Soccer 101

This week, we delve into the exciting and not at all depressing world of... sportswashing! What is it, how long of a history does it have in soccer, how has it grown over time, and why does it seem to work so successfully in the sport we love?

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We continue to profile the domestic leagues of the countries that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and this week it's an automatic entrant: Canada! What is the professional league structure in the country, what are the strengths and weaknesses of its domestic top flight, and what role has it played in strengthening the Canada national team? Those questions and many more answered on this week's show!

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This week, we've got a doozy of a tale for you: it involves a racehorse, a cantankerous Knight of the Realm, and a couple of billionaires with a point to prove. Did a legal snafu lead to the Glazer takeover at Manchester United? How did that takeover happen in the first place? Does Sir Alex Ferguson deserve any blame for the purchase that has led to the downfall of The Red Devils.

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Short answer: kinda, but not really.

Longer answer:... you'll have to listen to the episode, but we discuss some of the most famous father-son duos in soccer history, as well as why there aren't as many father-daughter or mother-daughter duos (yet).

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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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