The Sweeper - A World Football Podcast

Real Sociedad were in action in Vigo last weekend – not in La Liga but in La Liga 2, in what is currently the only fixture between two B-teams in Spain’s second tier.

The presence of reserve teams has long been a source of fierce discussion and debate within Spanish football, which remains deeply divided over their inclusion.

So what are the pros and cons of integrating B-teams into the national football pyramid? Did it really serve as a catalyst for the Spanish team’s 2026 World Cup win in North America? And how does the system compare to other leading European nations?

Plus, we look at the rules governing B-team involvement and tell the unlikely story of when Real Madrid Castilla played in the old European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Join us on Patreon for a Monday bumper bonus podcast focusing on all things Asian football, from the brand-new AFC Nations League that was recently unveiled to Indonesia’s unlikely hero as they end their 35-year wait for a trophy in the FIFA ASEAN Cup.

Check out the range of Spanish shirts at our partner Golaco Kits here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:31 – A brief history of B-teams in Spain

04:10 – The rules governing their involvement

07:30 – The pros and cons of reserve teams

13:05 – Celta Fortuna v. Real Sociedad B

15:25 – Other leading European leagues

19:58 – The ultimate B-team football quiz

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Almost a decade ago, a scandal shook Albanian football as Skenderbeu were found guilty of match-fixing on an unprecedented scale and banned by UEFA for 10 years.

It is the longest ban in European football history, but Albania’s eight-time national champions could return to the continental stage next season if they finish high enough this term.

So what exactly did Skenderbeu do to make Manchester City look like absolute saints? How has their conduct impacted Albanian football’s reputation? And which other European club equalled their record only to have their ban reduced by three years on appeal?

Plus, we pay a visit to the beautiful Air Albania Stadium to take in a fiery Tirana derby, and we announce The Sweeper's partnership with Futbology which played a crucial role in planning the trip!

Join us on Patreon for a deep dive into the newly announced AFC Nations League, which is set to launch in 2030 and will reshape Asia’s World Cup qualification process, and a look at the Millwall player who became a star for Indonesia in their ASEAN Cup success.

You can download Futbology here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:54 – Skenderbeu’s 10-year ban

04:46 – Albania’s Flamingo Revolution and corruption problems

08:53 – Albania’s unusual league format

11:43 – Futbology’s continental badges

15:25 – Tirana derby live report

26:22 – Tourist highlights from Albania

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Relations on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which is shared by Haiti in the west and the Dominican Republic in the east, are already fraught enough.

But tensions were ramped up even further last week by the events that unfolded at the first football match between the countries in 13 years.

So why is the geopolitical situation on Hispaniola unlike almost anywhere else in the world? What happened at that CONCACAF Nations League clash to spark a diplomatic backlash? And how often do two countries on the same island meet on the football pitch?

Plus, Caribbean countries leave their Central American counterparts trailing in their wake. And diaspora recruitment continues to change the face of international football.

Join us on Patreon to listen to all our podcasts early and ad-free on your platform of choice. Bonus podcasts are also released every Monday with a selection of special stories saved especially for our subscribers. Up this week: minnow magic in the Coupe de France.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:25 – Hispaniola’s complex geopolitical context

03:58 – Crowd rush, stadium ban & diplomatic backlash

09:15 – The match: Dominican Republic 1-4 Haiti

11:53 – Shared island derbies around the world

17:50 – CONCACAF Nations League highlights

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With a combined 2.9 billion inhabitants, India and China are the world’s largest countries. Yet both of them underachieve spectacularly when it comes to international football.

The two Asian nations have made just one World Cup appearance between them and have consistently come up short at continental level as well.

So what are the reasons behind India and China’s international soccer struggles? How many years will it be before one of them graces the world’s greatest stage again? And why does a huge population not automatically translate into footballing success?

Plus, there’s a word for the world’s other top 10 largest countries who missed out on this summer’s World Cup and how the widespread adoption of the diaspora strategy is making a large player pool less relevant than ever before.

You can already listen to Monday’s bumper bonus podcast on Patreon. The main story is all about the Coupe de France - but not the overseas territories this time. There's an epic 10th-tier cupset, a draw with a missing ball and much more besides!

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:30 – India & China’s football struggles

05:10 – Sporting priorities and systems

06:23 – Grassroots and development

08:39 – Domestic league disarray

11:25 – Corruption and scandal

13:57 – Poor leadership and incompetence

16:53 – Population versus performance

18:55 – Predictions for the future

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Ireland last year joined Türkiye and Norway in calling for the suspension of Israel’s UEFA membership for what the United Nations has termed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The Nations League draw in February 2026 then pitted the two countries against each other, leading to the emergence of a ‘Stop the Game’ movement in Ireland and a request from the FAI for UEFA to keep them apart in future draws.

So why exactly did UEFA deny that request? Could that change if they were consistent in applying the criteria they have used for similar cases in the past? And what dramatic scenes unfolded in the run-up to their first meeting in Debrecen on Sunday?

Plus, we take a trip to watch FIFA’s newest member Kosovo for the first time as they play Austria in Vienna in the other game in Ireland and Israel’s group.

Join us on Patreon to listen to our weekly subscriber-only episodes and our full back catalogue of bonus content, including the podcast from 3 September about the return of football to Palestine after a three-year absence.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:58 – The context for the animosity

03:38 – A dramatic day in Debrecen

06:37 – Ireland’s denied UEFA request

07:00 – Europe’s seven banned fixtures

08:22 – The Serbia-Albania criteria

11:30 – UEFA’s newest member Kosovo - live

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Die-hard club football fans love to grumble about the international window, especially now that it has been extended as part of FIFA’s new-look calendar.

