In Part 1, Lee tells Paul about his travels to watch pod favourites Greenland and San Marino live during their respective trips to Austria over the international window. How did he impact the course of the Arctic island's match against Slovenia from the sidelines? What insights did he glean from inside the Greenland camp? Why is the legendary Austrian striker Toni Polster so bitter towards San Marino? And what question did Lee ask SM coach Roberto Cevoli at the press conference following his side's double-digit defeat?

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?

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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

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

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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Welcome to our first-ever video podcast! Let's be honest with you: we're not entirely sure how well this will work first time round. It seems that Spotify is the only podcast platform that allows video podcast uploads. So if you prefer to use Apple Podcasts or another platform but you want to watch it, please head on over to our YouTube channel and subscribe to us there! Finally, let us know what you think about the new format in the comments!

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

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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Bulgarian club Ludogorets are the starting point in a Europe-focused Part 1. But what continental record have they equalled? And how might the Crazy Forest gang’s story have turned out so differently? Next up is the Vatican. But what is the link between Serie C club Avellino and the Pope? And why have the Swiss Guard withdrawn from the league in the world’s smallest state. Then it’s over to the world’s largest country: Russia. Why are spin-offs of Ukrainian clubs from occupied territories springing up? And will UEFA allow it to happen?

 

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.

Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee

Editor: Ralph Foster

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

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

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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Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Paul’s absence, Producer Tom joins Lee to talk about their five-a-side football match on the German-Swiss border and their Alpine groundhopping challenge to watch live games in three countries in the space of seven hours – using only public transport! Join Lee and Tom to find out how they almost lost a football in international waters, why they might face repercussions from the ‘Groundhop Police’, whether they were mugged by young children in a micro-state and what happened when they dared to ask a sausage seller for a plate.

 

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!

The Blizzard: Get 10% off subscriptions to The Blizzard by entering the code 'sweeper10' at checkout.

 

Editor: Ralph Foster

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

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

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

This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football from around the world, including the San Marino league and cup: ⁠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 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:

Get 50% off the March edition of World Soccer. Visit the following link and enter the code 'SWEEPER50' at checkout: shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSCBK

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Editor:

Ralph Foster

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

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 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

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

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

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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In Part 1, Lee and Paul investigate why Slovakia have finally been recognised as EURO 1976 winners 49 years later – with the help of a UEFA insider, a Slovak football podcaster and people on the ground in the capital, Bratislava. How is the successor country of a no-longer existing nation like Czechoslovakia determined? What brought about the update on UEFA’s website on 12 September? And what do Slovaks make of the bizarre timing of this decision?

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

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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 FIFA+ football team to support.

#MakeItHappen – Montserrat v India friendly

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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

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There’s an island theme in Part 1. Starting with the return of football to Ascension Island, an isolated outpost in the Atlantic Ocean. It will be the second-most remote place to host football in the world – but what is the first?! Next up is Malta, where the only team in the pyramid from the neighbouring island of Gozo has made a 100% start to the season and the top flight has adopted a Latin American-style format. Our final stop in this segment is Cyprus, where Omonia Nicosia are preparing to face their breakaway rivals Omonia 29M.

 

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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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

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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Part 1 is all about the drama of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League. Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iceland and Ireland have their first-ever representatives in a European knockout stage, Portugal’s Vitoria de Guimaraes set a new continental away day record, Omonia’s "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" coach is sacked & the reserves of English giants Chelsea run riot. To help us review the action, we have a panel of experts from across Europe: Andy Brassell from On The Continent in the UK, Hinrik Wöhler from Vísir in Iceland & Massimo Solari of Corriere del Ticino in Switzerland.   In Part 2, Lee and Paul have their world football knowledge put to the test by Joe McAuliffe of the excellent Career We Go football trivia podcast. Finally, we review our favourite stories, topics and trips of 2024 – from the Marítimo-Nacional derby on the island of Madeira to San Marino’s first win in 20 years over Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League – and look ahead to our plans for 2025. Finally, a big thank you from us to our editors, partners, collaborators, listeners and patrons. We wish you a happy Christmas & all the best for the new year!

