring tales such as the Kenyan dispute that has delayed the start to the season and the renegade Italian club wearing an illegal kit that the authorities have not yet spotted.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:17 – JS Saoura: The gateway to the desert

04:31 – La Cure Waves: The holiday island upstarts

09:40 – The countries not in the Champions League

13:35 – Patreon plug for Monday’s episode

14:58 – Lijabatho FC: The funeral schemers

18:35 – Rahimo FC: The wholesome bus boys

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For example, it’s not every day that a ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ contestant uses their winnings to become a football manager in England, starts out in the ninth tier and eventually guides a nine-year-old Azerbaijani club into the UEFA Champions League!

So how much did Lithuanian tactician Valdas Dambrauskas win to kickstart his managerial career? How has he taken Sabah to a first league title and the pinnacle of European club football in just one year? And why do the club from Maksimir play in pink?

Plus, second-tier Portuguese side Torreense prepare for a Europa League campaign in cyclone-hit Leiria, Inter Club d’Escaldes achieve an historic milestone for Andorra and Greek islanders OFI Crete complete a remarkable rebound from administration.

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for Thursday’s round-up of all the best domestic cup stories across Europe – including the Slovak tie between two clubs with the same president – plus a preview of the returning Palestinian league.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:10 – Sabah: The quiz show contestant

12:23 – Inter d’Escaldes: The micro-state trailblazers

21:43 – Torreense: The second-tier cup winners

26:40 – Jagiellonia Białystok: The winning Wi-Fi password

29:39 – OFI Crete: The revived islanders

33:45 – Yaya Touré, Viking, Hearts: The best of the rest

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But JDT are currently in the limelight for a different reason: they have set a new record for the longest league unbeaten streak in football history at 109 games, surpassing the run of Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas between 1989 and 1994.

So how did they become such an all-conquering force? Why have they drawn scrutiny and criticism for their methods? And are they the world's most dominant team at national level?

Plus, Krieschow (with 560 inhabitants) becomes the smallest village to ever host a match in Germany’s DFB-Pokal, and UEFA reportedly talk to CONCACAF about joining forces on a new Nations League as the backlash against FIFA continues.

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for a Korean student’s real-life game of Football Manager in Malawi, a former tennis star playing in Austria’s lower leagues and an Albanian club owner literally throwing the cash around.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:50 – JDT’s 109 games unbeaten

04:40 – Royal rescue and scrutiny

09:43 – Domestic records worldwide

13:12 – Performance at AFC level

18:22 – The DFB-Pokal’s smallest village

26:10 – The UECACAF Nations League

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The FMF has a long history in South American football. El Tri have played in the Copa America as guests 11 times, while its clubs have featured in the Copa Libertadores – even reaching the final three times. But a confederation switch would be another matter entirely.

So why would the FMF want to join South America’s governing body? What would be the pros and cons of leaving CONCACAF and moving down south? And which countries have set a precedent by trading one confederation for another in the past?

Plus, Malawi’s women make history by reaching the AFCON final – despite being the lowest-ranked country in the entire competition. And Ireland prepares for the launch of its brand-new third division: the FAI National League.

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for a full report from the Super Cup final between PSG and Aston Villa in Salzburg, where Somali referee Omar Artan became the first non-European to take charge of a major UEFA final.

Ali Howorth's excellent article about Malawi's women's team: 'Two clubs, two sisters and a condom company: how Malawi emerged from obscurity to the verge of the World Cup' is on his Substack here.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

00:50 – Mexico’s CONMEBOL switch rumours

03:37 – Past involvement in South America

05:30 – Pros & cons of confederation move

13:25 – Precedents for a continental switch

17:04 – Countries in a different geographic confederation

22:21 – Outsider Malawi’s historic WAFCON run

27:09 – Ireland’s brand-new third division

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And this season, the tiny archipelago off the coast of Canada’s Newfoundland will have a representative from the less populous island of Miquelon for the very first time, after AS Miquelonnaise won the local qualifying tournament.

But how does qualification work when there are only three teams in the archipelago? Why does Saint Pierre & Miquelon’s representative always start earlier than other overseas territories? And could a North American team theoretically play in the Europa League?

Plus, more withdrawals than usual from the week-long national championship forces Greenland into a strategic re-think. And Caito Teixeira, the president of Guinea-Bissau’s FA, breaches his bail conditions and goes on the run!

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for a bonus episode this Thursday all about the 2026 OFC Champions League and how the most remote places on the planet watch football.

Sweeper listeners get 10% off at Golaço Kits by using the code SWEEPER10 at checkout and if you join us on Patreon, you will get 15% off!

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

00:48 – Football in Saint Pierre & Miquelon

04:00 – Miquelon’s Coupe de France debut

08:26 – Subarctic temperatures & a short season

10:32 – North America in the Europa League?

16:59 – Greenland’s chaotic championship

26:50 – Guinea-Bissau’s presidential escape

31:05 – Golaço Kits competition

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UEFA responded by threatening to boycott FIFA competitions, with CONCACAF and AFC subsequently releasing statements condemning the proposal, which would have seen all 211 member associations receive $40 million each.

It’s easier to understand why the big guns resisted, but the money could have transformed the smaller nations, so why have so many of them declined the offer? And which tiny island’s FA condemned the plan despite being run by...FIFA-appointed officials?

Plus, Montenegro’s four clubs are all eliminated from UEFA club competition qualifying with a perfectly awful record of 10 games and 10 defeats. We examine why they fared so badly. Plus a Colombian giant is knocked out of the cup...by their own reserves!

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for a bonus episode this Thursday all about the death and resurrection of former Portuguese champions Boavista.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

00:46 – FIFA’s collapsing house of cards

01:56 – Montserrat

08:15 – Guadeloupe

11:52 – Nepal

14:30 – Comoros

21:10 – Montenegro’s continental calamity

29:36 – Colombia’s cold-blood reserves

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With players who once worked as electricians and mortgage advisors, Cape Verde pushed Lionel Messi & Co. to extra time in the round of 32, serving up one of the most memorable knockout ties in World Cup history. And one of the all-time great goals, scored by Sydny Lopes Cabral, who was playing in the German fifth tier not long ago and was so poor that he was hanging up binbags as makeshift curtains.

But how does the game compare to other World Cup classics in the modern era? And what will Cape Verde’s fairytale run do for tourism in the country?

Another outsider surpassing expectations is Paraguay, who eliminated four-time world champions Germany. Goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who was facing his idol Manuel Neuer, boasts one of the best rags to riches stories at the tournament.

Plus: Viral Kiwi Tim Payne completes a transfer to Olimpia in South America and an England fan sparks an international manhunt.

Sign up to The Sweeper’s Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/SweeperPod

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:53 – Cape Verde v. Argentina

05:50 – From zeroes to heroes

19:00 – A World Cup tourism boost

23:06 – Paraguay’s dark arts

25:17 – Orlando Gill’s amazing story

26:55 – Tim Payne’s Olimpia move

29:48 – An England fan manhunt

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Among the teams in the last 32 are seven knockout debutants: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Canada, DR Congo, Egypt, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Cape Verde, who have been the story of the tournament and face Lionel Messi’s Argentina next. But which other countries reached the knockouts on their first-ever World Cup appearance? And which others made it through the group phase with three draws?

Elsewhere, there are some ties with intriguing political backdrops. Austria face Spain in a battle of the two branches of the Habsburg family, while co-hosts Mexico and Ecuador go head-to-head in the Latin American Embassy Derby. There’s also a sinister history between Germany and Paraguay, an assassination plot involving England and DR Congo, and an air base that will link the USA and Bosnia forever.

Plus: South Korea’s president intervenes following the country’s miserable World Cup performance, Marcelo Bielsa has a full-scale meltdown on camera and Tunisia stake a claim for being the worst team at the World Cup.

Sign up to The Sweeper's Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/SweeperPod

Follow Joey D'Urso on Instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/joey.durso/

And Joey D'Urso's Substack is here:

https://joeydurso.substack.com/

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

02:38 – Debutants and draws

05:10 – Knockout newcomers

10:50 – Cape Verde’s Messi meeting

17:51 – Political pairings

28:11 – Regrets and recriminations

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Algeria are preparing to exact revenge against Austria for the ‘Disgrace of Gijón’ 44 years ago, in what may be the biggest grudge match of the tournament, while the Dutch royal family has been groundhopping to watch the Netherlands and Curaçao on the same day.

Elsewhere, Hervé Renard and his crisp white shirts have failed to salvage Tunisia’s campaign, a marriage proposal went wrong at the Uruguay-Cape Verde match and Senegal have resorted to ordering takeaways to their team hotel in the absence of a proper chef.

Plus: Borja Iglesias struggles to get into the Spain training base, an Iranian player has his celebrity aunt to thank for his call-up, German fan Freddy sparks a bidding war from North American airlines and Montevideo tops the all-time World Cup birthplace table.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:10 – Shocking scandals

11:18 – Famous fans

16:58 – Crazy call-ups

21:55 – Miscellaneous mayhem

26:09 – Bountiful birthplaces

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The USMNT have a star striker who gained citizenship by pure coincidence, while the American and Canadian tournament mascots have inspired a Peruvian drug bust and a Mexican duck wearing a national team shirt has gone viral across the world.

Meanwhile, Algeria have begun a love affair with the people of host state Kansas, who have completely thrown their support behind the team, while Scotland are BBQing with AirBnB hosts in Boston and South Korean fans are forging a tequila-based bond in Mexico City.

Plus: Cape Verde stun the football world against Spain, Brazil and Mexico contest the ‘Non-European European Border Derby’, Australia’s refugee strikeforce make a flying start and Algeria top the ‘World Cup Sleep Tax’ table.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:50 – Cape Verde’s heroics

04:45 – Curious citizenships

10:20 – Glorious geography

14:10 – Strange statistics

20:26 – Beautiful bonds

25:40 – Amazing animals

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With former Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro at the helm, the former Soviet republic is about to become the first Central Asian country and the first double-landlocked nation to take part in the greatest show on earth.

But what else do you need to know about the White Wolves before they have even kicked a ball in North America?

In the final episode of our four-part series on the 2026 World Cup debutants, it is all about Uzbekistan, who have shed their decades-long nearly-men tag and arguably boast the best chances of any of the newcomers to the competition.

Plus, DR Congo’s preparations are disrupted by the Ebola outbreak and Bosnia bring the largest coffee pot on the planet to North America.

Join our Curaçao v Germany watch-along on Sunday 14 June at 6pm UK time here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:45 – The coach: Cannavaro’s playing pedigree

04:00 – The players: Khusanov the star man

08:45 – Qualifying: Nearly men no more

11:09 – Group: Portugal, Colombia & DR Congo

13:16 – DR Congo: Ebola outbreak at home

16:44 – Bosnia: The world’s largest coffee pot

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Led by coach Jamal Sellami in the dugout and captain Musa Al-Taamari on the pitch – who do not appear to agree when it comes to tactics – Jordan are set to become the country with the lowest land point to ever play at the finals.

But what else do you need to know about the wonderfully nicknamed Chivalrous Ones ahead of their opening match?

In the third instalment of our four-part series on the 2026 World Cup debutants, we’re turning our attentions to Jordan, who are known for their culinary goal celebrations and seemingly missed the memo for the group-stage draw...

Plus, Panama’s decision to hold an opening training session completely backfires and Norway go full-Viking with their pre-tournament team photo.

Join our Curaçao v Germany watchalong on Sunday 14 June at 6pm UK time here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:45 – The coach: Naturalised citizen Sellami

04:30 – The players: Mutinous captain Al-Taamari

10:40 – Qualifying: Sweet revenge on Iraq

13:05 – Group: Algeria, Argentina & Austria

16:12 – Panama: An opening training session to forget

19:08 – Norway: The epic pre-tournament Viking pic

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Spearheaded by veteran coach Dick Advocaat – soon to be the oldest coach in the tournament’s history – the Caribbean island are the smallest-ever nation to make an appearance at the finals with a population of only 160,000.

So what should you know about the brilliantly nicknamed Blue Wave before they make their bow on the global stage this month?

In the second episode of our four-part series on the 2026 World Cup debutants, we’re focusing on Curacao –a non-independent country that is part of the Netherlands and has as many Europe-born players as first opponents Germany.

Plus, Graham Potter calls up a member of the Swedish nobility in defence and Iran’s final friendly opponents Gambia lose their football boots.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

02:48 – The coach: Dick Advocaat’s age record

05:40 – The players: Only Chong born in Curacao

09:15 – Qualifying: VAR scare versus Jamaica

12:05 – Group: Germany, Ivory Coast & Ecuador

15:50 – Gustaf Lagerbielke: Sweden’s defensive baron

17:42 – Gambia: DJ visits and lost football boots

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With a head coach nicknamed after the island of his birth and only seven full-time staff members, the tiny African archipelago are about to take on former world champions Spain and Uruguay as well as Saudi Arabia in North America.

But what do you need to know about the Blue Sharks ahead of their maiden appearance on the greatest stage in international football?

In the first of our four-part series on the debutants at the 2026 World Cup, we talk through the once Portuguese colony’s unique recruitment strategy – from LinkedIn DMs to Rotterdam recruits – and assess their chances of a Group H upset.

Plus, New Zealand’s Tim Payne becomes an overnight viral sensation and Haiti’s Josué Duverger prepares to swap fifth-tier German side Cosmos Koblenz for World Cup duty.

Get 10% off with Golaço Kits by visiting golacokits.com and using the discount code SWEEPER10 at checkout.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:57 – The coach: Bubista & seven staff

03:05 – The players: Diaspora & LinkedIn

07:54 – Qualifying: Windy win over Eswatini

11:04 – Group: Spain, Uruguay & Saudi Arabia

13:30 – Our new partner: Golaço Kits

15:25 – Tim Payne: NZ’s overnight sensation

18:28 – Josué Duverger: Haiti’s fifth-tier keeper

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Welcome to beautiful Andorra – a micro-state home to a football scene brimming with curiosities and quirks.

In this episode, we’re unpacking the madness: Why are there virtually no Andorrans in the local Primera Divisió? How did Gerard Piqué’s FC Andorra move over the border to play in Spain’s La Liga 2? And why on earth do fans of UE Santa Coloma dress up as squirrels?

Plus: UEFA has totally revamped qualification for international competitions with a tiered Swiss-style system – and the continent's smaller nations are up in arms about it.

Buy ‘Around The World In 80 Clubs’: ⁠www.amazon.co.uk/Around-World-80-Clubs-Wonderful/dp/1399637886

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:26 – FC Andorra: The history

03:15 – FC Andorra: Piqué & Ceuta

12:50 – The Copa Constitució final

17:03 – No homegrown players

24:10 – The micro-state ranking list

30:08 – UEFA’s qualification revamp

31:25 – A message from the minnows

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In this episode, we tell the extraordinary story of Sudan’s Al Hilal Omdurman and their unprecedented African odyssey.

After escaping conflict at home, they first conquered Mauritania’s Super D1 in May 2025, before winning a short championship in their native Sudan last summer and the Rwandan Premier League this month.

But why have they been playing in other countries? Will their tour of the continent continue next season? And which other clubs have become champions of another nation?

Plus, the first indigenous pro club in Brazil get off to a winning start and a 42-second Dutch replay goes comically wrong.

