January 06, 2026

Episode 709 – The AFTN Soccer Show (Ball's In Your Court - Ali Ahmed sold to Norwich, footballing court cases, CanMNT and Vancouver's World Cup preparedness)

2 hours 54 minutes

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver FC, and World Cup 2026 chat and interviews in our first podcast of 2026. A new year, new hopes, new dreams, but the same fantastic podcast content!

The Whitecaps finished last year and started this one with a couple of big stories. Another player has moved on, with winger Ali Ahmed being sold to English Championship side Norwich City. Certainly not the sale of the century, we look at the transfer and what it means to both the 'Caps and to Ali. Plus we delve into the announcement that the Whitecaps have agreed a proposed settlement to a class action lawsuit around Messi's no-show in the Vancouver in 2024.

Talking of court cases, we also look at former Vancouver FC head coach Afshin Ghotbi suing the club's owners SixFive Sports and Entertainment, plus we look at how Zach is feeling about the side as they head into the new year, both on and off the pitch.

It's an exciting World Cup year, even more so with both Canada and Scotland being in the tournament and Vancouver and Toronto hosting matches. We've a lot of World Cup 2026 chat in this episode as Vancouver organizing committee lead Jessie Adcock talks about Vancouver's preparedness for welcoming the world to the city for the tournament and gives us some details on the Fanfest. Plus BC Place GM Chris May talks about the stadium's renovations to get ready to host matches and we look at who we think should be in Canada's starting XI come their first match in June.

All of this plus we talk New Year hopes and predictions, kick off our Canadian Soccer A to Z series, and music-wise, Television Personalities begin their residency as our Artists of the Month with a couple of songs, we start our 40th anniversary tribute year to the C86 movement, and we have the first of many World Cup songs this year in Wavelength.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.46: Intro - New Year hopes and predictions, mailbag

25.26: Canadian Soccer A to Z - A

34.29: Who's in your CanMNT starting XI heading into the World Cup

56.34: Jessie Adcock on Vancouver's preparations to host the World Cup

78.14: Vancouver's World Cup Fanfest will be free to attend

85.16 Chris May on getting BC Place ready for the World Cup

96.54: Whitecaps settle ridiculous class action lawsuit

107.09 Ali Ahmed sold to Norwich City

126.24: C86 40th anniversary

134.34: Afshin Ghotbi take SixFive Sports & Entertainment to court

157.47: How Vancouver FC are looking heading into 2026