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

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

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

 

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

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

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 There was only ever going to be one starting point for our international coverage in Part 1: San Marino’s historic promotion to UEFA Nations League C! But how do we think they will fare and who do we want to see them face? Up next is the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, the home of Haiti & Dominican Republic – both of whom have qualified for the 2025 Gold Cup. But which other examples of shared island qualification for a major tournament are there? Finally in Part 1, we tell you all about Kitmas – a brilliant initiative started by our own Paul Watson.

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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In Part 1 of this bonus Patreon episode, which we have released in the absence of a fresh podcast on this occasion, the Sweeper team are joined by Tom Middler and Simon Clark – Lee's co-hosts on his other podcast, 'The Other Bundesliga' – to talk about their groundhopping trip to Slovenia & Croatia. Which UEFA Conference League match did they watch? Who plays in Slovenia's 'metal derby'? And why is there a garden shed in Croatia's largest stadium? Join us to find out!

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

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

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: tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper

 

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

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

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: tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper

 

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

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

In Part 1, Lee reflects on his trip to watch high-flying Lugano take on Winterthur in the Swiss Super League. What’s the story behind their collaboration with MLS outfit Chicago Fire? What else has been behind the club’s rise to domestic cup winners and title challengers? And could Switzerland have its first national champion from the Italian-speaking region since 1949? We also hear from YouTuber and friend of the pod TheTimTraveller about Campione d’Italia (the exclave on the other side of Lake Lugano) and their eighth-division football team.

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

In this episode of The Sweeper Podcast, we cover the big stories from 2026 World Cup qualifying and the latest international football news from Europe and beyond:

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

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Would you believe it?! San Marino, the worst team in the world by FIFA ranking (210), have ended the longest winless run in international football history (140 games dating back to April 2004) and won a competitive match for the first time in their history! The 'Titani' beat Liechtenstein 1-0 in the UEFA Nations League.

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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Part 1 is devoted to the final round of UEFA club competition qualifying & the upcoming league phase in the three tournaments. We look at the Larne, TNS, RFS & Slovan Bratislava underdog success stories, amazing social media posts involving the Smurfs and Mr. Bean, the changed format of the three club competitions and the computerised draw, plus the best European groundhops you could make to take in the league phase action.

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

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

Part 1 is devoted to the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds. There’s penalty pandemonium in Poland and theNetherlands, an amazing achievement for Armenians Noah and a trio of clubs on the verge of becoming the first representatives from Andorra, Northern Ireland & Wales to reach a continental group. There’s also a word for the biggest and shortest European away days of the summer, football’s huge carbon footprint and two clubs with close links to the political leaders of their countries: Puskás Akadémia of Hungary & Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih of Ukraine.

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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In Part 1, we bring you all the top stories from around the football world: Maikeli Lomu, an American with Tongan heritage, has sold his pottery studio in Utah and relocated to his ancestral homeland in pursuit of a World Cup dream. The 2024 edition of the Greenlandic Football Championship – the shortest season in world football at one week – is taking place on Disko Island off the west coast. And the FA Cup preliminary rounds are serving up some great stories, including the earliest goals in the history of the world’s oldest club competition.

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

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

In Part 1, we round up all the latest highlights from the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds. We talk about two villages of under 1,000 people in the Faroes & San Marino that claimed big European wins, the Slovenian keeper that went on a René Higuita-style dribble against Connah’s Quay Nomads of Wales and FC Copenhagen’s upcoming trip to face ‘pub team’ Bruno’s Magpies at a stadium overlooking the African coastline.

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

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

Part 1 is dedicated to the best part of the European football calendar: the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds. We chat about the Gibraltarian pub team that claimed a win in the Conference League, the victorious Polish and Romanian teams in the Europa League and the part-timers from the Faroe Islands excelling in the Champions League.