‘Around The World In 80 Clubs’: www.amazon.co.uk/Around-World-80-Clubs-Wonderful/dp/1399637886

Ali Howorth’s Substack newsletter: www.alasdairhoworth.substack.com

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

02:20 – The move to Mauritania

05:55 – The return home to Sudan

07:34 – The relocation to Rwanda

12:55 – Al Hilal’s next destination

14:45 – Champions in foreign countries

19:06 – Brazil’s first indigenous pro club

22:50 – A 42-second Dutch replay

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The 18 club owners have voted to separate the league from the federation, move towards a franchise model, and permanently abolish promotion and relegation in practice.

But hang on, wasn’t relegation already abolished in Mexican football? Don’t lots of top leagues worldwide function as a closed shop? And why are Mexico’s 2026 World Cup preparations under Javier Aguirre causing problems for the domestic league too?

On this episode, we investigate the state of domestic football in Mexico and look ahead to the co-host’s controversial build-up to this summer’s global showpiece.

Plus: Racing de Montevideo celebrate their maiden Uruguayan title on the roadside and San Marino Calcio’s players pen an angry letter.

Jon Arnold's Substack is here and his viral Mexican football video on Instagram is here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:25 – Seismic shifts in Mexican football

06:00 – The death of promotion & relegation

10:05 – Closed shop leagues worldwide

15:37 – Mexico’s pre-World Cup chaos

21:38 – Racing’s roadside title celebration

27:22 – San Marino Calcio’s angry letter

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His story perfectly encapsulates the improbable rise of the club, who were promoted only last summer and are already champions of Switzerland for the first time in their history.

So how did Meichtry go from construction worker to title-winner? How did Thun take Swiss football by storm? And where does their triumph rank on the all-time list of great soccer fairytales and underdog stories?

In this episode of The Sweeper Podcast, we pull back the curtain one of the biggest European football stories of 2026: Thun’s unlikely transformation from relegation candidates to first-time national champions.

You can sign up for the waiting list for The Sweeper's live show and the ‘Around The World in 80 Clubs’ book launch via this link: ⁠thesweeper.eventbrite.com⁠

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:20 – Celebrations: Pyrotechnics and pubs

04:40 – Management: Gerber and Lustrinelli

09:36 – Players: Roadworkers, recoveries and rejects

12:50 – Style: Verticality and disregard for possession

15:42 – Rivals: Basel & Young Boys underperformance

19:05 – Records: Swiss and European comparisons

23:03 – Patreon plug and live show information

24:35 – Fairytales: Where does Thun sit in the ranking?

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The energy drinks giant, which already majority-owns football clubs in Austria, Germany, America, Brazil and Japan, reportedly wants to venture into football in Italy and has now set its sights on FC Südtirol.

So what makes the Serie B club a sensible strategic move for Red Bull? And why should supporters in Bolzano be wary of multi-club ownership?

This weekend, we went to Austria Salzburg – the phoenix club that rose from the ashes of Red Bull’s hostile first foray into the sport – to explore what the future may hold for FC Südtirol.

Plus, Bursaspor win each of Turkiye’s top four divisions and a defeat helps Den Bosch secure a spot in the Eerste Divisie play-offs.

You can book your ticket for The Sweeper's live show and Around The World in 80 Clubs book launch from this link: thesweeper.eventbrite.com

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:15 – Red Bull’s Italian expansion plans

07:30 – The hostile takeover of Austria Salzburg

11:10 – The phoenix club that rose from the ashes

15:40 – FC Südtirol: Yes or no to the energy empire?

21:15 – Bursaspor’s Turkish football completion

26:45 – UEFA Champions League fallen giants

28:12 – Promotion chaos in the Eerste Divisie

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As part of their efforts to integrate occupied Ukrainian territories, Russia are now creating their own versions of major Ukrainian teams.

So why are UEFA not stopping this? What is the current situation in the Crimean Premier League? And how has the invasion changed football in Ukraine?

On this episode, we’re taking you on a journey to Ukraine to investigate how football is being used as a weapon of aggression.

Plus: Semi-pro Heidelberg United eye up an historic AFC berth and Montserrat search for a new head coach on Facebook.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:25 – The copycats in Russia’s fourth tier

06:22 – The Crimean Premier League

08:01 – Shakhtar Donetsk’s European run

11:15 – The rapid rise of LNZ Cherkasy

17:31 – Heidelberg United’s AFC aspirations

20:58 – Unlikely continental qualifications

25:30 – Montserrat’s unorthodox manager hunt

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If tiny FC Thun can get just a few more points on the board, they will win the Swiss Super League and claim the first major trophy in their 128-year history.

But what do the locals make of it all? Why is Thun the perfect place for such a fairytale? And how did a literal sauna force a high-stakes clash with Basel to be called off?

We headed to the Alps to meet the fans and find out the answers. Join us in Thun for Europe’s most extraordinary club football story of 2026.

Sign up to Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod to enter the FC Vaduz giveaway.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:35 – A quick history of FC Thun

04:45 – The fire at St. Jakob Park

11:20 – Other bizarre postponements

16:46 – Groundhopping with the Thun Army

22:16 – A tour of the Stockhorn Arena

28:10 – The stunning beauty of Thun

33:15 – A quick stop-off at FC Vaduz

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sergej Barbarez has guided the Balkan country to the tournament in his first head coach role – at the expense of four-time champions Italy.

So how did he go from the casino for the dugout? Why has qualification cost his striker Ermedin Demirovic €300,000? And how are Bosnia at a second World Cup without ever making the EUROs?

In this episode, we explore brilliant Bosnia’s incredible journey and reflect on Iraq and DR Congo’s play-offs successes too.

Plus, the Ceuta coach pledges to walk to Rome and Nauru launch their one child, one ball initiative.

Nutmeg Magazine (You can buy the magazine for a special Sweeper discount rate of £10 by using the code 'sweeper' at checkout): https://www.nutmegmagazine.co.uk/product/issue-39/

Nauru's 1 Child 1 Ball Initiative: https://stingz.co/pages/nauru-soccer-federation-one-child-one-ball-initiative?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ8cvxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEelDO7Gm-3sFxEpJ4A-iTsjaeuk0DmhnSSu4YoASfMxIsy-KbfggLYXbPp-qE_aem_QArFYavpkwgspTpT7riFWA

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:26 – Bosnia’s poker-playing coach

15:20 – Iraq’s 21-match qualifying campaign

19:32 – DR Congo and the legend of Zaire

23:39 – Nutmeg magazine’s World Cup issue

26:24 – Ceuta coach’s pledge to walk to Rome

31:40 – Nauru’s 1 child 1 ball initiative

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They have no domestic league to develop players, sometimes take just one fan to away matches and, for years, had just one professional footballer.

So how do they make it work? Why is it so hard to generate support for the team? And what change to international football might improve their fortunes?

In this episode, we put the micro-state under the microscope and examine how Europe’s richest country is also home to its strangest national football team.

Plus, the German winger with a secret double life and the Italian coach who disguised himself as a priest.

Equator's World Cup 2026 course with David Goldblatt:

https://www.equator.org/courses/world-cup-2026

Stamping Grounds by Charlie Connelly: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stamping-Grounds-Exploring-Liechtenstein-World/dp/0349114889

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:03 – Liechtenstein at the FIFA Series

08:07 – Europe’s strangest national team

18:41 – Sudan’s bizarre 12th-tier call-up

20:21 – Puerto Rico’s tournament triumph

23:08 – Equator’s 2026 World Cup Masterclass

27:22 – The German winger with a double life

30:07 – Italy’s coach disguised as a priest

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

But this month, the Red Sea Camels are making their long-awaited return to the international stage in AFCON 2027 qualifying.

So what kept Eritrea away? Why are they returning to the fold now? And do they have any chance against Eswatini?

In this episode, we take you on a virtual journey to the Horn of Africa – and shine a light on the only country excluded from the FIFA rankings.

Plus, the Belarusian team in exile in Poland and the Russian war critic making waves in Cyprus.

Sweeper football shirts: ⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠

Deutsche Welle documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMRQQYGNBK8

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:14 – Eritrea’s international absence

04:55 – Dictatorships and defection

09:16 – The long-awaited return to the fold

13:30 – The state of play in the national team

19:02 – Poland’s Belarusian club in exile

22:47 – Sweeper shirts and special bonus pod

24:17 – Russia’s war critic turned club owner

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Since the United States launched strikes against Iran at the end of last month, the big question in the football world has been whether the latter will still play at the World Cup.

So will Iran play or not? Could they even face the United States? And who would likely replace them if they were to withdraw?

Today, we run through all the conceivable scenarios and analyse the most turbulent build-up to a World Cup in living memory.

Plus: The Barcelona fan who went to the wrong St. James’ Park and Welsh club Llantwit Major’s hilarious cup run.

BUY THE SHIRTS: ⁠⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠⁠

Get £6 off with Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/sweeperpod⁠

The Guardian on the 1930 World Cup: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/may/13/world-cup-stunning-moments-25-conte-verde-uruguay

The Los Angeles Times on India:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/sports-now/story/2011-07-19/did-india-withdraw-from-the-1950-world-cup-because-they-were-not-allowed-to-play-barefoot

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:55 – Iran’s World Cup predicament

04:35 – USA fit to host tournament?

08:09 – Scenario 1 – Iran play at World Cup

11:25 – Historical precedents for withdrawals

16:40 – Scenario 2 – Iran withdraw from World Cup

20:55 – Barca fan’s extreme travel mix-up

29:17 – Llantwit Major’s wacky cup run

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Instead, two teams now both lay claim to the original club’s success – including the highly prized 1986 European Cup.

So who is the true successor? Why did UEFA change its mind four decades later? And could they ever play against each other?

In this episode, we take you inside one of European football’s oddest disputes: the battle for Steaua Bucharest’s history.

Plus: The Italian coach who sacked himself after 44 years and the German pirate island club with no opponents.

BUY THE SHIRTS: ⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠

Get £6 off with Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/sweeperpod

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:57 – FCSB’s nightmare season

02:19 – The battle for Steaua’s history

10:09 – Unlikely European Cup winners quiz

14:07 – Gigi Becali: Football’s craziest owner

17:39 – The coach who sacked himself

23:04 – Football’s longest-serving managers

26:10 – The club with no opponents

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New episodes are released at 8pm UK time every Tuesday. For bonus podcasts every Thursday at the same time, sign up at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

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Fixtures in the DPRK Premier League aren’t published. Fans only find out matches are happening when notices appear outside the stadium the day before. You can’t check the scores. And you can’t watch full games on TV.

So how does football actually work in the world’s most secretive country?

Why are English Premier League matches shown – but delayed by months and cut down to 60 minutes? Is it really possible to groundhop in Pyongyang? And how have North Korea’s women become one of the strongest forces in football – especially at youth level?

Join us for all the answers in this episode, in which we also tell the story of the Colombian club totally transformed under Wrexham’s Hollywood owners and unveil our first-ever merch: The Sweeper Podcast football shirts.

BUY THE SHIRTS: https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast

Get £6 off with Patreon: https://patreon.com/sweeperpod

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:25 – The DPRK Premier League

05:41 – Bizarre North Korean broadcasts

09:08 – Groundhopping in Pyongyang

13:43 – Unrivalled success at youth level

18:40 – Wrexham's Hollywood duo in Colombia

26:32 – The Sweeper's football shirts

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But did you know Norway is home to an even snowier pitch, 1,000km further north at the very top of the world, in a place where seeds are stored for the event of an apocalypse and people carry rifles to the supermarket to stave off polar bear attacks?

So who used to play here, on this northernmost 11-a-side pitch in the world? Why did it all change after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? And why do so many Liverpool fans live in this Arctic wilderness?

Next, we hop over to Central America, where a family feud is ruining birthdays and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. So what scenario is unfolding here that is happening nowhere else in the world?

Finally, there’s a club in a local amateur league whose players are forced to play every match at home. Why are they banned from ever playing away? And which former professional footballer is employed to guard them?

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:34 – Bodø/Glimt's UCL magic

04:51 – Football at the top of the world

07:59 – Four fun facts about Svalbard

12:27 – El Salvador's family feud

16:02 – Family coaching battles

20:03 – Poland's Nazi-defying club

22:51 – Hashtag United's cup clash

26:06 – Jonker Boys' unusual restriction

Around The World in 80 Clubs: ⁠https://geni.us/WorldIn80Clubs

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Join us on a journey to a tropical corner of the planet as we uncover a rivalry first played in 1914… and still being contested today.

Who are the two teams involved? Why have they faced each other so often – an average of seven times a year for over a century? And what could finally slow this extraordinary fixture down in 2026?

Next, we explore the remarkable story of a top-flight club who have not lost a league game since before the pandemic. How have they stayed unbeaten for so long – and why, despite that run, are they still not the most dominant team in world football?

Finally, we turn to the international game and the national team hoping to represent what could become the world’s newest country in 2027. But if independence comes, will they be welcomed into the global football family – or left waiting on the sidelines?

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:14 – The world’s most-played fixture

11:21 – Other contenders for the title

14:45 – The longest unbeaten run in history

22:00 – Around The World in 80 Clubs

25:30 – The world’s newest national team?

Bougainville – A New Country: https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/126735-000-A/arte-reportage/

Around The World in 80 Clubs: https://geni.us/WorldIn80Clubs

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We paid a visit to Dunajská Streda to watch local team DAC 1904 play domestic giants Slovan Bratislava in a top-of-the table clash in Slovakia. But this was no ordinary game. It was the most politically charged football match we’ve ever seen.

The reason for that lies far beyond the football pitch. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is funding clubs in neighbouring countries as part of a broader political strategy – one that may help him win re-election in April and shape the balance of power in the EU.

Elsewhere, the Copa Libertadores is reportedly preparing to invite guest clubs from Mexico and the US to participate in the competition starting in 2027, while Chinese football has hit a new low after nine of the Super League’s 16 clubs were deducted points.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

01:49 - Live game: DAC 1904 v Slovan Bratislava

14:32 - Viktor Orbán's political power play

21:18 - Copa Libertadores guest invitations

23:04 - Analysis from Jon Arnold

25:59 - China's Super League low point

27:21 - Analysis from John Duerden

Sources for the lead story

Atlatszo: https://english.atlatszo.hu/2018/12/11/the-orban-government-spent-billions-on-hungarian-football-clubs-in-serbia-romania-and-slovakia

Balkan Insight: https://balkaninsight.com/2025/07/08/hungary-and-croatia-build-stadium-for-e7-5-million-in-village-of-500-inhabitants

Denník: https://dennikn.sk/1380564/bolo-to-ako-vojna-bitka-policajtov-s-fanusikmi-dunajskej-stredy-po-ktorej-sa-zmenil-zakon/

Radio Free Europe: https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-orban-sport-influence-romania/31977287.html

Salzburger Nachrichten:https://www.sn.at/sport/fussball/international/dac-dunajska-streda-orbans-aushaengeschild-in-der-slowakei-art-371392

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Their run has come at a time of dramatic geopolitical change in the South Caucasus, with the club preparing to return to their hometown of Ağdam after spending more than three decades in exile in the capital Baku.

Elsewhere, Bodø/Glimt stunned the continent by qualifying for the knockouts despite not playing domestic football since November, while Benfica hit the headlines with a goalkeeper goal and a viral TV interview from a local priest.

Club Brugge also progressed through the league phase, but that will not be the enduring memory of their season for three fans who accompanied the team to Kazakhstan and ended up in jail in one of the strangest away-day stories of the season.

