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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

What does Manchester City’s legal battle mean for the UAE–UK relationship? Our second FootPol clip looks at Manchester City, Abu Dhabi, British politics and the wider debate over sportswashing — when football, money and geopolitics collide. Watch the full episode: youtu.be/hlyqlqEtpnA?...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Why is Russia banned from UEFA competitions while Israel continues to play? Our first FootPol clip looks at the contrasting treatment of Israel and Russia — and what it tells us about the politics of FIFA and UEFA. Full episode: youtu.be/hlyqlqEtpnA?... #FootPol #FootballPolitics #UEFA #FIFA

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

FootPol is back for Season 4! ⚽️🎙️ FIFA vs UEFA, Israel & Russia, Manchester City & the UAE, Saudi Arabia, women’s football and more. Plus, you can now WATCH us on YouTube. New episode out now. 🎧📺 Watch: youtu.be/hlyqlqEtpnA?... Listen: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... #FootPol #FootballPolitics

youtu.be

Season 4: Back in Play!

YouTube video by The FootPol Podcast

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

What can football tell us about politics? Quite a lot. ⚽️ We're coming back for Season 4, where we'll be exploring how football reflects society — and how politics, money and power shape the game. We're also be on YouTube too. Which means Francesco’s shirt collection is finally on display. 🎙️📺

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Is the World Cup for sale? We're briefly back from our summer break with a FootPol episode on FIFA's $20bn proposal. FIFA says investment will transform football. Critics ask if private money changes who the game serves. Listen 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... Opportunity or a step too far?

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

🎙️ That's a wrap on Season 3! A huge thank you to everyone who's listened, shared and supported us. In just 3 years we've passed 100 episodes and reached the Top 25 podcasts on Buzzsprout. Catch up on the archive over the summer—we'll be back with Season 4 in September: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Was World Cup 2026 ever just about football? In our Season 3 finale, we revisit the politics behind the tournament—from FIFA and ticket prices to Iran, Palestine, Balogun, Mbappe, Pride and more. Check it out here: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... We'll be back in September. Have a great summer!

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The World Cup is over. Now comes the bigger question: can FIFA be reformed? Guy spoke to sports consultant Gaby Bracamonte about governance, ticket pricing, commercialisation and what players, managers and fas can do to reclaim control of football. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Spain and Argentina contest today's World Cup final—and both will help host the 2030 tournament. Why did FIFA choose a six-country, three-continent World Cup? We explored the politics behind the decision with Leslie Mabon. 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Spain v Argentina isn't just today's World Cup final—it's politics too. From Trump and Spain to Argentina's Las Malvinas banner, football never escapes politics. We explored similar controversies after the 2024 Euros & Copa América. 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Argentina meet England in tonight's World Cup semi-final. Our archive episode with Mariano Paz explores the time these two met at the 1986 World Cup in the wake of the Falklands/Malvinas War and how that contributed to Diego Maradona's political significance. 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

England face Argentina in tonight's World Cup semi-final. Our archive episode with @sheffieldhallamuni.bsky.social's Jack Black explores the 3 Lions song and the nostalgia it evokes in football and politics: looking back to a past that can never be actualised. 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Spain face France tonight for a place in the World Cup final. Our FootPol archive episode with @miguellpereira.bsky.social explores the developments in Spanish football from Franco to democracy, changing ownership, and the impact of a more diverse national team. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

It's Bastille Day, and France face Spain for a place in the World Cup final. Our FootPol archive with @jonathanervine.bsky.social explores football, race, religion, national identity and why some French players speak out while others stay silent. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

England face Norway for a World Cup semi-final place tonight. Our FootPol archive with @joshbland13.bsky.social last year explored English football's working-class roots, the idea of "authentic" football and what the Premier League has changed. Worth a listen! 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Spain face Belgium tonight. Spain's last World Cup win came in 2023 with the women's team. Our FootPol archive asks a bigger question: did that triumph change Spanish football and society? 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

France v Morocco is a perfect example of football globalisation: migration, diaspora and identities crossing borders. Our archive with historian Graham Cornwell explores how the game has changed — and why Morocco’s rise is no surprise. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Messi's Argentina face Egypt today. Before the match, revisit our FootPol archive with Mariano Paz on Diego Maradona: why he became Argentina's ultimate football icon, and why the 1986 win over England resonated far beyond the pitch. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Spain face Portugal tonight. From Franco’s legacy to Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, @miguellpereira.bsky.social draws on his book to explore how Spanish football has been shaped by politics, identity and change in our FootPol archive. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

🚨New episode! Marie-Louise Eta’s appointment at Union Berlin in April wasn’t the “first” in women coaching men’s football—but it’s the highest-profile in a top European league. New FootPol ep w/ @cmrobertz.bsky.social on why that framing persists + what it hides: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Brazil face Norway today. From Pelé and Paulo Cezar Caju to the Seleção's historic black shirt in 2023, our trip to the FootPol archive is an episode with Universidade Federal Fluminense's Ana Paula da Silva, who explains race, politics and Brazilian football. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Morocco face Canada in the Round of 16. But their rise isn't only a men's story: Morocco has also become one of the leading forces in women's football across the Middle East and North Africa. @assiletoufaily.bsky.social explains why in our FootPol archive episode. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Could this be Mohamed Salah's final World Cup? Before Egypt face Australia today, hear our episode with UCLA's @salmamousa.bsky.social on Salah's global impact, politics, identity—and how his arrival at Liverpool coincided with a fall in anti-Muslim hate crimes. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Portugal face Croatia today. From Eusébio to Cristiano Ronaldo, @miguellpereira.bsky.social explores Portugal's football identity, politics and diaspora—and why the Seleção unites supporters like no other team, beyond club rivalries of the Big Three. Check it out! www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

