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Published by Sweeper Productions Ltd
Tired of the Premier League and big-league European football? Want to discover the hidden stories of the global game? The Sweeper Podcast is your passport to the most extraordinary stories from across the football world. From the World Cup and Champions League to the most obscure and overlooked competitions on earth, expert journalists Lee Wingate and Paul Watson explore the intersection of football, travel, geography, geopolitics, history and culture. Start here: 🎧 Red Bull’s Italian expansion plans (28 April 2026) 🎧 North Korea’s top-secret league (3 March 2026) 🎧 Greenland left out in the cold (24 June 2025) Hit “Follow” to discover new stories from the global game every Tuesday. Join us Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod for bonus podcasts every Thursday. Contact: hello@sweeperpod.com. ——————————————————— World soccer archive The Sweeper is the only podcast committed to covering the beautiful game in all 211 FIFA countries – and beyond. The archives include deep dives into: EUROPEAN FOOTBALL (UEFA) • Countries: Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Finland, Gibraltar, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Switzerland, Ukraine • Clubs: Austria Salzburg, Bodø/Glimt, Bursaspor, Ceuta, Kairat Almaty, Ludogorets, Mjällby, Paks, Qarabag, Shakhtar Donetsk, Steaua Bucharest, Südtirol, Thun, Vaduz • Competitions: Champions League, Conference League, Coupe de France, Europa League, European Championship ASIAN FOOTBALL (AFC) • Countries: Australia, Bhutan, China, India, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, South Korea, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan • Clubs: Arkadag, Gimcheon Sangmu, Heidelberg United, Johor Darul Taz’im, Machida Zelvia, Mohun Bagan, Neom, Thimphu City • Competitions: Asian Cup, Challenge League, Champions League 2, Champions League Elite AFRICAN FOOTBALL (CAF) • Countries: Algeria, Cape Verde, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Zanzibar • Clubs: Al Ahly, Al Hilal Omdurman, Mamelodi Sundowns, Pyramids, Rahimo FC, RS Berkane • Competitions: Africa Cup of Nations, Champions League, Confederation Cup NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICAN FOOTBALL (CONCACAF) • Countries: Anguilla, Belize, Bonaire, Canada, Curacao, Guyana, Haiti, Mexico, Montserrat, Suriname, USA • Clubs: El Farolito, FC Supra du Québec, Robinhood FC, Vancouver Whitecaps • Competitions: Caribbean Cup, CFU Shield, Champions Cup, Gold Cup OCEANIAN FOOTBALL (OFC) • Countries: American Samoa, Cook Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Vanuatu • Clubs: Auckland FC, Bula FC, Hekari United, Solomon Kings, South Island United, South Melbourne, Tahiti United, Vanuatu FC • Competitions: OFC Champions League, OFC Pro League SOUTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL (CONMEBOL) • Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela • Clubs: Chapecoense, Coquimbo Unido, Mirassol, Mushuc Runa, The Strongest • Competitions: Copa América, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana REST OF THE WORLD • Countries: Bougainville, Greenland, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Scilly Isles, Tuvalu, Vatican City • Clubs: B67 Nuuk • Competitions: CONIFA World Football Cup, Fenix Trophy Topics: Altitude, amateurs, artificial intelligence, away days, cross-border clubs, cross-border leagues, day jobs, defections, derbies, dictatorships, elections, exclaves, fairytales, Football Manager, Futbology, groundhopping, identity, investigative journalism, islands, micro-states, minnows, multi-club ownership, non-league, outsiders, play-offs, promotion, relegation, sports washing, stories, ultras, unbeaten runs, underdogs, winning streaks
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There are plenty of tough places to go for a CAF Champions League away game this season. But few can rival the harsh climes of the desert, where Algerian club JS Saoura are from. 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
There are some simply sensational stories to be told about the 108 league phase participants in the three UEFA club competitions this season. 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
There’s totally dominating a league – and then there’s Johor Darul Ta’zim! The Malaysians have won the last 12 Super Leagues, the joint-longest active title-winning run in world football. 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
Mexico broke ranks with the rest of CONCACAF over Gianni Infantino’s botched plans to sell off stakes in the World Cup. Now there are reports the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has hatched a secret deal with the FIFA President to help them join CONMEBOL. 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
The Coupe de France is the most international national cup competition in the world, with overseas territories located in every continent bar Asia taking part. The first to enter each year is always the team from Saint Pierre and Miquelon, in round 3. 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
Football never stops. Only nine days after the World Cup final, the news was leaked that FIFA were looking to sell a stake in the tournament, sparking a furious backlash across the globe. 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
The 2026 World Cup continues to produce breathtaking matches – arguably none more so than debutants Cape Verde versus world champions Argentina. 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
The 2026 World Cup group-stage is over – and we’re already under way with the knockout phase of the tournament! 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
It has been another scintillating week of action at the 2026 World Cup, where the final round of group games is about to get under way. 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
The 2026 World Cup is already producing crazy quirks and hilarious headlines – with the co-host trio of Canada, Mexico and the USA leading the way. 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
Uzbekistan are on the cusp of making their long-awaited World Cup bow. 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
Jordan are at the World Cup finals for the first time ever! 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
Debutants Curacao are about to break an all-time World Cup record. 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
Cape Verde are days away from making their World Cup debut. 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
We have come to a tiny landlocked country where nine out of 10 footballers are foreigners. 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
How has an exiled football club won league titles in three countries in the space of 12 months? 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
Mexico’s Liga MX wants to copy the MLS model! 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
FC Thun midfielder Ethan Meichtry was a road worker three years ago. Now he’s a Swiss Super League winner. 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?
Red Bull are finally coming for Italian football! 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
Shakhtar Donetsk are a Ukrainian football club – but Russia are trying to change that by founding Shakhtyor Donetsk! 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
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Observed September 18, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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