Ghost Cities FC by James Montague for the BBC: www.bbc.com/audio/play/p0lxg7xy

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:41 – Qarabağ's historic Champions League run

02:01 – A story of exile and homecoming

07:22 – Soft power and state support

10:50 – The secret to their sporting success

14:37 – The challenges ahead: Newcastle and Sabah

17:02 – Patreon preview: Chapecoense and South America

18:33 – Another milestone for Bodø/Glimt

21:45 – Benfica's keeper goal and priest interview

26:07 – Brugge's congratulations and Borat arrests

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This amateur team of tourism and post office workers are about to enter the Finnish Cup – their one big moment each year to show they are more than just a novelty name.

But beyond Lapland, what else is so unique about the competition? We speak to Tomi Leivo-Jokimäki, the chief organiser at the Finnish Football Association, about its soaring popularity, English influence and the trophy's wacky back story.

Finally, we take a look at other unique cup competitions across the European continent – from France’s all-inclusive cup to Bosnia’s strange final.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:32 – Santa Claus' other big moment

03:38 – The uniqueness of the Finnish Cup

05:42 – A typical run in the competition

07:40 – Favourite Finnish club names

09:38 – Interview with Tomi Leivo-Jokimäki

23:20 – Patreon episode sneak peak

24:29 – Cup craziness across Europe

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At the heart of their rise is president Carlos Teixeira, a construction entrepreneur who literally built the club’s stadium himself before reluctantly taking over the reins.

On this episode, we tell Atert Bissen's story – before heading to the Netherlands, where an amateur club in the KNVB Beker are guaranteed to lift a trophy whether they win the competition or not.

To complete the Benelux trio we finish off in Belgium, where an angry father, a potential Iraqi investor and a revolving door of coaches have allegedly turned Olympic Charleroi into a hot mess.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:45 – Atert Bissen’s remarkable rise

06:35 – Rapid risers across the globe

08:40 – De Treffers & the Blue Pine Cone

14:40 – Amateur rewards worldwide

18:00 – Chaos at Olympic Charleroi

22:20 – Special Sweeper announcement

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Chapters

00:00 – Intro

04:11 – OFC Pro League: Format & fixtures

08:58 – OFC Pro League: Distances & date lines

13:24 – OFC Pro League: Intriguing individuals

23:23 – OFC Pro League: Concurrent competitions

27:54 – The German ex-coach working at McDonald's

31:32 – Strangest former footballer careers

38:53 – Mali's fetish priest & Gabon's letter

46:03 – Japan's schedule switch & Fukushima United

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In Part 2, Africa correspondent Ali Howorth drops in before flying to Morocco to give us the lowdown on AFCON 2025 and help us decide which team to support at the tournament. Then it’s over to Europe to put the Ekstraklasa under the microscope. But what unique situation that we have never seen before has occurred in Poland’s top flight? And finally, to mark the festive season, there is a mention for Christmas Island – an Australian overseas territory that is known for its red crabs and its football rivalry with the nearby Cocos Islands.

World Soccer magazine special offer: shop.kelsey.co.uk/sweeperxmas25

John Duerden’s Substack newsletter: https://howfootballexplainsasia.substack.com

Ali Howarth’s AFCON flow chart: https://x.com/ahoworth97/status/2001293214012014953

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:35 – India’s Super League crisis

08:56 – Other leagues in limbo worldwide

11:29 – Malaysia’s naturalisation scandal

21:47 – Gus Poyet’s Jeonbuk departure

27:17 – AFCON 2025 in Morocco

39:55 – The crazy Polish Ekstraklasa

44:25 – Mayhem & chaos across UEFA

48:00 – Christmas Island and red crabs

53:45 – On The Spot - The Apertura crown

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In Part 2, it's the usual array of stories from across the world. Several French overseas territories award four points for a win – but what other location-specific football rules exist around the world? Lee tests Paul in a quiz! Over in Norway, a season of surprises continues as Viking claim the Eliteserien and second-tier Lillestrøm win the Norwegian Cup. We hear from Viking's No.1 overseas fan Babsi! And finally, the 2026 World Cup group stage draw is now done and dusted. Which debutant has the best chance of going through?

Copa 90 documentary on Vancouver Whitecaps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Hnk37Lwo8

Weird and wacky football rules: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_tournament_ranking_system#Association_football

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:47 – Canada's World Cup prospects

02:38 – The Vancouver Whitecaps story

07:24 – Relocation fears

11:35 – Vancouver FC's Champions Cup qualification

15:33 – The newcomers: FC Supra du Québec

17:50 – The departure: Valour FC

19:43 – The rebrand: Inter Toronto

24:33 – Four points per win in the Caribbean

28:15 – Bizarre football rules quiz

36:30 – Norway's season of surprises

48:14 – Debutant World Cup groups

50:38 – On The Spot

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In Part 2, the focus switches to three stories across three different continents that have caught our eye at Sweeper HQ: promoted Thun's Swiss title charge, Al Hilal and Al Merrikh's move to Rwanda, and a controversial new championship title in Argentina. What has coach Mauro Lustrinelli done to help Thun take the Super League by storm this season? What exclusive club have the Sudanese duo of Al Hilal and Al Merrikh joined by moving to Rwanda? And will Argentina really have eight title-winners every year?!

More from Jon Arnold:

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jonarnoldfc

Substack newsletter: https://getconcacafed.substack.com

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:51 – Curacao's World Cup miracle

13:17 – Haiti's triumph in face of adversity

23:47 – The own goal that saved Suriname

26:57 – The inter-confederation play-offs

28:35 – Steve McClaren's Jamaica exit

35:40 – Thun's extraordinary Swiss title tilt

39:48 – 2025: The year of the promoted club

41:48 – Sudanese duo's Rwanda move

45:19 – Trivia: Three-country football clubs

46:49 – Argentina's new championship title

51:07 – On The Spot

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In Part 2, the focus moves to elsewhere in the southern hemisphere: Oceania. Lee attended the soft launch event for the OFC Pro League, the continent’s first-ever professional competition, and has some interesting nuggets to share. Where and when will the OFC Pro League get under way? How will the tournament benefit the Tahiti and Fiji national teams. Is Christchurch United’s rebrand as South Island United a good or bad decision? And would South Melbourne theoretically be able to represent Oceania at the Club World Cup?

More from Copa Club

Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thecopaclub

Substack: https://thecopaclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:48 – Chile’s pirate champions

08:53 – Brazil’s meteoric risers

18:47 – Argentina’s year of the underdog

21:03 – Bolivian identity fraud

25:09 – Sweepers On Tour

26:11 – OFC Pro League recap

28:02 – OFCPL: Launches & logistics

33:27 – OFCPL: Coaches & CEOs

37:15 – OFCPL: Rebrands & reserves

40:29 – OFCPL: Non-OFC neighbours

45:16 – On The Spot

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In Part 2, Lee returns to the virtual studio to dissect Maksim’s grand plan for a Baltic League and tell Paul all about the live experience at the Latvian Cup final. What format for the Baltic League take and how would the three stages of the competition work? What is the likelihood of it ever happening? Why was the Skonto Stadium in Riga only 14% full for the big match? And what exactly is the strange relationship between Riga FC and Auda FK?

*There is NO official proof on paper of an official relationship between Riga FC and Auda FK. Our source regarding their curious connection is Baltic Football News: balticfootballnews.com

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:10 – The good and bad of Latvian football

04:23 – The vanishing champion problem

12:11 – Memorable European nights

20:05 – The Baltic League grand plan

28:08 – Format, strengths & weaknesses

37:37 – The 2025 Latvian Cup final

47:20 – On The Spot

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Part 2 continues in Lithuania, where Lee has paid a visit to second-tier champions TransINVEST and their stunning newstadium to ask some key questions. How does a new club based in a village outside Vilnius and owned by a logistics company build a fanbase from scratch? What has the reaction been in the rest of Lithuania? And why is football firmlyin the shadow of basketball in this beautiful Baltic country? To finish off, there are tales of helicopters, heartbreak and heroism in Ireland, Iceland and Kazakhstan respectively.

More from Baltic Football News

Read the Baltic Football News Website

Listen to the Baltic Football Podcast

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:45 – The Mjällby miracle

09:37 – Kauno Žalgiris with Baltic Football News

14:08 – A trip to TransINVEST

29:45 – Ireland’s marathon helicopter

31:51 – Relegation for cup winners Vestri

32:50 – Final-day drama in Kazakhstan

34:23 – On The Spot

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In Part 2, Lee and Paul hear from Cape Verde central defender Roberto Lopes, who explains the story of his international recruitment via LinkedIn, and discuss everything from diaspora to donkeys. Why are there as many Cape Verdeans living overseas as on the islands themselves? Which geographical and demographical records have they broken by qualifying? And how has the Portuguese colonial rule shaped the domestic game today?

More from Ali Howorth

On The Whistle Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@otw_podcast

Substack Newsletter: https://alasdairhoworth.substack.com/

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:52 – Ali Howorth live from Praia

18:47 – Cape Verde shirt giveaway

20:00 – Diaspora and DMs

24:07 – Roberto Lopes voice note

26:37 – Best international recruitments

28:58 – World Cup’s smallest nations

35:14 – Domestic football and donkeys

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There's more groundhopping tales to tell in Part 2 – but this time from the club game, because Lee has also been to watch Paks against Ferencváros in a Hungarian top-of-the-table clash in Budapest. What resemblance do Hungary's surprise league leaders bear to Athletic Bilbao of Spain? Why is their ultra group named 'Atomic Strike'? Why did thousands of Ferencváros fans change places in the stands five minutes into the match? And why might we not recommend live football in Hungary to groundhoppers?

Support The Sweeper

• Join The Sweeper on Patreon

• Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee

Links

Watch Greenland's Football Heroes (in German) here

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:30 – Greenland: Assists & red cards

07:01 – Greenland: Insights from the camp

14:27 – San Marino: Double-digit demolition

20:23 – San Marino: The press conference

25:39 – Paks: The Athletic Bilbao of Hungary

29:12 – Football Manager save ideas

31:37 – Paks: Robbie Keane's many meltdowns

35:00 – Paks: The power plant ultra group

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In Part 2, the focus switches to the Italian lower leagues. There’s a mafia infiltration at Crotone at Foggia, as various criminal gangs target teams based in the south of Italy. Further north, Ternana appoint the 23-year-old daughter of a billionaire as their new club president. And Italy-based FC Südtirol face WSG Tirol of Austria, the club with only one away fan (sort of), in an intriguing match-up of two teams based in regions that used to be in the same country.

#slovakia #euro1976 #uefa #worldfootball #footballpodcast #crotone #ternana #seriec #serieb #italianfootball

Sign up to FIFA+ for free

• This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper

• Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new FIFA+ football team to support.

#MakeItHappen – Montserrat v India friendly

• X: https://x.com/SweeperPod/status/1970926209614979083

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_v2AMDeq8/

Support The Sweeper

• Join The Sweeper on Patreon

• Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee

Follow The Sweeper

• Twitter: x.com/SweeperPod

• Instagram: instagram.com/sweeperpod

• Facebook: facebook.com/SweeperPod

The Sweeper team

• Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson

• Editor: Ralph Foster

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:51 – Czechoslovakia's EURO 1976 win

05:27 – Football successor nations

09:28 – UEFA's recognition for Slovakia

14:21 – Reaction from Bratislava

25:47 – Montserrat's challenge to India

30:04 – Crotona's mafia infiltration

35:00 – Atalanta U23s in Serie C south

37:47 – Ternana's 23-year-old club president

42:17 – Serie C on FIFA+

44:04 – Battle of the Italian & Austrian Tyrols

46:10 – WSG Tirol's one away supporter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Part 1: Europe

• Austria’s stadium sinkhole saga continues as Ralf Rangnick takes to an e-bike
• Romania’s Mircea Lucescu becomes the second-oldest international coach ever
• Kosovo are unofficial world champions - but continue to face geopolitical challenges
• Erling Haaland apologises mid-game as Norway beat Moldova by record 11-1 score
• Slovakia and Iceland upset the odds to record famous World Cup qualifying wins

Part 2: Rest of the world

• Suriname turn around their fortunes with sports passport initiative & Dutch DNA
• Bolivia rely on altitude again to give themselves an edge in World Cup qualifying
• Uzbekistan continue incredible year by beating Iran to win 2025 CAFA Nations Cup
• Nepal cancel Bangladesh friendly due to civil unrest & elect new leader on Discord
• Northern Mariana Islands’ U23s face China in one of football’s biggest mismatches

The Sweeper is the global football podcast bringing you weird and wonderful stories from every corner of the planet. Whether you're into underdogs and upsets, ultras and fan culture, groundhopping and travel, derbies and rivalries, geography and geopolitics, or simply want a break from the relentless churn of big-money football, The Sweeper has you covered!

Support The Sweeper:

• Join The Sweeper on Patreon
• Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee

The Sweeper team

• Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
• Editor: Ralph Foster

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:58 – Austrian sink holes and bicycles

05:34 – Mircea Lucescu: Football’s oldest coach?

09:08 – The 2025 Amateur Nations Cup

11:14 – The World Tram Driver Championship

13:48 – Kosovo’s unofficial world title

16:18 – UEFA’s seven banned match-ups

21:35 – Norway’s demolition job on Moldova

26:33 – Celebrations for Slovakia & Iceland

31:03 – Suriname’s World Cup push

34:59 – Bolivia’s strategic masterclass

38:25 – New Caledonia’s Gibraltar friendly

40:56 – Uzbekistan are Central Asian champions

42:29 – Nepal’s protest-related cancellation

45:02 – China’s U23s thrash Northern Mariana Islands

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In Part 2, it’s off to the Pacific to put the new OFC Professional League under the microscope. There is a full breakdown of the newly announced eight-club line-up, the format and all the big talking points around Oceania’s first pro competition, which is set to launch in 2026. Also on the agenda are Tuvalu’s upcoming return to OFC competition in the Men’s Futsal Cup, a giveaway of a rare national team shirt and a round-up of all the action coming up on FIFA+.

Sign up to FIFA+ for free:

• This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper
• Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new FIFA+ football team to support.

Support The Sweeper:

• Join The Sweeper on Patreon
• Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee

Follow John Mac Travels

• Watch John Mac Travels on YouTube
• Follow John Mac Travels on Instagram
• Follow John Mac Travels on X

The Sweeper team

• Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
• Editor: Ralph Foster

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In Part 2, it’s time for the rest of the world – starting with international debutants the Marshall Islands! Which historic feat was achieved by Madison University economics student Josiah Blanton? Which other player at the Outrigger Challenge Cup works for Disney+ in Denmark? Why did airlines refuse to take Haitian club AS Capoise to the CFU Club Shield in Trinidad & Tobago? And who are the tallest and shortest currently active pro footballers?

Please follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/sweeperpod

Join The Sweeper on Patreon: patreon.com/sweeperpod

Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee/sweeperpod

“How Mjällby are gatecrashing Sweden's elite” by BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/crm4wjdr7xpo

“I Became a Football Team’s ONLY Fan” by Away Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNwvsRKCpCI

World's oldest professional footballer on playing at 59: 'I won't put limits on myself' by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/17/worlds-oldest-professional-footballer-playing-at-59-mykola-lykhovydov-ukraine

Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 2, there are stories from Greenland, Australia, Japan, Norway, Estonia & Bolivia. How did B-67 player Søren Kreutzmann spend his one rest day at the 2025 GreenlandicFootball Championship in Nuuk? What all-time record did fourth-tier Nunawading City set in the Australian Cup round of 32? Which Japanese university team has been making headlines in the Emperor’s Cup? How could Lillestrøm be knocked out of the 2026 Norwegian Cup before contesting the 2025 final? And what on earth is Colombian footballer Efmamjjasond González named after?!