England face DR Congo today. If they win, expect to hear Three Lions (Football's Coming Home) in pubs and fan zones. Why does it still resonate 30 years on? Jack Black explores the politics of nostalgia, football & national identity in our FootPol archive episode. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

France face Sweden today. How did French football become a political battleground? @jonathanervine.bsky.social explores identity, secularism and the national team in our latest FootPol archive episode. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Germany face Paraguay tonight. Why is German football different? @politicsofsports.bsky.social explains the 50+1 ownership model, fan power, and what the national team says about modern Germany. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

DR Congo are through! One of their most devoted fans is Michel Mboladinga, who supports the team dressed as Patrice Lumumba. Our latest archive episode explores football in DR Congo amid conflict, especially in the east and the resilience of clubs and communities. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Cabo Verde are through to the World Cup knockout stage! We spoke with Emmanuel Charles D'Oliveira and Nuno Domingos about how this small island nation built its football identity—and the key role of its diaspora. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Iraq face Senegal tonight. Before kick-off, we visited out achive and invite you to hear Hassanane Balal explain how football helped unite Iraq after 2003, the legacy of the 2007 Asian Cup and the role of the diaspora in the national team last year. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Curaçao face Côte d'Ivoire tonight in only their third World Cup match. How did the smallest nation ever to reach the finals build a World Cup team? Researchers Karym Leito and Margo Groenewoud explain in this FootPol Podcast episode: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

FootPol Podcast is now in the top 25% on Buzzsprout 🎙️ Of 100k+ shows, this marks steady growth for a small independent project built without funding or institutional backing. Thanks to listeners—subscribe or share if you can. It genuinely helps. Next stop: top 10%. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Colombia are through to the next round in the 2026 World Cup, so we’re revisiting our FootPol episode on football, politics and identity in Colombia with @drpetewatson.bsky.social — from FARC to cartels to peacebuilding. It was an excellent conversation. Do listen! www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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Reposted by The FootPol Podcast

International Centre for Sports History and Culture @icshc.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

'Why is there no British national football team?' @icshc.bsky.social Director Professor Matt Taylor @matttayl.bsky.social speaks to the @footpolpodcast.bsky.social - www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... #sportshistory #FIFAWC (Pictured: The Scottish national football team from 1895).

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Only their 2nd World Cup finals appearance. How did Uzbekistan get here? For today's archive visit, we give you an episode where we spoke with Uzbek groundhopper Donat Iskanderov about the country's football evolution, from Soviet legacy to today's national team. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

New Zealand played at the World Cup today, so we're revisiting our episode with CJ Price of Palmerston North Marist FC to learn what sits underneath that team — clubs, volunteers, pathways and how football is really built in Oceania. Have a listen! www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

New episode out today. Football didn’t break—it got optimised. Hook fans, lock them in, squeeze everything out. That’s enshittification, now the game’s operating model. Roy Keane saw it. Arsenal illustrated it. @moneill94.bsky.social explains it. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

⚽ As Saudi Arabia face Spain later today, FootPol's archive revisit looks beyond the headlines. Aziz Alghashian & Eyad Elrefaei discuss football's roots in Saudi society, its role in economic diversification and what hosting a World Cup could mean for the Kingdom. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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Reposted by The FootPol Podcast

Curtis Ryan @curtisryan.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

The Austria game is now over, but there are still games against Algeria and Argentina for Jordan's Nashama, and this podcast:

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

⚽ Scotland may have lost to Morocco, but today's FootPol archive revisit asks a bigger question: why do Scotland, England, Wales & Northern Ireland have separate teams—and why is there no British team? @matttayl.bsky.social explains in one of our earliest episodes. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

⚽ Morocco's World Cup story doesn't end in 2026. Today's FootPol archive revisit explores the politics of the 2030 World Cup with @ljmabon.bsky.social of @openuniversity.bsky.social; what hosting could mean for Morocco's development, society and global profile. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Day 8 of the World Cup for us in Europe. Following Ghana's opening win against Panama, we're revisiting our conversation with Ghanaian journalist Gary Al-Smith on football in West Africa, talent migration to Europe and his AFCON 2024 predictions. Was he right? 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

⚽ Making their World Cup debut against Austria earlier today, Jordan is one of the tournament's most intriguing stories. Today's FootPol archive revisit sees @curtisryan.bsky.social explain how football reflects Jordan's history, identity, politics and society. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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Reposted by The FootPol Podcast

Pete Watson @drpetewatson.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Will is great - this is really worth a listen

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

⚽ Uruguay has won two World Cups, shaped the global game, and produced some of football's most iconic personalities. Today's FootPol Podcast World Cup archive revisit is with Will Huddleston, exploring the country's remarkable football story. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

⚽ World Cup Day 5: Belgium v Egypt Can football bridge deep linguistic and political divides? Today’s FootPol archive revisit is Belgium with Scott Coyne of the Belgian Football Podcast: identity, language, academies, and how the national team sits above it all. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Japan begins their World Cup against the Netherlands so today's FootPol archive revisit features Akron University's Seungbum Lee on the politics, business and development of football in East Asia, providing valuable context for understanding the Japanese game. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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The FootPol Podcast @footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

World Cup Day 3 ⚽ Today's FootPol archive revisit takes us to Switzerland ahead of their match with Qatar. Christian Koller explores the history and politics of Swiss football, from migration and labour movements to regional identities and the women's game. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

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