But it is a myth that top-flight club football completely ceases during international windows. We know because we’ve been poring over the league of all 211 FIFA members!

So which countries don’t actually have a football league to speak of at present? Which nations are so closed to the outside world that finding out information is nigh-on impossible? And what is, in fact, the highest-profile league continuing during the September/October window?

Plus, French overseas territories hold a special Coupe de France qualifying window and Mexico’s Liga MX unexpectedly bucks a trend across the football world.

Join us on Patreon for Monday’s bonus podcast, which was recorded in front of a live studio audience. We bring you the best obscure headlines from the international window, including the Cook Islands’ first home game in 28 years and a controversial call-up in Madagascar.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:23 – Nations with no league

03:45 – Countries closed off to the world

05:31 – Overview: UEFA

07:42 – Overview: CONCACAF & CONMEBOL

10:44 – Overview: CAF, AFC & OFC

13:35 – Highest-profile continuing leagues

15:40 – Outro

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South Korea’s Gimcheon Sangmu are one of the most curious clubs in world football, with players only allowed to stay for 18 months while they complete their military service.

They also cannot play in AFC competitions and are 100% certain to be relegated from the K-League this season, even if they were to finish top of the table.

So are the players footballers, soldiers or both? Is it actually compulsory to perform the military salute when they score a goal? Why are they doomed to relegation in 2026 whatever happens? And what major change is set to come to the K-League soon?

Plus, Andros Townsend is run over by a Thai pitch roller, Uruguay chases its first-ever Copa Sudamericana title, an Icelandic referee goes on a literal wild goose chase and Romania introduces a black card for abusive parents.

Join us on Patreon for Monday’s bumper bonus podcast featuring tales from Central and Eastern Europe, plus a special blog interview with FC Vaduz’s director of football Franz Burgmeier all about Liechtenstein’s integration into Swiss football.

Links

John Duerden's 'How Football Explains Asia' Substack is here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:00 – Gimcheon Sangmu’s last hurrah

07:55 – Andros Townsend’s Thai accident

10:30 – Uruguay’s first Copa Sudamericana?

14:50 – Romania’s black card initiative

19:45 – Iceland’s literal wild goose chase

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There have been 92 editions of the Portuguese Primeira Liga to date. Only two of them have been won by clubs other than Benfica, Sporting and Porto.

A whopping 95% of football fans in Portugal support the big three – a share that even dwarves the share of national support for the big three in Türkiye and the Netherlands.

So how have the trio established such a fierce grip on the domestic game and its fans? What role have the country’s history and geography had to play? And what chance, if any, does a club outside the big three have of breaking its stranglehold?

Plus, countrymen Torreense claim the first European league phase win for a lower-league team in a decade and our partner Golaço Kits holds a Portuguese club shirt giveaway!

You can already listen to Monday’s bumper bonus podcast on Patreon. In it, we take a virtual journey across Central and Eastern Europe to profile four unique clubs, including the village team who lured Real Madrid’s 12th man to Moldova!

Links

Lee’s ESPN article

Paulo Sarreira’s hotel

The Golaço Kits website (promo code: SWEEPER10)

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:52 – Triumph for Torreense

02:40 – Big three dominance

07:43 – 95% national support

10:58 – Lusophone influence

14:10 – Potential challengers

18:10 - Golaço Kits giveaway

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There is a lot to love about the English non-leagues, but it will be hard to top the sensational story that emerged about SE Dons goalie George Desmond Kamurasi last week.

The 36-year-old, who plies his trade in England’s ninth tier, has been chosen to be the next king of the Tooro people, one of the four traditional kingdoms in Uganda, following the death of his cousin, King Oyo, in late August.

There are so many questions to be answered. Who, for example, has chosen him to be the king – and why? Could he miss his cousin’s funeral for football? Does he want to be royalty in Africa? And what might happen if he rejects the offer and stays in the UK?

Plus, Dominica’s national team takes the unusual step of appealing on social media for a new goalkeeper, Vanuatu hosts its first professional matches, and Norwegian side Strømmen send their reserves to the Arctic Circle.

You can already listen to Monday’s bumper bonus podcast on Patreon. It features tales from the CAF Confederation Cup, such as the Seychelles side drawn to play in Ebola-hit DR Congo and Botswana club Jwaneng Galaxy’s on-pitch sorcery.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:02 – Uganda’s non-league king

07:04 - Dominica’s online goalkeeper hunt

13:30 - Vanuatu’s first professional match

16:41 – The Norwegian cup cop-outs

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The English FA Cup is the oldest and most storied domestic football competition in the world. But it is not the most inclusive. The Coupe de France comfortably takes that title.

The tournament not only has 7,000+ participants, but also invites teams from French overseas territories, creating special experiences and mammoth away days for those involved. We have often wondered what the FA Cup would look like if England followed France’s lead.

So on this episode, we’re simulating that very scenario: Which British Overseas Territories have enough people and footballers to take part? Which teams would be invited to play? Where would the ties be held? And how would the guests fare against mainland opposition?

Join us on Patreon for this Monday’s bonus podcast featuring the underdogs and outsiders in this season’s CAF Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the Europa League. If you enjoyed the recent episode on the CAF Champions League, this one is for you.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:02 – Disclaimers and caveats

01:35 – Overview of British Overseas Territories

03:11 – The ineligible territories

08:12 – The eligible territories & their teams

11:22 – The big theoretical questions

19:45 – Forecasts and predictions

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