Please follow us on Instagram if you don't already: instagram.com/sweeperpod

Join The Sweeper on Patreon: patreon.com/SweeperPod

Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/sweeperpod

Editor: Ralph Foster

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As you will have heard on previous episodes, there will be no regular pod this time around as we take our first (short) break from podding since we started The Sweeper in February 2023. But never fear, we'll be back before you know it, with the next fortnightly episode planned in the next slot on Wednesday 6 August.

In the meantime, a big thank-you from the two of us. We love every second of making this pod and without you, our listeners, who tune in to every episode, send us stories, give us feedback and support us on Patreon, it simply would not be possible. So thank you! Enjoy your July and we'll catch you at the start of next month!

Cheers,

Lee and Paul

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In Part 2, the stories are from the rest of the world. In China, a tournament between AI robot footballers takes place. But will they ever be good enough to face humans? Meanwhile, Palau remains the only country in the world without an active Football Association – which goes some way to explaining why Paul was allowed to play (and score) in their domestic league. And in Mauritius, LaCure Waves have won the cup without a recognised goalkeeper for the quarter-final or semi-final. But why are they still seething with the powers-that-be?

Rayo Vaticano Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soyrayovaticano

Rayo Vaticano e-mail: soyrayovaticano@gmail.com

Guardian profile of SFK 2000: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/may/29/sfk-2000-sarajevo-bosnia-and-herzegovina-womens-football-moving-the-goalposts

The Blizzard Issue 57: https://forwardpress.imbmsubscriptions.com/sweeper10

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 2, it’s back to the club game with stories about the European club competition qualification rounds and the domestic leagues. How does exclave club Araz-Naxçıvan get to away games in Azerbaijan? Why are the ultras of Turkish team Samsunspor nicknamed Şirinler (The Smurfs)? What annual salary is Santi Cazorla paid at newly promoted Real Oviedo? And which European country has already got its 2025/26 season under way?

Read 'Geography, politics and admin: The long road to becoming an international football team' by Nick Miller: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6218449/2025/03/21/geography-politics-and-admin-the-long-road-to-becoming-an-international-football-team/

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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Part 1 is all about the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Will the players of New Zealand outfit Auckland City get time off for the tournament? Why have LAFC replaced Club Leon at the last minute? How on earth did Red Bull Salzburg qualify? Why are the Seattle Sounders players protesting about the competition? And what should you know about Wydad Casablanca, Flamengo and Palmeiras?

World Cup qualifying action is the focal point in Part 2. Which petty measures did Albania resort to at their crunch clash against rivals Serbia? Why did Venezuela stop Bolivia from leaving the country on Friday? Will Curacao replace Iceland as the World Cup’s smallest-ever nation? Plus: Uzbekistan and Jordan achieve historic World Cup qualifications and Finland’s women accidentally call up a 51-year-old ex-player. 

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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Part 1 is largely dedicated to some epic title races across the European continent. What was the Croatian FA President’s original plan for the delivery of the league trophy to the winner on the final day of the season? Which grounds were The Sweeper present at for Austria’s most memorable final day in years? Why was the former Union Saint Gilloise player Gustav Vanderstappen accused of witchcraft? And what was the biggest underdog to win a domestic trophy across Europe this season?

There are four sub-categories in Part 2: African affluence, Middle East minorities, nomadic nearly men and Scandinavian silliness. How is the African Champions League following in the footsteps of its UEFA counterpart? Which club fiercely supported by the minority Azeri population has lifted their first Iranian title? Have guest club Al-Hilal of Sudan won the Mauritanian Super D1 or not? And what European record is a fishing village in south-east Sweden on course to break this year?

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 1, Lee tells Paul all about his travels and experiences in Bruges and Brussels. What did he witness first-hand outside a train station in the capital that shocked him to his core? Which Belgian football stadium is a contender for Europe’s ugliest stadium? How did fourth-tier Crossing Schaerbeek bring their championship trophy onto the pitch at full-time? And which unlikely participants joined in the Belgian Cup trophy lift?

In Part 2, there’s a ‘Best of Britain’ section with stories from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. What were Bodø/Glimt fans trading for tickets to the Europa League semi-final against Spurs? Which Northern Irish club famous for its burgers has finally earned the respect of its rivals? How has Scotland taken inspiration from the UEFA Champions League? And why is VAR making its debut in Wales…in the seventh tier?!

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Belgium’s brilliant goal-line clearance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unogut8fyOY

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Part 2 is dedicated to the rest of the world and starts with continental finals in Asia. How have Lion City Sailors of Singapore been impacted by Lady Gaga? And have Arkadag of Turkmenistan finally dropped points or not? Over in Belize, a 24-year old female coach has almost won the Premier League title with a men’s team. How do her achievements compare to other female managers in men’s football? And finally, South America: Why did Chelsea-bound Estêvão have an 18th birthday to remember? And does posting a highlights reel on Facebook pay off?

Join The Sweeper on Patreon for bonus content – including extra episodes, Discord access, blogs, weekly newsletters, quizzes, interactive maps, club profiles & more.

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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Europe and Africa are the focal points in a fan culture-themed Part 1. How did an American tourist on a hop-on, hop-off boat cruise in London get adopted by Southend’s away fans? What did supporters of Loto Popo in Benin spray on the away team bus during their recent match with Bani Gansé? Are WSG Tirol of Austria the worst-supported top-flight club in Europe? And how did a dog become a chanting season-ticket holder in Greece?

It's over to South America in Part 2. What remarkable feat have indigenous Ecuadorian club Mushuc Runa achieved in the Copa Sudamericana? And what is the latest flamboyant outfit Barcelona coach Segundo Castillo has donned in the Copa Libertadores? How has a Bolivian player gotten away with pretending to be his deceased younger brother for so long? And what happened when a referee Kungfu-kicked a pitch-invading coach in the Copa Peru?

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That is followed by a round-up of the best headlines from the first international window of the year. New Caledonia, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Sudan and Venezuela are all chasing their World Cup debuts – but who stands the best chance of making it and could a Trump travel ban stop them entering the USA? Do Australia regret joining AFC now that OFC gets an automatic World Cup qualifying berth? And what is with South American nations calling up players to make their international debuts before appearing professionally at club level?

Join us on Patreon for:

-           Bonus episodes, including an interview with James Montague about his time spent with ultra groups around the world

-           Blog posts about football in the likes of Africa, the Faroe Islands, Japan and Mongolia

-           Access to our Discord chat community containing hundreds of Sweeper listeners

-           Weekly newsletters with a FIFA+ match recommendation of the week

-           And much more besides!

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 1, the award-winning football journalist and author James Montague joins us in the studio to tell us about Neom Sports Club, the trillion-dollar team in Saudi Arabia’s second division, and their futuristic home city that will have flying cars and robots. But why do the richest club in the world play in the Saudi lower leagues? What do they want to achieve as part of their five-year plan? And how are they viewed by the rest of the country?

It’s back to Europe in Part 2. There’s UEFA Conference League chat about Borac Banja Luka – the champions of Bosnia & Herzegovina who feel more Serbian than Bosnian. Elsewhere, the 2025 Faroe Islands season is under way, the world’s only country with undersea roundabouts and the same champion of its first and second tiers. And finally, there’s a incredible moment in Bulgaria as Arda hold a minute’s silence for an ex-player, who is very much alive and well.

Patreon:

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod to listen to our bonus episode with James Montague (out on 9 April) all about his adventures with ultra groups across the world and to enter the giveaway to win one of three copies of his book 'Engulfed'. All patrons can also read Lee's new blog about African football over the international break, while members of our 'Ultra' and 'Board Member' tiers will also have exclusive access to 'A Steppe Too Far', Paul’s serialised blog about his time accidentally owning a football club in Mongolia.

The Blizzard:

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Editor:

Ralph Foster

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Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new football team to support.

In Part 1, it’s all about Asia. Shandong Taishan have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League due to the "serious physical discomfort" of their players. But is there a more sinister explanation for their premature departure? North Korea has started its Premier League coverage 150 days late. And there is a truly petty reason why games involving three of the 20 clubs cannot be broadcast! Our final stop is in Japan, where Kawasaki Frontale’s back-up goalie has played his first game in nine years and an Okinawan club is sponsored by a local poo museum.

It’s back to Europe for Part 2. With San Marino’s league and cup now on FIFA+, we put the 16-team division under the spotlight and tell some of its quirkier stories. Next up is another micro-state, Andorra, where a French YouTuber is bringing a club back from the dead in the hopes of making Europe in three years. And he’s offering YOU the chance to win a professional contract! The final story for this episode comes from Iceland, where second-tier outfit Grindavík are preparing to return home after a year of volcanic eruptions. The big question is, of course: is it safe?!

Patreon:

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for bonus episodes, blog content, exclusive access, membership of our chat community, quizzes, early & ad free listening and much more besides. There is also still one place available on our Sweeper 'Board Member' tier, where you can join us for Zoom calls and watch live bonus podcast recordings online.

World Soccer discounts:

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Editor:

Ralph Foster

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Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new football team to support.

Some brilliant stories from Europe and Asia await you in Part 1. A Romanian coach has temporarily left his league-leading side to join a televised race across Asia. But what other football personalities have taken part in bizarre reality TV shows? A Polish team has fallen victim to an unusual theft in Turkey. But what was stolen and how did they catch the perpetrator? And a goalkeeper in Senegal becomes only the second footballer to play professionally on all six continents. Who was the first – and why did he put a kidnapped penguin in his bathtub?

Up next in Part 2 are some headlines from Asia and Oceania. Australia’s longest-standing derby awards the winner a trophy made of concrete from the motorway that connects their two cities. There’s arguably an even stranger trophy Down Under, though. The Marshall Islands have launched their ‘No Home’ kit to draw awareness to climate change. But what was unusual about their social media unveiling? And football has returned to the remote Niue Island. If you are our one listener on the tiny Pacific island, please get in contact and let us know who you are!

Join us on Patreon to get our episodes early and ad-free & for the chance to win Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru and Niue shirts in our biggest-ever giveaway: www.patreon.com/SweeperPod.

RUNNING ORDER:

Chapter 1 – Intro

Chapter 2 – A Romanian reality TV race

Chapter 3 – An unusual theft in Turkey

Chapter 4 – André Krul’s six-continent career

Chapter 5 – Our #MyFIFA+Team initiative

Chapter 6 – Australia’s motorway trophy

Chapter 7 – The Marshall Islands’ vanishing kit

Chapter 8 – Football’s return to Niue Island

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Part 1 is all about the final round of Europa League and Champions League action. How have Brest made the play-offs with an inexperienced coach and a shoestring budget? What does Fenerbahce boss José Mourinho have against the Danish town of Herning? Does Ryan Kent love his pet crocodiles more than his own family? How did the Ferencváros ultras disguise themselves for the visit of AZ Alkmaar? And what bold move did the German TV channel RTL+ make for Eintracht Frankfurt’s clash with Roma?

Part 2 is dedicated to artificial intelligence and transport. What happened when the HamKam reserves appointed an AI coach on a one-game basis? How is Iceland’s Football Manager tactician getting on at Vesturbæjar? What happens when you ask Chat GPT to script a Sweeper episode about football in space/Narnia? And how have a club funded by a former player’s bus company shot to the top of the table in Burkina Faso? For bonus episodes and heaps of extra content, check out our Patreon page at patreon.com/SweeperPod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:31 – Overachieving outsiders

07:33 – Church bells & crocodiles

13:14 – Jostles & jungles

17:26 – Blunders & backstroke

23:27 – HamKam 2’s AI coach

28:12 – KV’s Football Manager tactician

29:37 – Football in space & Narnia

35:26 – Rahimo FC’s bus-funded title tilt

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Part 2 contains a selection of great stories from across the European continent. There are shocks in France and Portugal as top-flight teams are dumped out of the cup by amateur opponents. Lazio have sacked their falconer for posting inappropriate pictures online, but he is reportedly refusing to leave their Formello training ground – where he has lived for the past 15 years! And finally, the bizarre tale of North Korea’s short-lived friendly against Kosovan club SC Gjilani – and perhaps the craziest pre-match graphic that has ever been made!

Check out our new Patreon, which will go live on 1 February 2025

Listen to Cypriot football podcast 'This is Mappa'

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

01:21 – Ascension Island’s tortoise troubles

11:00 – Gozitans off to flying start in Malta

18:01 – Omonia Nicosia’s breakaway rivals

28:17 – Amateur cupsets across the continent

35:45 – The bizarre tale of Lazio’s falconer

41:03 – North Korea’s short-lived friendly

49:39 – The Sweeper's revamped Patreon

Editor: Ralph Foster

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The Sweeper is back for the first episode of 2025 to round up all the world football headlines from over the Christmas and New Year period. Starting in Europe, where Balzers of Liechtenstein have gone from 1,000 to 400,000 Instagram followers almost overnight – but how have they achieved their stratospheric growth? In Portugal, Nacional’s Madeiran mist has wrought havoc yet again and Oliveirense have used milk to mark the goal-lines in the absence of paint. Finally, in Italy, we take a deep dive into the wonderful world of Serie C.

In the rest of the world, there are teething problems for the world’s newest top-flight league in the world’s newest country: South Sudan. In Bolivia, national giants The Strongest have resorted to an unusual measure to raise money for children in San Pedro prison in La Paz and the relegation/promotion play-off has come to the most dramatic of conclusions. And there’s a similar story over in Indonesia, where controversy reigns supreme after PSM Makassar missed the memo that the 12th man is supposed to be the fans and fielded an extra player.

For a bonus episode on Wednesday 15 January and plenty of other extra content, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod.

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 – Intro

02:02 – Balzers’ instant Internet fame

07:02 – Cult clubs and countries

08:54 – Madeiran mist & mainland milk

15:40 – The wonderful world of Serie C

25:55 – A Chocolate Party and a play-off

31:45 – Favourite sounding football fixtures

36:07 – The newest league on the planet

44:42 – A 12th man – but not the fans

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Remember that if you don't want to wait until 8 January for your next dose of Sweeper goodness, you can sign up to our Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod and listen to our bonus podcast on New Year's Day. Becoming a member of our Patreon means you are supporting our independent journalism and getting access to a load of great content, such as bonus episodes, blogs, a weekly World Football Newsletter, access to our Discord server and entry into our football shirt giveaways. There are no contracts, no sign-up fees, no minimum stays and no advertisements.

Watch back our UEFA Conference League final matchday watch-along on ⁠X⁠ or ⁠Facebook⁠.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

02:45 – Shamrock Rovers with Andy Brassell

08:06 – Conference League or Nations League?

10:26 – Víkingur Reykjavík with Hinrik Wöhler

14:38 – A trigger-happy Bosnian club president

17:50 – Lugano with Massimo Solari

23:44 – Crazy European away day records

27:25 – World football trivia with Career We Go

46:34 – Our best stories, matches & trips of 2024

Please leave us a rating or review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It means a great deal to us and will make it easier for other potential listeners to discover our show. Thanks for your support!

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Gift a Patreon subscription for Christmas: www.patreon.com/SweeperPod/gift

Part 1 is all about the biggest domestic cup shocks and upsets across the globe, starting with Spaeri. But does their association with a government entity make it less of a fairytale triumph for the fast-rising second-tier Georgians? The focus then turns to other lower-league cup triumphs in 2024, including Senegal, where the final set an almost unbelievable all-time record. The segment concludes with our stand-out cupsets of the season in Spain, Austria, Norway and Denmark, where two top-flight teams have been hit with an expensive fine for a snowball fight.

