Can South America keep pace with the rest of the world? David Gass and Matt Doyle examine Brazil's decline, Argentina's continued success, the region's rising contenders and the biggest storylines shaping CONMEBOL on the road to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

This episode continues First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, previewing every confederation, the biggest storylines and the teams to watch on the road to 2030.

0:00 A Disappointing World Cup for CONMEBOL

2:16 2030 World Cup Qualifying

6:32 Brazil & Argentina Losing Steam

9:51 Paraguay & Ecuador's Promise

14:11 Venezuela's Emergence

More Episodes

🎙️ Africa's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ CONCACAF's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ UEFA's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ Asia's Road to the 2030 World Cup

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🎧 Listen to First Touch wherever you get your podcasts:

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What went wrong for Asia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and who can lead the region forward? From Australia's rise to the challenges facing Japan, South Korea and Iraq, David Gass and Matt Doyle explore which nations are best positioned to shape Asia's future.

This episode continues First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, previewing every confederation, the biggest storylines and the teams to watch on the road to 2030.

0:00 A Disappointing World Cup for Asia

3:14 The 2027 Asian Cup

5:51 Australia's Bright Future

10:55 Japan & South Korea

15:07 Iraq & the Road to 2030

More Episodes

🎙️ Africa's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ CONCACAF's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ UEFA's Road to the 2030 World Cup

👍 Like • Subscribe • Listen • Follow

🎧 Listen to First Touch wherever you get your podcasts:

https://kickback-26.captivate.fm/listen

🌐 Explore more from Kickback Soccer Media:

https://kickbacksoccer.com

📰 Subscribe to the Kickback newsletter:

https://the-kickback.ghost.io

📲 Follow First Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouch_ksm/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/firsttouch.bsky.social

⭐ Enjoying First Touch? Follow the podcast, leave a rating, and write a review to help more soccer fans discover the show.

Spain and France have set the standard in Europe, but who can challenge them next? David Gass and Matt Doyle break down Europe's top contenders, the shifting balance of power and what’s next on the road to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

This episode continues First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, previewing every confederation, the biggest storylines and the teams to watch on the road to 2030.

0:00 Leading the Way: Spain & France

1:48 The Next Tier: England & Portugal

6:04 The Netherlands, Italy & Germany

12:22 Euro 2028 & the Road to 2030

#WorldCup #UEFA #FirstTouch

Related Episodes

🎙️ Africa's Road to the 2030 World Cup

🎙️ CONCACAF's Road to the 2030 World Cup

After hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where does CONCACAF go from here? David Gass and Matt Doyle break down the region's biggest contenders, emerging stars and the teams to watch as the road to the 2030 FIFA World Cup begins.

This episode is part of First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, previewing every confederation, the biggest storylines and the teams to watch ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

0:00 The state of CONCACAF

4:45 The Road Ahead

10:11 Canada's World Cup breakthrough

13:46 Mexico's resurgence

15:41 CONCACAF's rising stars

20:24 Panama’s next step

24:06 Costa Rica, Jamaica & Suriname

Related Episodes

🎙️ Africa's Road to the 2030 World Cup

The road to the 2030 World Cup starts in Africa.

David Gass and Matt Doyle take stock of African soccer after the 2026 World Cup, discuss the continent's next chapter with the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on the horizon, and look at which nations are best positioned to challenge over the next four years.

They discuss the rise of Cape Verde, Egypt, DR Congo and Ivory Coast, examine what's next for Senegal and Tunisia, spotlight Africa's next generation of talent, and debate whether Nigeria, Cameroon and other contenders can return to the top of African football before 2030.

This episode kicks off First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, where we preview every confederation, the biggest storylines, and the teams to watch on the road to the next FIFA World Cup.

0:00 The state of African soccer

4:45 Cape Verde's breakout

6:57 Egypt & DR Congo on the rise

11:31 Senegal and Tunisia at a crossroads

14:49 Africa's next generation

17:04 Ivory Coast & Morocco shine

19:06 Africa's remaining contenders

Susannah Fuller, David Gass and Matt Doyle react to the World Cup Final, analyzing Spain's championship performance, Argentina's run, Lionel Messi's legacy and the standout performances from the final.

Susannah Fuller, Matt Doyle and David Gass celebrate the best of the 2026 World Cup by handing out their tournament awards before wrapping up the show with a preview of the third-place match between France and England.

0:00 Intro

5:16 FM Tactician of the Tournament

16:48 Golden Ball Award

24:19 Best Defender of the World Cup

32:20 Football Manager Level Up Player

42:58 The Golden Glove: Best Goalkeeper

48:40 Young Player of the Tournament

55:52 World Cup Best XI

1:03:07 England vs. France Third-Place Game

Susannah Fuller, Matt Doyle and David Gass continue getting you ready for Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina and are joined by Musa Okwonga from the Stadio podcast to talk all things World Cup ahead of the final.

Susannah Fuller, David Gass and Matt Doyle get you ready for World Cup Final weekend. After sleeping on the England-Argentina semifinal, they revisit one of the tournament's biggest matches before looking ahead to the third-place playoff between England and France. The crew also breaks down the Golden Boot race, Doyle heads to the First Touch Tactics Board and everyone shares their favorite moments from an unforgettable tournament as the countdown to the World Cup Final begins.

0:00 Morning After Thoughts on England vs. Argentina

8:36 Picking A National Team Manager

14:19 US Domestic Leagues World Cup Bump?

19:08 3 Big Things of the World Cup

26:08 Doyle Talking Spain Tactics against France & Argentina

32:26 Third-Place Match & Golden Boot Race

39:50 Kickback Hosts Golden Boot Draft Update

The gang is back as Susannah Fuller, David Gass and Matt Doyle break down Argentina’s dramatic, come-from-behind win against England. They discuss the tactics, big moments, the greatness of Leo Messi and what’s next for England. Then they give you their initial thoughts and reactions to Spain taking on Argentina in the World Cup Final.