France and Mbappe have arrived so PRS's resident Francophile tell us about her love of French football, Comrade Wearing explains the remaining Gulf states, while Tom talks England and addresses the Ronaldo-shaped elephant in the room.

News on Tunisia, Cape Verde's part in the end of Portuguese imperialism, Davids Wearing and Goldblatt explain Iraq, plus Tom James joins to talk about the dastardly Carlos Bilardo’s gynaecological dark arts.

Australia got a big win over Turkey, so Tom asks Barrie Margetts of the Right To Food Commission about Australian politics, why football is such a small part of Australian culture, and the Right To Food’s roots in football. Then as Uruguay enter the tournament, we discuss Gus Poyet and the infamous poo saga with Tom James.

Coll McCail joins to talk Scotland’s relationship with its national team, Morgan Ofori tells us why Morocco is the teacher’s pet of African football, and Tom continues to tell the story of Brazilian football. We also have reaction to USA-Paraguay, Qatar-Switzerland and, in real time because this episode was recorded in the early hours of Sunday morning, Brazil-Morocco.

Tom talks about Paraguay, football in the USA, and the father of Brazilian football. He's then joined by Juliet to discuss Switzerland and Morocco, while world-leading expert in Anglo-Gulf relations David Wearing talks Qatar.

Tom's Zapatista sympathies are challenged by Mexico's (mostly) joyful opening night win over South Africa, while Juliet joins to talk about the football culture of Bosnia and how it sits within the nation's chaotic polity and society. There's also a look at Canada, it's national team's reflection of a previously under-represented group, and it's low-key evil prime minister Mark Carney.

Tom is joined by News 24’s chief football writer Njabulo Ngidi to discuss the state of the game in South Africa and its political context. We also look at why Mexico is hosting its third World Cup and, and how it demonstrates that dodgy deals with dodgy regimes is business as usual for FIFA.

Tom zooms out on the political backdrop to the World Cup, its three host nations, and why FIFA have got into bed with Trump, while Juliet joins to talk Mexican football, World Cup ennui, and why she won’t be visiting The Great Satan.

Juliet and Tom discuss the end of the domestic and European seasons, including Arsenal's triumph and near misses, the women's FA Cup final and the relative lack of entertainment provided by the men's Premier League. They also discuss the forthcoming World Cup, and whether it's acceptable for leftists to support England.

Off the back of the most exciting domestic season in years, Scotland are heading to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, ending the hurt of six unsuccessful qualifying campaigns. Activist and writer Coll McCail joins to discuss Scottish football culture and explain how capitalism, imperialism and sectarianism inform the game's complicated history north of the border.