Up next in Part 2 is a whistlestop tour of the globe, with five stories from five continents. In Europe, Serie D outfit Piacenza race through three coaches in one day, while a passionate fan tries to smuggle his grandfather’s skull into a continental final in South America. A striker hoping to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the Asian Champions League joins the wrong Esteghlal in Iran, TP Mazembe get stuck at the airport for two nights ahead of an African Champions League tie and Central American Cup winners Alajuelense want a place at the FIFA Club World Cup.

For bonus episodes, extra blog posts, weekly World Football Newsletters, sneak peaks at our agenda, football shirt giveaways and access to our magnificent Discord community, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for a fiver a month and support our independent journalism. There are no contracts, no sign-up fees, no minimum stays and no advertisements. The next bonus episode – featuring our favourite stories from the 2024 calendar year – will be released on Wednesday 18 December.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:39 – A Spaeri-tale Georgian Cup triumph

06:17 – Senegal’s lower-league final

09:53 – Cupsets across the continent

17:12 – An expensive Danish snowball fight

20:28 – Africa: TP Mazembe’s airport disaster

24:28 – Europe: Piacenza’s mental 24 hours

28:51 – South America: A smuggled skull in Paraguay

31:50 – Asia: A transfer to the wrong Esteghlal

35:13 – North & Central America: Alajuelense’s CWC claim

37:46 – The 2024 Intercontinental Cup on FIFA+

Editor: Ralph Foster

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The focus switches to club football in Part 2 as we put the Coupe de France and the participating overseas territories under the microscope. How did US Avranches fare after their 16,000 kilometre trip to Tahiti? And why are USSA Vertou in limbo at the airport ahead of their trip to Réunion? We then finish the episode with the curious case of Seventh Day Adventist Silvan Wallner – and other religious retirements from football – before examining the outsiders and underdogs at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

Don’t want to wait another fortnight for your next dose of Sweeper goodness? Then join us for a bonus episode on 4 December, in which we will be discussing – amongst other things – a mad 24 hours involving three different head coaches at Italian Serie D side Piacenza and the thrilling conclusion to the Georgian title race, with the horrendously renamed Iberia 1999 in pole position. Simply sign up at www.patreon.com/SweeperPod and get a whole host of other perks such as weekly newsletters, bonus blogs and access to our chat community on Discord. Gift a Patreon subscription for Christmas: www.patreon.com/SweeperPod/gift

Make a Kitmas donation or contribution: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/kitmas-2024

Leo Honig’s Substack newsletter: substack.com/@footballshapedRUNNING ORDER:00:00 – Intro02:17 – San Marino’s historic promotion11:53 – Hispaniola’s Gold Cup qualification18:32 – Kitmas 2024 & Christmas Patreon gifts26:03 – Coupe de France controversies34:34 – Silvan Wallner & religious retirements40:48 – FIFA+: The FIFA Club World Cup draw Editor: Ralph Foster

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The theme in Part 2 is sh*thousery and the dark arts. What bizarre measure did River Plate resort to for their Copa Libertadores semi-final against Atlético Mineiro? Why are Como using local buses in what has been described as a declaration of war on regional rivals Monza? And how did the AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifier between Australia and Indonesia descend into farce? Plus, a bonus question: How many footballs can Paul and Lee carry?

If you like the bonus podcast, you can listen to them every fortnight – on the Wednesdays between our usual episodes – by signing up at patreon.com/SweeperPod. You can also enter our giveaways, read our weekly World Football Newsletter and our bonus blogs, and join our chat community on Discord, where hundreds of patrons are discussing world football on a daily basis. The show is also largely self-funded, so Patreon contributions are a great way to support our journalism!

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:54 - Giantkillings & Kiribati fan accounts

08:18 - A scorpion save in Slovenia

14:52 - Metal-themed football clubs

19:57 - Ultras & garden sheds in Croatia

29:47 - River Plate's potent paint

35:51 - Como's declaration of war on Monza

40:59 - AFC U17 Asian Cup controversy

43:30 - How many footballs can we carry?

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Click here to buy the November issue of World Soccer: https://shop.kelsey.co.uk/single-issue/world-soccer-magazine

In Part 1, the focus is on the club game in the continent The Sweeper calls home: Europe. Why did the entire Njegoš team simultaneously collapse in the Montenegrin third division? And was there any truth to the plutonium poisoning allegations? How did Ängelholms in the fourth tier of Swedish women’s football miss out on the title despite not conceding a goal? And what bizarre record did their goalkeeper end the season with? And why did Breiðablik fans stage a break-in ahead of their final-day title-decider with Víkingur Reykjavík in Iceland?

Part 2 contains a selection of stories from Africa, Asia, Central America and Oceania. Why has a second club from New Zealand, Auckland FC, joined Australia’s A-League? And why will their upcoming match against Wellington Phoenix be unique in world football? What has led TP Mazembe in DR Congo to play Nigerian goalkeeper Suleman Shaibu in attack? How did Wolues of the British Virgin Islands come to have a misspelling in their name? And how are the two clubs from war-torn Sudan playing 5,000km away in Mauritania getting on?

If you don’t want to wait until 13 November for our next episode, join us on Patreon for our bonus episodes in the in-between weeks. Simply sign up at patreon.com/SweeperPod and join us for a special pod on 6 November. We will be joined by some special guests to talk about their recent groundhops in Slovenia and Croatia, before rounding up some other stories from Russia, Uzbekistan and Eritrea. Patrons also get access to our Discord chat community, bonus blogs, weekly newsletters and entry into our shirt giveaways too.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:43 – Montenegro’s mass collapse

07:24 – Sweden’s perfect runners-up

11:54 – Iceland’s final-day title decider

16:12 – Other summer league tales

21:03 – Kiwi club’s debut in the A-League

29:28 – An attacking keeper in DR Congo

34:14 – The Sweeper Super Sunday on FIFA+

41:15 – First Vienna game with a patron

Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 1, we take a look at one of the world’s most remote footballing outposts with Faraway Football blogger Matthew Eide, who has just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Bhutan courtesy of football kit designers Icarus. Which footballing figure flew the plane that transported him from Kathmandu to Paro? How did a 10-goal thriller have more drama after the final whistle than in the game itself? Which endangered species are Thimphu City fighting to help save? And how could YOU join the Overseas Board of a football club in Asia?

Part 2 is dedicated to the best stories from the international game in the October window. Why was oxygen being provided on the sidelines at Bolivia’s World Cup qualifier against Colombia? Who holds the longest ongoing winless run in international football now that Liechtenstein and Andorra have both won? Why did Turkmenistan’s government deny their national football team permission to travel to Malta? And for what unusual reason did the Turks & Caicos goalkeeper miss the CONCACAF Nations League clash with Anguilla?

If you don’t want to wait another fortnight for our next episode, join us on Patreon for our bonus podcasts in the in-between weeks at patreon.com/SweeperPod. The next patron-only episode will hit the airwaves on Wednesday 23 October. Subscribers can also read our bonus blog about our trip to Lugano, join several hundred other patrons on our Discord chat community, enter our regular shirt giveaway contests and get a sneak preview of each podcast on the weekend before it is released.

Follow Matthew Eide’s Faraway Football account:

Twitter: x.com/FarAwayFootball

Instagram: Instagram.com/farawayfootball

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:31 – Lee & Paul’s travel disasters

02:57 – A groundhop to beautiful Bhutan

18:24 – FIFA+: South America & Oceania

26:58 – A golden era for Europe's micro-states

34:57 – Country vs. club in Turkmenistan

38:36 – Poolside viewing in the Caribbean

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Next up, it’s Paul’s turn to tell the story of his visit to Welsh outfit The New Saints ahead of their UEFA Conference League clash with Fiorentina. But what about the four Welsh clubs in the English pyramid dreaming of European football? Why is Norwegian second-tier club Bryne inviting spectators to bring their tractors to matches? And why are the Vatican’s men’s and women’s teams making a trip to Berlin soon? We answer all those questions in Part 2, which includes another guest appearance from YouTuber and Away Days host Ellis Platten.

For the chance to win a Vatican national team shirt, to read our in-depth bonus blog about Lugano’s rise and to join our chat community on Discord, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod. You can also listen to our bonus podcast out on Wednesday 9 October, in which we talk about our visit to the Serie B match between FC Südtirol and Palermo, the Iranian ballistic missiles that made an appearance in the AFC Champions League 2 and the Romanian sporting director urging fans to abandon adult content creators.

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 – Intro

00:51 - The rise of Swiss side Lugano

10:34 - Mascots & miniature models

13:15 - Campione d'Italia with TheTimTraveller

17:25 - A stop-off at FC Südtirol

18:52 - Behind the scenes at TNS

25:00 - Alternative Welsh routes in Europe

29:21 - Tractor tickets in Norway with Ellis Platten

33:53 - The quirkiest VIP offerings in football

38:27 - Peru's Vatican-themed football club

42:12 - The Vatican's upcoming tour to Berlin

Video: Away Days at Bryne: Out on Saturday 5 October

Video: TheTimTravelleron Campione d’Italia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1fqinoNiZE

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Part 1 covers the best international window for underdogs in living memory, with San Marino’s first-ever competitive triumph, Anguilla’s first victory since 2010 & American Samoa’s first win since 2015 among the highlights. There’s also a mention for the Turks & Caicos Islands’ 14 year-old goalie, a rare competitive away win for altitude specialists Bolivia & a presidential helicopter disruption at Guyana vs. Suriname.

There’s a special announcement to kick off Part 2, as we tell the listeners all about The Sweeper Podcast’s brand-new partnership with FIFA+ and all the matches around the world that can be live-streamed in top quality for free. The episode then finishes off with some great headlines from Chile and Argentina: Huachipato’s two games in one day, Barnechea’s 45-point deduction, Talleres’ gun-wielding chairman & Banfield’s half-time coach sacking.

To enter the draw to win the San Marino-Liechtenstein match programmes & the Anguilla shirt, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod. There you will also be able to read our San Marino bonus blog and find our next bonus podcast on Wednesday 25 September, in which we talk about the Welsh substitute who got arrested before the final whistle, the Italian coach who scythed down an opponent & Chris Smalling’s nightmare debut for Al Fayha.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:31 – San Marino: Local disbelief

05:00 – Anguilla: First victory in 14 years

06:42 – Turks & Caicos: 14-year-old goalie

10:21 – Bolivia: Altitude & away wins

14:18 – International window: The best ever?

16:08 – Guyana: The presidential helicopter

18:55 – FIFA+: Introducing our new partner

22:43 – Chile: Huachipato’s two games in a day

26:50 – Chile: Barnechea’s 45-point deduction

29:27 – Argentina: Talleres’ feisty chairman

32:20 – Argentina: Banfield’s half-time sacking

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Along with other content creators, friends & listeners, Sweeper duo Lee Wingate & Paul Watson were live in Serravalle to witness this monumental moment and talk about it afterwards in a special one-off bonus pod in a local bar after the final whistle. We hope you enjoy it - and please try out our other episodes if you do!

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In Part 2, we divide our time between domestic club football and the international game. A broken goal is met with the suggestion of blowtorch repair in the Icelandic top tier, Papua New Guinea’s Admiralty Islands FC relocate to the mainland for six months and the international break looms large with three standout fixtures: San Marino vs. Liechtenstein, Comoros vs. Madagascar and Guyana vs. Suriname.

If you don’t want to wait until 18 September for our next episode, then you can join us for a bonus podcast on 11 September at patreon.com/SweeperPod. You will also be able to read our blog about the 2024 Greenlandic Football Championship, enter the draw to win a B67 shirt, become part of our growing Discord community and get exclusive content from our trip to watch San Marino take on Liechtenstein in Serravalle.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

03:04 – UEFA qualifiers: Upsets & underdogs

09:00 – UEFA qualifiers: Media & memes

14:13 – UEFA qualifiers: Unfamiliar formats

18:56 – UEFA qualifiers: Groundhopping guidance

24:29 – Collapsing goals in Iceland & Romania

30:56 – Papua New Guinea’s relocating islanders

36:56 – San Marino & the international break

44:12 – Patreon perks & B67 shirt giveaway

Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 2, we turn our attentions to continental competitions in Africa, Asia & the Caribbean. We hear about Djiboutian club Arta Solar 7 in the CAF Champions League preliminaries and their takeover by a solar power company, find out whether Paul Watson will abscond to the Maldives to take charge of AFC Challenge League participants Maziya and learn why Haitian club America des Cayes did not turn up in Curacao for the CFU Caribbean Shield. There are also shirt giveaways for Village Superstars of St. Kitts & Nevis & the Chagos Islands national team.

As per usual, you can join us for our next bonus episode if you don’t want to wait until Wednesday 4 September for another pod. That episode will be out on Wednesday 28 August and will take in some stories from the Nordic nations, including a collapsed goal and a blow torch in Iceland, an island club triumphing in the Danish Cup and the Swedish club with the most youth teams in Europe. We will also be sharing our own personal football bucket lists and telling you about an upcoming Q&A session for patrons on our Discord server.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:51 – UEFA qualifiers: Penalty pandemonium

07:32 – UEFA qualifiers: History-making hopefuls

11:11 – UEFA qualifiers: Epic away days

15:51 – UEFA qualifiers: Supportive statesmen

21:02 – San Marino & Nauru competition winners

22:38 – Africa: The space and weapons derbies

30:34 – Asia: Coaching vacancy in the Maldives

36:48 – Caribbean: America des Cayes' no-show

39:35 – St. Kitts & Nevis and Chagos Islands giveaways

Join Sangalo's mailing list at the bottom of the homepage to enter the Village Superstars shirt competition: www.sangalo.com.

Get yourself a Surprise Shirts mystery box at www.surpriseshirts.co.uk.

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Then in Part 2 we turn our attentions to the men’s and women’s football tournaments at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: the chaos and controversy between Argentina & Morocco, Canada’s spying scandal, the 6-5 thriller between Australia & Zambia, and the Malawian footballer-sprinter racing the 100 metres. There is also a selection of great listener emails, a competition to accompany the Sweeper team to San Marino vs. Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League and a giveaway for a limited-edition Nauru national team shirt.

If you don’t want to hang on until Wednesday 21 August for another dose of world football goodness, then sign up to our Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod to get the bonus episodes. In the episode set for release on Wednesday 14 August, we talk about Japan legend Keisuke Honda’s one-match contract with Paro FC of Bhutan, Kuwaiti club Kazma’s phantom pre-season friendly, Libertad de Pirayu of Paraguay's trophy that disappeared from an open-top bus parade and Partick Thistle’s failed substitution due to accidentally cropped team sheet.

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 - Intro

00:32 - The Football Cliches Quiz

02:01 - Tongan World Cup dreams

07:18 - The FA Cup preliminary rounds

13:25 - Disko Island in Greenland

18:53 - San Marino & Nauru competitions

24:24 - Olympics: Opening game outrage

28:45 - Olympics: Drone debacles

32:06 - Olympics: Goals galore

36:28 - Olympics: Sprinting strikers

38:51 - Listener emails

Editor: Ralph Foster

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That is followed in Part 2 by an announcement about a change to the podcast, which will return to its previously fortnightly rhythm. We then round off the episode by talking about the ‘Pariah Derby’ between the North Korean and Russian women’s teams and turn our attentions to pre-season friendlies: the pitch invaders at Rapid Vienna vs. AC Milan, Augsburg’s immigration disaster and a playground-style switch in Heilbronn.