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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Part 1 is dedicated to the overachieving underdogs at the continental competitions taking place this summer: Canada at the Copa América, Vanuatu at the OFC Nations Cup and Georgia at the EUROs. Meanwhile, in Part 2, there is a rare move to a European club for an Eritrean player and an ex-Gibraltar international is jailed for drug dealing. Join us for Part 3 at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we round up some headlines from the home nations and bring you some spectacular transfer fails too.RUNNING ORDER:Intro - 00:00Canada at the Copa América - 00:59Vanuatu at the OFC Nations Cup - 07:58Georgia at the EUROs - 14:36Listener mails - 20:30A rare Eritrean transfer to Europe - 24:02Ex-Gibraltar international jailed - 28:13

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With the UEFA club competition qualifying rounds getting under way this week, it’s time for a full Sweeper preview of the action in Part 1 – in the form of a trivia quiz, of course! Join us and play along in our three rounds – Multiple Choice, Odd One Out & The Right Order – as we look ahead to the Champions, Europa & Conference League qualifiers: the debutants, the second-tier teams, the geographical extremes, the funny back stories and much more besides. And there’s plenty at stake, with Lee and Paul competing for a coveted prize.

 

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

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

Part 1 kicks off with some stories from around the footballworld. Why were the Solomon Islands locked out of their dressing room at the OFC Nations Cup? How come New Caledonia dramatically pulled out of the tournament? What are the most remote football tournaments in the world in terms of the distance to the closest inhabited land? And which footballer has recently established himself on the over-45s tennis circuit in South America?

 

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 European Championships are in full swing not only on the pitch but off it too. In Part 1, we pick out three themes from the opening stages of the tournament in Germany that have made us laugh: food wars, culture craziness & online polls/searches. Tune in to find out which country at EURO 2024 has the best national dish, who is empirically speaking the sexiest of the 24 head coaches, why Niklas Füllkrug has the best ‘Personal life’ section on Wikipedia and why Ralf Rangnick has taken the Austria squad to a Rod Stewart concert in Berlin.

 

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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In Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by travel YouTuber John McAllister to talk about his epic 5,000km overland journey from Wales to Kazakhstan to watch the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier. There’s also a full round-up of the UEFA club competition action – including Kairat Almaty's Champions League heroics, Malta’s first-ever league phase participants, Universitatea Craiova’s naughty stadium announcer and the Basel-Freiburg airport derby.

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.

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The Sweeper team

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

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EURO 2024 is just around the corner and we have put the tournament under the spotlight in typically Sweeper style in Part 1. How did Austria’s Maximilian Entrup go from a third-tier amateur/PE teacher to a place at EURO 2024 in the space of a year? Does Georgia’s Budu Zivzivadze harbour any regrets about choosing football over chess? Who is the only player at the tournament currently on the books of a third-tier European club? And where does Latvia’s 0-0 draw with Germany in 2004 rank among the all-time biggest EURO shocks?

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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Part 1 contains an international round-up of European minnows inside and outside of UEFA. In which version of football has Gibraltar become a European champion? Why has Corsica recently hosted their counterparts from Sardinia, Sicily & St. Martin? Will we watch San Marino vs. Slovakia from the top of a water slide? And which football stadium straddles an EU/non-EU border?Up next in Part 2 are a series of records and achievements from across the football world. What remarkable feat did Attack Energy Herat accomplish en route to winning the Afghan Super League? Why did a goalkeeper recently take three penalties in Israel? And is Turkmenistan's dictator partly responsible for the longest winning run in football history?Join us for Part 3 on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod as we look at Pas de la Casa's run to the Andorran Cup final without winning a game, hear about the world's ugliest building in the Kosovan capital Pristina, play a UEFA Conference League-themed game of 'Pointless' and discuss the collapse of a goal frame in the USA. RUNNING ORDER:00:00 - Intro01:10 - Gibraltar's walking football triumph06:20 - The return of the Corsica Cup15:03 - San Marino vs. Slovakia & quirky football grounds21:54 - Attack Energy Herat's perfect Afghan season24:56 - A 22nd consecutive Bosnian title for SFK 200026:54 - The longest penalty shootout ever in Israel29:06 - Ascent Soccer U21s' remarkable feat in Malawi32:36 - 47 straight wins for Arkadag in TurkmenistanVIDEO: The annual All-Priests Over 75s Five-a-Side Football Challenge Match from Father Ted: https://bit.ly/FatherTedVideoVIDEO: The longest penalty shootout in football history in Israel: https://bit.ly/IsraelPenaltyShootoutVideo

