Tom is joined by cohost Juliet Jacques to and friend of the show Morgan Ofori to talk about the story so far for England and Ghana and the prospects of both in the knockout stages.

Journalist, academic and former professional player Jules Boykoff joins Tom to discuss his playing career, and the climate impact of this World Cup.

Via the link below can read Jules's excellent article for The Nation on the battle to determine the meaning of the World Cup in the US:

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/world-cup-racism-trump/

The prodigious Coll McCail joins Tom to discuss the mood in Scotland, Scottish and British politics and the state of the Scottish left.

Tom talks Thomas Partey, FIFA’s dereliction of duty and US capriciousness re who is and isn’t allowed in, before exploring the history and politics of the Black Stars.

Drawing on David Goldblatt, and Philip Dine, Tom tells the story of colonial Algeria's resistance to French rule through the prism of football, and how it specifically impacted last night’s games involving Algeria, France, and a number of very prominent French Algerians.

Maradona was a comrade, but he was no angel. With Argentina playing this evening, Tom James joins to discuss their first iconic, short, brilliant number ten.

If you’re investigating injustice in football, under almost every rock you’ll find FIFA. Nick McGeehan from FairSquare joins to talk about their Reboot FIFA campaign.

Observer sports journalist Jessy Parker Humphreys shares her World Cup highlights, updates us on the current state of the women's game in this country, and reveals who she's hate-watching at this tournament.

Latin American history expert Bill Booth joins to talk Mexican football culture and how it intersects with the country's politics.

Tom has a great chat with David Wearing about England, Bellingham dog whistles, why we’re not ‘anyone but England’, the brilliance of Leo Messi and the complex experience of nation.