If you don’t want to wait until Wednesday 7 August for our next podcast, then join us on Patreon for our bonus podcasts. In the episode on Wednesday 31 July, we will examine the intriguing back stories of three promoted clubs from Eastern Europe, take a look at the Coupe de France action in St. Pierre & Miquelon and discuss the upcoming Milne Cup between Orkney & the Shetland Islands in Scotland. You can sign up at patreon.com/SweeperPod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

00:38 - Victorious villages

04:52 - 27th time lucky for La Fiorita

11:38 - The NK Bravo keeper on the run

13:41 - Icelandic accumulator threats

15:19 - Pub team with a view of Africa

21:31 - Podcast frequency announcement

23:52 - North Korea's 'Pariah Derby'

29:22 - Rapid vs. Milan & pre-season friendlies

Video of the NK Bravo goalkeeper on a run: x.com/FootballBurp/status/1814063958224978365

Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 2, we bring you a random mix of stories from across the football world: Paul has been offered a coaching job on a mystery island in the South Pacific, Thimphu City of Bhutan have come up with a great initiative to protect the white-bellied heron and The Sweeper has sponsored a football team for the first time at the Icarus Cup in the USA.

Join us for Part 3 over on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod to hear about the Brazilian policeman who fired a rubber bullet at a goalkeeper, an Anguillan side that allows their supporters a top-flight run-out and the Icelandic footballer presented with a bottle of champagne by a Fantasy Football Winner.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

00:40 - EURO 2024 disappointment

02:44 - Second-tier Corvinul's quirky situation

09:39 - UEFA win for pub team Bruno's Magpies

13:10 - San Marino, Wales & the Faroe Islands

19:38 - A mystery island coaching job for Paul

23:46 - Thimphu City's white-bellied heron initiative

30:50 - The first Sweeper-sponsored football team

Buy your Sweeper-sponsored football shirt from the Icarus Cup:

https://icarusfc.com/products/malmo?_pos=1&_psq=malmo&_ss=e&_v=1.0

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We’re off to the Pacific in Part 2 to look ahead to the Marshall Islands’ long-awaited international debut at the end of July. But where will the match take place? Who will the opponents be? And why is the landmark fixture taking place on a futsal court rather than a football pitch? Finally, we discuss a match between Germans Erzgebirge Aue and Glenavon of Northern Ireland that should have taken place in 1960. So what’s the reason for the 64-year delay? Why is it taking place now? And what other unlikely fan friendships exist in the football world?

Join for our patron-only Part 3 at patreon.com/SweeperPod for a deeper dive into two little-known international football competitions that are taking place at the moment: the UEFA Regions Cup and the Europeada. There’s also an alternative look at the transfer window, including Rosario Central’s offer of an armoured car to Angel di María, a lower-league Spanish side signing Zidane and Ronaldo – but not those ones – and Kazu Miura’s loan move to Atletico Suzuka in his homeland at the age of 57.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

00:41 - UEFA qualifier quiz: Multiple choice

08:53 - UEFA qualifier quiz: Odd one out

17:17 - UEFA qualifier quiz: The right order

22:46 - Marshall Islands' international debut

28:36 - A delayed Cold War friendly

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We’re back to Europe for Part 2. Which Spanish fallen giant recently gained a dramatic promotion and celebrated with their supporters at the terminal building of the local airport? We’re joined by Matt Harrison of the Guiricast Podcast to find out more. What are the standout ties of the Champions League first qualifying round? And how did Bodø/Glimt manage to send scouts to check out the wrong Latvian opponent?

 Join us for the patron-only Part 3 at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we take our listeners behind the scenes for the first time and explain how we make the podcast. Where do we find our stories? What is the process for deciding which ones make the cut and deserve inclusion in the episode? How do we keep tabs on everything that is happening around the world? And what happens when we have a “bad pod day”?

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 - Intro

00:42 - Chaos at the OFC Nations Cup

09:46 - Rescue missions on Saint Helena

16:47 - Diego Forlán's tennis transition

22:29 - Malaga's promotion madness

28:40 - European fallen giants

31:46 - The UCL first qualifying round

34:57 - Bodø/Glimt scout wrong Latvian opponent

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The focus is on club football in Part 2, with three amazingstories from Portugal, Japan and Iceland. Why could a Santa Clara player’s tattoo to commemorate winning the Portuguese second division prove to be premature? How has a university team managed to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Emperor’s Cup in Japan? And will lower-league Icelandic club FC Reynir, who are based at the foot of a volcano, get the home cup tie they have been dreaming of for 30 years?

For Part 3 and some international football headlines from three other continents, join us over on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod. Why is 16-year-old Bolivian wonderkid Moisés Paniagua unable to travel to the Copa America in the United States? What emotional moment of unity took place at the world’s newest international football derby between Sudan and South Sudan? And why has Singapore’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Hassan Sunny had to beg Chinese football fans to stop sending him money?

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:40 – EURO 2024 – Christmas for adults

03:40 – EURO 2024 culture craziness

07:02 – EURO 2024 food wars

11:15 – EURO 2024 online polls & searches

15:57 – Guest podcast appearances

17:52 – A tattoo mishap in Portugal

22:01 – A university upset in Japan

27:29 – An Icelandic village dream

34:53 – Listener emails

Podcast guest appearances:

Lee on The Totally Show: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6npASOQ1BZPvYYFpnb4ssE

Paul on Guardian Football Weekly: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uu1QCQC1vH2ISK8euq8kj

Lee on The Window: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tPj0TvQ5NQfN6CcQPDOCA

Paul on World of CONCACAF: https://open.spotify.com/episode/24hiIr0iqUW7MSEKGnY5ol

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Part 2 is dedicated to the rest of the international football news. Was San Marino’s recent friendly against Slovakia at a stadium with a water slide behind the main stand in Austria's ugliest town our most random live game to date? Why have FIFA ruled that AFCON top scorer Emilio Nsue has actually been ineligible to play for Equatorial Guinea over the past 11 years? And why did everyone think that Syria had beaten North Korea 1-0 when it was actually the other way around?

You can join us for Part 3 over on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we reflect on some international news from the Caribbean and a selection of other stories. What did the Cayman Islands players fear they might lose ahead of their recent World Cup qualifying trip to Cuba? Why did Bonaire contest a recent friendly against a ninth-tier team from the Netherlands? And why has Spanish goalkeeper Miguel Guerreiro given up on his Only Fans dream and made a return to football with Velez in the fourth tier?

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 – Intro

01:05 – EURO 2024 alternative career paths

09:28 – EURO 2024 players outside the top tier

14:17 – EURO 2024 underdogs & outsiders

21:20 – Mystery shirt guessing game

24:36 – San Marino’s water slide away day

33:46 – Emilio Nsue’s Equatoguinean ineligibility

39:02 – North Korea’s secret Syria score

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Next up in Part 2 is a round-up of all the action from the rest of Europe. How have Sturm Graz finally managed to dethrone Red Bull Salzburg and does it mark a turning point for Austrian football? How did a marriage proposal mentally unsettle a goalkeeper in the Albanian Cup final? And why have Finnish club SJK Seinäjoki started giving away free sausages to fans?

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for Part 3 to find out how Baltika have managed to reach the Russian Cup final despite already being eliminated, why Poland wins our award for the most unpredictable country in Europe in the 2023/24 season and how a raccoon managed to evade capture for 161 seconds in a recent MLS fixture.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

00:58 - The Dutch referee who celebrated

10:00 - The two Belgian clubs on the brink

15:08 - Surprises and campsites in Luxembourg

20:40 - Party time for Sturm Graz in Austria

33:11 - Egnatia's Albanian double bid & a proposal

38:02 - Free sausages at SJK Seinäjoki in Finland

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In Part 2, the team swap the serious journalism for a selection of silly stories. Why did a Dinamo Bucharest player refuse to show the club his driving license? What outlandish claim did the Lion City Sailors social media admin recently make on Twitter? Why has an untimely toilet break in the Swedish fifth tier prompted furious calls for a replay? And what led a club doctor in Brazil to take over the coaching reins at half-time in a recent game?

The bonus segment includes Lee’s desperate attempt to zoom across Austria on Sunday morning in the hope of seeing Sturm Graz lift the Bundesliga, a story from Paul about an unusual Italian football auction & the tale of the Vatican team docked points for guarding the Pope. You can join us for that and plenty more benefits besides at patreon.com/SweeperPod. Your support is appreciated and all proceeds are reinvested into the podcast.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:05 - Como's meteoric rise

07:15 - Central Coast Mariners' Asian odyssey

13:40 - Petrocub's first-ever title

20:06 - Romania's twin identity saga

23:45 - A social media slip-up in Singapore

26:57 - Sweden's controversial 'toilet goal'

30:24 - Brazil's club doctor turned head coach

32:43 - The Thimphu City competition draw

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Part 2 contains more stories from across the European continent. What mistake did a Dutch stadium announcer recently make to cause a pitch invasion? Which second-tier club might we see in European competition next season? Why did a Polish football fan hike 100 kilometres to meet a goalkeeper who scored on April Fool’s Day? And why do Oslo-based YMCA club KFUM Kameratene have to go across a Zebra crossing to reach their pitch?

If you want scintillating stories from other continents, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we travel to Argentina, Canada & the Philippines. Why has an Argentinian football coach spent 24 years living at club headquarters? Is Canada’s Frostbite Cup really the coldest competition in world football? And why has the Philippines allowed non-professional teams to compete with pro clubs in its top flight?

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:03 - Subiza's rise to Spanish fourth tier

03:51 - Smallest football towns in Europe

06:17 - The island derby in East Frisia

09:59 - The island derby in West Frisia

14:00 - The sorry plight of Vitesse Arnhem

17:57 - The Roda JC stadium announcer

20:45 - Second-tier Wisła Kraków's cup win

24:57 - A 100km hike to meet scoring keeper

26:49 - The goal-kick that took out a seagull

28:08 - Cringe rap & Zebra crossings in Oslo

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With Bayer Leverkusen having claimed the first league title in their 120-year history, Part 2 is dedicated to seven other European clubs gunning for their first-ever title and the longest ongoing title-winning streaks across the continent now that Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga is over. Finally, we look at the Moldovan Clasico, where two twins recently scored for opposing teams, and read some listener e-mails.

To win a unique Llantwit Major shirt and get access to the bonus segment of this podcast, where we chat about a Japanese side rising rapidly through the ranks, an unusual Portuguese on-pitch protest, an English team playing two games in two days and a truly bizarre Man of the Match award in the USA, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod. We are entirely self-funded and your support makes a huge difference.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:11 - A Fenix Trophy game in windy Wales

10:38 - Nonsense in the Nordic nations

17:13 - Liechtenstein's ludicrously quirky cup

23:15 - Potential first-time champs across Europe

31:00 - The longest ongoing title-winning runs

37:48 - Listener e-mails

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With Sudan’s Al-Hilal set to join the Tanzanian Premier League to escape the conflict in their homeland, we look at teams playing in other country’s football leagues in Part 2, including the likes of Liechtenstein's FC Vaduz and their uniquely tough path to the Champions League. Finally, we have an update on The Sweeper’s competition in conjunction with Icarus, which will send one lucky fan to Bhutan to watch Thimphu City in action.

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast, Sweeper Xtra, which is an extended Q&A session with Lee Wingate and Paul Watson touching on their best and worst football experiences, culinary treats, animal encounters and aspirations for the future, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:20 - The Juan Fernández Islands in the Copa Chile

09:00 - The non-existent Copa Ecuador

12:36 - Horrendous pitches & player names in Peru

20:04 - Al-Hilal of Sudan to play in Tanzania

23:43 - Clubs playing in leagues of other countries

33:19 - Update on the Bhutan competition by Icarus

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After the break it’s time to show some love for groundhoppers and to hear some amazing stories from our patrons in pursuit of the joy of ticking off new stadiums. Then we announce an exciting new competition from Thimphu City and shirt manufacturer Icarus that will see someone win a trip of a lifetime to Bhutan, plus there's a San Marino shirt giveaway too!

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast where we chat about Estonia’s U21 side playing a friendly against the wrong team, a Romanian player who was sacked for turning up to training drunk and then appointed sporting director, and a Bosnian giant in decline, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 Intro

01:15 North Korea's mysterious no-show

08:33 Georgia's EURO jubilation

11:57 Austria's Rangnick resurgence

16:22 Glorious groundhoppers

33:25 Thimphu City/Icarus competition

38:29 San Marino shirt giveaway

Browse the Icarus website: icarusfc.com

Read the Thimphu City-Icarus competition details: icarusfc.com/pages/thimphu-city-sweepstakes

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After the break, we hop on over to the USA to hear about New York City vs. Toronto at Yankee Stadium - there are few fixtures that could have been more Sweeper than two clubs from different countries meeting in a league match at a baseball stadium - and dissect some of the madness of the US Open Cup, including burrito-based heroics and a rare case of lacrosse stopping play.

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast with the ex-Shanghai Shenhua president banging in goals in the Chinese cup aged 58, arguably the most disastrous debut in football history and the Channel Island of Alderney trying to break their 104-year losing run, join us over at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 - Intro

01:05 - San Marino's double-header with St. Kitts

15:17 - International round-up

16:39 - The fastest-ever international goal

21:39 - New York City FC vs. Toronto FC

29:47 - US Open Cup madness

33:20 - Patreon episode teaser

Ellis Platten's Away Days video in San Marino: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56buY8H9Bd0&t=445s&ab_channel=AwayDays

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The Danish Superligaen strikes a huge blow to the European Super League, which might now be forced to rebrand, a Romanian coach returns to the same club for a 10th spell int the dugout and we play a Sweeper version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

RUNNING ORDER

00:00 - Intro

01:15 - The Virgin Derby

10:36 - Basque Country v Uruguay

17:17 - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

28:30 - Danish Superliga strikes a blow

33:57 - Coach in Romania returns for 10th time

40:04 - Preview of upcoming Sweeper trips

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Sticking with the island theme but moving back over to Europe, Part 2 starts in the Scilly Isles: the British archipelago is famed for having the smallest league in the world, but rarely is the title race as close as it is this season. In Sweden, meanwhile, a group of Ultras have managed to smuggle a kayak into a cup tie - but it's by no means the strangest item ever to end up in the stands at a football match…

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast about Africa’s hottest derbies, chaos in Cambodian football and a player on the run from his club in the Dominican Republic, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod. Sign up before Wednesday 20 March to enter our competition for the Pago Pago Youth shirt courtesy of Stingz ProWear!

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

00:56 - The American (Samoan) Dream

10:12 - Pago Youth shirt giveaway

12:50 - Micronesia's new coach David Johnson

18:40 - Nauru's new boss Charlie Pomroy

25:25 - The Scilly Isles showdown

31:22 - Smuggled kayaks in Sweden

37:10 - Old Boys vs. Young Boys

38:52 - Bonus segment teaser

Videos

Swedish kayak video: https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1b65lc2/daniel_kristoffersson_aik_supporters_somehow_got/

Italian moped video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Nu6HKVSmk&ab_channel=RuthlessReviews

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On this episode, Turkish footballer Emirhan Delibaş is sacked by his club Beşiktaş for his profile on the dating app Bumble and Irishman Dylan Connolly receives a Facebook invitation to play in the OFC Champions League preliminary round in Tonga, where he meets the Queen at church.