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Part 1 brings you a full round-up of all the news from the Benelux countries. What controversial actions recently earned a Dutch referee a lifelong ban from football? Why are two storied Belgian clubs facing an existential threat? And what strange series of events could lead to European football being played on a Luxembourgish campsite this summer?

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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Part 1 of the latest Sweeper sees Lee & Paul profile three clubs from around the football world: Italians Como, Australia’s Central Coast Mariners & Petrocub of Moldova. Join us to find out where Italy’s richest club might be playing their Serie A home games next term, why the Central Coast Mariners have flown 100,000km in economy class this season and how a Ghanaian takeover has propelled Petrocub to Super Liga success.

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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Is this the best-ever Sweeper line-up? In Part 1, Lee & Paul discuss stories from the lower tiers in Spain, Germany & the Netherlands. How has a team from a Spanish villageof 100 people gained promotion? What are the smallest European settlements with a football team? Why did a German footballer hire a plane for a derby on a neighbouring island? And how can the longest journey in Dutch football be between two towns that are 4km apart?

 

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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Having just visited Malta and witnessed an historic weekend of football, Lee tells Paul all about the key events in Europe’s only island micro-state in Part 1. Who came out on top in the title-decider between Ħamrun Spartans & Floriana? Why do Valletta hold a funeral parade through the streets when they win the league? How has the island reacted to the capital club’s first relegation? And what is it like to accidentally get caught up in a bus parade? Part 2 is dedicated to three big stories on three different continents: Africa, Europe & South America. Two teams think they have won the Republic Youth League in Egypt – but why? Who was allegedly behind the poisoning of Sochi’s players before their recent game against Akhmat Grozny in Russia? And what unique tribute did Brazilians Cariri pay to their owner after gaining promotion to the Campeanato Cearense Série A last week? Tune in to The Sweeper to find out the answers – and join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for a bonus segment as we answer some big questions from across Europe. Which is the only top-30 UEFA nation to have rejected VAR? What was the unlikely resting place for a shot in the third tier of French football? And did a former Port Vale player really get a pilot’s license just to mock his old club’s relegation? RUNNING ORDER:00:00 - Intro00:51 - Ħamrun Spartans vs. Floriana live10:05 - Promoted Melita's bus parade11:34 - Valletta’s first-ever relegation15:31 - Football on Gozo & Comino20:11 - Title confusion in Egypt’s Youth League29:27 - An alleged poisoning in Chechnya34:22 - A funeral home tribute in Brazil

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Part 1 is all about Africa, where a kit controversy has escalated into a geopolitical dispute between Algeria & Morocco ahead of the CAF Confederations Cup semi-final between USM Alger & RS Berkane. Elsewhere on the continent, Rising FC from Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean have made the long voyage to mainland Mauritius to take part in the cup, winning their last-32 tie!It's back to Europe - or at least, UEFA - in Part 2 as Paul & Lee discuss the 'Isolation Derby' between SKA Khabarovsk & Yenisay Krasnoyarsk in the Russian second division and look at some of the lower-league clubs on track for cup success - including Transylvanian outfit Corvinul, who have made it to next month's final against Oțelul Galați with an all-Romanian squad.On the bonus segment, there's talk of Harry Redknapp & Romario returning from retirement, a look at some goal-laden games in the ninth tiers of Italian and English football & the story of a Polish goalkeeper presented with a Zimmer frame as a birthday present by his Portuguese club. To listen to that, simply join us over at patreon.com/sweeperpod.RUNNING ORDER:00:00 - Intro00:59 - Algerian airport anger09:12 - Russ Cook's Africa run10:52 - From Rodrigues Island to Mauritius18:32 - The 'Isolation Derby' in Russia21:12 - The Niue Island listener23:11 - Corvinul & other second-tier cup runs 30:10 - Champions League fallen giants

