This week, we revisit a topic that we've only touched on briefly in the past: soccer pitches. We get into dimensions and the like, but (inspired by this article from The Athletic), we spend much more time discussing the history of soccer pitches and how their construction and maintenance has evolved over time. From livestock grazing to keep grass length down to moisture meters telling robots when it's time for a watering, we've come a long way!

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We're continuing our series profiling the domestic leagues of countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and this week we're heading to the land of marmite and rugby... to talk about soccer. It's New Zealand! What is the league structure? Which New Zealand clubs play outside the country? What does the future of the New Zealand National League hold? Those questions and many more answered on this week's show!

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With the news this week that MLS will not be making a move to the European calendar after the 2026 World Cup, Graham and Taylor take a look at the situation, past, present and future. Why did the league adopt its current calendar in the first place? What would be the benefits of moving to a European calendar, and what are the potential drawbacks? How much snow is too much snow? All that and more!

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We're continuing our series profiling the domestic leagues of countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and this week it's one that we knew... basically nothing about prior to researching: The Persian Gulf Pro League, the top domestic league in Iran. Why was the league originally formed in the early 2000s, what are its biggest clubs, what issues have kept the league from developing further, and how has the national team benefitted from its existence? All that, plus our attempt to understand historical geographic naming conventions. What more do you need?!

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This week, we're taking a look at the scourge of the modern game: fixture congestion. Is it indeed a problem exclusive to the modern era? What can teams do to ease the workload? What can happen when a player is ‘red lining’? And the most important question: are we reaching breaking point?

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With Japan officially qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, we wanted to take at domestic football in the country. In so doing, we attempt to answer questions like what is the J.League, how good is the league as a whole, how has it evolved over time, what role has it played in helping to strengthen the national team, and much much more!

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This week, we're taking a look at everyone's favorite (or fourth favorite) confederation: Concacaf. How many countries does it oversee? What exactly does it oversee? Why is Jack Warner's time as head of the confederation so notorious? And what does the future hold in terms of expansion and mergers?

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This week, we're taking at the a league that boasts some high-profile clubs, a lot of youth talent, and some storied teams... and yet still isn't perceived as being particularly strong: Ligue 1. Why isn't the best league in France better than it is? What has been the league's standing historically? What contributes to the lack of growth and international success? Has PSG under Qatari ownership been detrimental to Ligue 1 as a whole? All that and much more!

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What do you do when your coach speaks one language, your center back another, and your striker a third? How do clubs handle language barriers between players and staff? Do teams just designate a couple languages that everyone needs to know? Does everyone just have to learn the GM's language? Are there a bunch of translators on the coaching staff? How do teams make this work?

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Graham and Taylor are together again to discuss the best and worst rebrands in club soccer. Why would a club want to rebrand, what are the benefits and drawbacks, who did it right, and who... did the opposite of that.

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