Elsewhere, the draw for this summer’s CONIFA World Football Cup in Kurdistan – a tournament for unrecognised nations, states and peoples – has thrown up some interesting groups and the Seychelles have mysteriously been ruled out of AFCON 2025 ahead of the start of qualifying in March.

To hear the bonus segment of this podcast all about our live experience at the 342nd Vienna Derby, the octogenarian Italian superfan who went viral and the Uzbek club that could soon be put out of business by former player Rivaldo, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 - Intro

01:24 - Beşiktaş dismiss Emirhan Delibaş for Bumble profile

04:55 - Funny footballer sackings

08:15 - Dylan Connolly invited to play in OFC Champions League via Facebook

13:10 - Round-up of the preliminary round action in Tonga

16:35 - The draw for the CONIFA World Football Cup in Kurdistan

24:22 - Eritrea & Seychelles already out of AFCON 2025

27:28 - Paul accused of butchering the Icelandic language

28:50 - Football groundhop recommendations across Europe

32:24 - Bonus pod teaser

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In Part Two we hear about a Football Manager addict who has been put in charge of fourth-tier Icelandic club, KV. This leads onto a debate about whether a video game simulation can ever translate into a successful real-life coaching career, a chat about our own areas of expertise and a look at managers who didn’t have a playing background. We then examine another club in free-fall, Omija Ardija in Japan, and their potential solution to their situation: becoming part of the Red Bull stable. We finish offwith a chat about the pros and cons of multi-club ownership and give the listeners a chance to win some excellent football books and magazines.

RUNNING ORDER

Part 1: Podcast format change, San Marino’s goalie crisis, the 2024/25 Nations League draw & the brand-new FIFA series (00:52)

Part 2: The Football Manager nerd-turned-coach in Iceland, the 10,000-hour rule & Red Bull’s interest in Omija Ardija in Japan (16:34)

‘Wings of Change’ by Karan Tejwani: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Karan-Tejwani/dp/1785317296

‘Copa Club’ by Nathan Joyes: https://www.thecopaclub.co.uk/

‘Up Pohnpei’ by Paul Watson: https://www.amazon.com/Up-Pohnpei-Captain-Paul-Watson/dp/1846685028

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In Part 2, we're off to some British overseas territories. We first speak to Louis Jones of mystery football shirt company Surprise Shirts about his involvement with Anguillan outfit Uprising FC and hear about his recent trip to the Caribbean island, where he even made an appearance for the team. We then move on to Gibraltar and club team Hound Dogs’ unique status in UEFA's smallest member state, before taking a look at the English influences that have shaped the histories of clubs on the Rock.

The final segment starts with an update on Mongolian footballer Ochiroo Batbold, who is cycling from his home in Ulaanbaatar to Old Trafford and has now reached Austria. We then talk about Schalke, a once great side in Germany now teetering dangerously on the brink of disaster in the second tier and get insight from German YouTuber Fiago on where things have gone wrong. There are details of a very special prize on offer to one lucky Sweeper patron, before we round off the episode with a typically eclectic selection of listener emails.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: Unique transfer announcements, celebrity signings and high-speed car chases (00:44)

Part 2: An amazing Anguillan adventure and Gibraltar's last remaining amateur club (16:43)

Part 3: Ochiroo's odyssey, a German giant in decline and a cool Czech competition (33:44)

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

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Part 2 is all about the wonderful world of AFCON. First up, Cape Verde’s miraculous start to the tournament comes under the microscope and we speak to defender Roberto Lopes, who was recruited to play for the nation via LinkedIn. There are other unlikely recruits at AFCON for Tanzania, who have five non-league UK players whose stories we explore. We also chat about Tanzania’s mid-tournament coach sacking and the near-disaster that took place on the Gambia's flight to the host nation.

Finally, in Part 3, the conversation turns to Ivan Perisic’s €1-a-month contract at his boyhood club Hajduk Split and other bizarre football contract clauses. We then look at the trials and tribulations of Charlie Pomroy, the British coach of Cambodian crisis club Angkor City FC who had a weekend to forget. The pod is then rounded off with a look at the world’s most southerly game of football between HMS Protector and research staff at Rothera in Antarctica.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: The Funchal derby, the absence of island clubs from Portugal's top flight & Madeiran football culture (00:43)

Part 2: Stories from AFCON: Cape Verde's LinkedIn recruit, Tanzanian turbulence & Gambia's near disaster (16:49)

Part 3: Ivan Perisic's €1 wages, the Cambodian club in crisis and the world's southernmost football match (36:51)

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In Part 2 we go remote and delve into the story of Nauru’s newly launched Football Association trying to bring the beautiful game to one of the last countries on Earth without a football team. Relative neighbours, Federated States of Micronesia are trying to fund a match in 2024 by selling football shirts and we explain how you can get hold of one and how some lucky Sweeper patrons can win one. We then stay remote as we look at Anders Hofman, the star of Project Iceman who completed an Ironman-style triathlon in Antarctica, and his next crazy quest to try and play for Denmark at the 2026 World Cup.

Part 3 is all about cup competitions. We investigate the new Livonian League - a pre-season winter tournament for teams from Latvia and Estonia. Then we look at how underdogs have fared in the Copa del Rey, Coupe de France and FA Cup, plus we hear the greatest herring-related football story of all time.

You can download the Momento app for free on iOS or Android via the link below and follow us @SweeperPod: ⁠acmomento.onelink.me/ckkf/SweeperPod

RUNNING ORDER:Part 1: Cakes and coach sackings in Azerbaijan, the English club both top and bottom & the Vatican's player requirements (00:43)Part 2: Football's final frontier in Nauru and Micronesia & the Iceman of Antarctica targeting World Cup 2026 (18:28)Part 3: The Livonian League, Arandina's shirt request, herring-based goal bonuses in France & our trip to Madeira (36:21)

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Part 2 kicks off with a chat about Welsh club Pontypridd United’s unprecedented 141-point deduction and the heaviest punishments in football history, before taking a look at Ajax’s historic elimination from the KNVB Cup at the hands of fourth-tier amateurs Hercules. Finally, we finish off the segment by talking about the biggest cupsets we have seen personally – Bristol City for Paul & FC Vaduz for Lee – and our brilliant sponsor Momento. You can download the Momento app for free via the link below and follow us @SweeperPod.

It’s all about winter weather in Part 3. The first item on the agenda is Greenland’s traditional New Year’s Eve football match, which is played in temperatures of -15 degrees, followed by the unique story of FC Santa Claus, the Christmas-themed club based in Lapland whose motto is ‘Don’t stop believing’. Finally, there’s yet another mention for Sicilians Trapani and a thank-you message from the team to all the lovely listeners and patrons who have joined the Sweeper party since we relaunched the podcast in early 2023.

Download Momento for free on iOS and Android: ⁠acmomento.onelink.me/ckkf/SweeperPod

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: The CONCACAF Champions Cup, Robinhood’s Caribbean double & Ventforet Kofu’s run to the knockouts (00:40)

Part 2: Pontypridd United’s 141-point deduction, a Herculean effort against Ajax & our biggest cupsets (17:29)

Part 3: Greenland’s New Year’s Eve football match, the Christmas-themed club in Lapland & some windy weather in Sicily (36:07)

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Once we found out that the draw for the Belgian Cup quarter-finals was conducted using a former footballer and an arcade claw machine, there was nowhere else we were going to start this episode. But domestic cup competitions across Europe have produced plenty of other notable stories over the past fortnight too, including another Bundesliga scalp for third-tier Saarbrücken in the DFB-Pokal, Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of fourth-division sides for Almería and Cadíz, and some unlikely Coupe de France victories for Caribbean clubs. And there’s also some love for our brand-new sponsor Momento to round off Part 1.

Part 2 begins in Costa Rica, where the women’s team claimed an unlikely 19-0 victory over St. Kitts & Nevis to beat Haiti to qualification for the Gold Cup, before moving onto Monday night’s controversial incident in Türkiye, where a brutal assault on referee Halil Umut Meler by the Ankaragücü president Faruk Koca has led to all football in the country being suspended indefinitely. We then turn our attentions to Saudi Arabia, where an unfortunate defender gave away one of the weirdest penalties you will ever see when he tried to high-five his goalkeeper but ended up touching the ball instead.

Finally, in Part 3, we discuss a team in Turkmenistan that won the league but probably shouldn’t have and a Brazilian club that probably should have won the championship but did not. That’s right: it’s the stories of Arkadag, the team newly founded by former dictator Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov that have won the title without dropping a point in their debut season, and Botafogo, who have completed one of the most spectacular bottle jobs in football history to throw away what would have been their first Serie A title since 1995. There’s also a mention for Pele, our Patreon and some of the stupidest Guinness world records in existence.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: The Croky Cup arcade claw draw, Rod Stewart’s legendary Scottish Cup cameo and Caribbean success stories in the Coupe de France (00:48)

Part 2: Goals galore for the Costa Rican women, a Turkish football meltdown in the Süper Lig and the weirdest penalty of all time in Saudi Arabia (17:18)

Part 3: The brand-new club from a brand-new city, Turkmenistan’s bizarre world records and Botafogo’s spectacular bottle job (35:18)

The Croky Cup arcade claw draw: www.youtube.com/live/KAbc8zn_BqI?si=gDtsalyNRrnpSkUR

John Oliver on Turkmenistan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9QYu8LtH2E&t=1088s

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Next up in Part 2: the world’s most isolated clubs! There’s a mention for Rapa Nui FC of Easter Island, who hosted the mighty Colo Colo in a 2009 Chilean Cup clash, Khabarovsk, who travel around 100,000km per season to fulfil their away fixtures in the Russian second tier, and Perth Glory, who cut an isolated figure in the Australian A-League. That’s followed by the remarkable story of Papua New Guinea’s exit from the Pacific Games and a look back at some other harsh tournament eliminations, including the coin toss at EURO 1968 and the madness of the 1994 Caribbean Cup, where goals briefly counted double!

In the third and final segment, it’s time for a round-up of the remaining stories. Erling Haaland paid for 200 fans of his first club, Bryne, to travel to Kristiansand for a play-off match, only for the Start groundsman to fail to turn on the undersoil heating and the game to be cancelled. There’s cucumber throwing and so much more besides at the Mascot Olympics in Spain, which was won by Valencia’s representative Amunt the Bat. And finally, two Tiktokers have bought and relocated Latvian second-division club Leevon Saldus with the aim of getting them promoted to the Virslīga. We hope you enjoy the show!

*Correction: AS Pirae qualified for the 2023/24 Coupe de France by winning the Coupe de Polynésie.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: The magic & madness of the Coupe de France and our trip to watch Saint Méziéry vs. AS Pirae of Tahiti in the seventh round (00:47)

Part 2: The world's most isolated clubs and Papua New Guinea's incredibly harsh elimination from the Pacific Games (22:27)

Part 3: The undersoil heating fiasco in Norway, the Mascot Olympics in Spain & the Latvian club bought by Tiktokers (44:12)

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There is a venture outside of Europe in Part 2 as Paul talks in-depth about the Te Runga Games, a quadrennial sports competition held in Kiribati – one of the most remote places in the world. There’s also a word for Afghanistan, whose new coach Ashley Westwood faces a full-scale rebellion before the World Cup qualifier against Qatar, and Eritrea, who have pulled out of the tournament entirely because the country’s authoritarian regime deems the players to be a flight risk. And finally there’s a listener email from Ian, who was treated like a royal on a football trip to Tajikistan.

It is back to Europe in Part 3 as Lee pays a visit to Austrian club Blau-Weiss Linz, whose former player Raphael Dwamena sadly passed away after collapsing during a match in Albania on Saturday. That story is followed by the news of the penalty shootout that took place in North Ireland between Coleraine and Ballymena, and is the third-longest in football history. To finish off, we talk about our upcoming trip to Paris to watch Tahitian champions AS Pirae take on sixth-tier Saint Meziery in the Coupe de France at the weekend.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: Frantic finales in the Nordic nations, the closest title races of all time & a roundup of the remaining Scandinavian football headlines (00:44)

Part 2: The Te Runga Games in Kiribati, Eritrea’s withdrawal from World Cup qualification and Ashley Westwood’s mutiny in Afghanistan (17:48)

Part 3: Completing the Austrian Bundesliga’s 12 stadia, the third-longest penalty shootout ever & a preview of our Coupe de France trip (35:36)

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The early Asian World Cup qualifying action is the starting point in Part 2. Paul tells us all about Guam, the first country to be eliminated from 2026 World Cup qualifying, Curtis Davies’ unlikely debut for Sierra Leone at the ripe old age of 38 and Otis Khan’s struggles to prove his Pakistani heritage to the powers-that-be. Lee then chips in with some headlines from the European continent, including the Polish squad getting stuck in the Faroe Islands, some bizarre records set by Georgia and Croatia, and Thailand’s improbable stop at McDonald's on their journey to Estonia.

It's all about club football in Part 3 and there was only one place to start: Norway, where YMCA club and waffle impostors KFUM are on the cusp of an historic promotion to the Eliteserien, the country’s top flight. That’s followed by a chat about Deportivo Murcia, the first seventh-tier club to win a Copa del Rey tie in the competition’s 120-year history and also a contender for the unwanted prize of the worst badge in football. Plus, we read out some lovely listener emails sent from far-flung countries and territories across the globe, such as Hong Kong, Gibraltar and Myanmar.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1 - Emergency 'San Marino scored a goal' section (00:48)

Part 2 - Full international round-up: First World Cup eliminations, Afghanistan's coaching chaos & Thailand's trip to McDonald's (10:14)

Part 3 - Club stories & emails: The Norwegian YMCA fairytale, Deportivo Murcia's Copa del Rey magic & messages from far-flung lands (33:47)

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The unique away day theme continues in Part 2 as we look at quirky geographical features that some fans have to navigate to get to away games: there's an undersea roundabout in the Faroe Islands, a bridge that bypasses Bosnia on the Adriatic Coast and a Swiss stadium that requires two cable cars to reach. We then talk about the La Liga squad that missed their flight and read some more of your e-mails about former footballers who have gone into politics.

It's all about stupid stories in Part 3. The annual Costa Rican mascot race ends in victory for Lula the cow - or is it Gary? - and a wealthy businessman pays £17,500 for his 22-year-old son to get 10 minutes of game time in the Czech third tier. Finally, Paul recaps a memorable bonus podcast and we look ahead to some exciting stories from Wales and the USA for next time.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1 - The Antarctic micronation with a football team & island time in the Coupe de France (00:50)

Part 2 - Unusual European away days, missed flights in La Liga & former footballers who have gone into politics (17:03)

Part 3 - The epic Costa Rican mascot race & the Czech father who paid big money for his son to play (31:52)

The Costa Rican mascot race:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-uUWC-_RVI

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Part 2 starts off with a couple of stories from Sweden: lower-league Torns IF have discovered a loophole in the offside rule, while AIK supporters are telling police where to hit them with batons. Ladders (but no snakes) are being thrown around in France, while an Austrian club president is making headlines for handing out cash to quench fans' thirst - at a game Lee attended live.