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The latest Sweeper starts off in windy Wales with our visit to the game between Llantwit Major & Enfield Town in the Fenix Trophy and a wider look at the tournament regarded as the Champions League of non league. Then we're off to Scandinavia for some goalkeeper heroics, cupsets & geographical extremes, before finishing Part 1 in little Liechtenstein, where FC Vaduz will likely set a world record next month.

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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This episode of The Sweeper begins with a focus on South American domestic cup competitions. We hear about the Juan Fernández Islands – 670km off the coast of Chile – taking part in the Copa Chile as a special invitee and the unusual journey opponents Santiago Wanderers must take to reach them. Up next is Ecuador’s non-existent cup competition and the story of a team called Bonita Banana ('Beautiful Banana'), followed by some terrible pitches and hideously named players in Peru.

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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First up on this episode of The Sweeper, we delve deeper into North Korea’s mysterious cancellation of their World Cup qualifier against Japan and look back at memorable moments in the hermit kingdom’s football history. Then we’re off to Georgia to hear about the nation’s maiden qualification for a major tournament, before we chat through Austria's Rangnick resurgence as they shape up to be EURO 2024 dark horses.

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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In Part 1, Lee & Paul round up their favourite European football stories – which all have a geography theme. How is fishing village club Mjällby on the cusp of a shock first Swedish title? Why did fellow minnows Bruk-Bet Termalica have to cut down the corn fields around their stadium? Which two Lithuanian teams contested the ‘Centre of Europe’ derby at the weekend? And what Belgian club is based on Europe’s weirdest international border?

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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Fresh from his trip to San Marino, Paul reflects on the attempt by FIFA’s lowest ranked country to break a 20-year winless streak against Saint Kitts & Nevis, before Lee rounds up the other international news - from the Basque Country's draw with Uruguay to the 'End of the Alphabet Derby - and Producer Tom chips in with a live report as Austria break an all-time record.

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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This episode of The Sweeper begins by looking at the Virgin Derby between the British Virgin Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands in 2026 World Cup qualification. Meanwhile, a non-FIFA team, the Basque Country face Uruguay and may harbour UEFA aspirations.

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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The latest episode of The Sweeper kicks off with a tour of Oceania and the incredible story of two French journalists with an American (Samoan) Dream, before moving on to Pacific neighbours Micronesia & Nauru and their new coaches. David Johnson & Charlie Pomroy, who both partly credit the pod for their appointments, have sent us voice notes from their respective islands.

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 of The Sweeper, we discuss our trip to Prague along with Patreon competition winner Joe McTaggart to watch the derby between Slavia and Sparta in the Czech Cup and enjoy a 24-hour whirlwind of Ultra-brewed beer, pyro and tifos. VAR controversies have rocked Croatia, where the head of referees Bruno Maric has resigned, derbies both real and mock have excited Argentina and there’s a strange case in Mongolia of a club who changed identity halfway through the season.To hear the bonus segment of this podcast about a derby in Lithuania dubbed ‘El Logistico’ and take a trip around the world to find clubs who have either been living up to or failing to live up to their names, join us at patreon.com/sweeperpod.RUNNING ORDER00:00 - Intro00:52 - The Prague Derby17:25 - A word from our competition winner21:35 - Match-worn Slavia shirt giveaway23:04 - Argentina's mock derby in the park29:08 - A VAR scandal in Croatia33:52 - A mid-season takeover in MongoliaApologies for the expletives in this episode: we chose to include them as they were actual restaurant and football club names! We have marked the episode as 'Explicit content' accordingly.

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The Premier League and the rest of Europe’s top five divisions totally dominate the football headlines, but have you ever wondered what other interesting news and stories the rest of European football and world football have to offer? If so, The Sweeper is the football podcast for you!

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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