Finally, in Part 3, we expand our focus to cover the whole continent: there's a preview of the European group stages and the biggest away days faced by the 96 teams in question, plus a look ahead to the international break and the chances Kazakhstan, Luxembourg and Moldova have of making it to EURO 2024.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: The sequel to 'Up Pohnpei', the Indonesian team travelling in a tank & the Slovenian club president scoring goals (00:46)

Part 2: Offside rule loopholes and baton-wielding police in Sweden, snakes and ladders in France & drinks for the fans in Austria (17:01)

Part 3: The biggest away days in the European group phase & a look ahead to the international fixtures (32:18)

VIDEO: The loophole to the offside rule discovered by Torns IF:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2023/aug/30/swedish-third-tier-team-torns-if-find-offside-rule-loophole-video

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Part 2 kicks off with a shout-out for KÍ Klaksvík & Zrinjski Mostar, the first-ever clubs from the Faroe Islands and Bosnia & Herzegovina to reach a European group phase. We talk about the KÍ player selling frozen pizzas, the prize money that comes with qualification and also speak about Raków's insane rise from the Polish third division to the brink of the Champions League in the space of a few years.

Finally, in Part 3, it's time for some silly refereeing stories, starting in Latvia with the drunk refs whose dodgy decisions saw them breathalysed by police and finishing with the Fred Perry polo shirt-wearing fan who stepped in to run the line in Portsmouth's match against Cheltenham. There's also a look at the revolt against Samuel Eto'o in Cameroon & a plug for our brilliant bonus episodes.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1: The 2023 Greenlandic Football Championship & our own visit to watch the world's shortest football season (00:44)

Part 2: A first for the Faroes and Bosnia & Herzegovina, plus the remarkable rise of Raków to the brink of Europe's top table (15:25)

Part 3: Drunk Latvian refs, the stand-in linesman wearing gold boots & a revolt against Samuel Eto'o in Cameroon (30:42)

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In Part 1, Lee & Paul start off by talking (once again) about team of the moment KÍ Klaksvík and another headline from the Nordic nations: the Icelandic youngster whose hat-trick knocked his father out of the Champions League. Then there's a crazy game in Kosovo with 23 minutes of added time, a landmark for Santa Coloma of Andorra & a look at the eight countries that have never had a group-stage representative.

Then, in Part 2, we turn our attentions to the state of limbo facing the Afghanistan women's team, the curious case of a raccoon that fell through a US press box ceiling, the Greenlandic team missing the Championship to go on a reindeer hunt and an Austrian derby that has been 18 years in the making as Austria Salzburg are drawn against Red Bull Salzburg - the club that bought them out back in 2005.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1 - The European qualifying rounds: Faroese magic, father-son battles & stoppage time madness (00:44)

Part 2 - The Afghan women's team, Greenlandic reindeer hunts, raccoons in the US press box and a spicy Salzburg derby (18:40)

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Part 1 sees us reflect on Paul’s past in Micronesia as the world's youngest international football coach, the Twitter DM from Kenny that changed everything, the tournament format, the lost suitcase of futsal shoes, Kosrae’s controversial path to the final, Yap’s victory, the trophy flown in from Guam, an emergency wood carving and much more besides.

Then, in Part 2, we talk about the establishment of an FA, the constitution that Paul wrote on the plane, the importance of futsal to Micronesia’s football strategy and whether the AFC or the OFC offers the likeliest route to membership in a FIFA Confederation. Lastly, we chat about the upcoming sequel to Paul’s popular book “Up Pohnpei” and where you can read it.

Finally, in Part 3, it’s time for our usual European football round-up. Faroese side KÍ Klaksvík pull off a huge shock in the Champions League qualifiers, Glentoran and Gżira United play out the highest-scoring penalty shootout in UEFA history, there’s a night to remember for Andorra and two Crimean clubs are incorporated into the Russian football pyramid.

RUNNING ORDER:

Part 1 – The first-ever Micronesian futsal tournament: the Twitter DM that changed everything, Kosrae’s controversial path to the final & Yap’s victory (00:45)

Part 2 – The first-ever Micronesian futsal tournament: the establishment of an FA, routes to membership in a FIFA Confederation & the sequel to “Up Pohnpei” (20:23)

Part 3 – The European football round-up: KÍ Klaksvík’s UCL upset, the highest-scoring shootout in UEFA history & the contested fate of two Crimean clubs (33:48)

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Part 1 is dedicated to our very favourite part of the European football calendar: the qualifying rounds for the UEFA club competitions. We discuss the biggest away days, the first-time participants, the clubs from outside the top flight involved and a chance encounter with the Borac Banja Luka director at a Balkan wedding.

The next segment looks ahead to the latest edition of the biennial Island Games, which will see islands ranging from Greenland (the largest in the world) to St. Helena (one of the most remote on the planet & the place Napoleon was exiled to) compete in a football tournament held on the Channel Island of Guernsey this July.

Last up, we show some love for the summer leagues: the only two top-flight clubs in Europe based in the Arctic Circle are dominating Norway's Eliteserien, KÍ Klaksvík are chasing the almost-impossible feat of a perfect season and there's an update on the punishments handed out to the Belarusian trio that were involved in match-fixing.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - The European club competition qualifying rounds: debutants, lower-league clubs, banned teams, away days & a Balkan wedding (00:44)

PART 2 - The Island Games in Guernsey: the history, the participants, the frontrunners, the sponsor and the future of the tournament (16:19)

PART 3 - Summer leagues: Arctic Circle superiority in Norway, a potential perfect season in the Faroes & the aftermath of the Belarusian betting scandal (28:53)

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The first segment of the pod is dedicated to Lee's trip to see San Marino, who extended their unwanted world-record winless run to 130 games against Kazakhstan in Parma - despite giving a pretty impressive account of themselves in the first half.

The next segment covers the other major talking points from the international period, including Moldova's stunning comeback win against Poland, Luxembourg's first back-to-back EURO qualifying victories since 1995 & a series of stunning records set by Andorran legend Ildefons Lima.

Next up is our main story for this episode, the treble achieved by OPBG in the Vatican, before we turn our attentions to the man on Interpol's wanted list who submitted takeover bids in Belgium and St. Kitts & Nevis' qualification for the Gold Cup. There's also an honourable mention for Father Ted, Craig Bellamy and the Eurovision Song Contest.

RUNNING ORDER

PART 1 - Lee's visit to Parma to see San Marino & the Kazakh fan that travelled 5,000km only to be denied entry (00:44)

PART 2 - The big headlines from the international period: Moldova's success, Luxembourg's upturn & Ildefons Lima's records (17:46)

PART 3 - A Vatican treble for the Children's Hospice, a suspicious takeover attempt or four in Belgium & St. Kitts & Nevis at the GoldCup (32:37)

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Lee reflects on his trip to Liechtenstein’s Cup Final - where FC Vaduz unsurprisingly win a world-record 49th domestic cup - and his subsequent 50km hike through the hills to see all seven football stadiums in the micro-state in the space of 24 hours.

Promotions and relegations are on the agenda next: there is a premature pitch invasion or two in Germany, a mistimed open-top bus parade in Luxembourg, a calamitous stadium inauguration in Romania and a European berth for Arsenal – the one in Montenegro, of course!

That is followed by a look at Europe’s biggest top-flight away day in Kazakhstan, a disastrous own goal in Lithuania and an amusing misspelling in the British Virgin Islands. The team then conclude by revealing more details about their upcoming Patreon launch.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 – Lee’s lookback at the Liechtenstein Cup Final & his misjudged micro-state stadium hike (00:47)

PART 2 – Bizarre tales of promotions & relegations: Germany, Luxembourg, Romania & Montenegro (14:28)

PART 3 – Away days, own goals & misspellings: Kazakhstan, Lithuania & the British Virgin Islands (36:33)

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Co-hosts Lee Wingate & Paul Watson return to the virtual studio on their opposite sides of the Channel for another audio journey around the world of football in the space of 45 minutes, with extended Sweeper family member Tom Middler returning as producer.

The football season may be winding down but that means it’s cup final time across the continent. Lee is preparing to travel to see the showpiece event in Liechtenstein between Balzers & Vaduz and hike to every stadium in the country the following day.

The domestic cup round-up does not stop there, as the team talk about the second-tier outfit in the Luxembourg cup final, the first seventh-tier side to qualify for the Copa del Rey in 120 years & the pitch-invading toddler in Finland – the land of epic club names.

Paul tells the story of North Macedonia’s record champions resorting to Crowdfunder, in a segment that also covers the three Belarusian sides involved in a match-fixing scandal and the club in San Marino holding try-outs for players.

And finally, there are some feel-good stories: a 49-year-old goalkeeping coach keeps a clean sheet in the Faroes, Kecskemét are Europe’s best promoted club, an Italian coach calls his mum in a pitchside interview and Belenenses equal a world promotion record.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 – Lee’s trip to Liechtenstein to attend the cup final (00:43); lower-league cup stories in Luxembourg, Spain and Finland (10:07)

PART 2 – Clubs in a spot of bother: North Macedonia, Belarus and San Marino (17:44)

PART 3 – Feel-good stories: the Faroe Islands, Hungary, Italy and Portugal (32:46)

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Having revealed his tentative plans to become a sporting director at a sixth-division Italian club, Paul is reminded of his claim that he could beat Man Utd defender Axel Tuanzebe's Guinness World Record for clearing a Hungry Hippos board in 17.36 seconds & is challenged by Lee to a quiz about unlikely world records held by football players.

The remainder of the opening segment is dedicated to the Iberian peninsula, with a chat about the former pub team that won Gibraltar's Rock Cup followed by a look at the Spanish side that have lost every game for 11 years and conceded over 4,000 goals in the process.

Part two delves deeper into off-the-pitch matters such as Viktor Orbán's financial backing for football clubs outside of Hungary, Fortuna Düsseldorf's free ticket pilot project and the Brazilian club that have named themselves after now-disbanded Ukrainian outfit Mariupol.

Last but not least, the team metaphorically sprint around the continent rounding up all the premature title-winners, champions-elect, unlikely promotion contenders and surprise relegations, before revealing their plans for the show over the summer.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - Paul's plans to become an Italian club's sporting director & the Guinness World Record quiz (00:42); stories from the Iberian peninsula (06:39); Surprise Shirts read-out (13:30)

PART 2 - Off the pitch stories: soft power in Hungary, free tickets in Germany, an away crowd of one in South Korea & a renamed club in Brazil (15:58)

PART 3 - A round-up of all the champions, promotion battles and relegation dogfights across Europe (30:48)

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Beer is the recurring theme in the opening segment, where Paul tells the story of the Polish referees that allegedly got drunk on a flight to Greece & Lee laughs at the Croatian coach who made his players train at 1 in the morning after getting home from an away game.

We then have a brief chat with Louis Jones from our sponsor Surprise Shirts, before embarking upon a whistlestop tour of the globe that sees us cover headlines from Bhutan, Pakistan, Tunisia, Australia and China.

In the final segment, we talk about some of the very best and worst-performing teams in the entire world this season - from the Outer Hebridean side with a wonky pitch that won 16-1 at the weekend to the Greek team that kept having their points deductions overturned.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - Lee's upcoming trip to San Marino (00:52); European round-up: Netherlands, Poland, Greece, Croatia & Wales (04:10)

PART 2 - A chat with Louis Jones from Surprise Shirts (15:36); global football round-up: Bhutan, Pakistan, Tunisia, Australia, China (19:43)

PART 3 - A look at the very best & worst teams in the world this season (29:55)

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Paul looks back on his memorable trips to Alderney and San Marino, who are on some of the longest winless streaks in world football, while Lee waxes lyrical about Kazakhstan and shares two notable stories from Gibraltar.

There's an excellent April Fool's Day joke by the Norwegian FA, a look at the wacky world of Welsh football, some contenders for the worst club of the season in Italy and St. Kitts & Nevis, and a duo of Dutch pitch invaders.

Last but not least, we introduce our new sponsor Surprise Shirts and review some of the stand-out promotion contenders across Europe - including Russian exclave club Baltika Kaliningrad, recently turned pros Queen's Park of Scotland and Northern Irish village team Loughgall.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - International round-up: Alderney, San Marino, Sint Maarten, Kazakhstan & Gibraltar (00:53)

PART 2 - April Fool's jokes, savage scorelines & Dutch pitch invaders (18:54)

PART 3 - An introduction to Surprise Shirts (30:35); standout promotion contenders across Europe (33:53)

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Paul reflects on his time as the world's youngest international manager (sort of) and the dormant plans to bring his remote adventure to the big screen, while Lee tries to get to grips with Europe's most bizarre league format in Moldova.

There's a comical touchline moment in Serie B, a historical hiding in Holland, an amazing accomplishment for Violette of Haiti and some superb sh*thousery in the fourth round of the Norwegian cup.

With two leagues already concluded, there's also some chat about the champions in Gibraltar and Malta, plus a review of all the clubs across Europe on course to claim their first-ever top-flight title.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - The world's youngest international manager & the Micro Cup (01:14)

PART 2 - Weird, wacky & wonderful across the world (14:56)

PART 3 - Premature champions & tantalising title races (34:24)

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Unperturbed by the foiled coup in their country, Sheriff Tiraspol become the first Moldovan club to reach the last 16 of a European competition, while Lech Poznań end a 32-year wait for Poland, Belgian clubs enjoy some penalty shootout success and there is a truly horrendous own goal in Denmark.

Sion are in the spotlight after their 56th manager of the century is placed on gardening leave, Zdeněk Zeman returns to the coaching fold at Pescara and Luxembourg's league leaders are locked in a fierce dispute with the FA & UEFA over a potential BeNeLux league.

Then there's a scandal in Somalia, an amazing achievement for Haiti's women, all the latest from the domestic cups in Sweden & Argentina, and a round-up of the Oceania Champions League preliminaries.

RUNNING ORDER: 

PART 1 - Europa League & Europa Conference League chat (01:14)

PART 2 - Coaching chaos across the continent (10:56)

PART 3 - Global round-up: Africa, Central & South America in focus (26:19)

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Hosts Lee and Paul Watson discuss their most memorable football experiences in Enfield and Győr respectively, before switching the focus to the tragic earthquake in Türkiye and its impact on the Süper Lig.

Japan legend Kazu Miura rocks up at second-tier Oliveirense in Portugal aged 55 - but is he the oldest professional player currently active in Europe? Meanwhile, prisoners are allowed out to catch a Romanian top-flight match and a sponsor steps in in Belgium to prevent a controversial coaching appointment.

Domestic cups are reaching crunch time across Europe - and there are updates from Northern Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands and England, including another story involving fish football mascots!

Last but not least, there is a first-ever venture to other continents with the net cast as far as Argentina in the south-west to Hong Kong in the north-east, with stops off in Liberia and the British Virgin Islands on the way.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - Memorable live football experiences (01:35); the impact of the earthquake in Türkiye on the Süper Lig (08:52)

PART 2 - Weird and wacky stories from across Europe (15:09)

PART 3 - Cup chaos across the continent (24:04)

PART 4 - The Sweeper goes global (35:09)

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The first Solomon Islander to ever sign a professional contract in Europe pens a deal in Bosnia, while a club president in Malta contemplates resignation in order to register himself as a player.

Cosmos go from bottom last season to top of the pile this term in San Marino - but what's been their secret? Meanwhile, Swift Hesperange of Luxembourg are Europe's only unbeaten side, and there is news from the lower reaches of the French and Italian top flights too.

Across the domestic cups, Israel's Maccabi Netanya remarkably win a trophy without scoring a goal, second-tier Pas de la Casa make waves in the Andorran Cup and Barcelona's Copa del Rey opponents Ceuta get a new mascot: 'Caballati' the mackerel.

RUNNING ORDER:

PART 1 - Introduction to the new hosts and our first stories (00:50)

PART 2 - The leagues making headlines across UEFA (14:38)

PART 3 - Cup runs, triumphs & geopolitics (29:30)

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