In Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by travel YouTuber John McAllister to talk about his epic 5,000km overland journey from Wales to Kazakhstan to watch the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier. There’s also a full round-up of the UEFA club competition action – including Kairat Almaty's Champions League heroics, Malta’s first-ever league phase participants, Universitatea Craiova’s naughty stadium announcer and the Basel-Freiburg airport derby.

In Part 2, it’s off to the Pacific to put the new OFC Professional League under the microscope. There is a full breakdown of the newly announced eight-club line-up, the format and all the big talking points around Oceania’s first pro competition, which is set to launch in 2026. Also on the agenda are Tuvalu’s upcoming return to OFC competition in the Men’s Futsal Cup, a giveaway of a rare national team shirt and a round-up of all the action coming up on FIFA+.

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The Sweeper team

• Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
• Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 1, Lee & Paul round up their favourite European football stories – which all have a geography theme. How is fishing village club Mjällby on the cusp of a shock first Swedish title? Why did fellow minnows Bruk-Bet Termalica have to cut down the corn fields around their stadium? Which two Lithuanian teams contested the ‘Centre of Europe’ derby at the weekend? And what Belgian club is based on Europe’s weirdest international border?

In Part 2, it’s time for the rest of the world – starting with international debutants the Marshall Islands! Which historic feat was achieved by Madison University economics student Josiah Blanton? Which other player at the Outrigger Challenge Cup works for Disney+ in Denmark? Why did airlines refuse to take Haitian club AS Capoise to the CFU Club Shield in Trinidad & Tobago? And who are the tallest and shortest currently active pro footballers?

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“How Mjällby are gatecrashing Sweden's elite” by BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/crm4wjdr7xpo

“I Became a Football Team’s ONLY Fan” by Away Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNwvsRKCpCI

World's oldest professional footballer on playing at 59: 'I won't put limits on myself' by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jun/17/worlds-oldest-professional-footballer-playing-at-59-mykola-lykhovydov-ukraine

Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 1, Lee & Paul bring you the best stories from the UEFA club competitions. FC Copenhagen are preparing to cross the Øresund Bridge to Sweden in the Champions League, but what record will the tie break? Which Kazakh club located as far east as China could make it into Europe’s premier club tournament for the first time? Why did Welsh side Penybont have to splurge €3,300 on their trip to Lithuania? Is there a more Satnav-friendly international tie than Shelbourne v. Linfield? And what can we expect from the new UEFA Women’s Europa Cup?

In Part 2, there are stories from Greenland, Australia, Japan, Norway, Estonia & Bolivia. How did B-67 player Søren Kreutzmann spend his one rest day at the 2025 Greenlandic Football Championship in Nuuk? What all-time record did fourth-tier Nunawading City set in the Australian Cup round of 32? Which Japanese university team has been making headlines in the Emperor’s Cup? How could Lillestrøm be knocked out of the 2026 Norwegian Cup before contesting the 2025 final? And what on earth is Colombian footballer Efmamjjasond González named after?!

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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Hello everyone,

As you will have heard on previous episodes, there will be no regular pod this time around as we take our first (short) break from podding since we started The Sweeper in February 2023. But never fear, we'll be back before you know it, with the next fortnightly episode planned in the next slot on Wednesday 6 August.

In the meantime, a big thank-you from the two of us. We love every second of making this pod and without you, our listeners, who tune in to every episode, send us stories, give us feedback and support us on Patreon, it simply would not be possible. So thank you! Enjoy your July and we'll catch you at the start of next month!

Cheers,

Lee and Paul

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In Part 1, Lee and Paul bring you the best stories from the European continent. How could YOU get involved with the first proper club in the world's smallest country? Why do Tromsø, the world's northernmost professional team, play one Eliteserien match per season at midnight? Which Guinness World Record do the Bosnia & Herzegovina Women's Premier League champions SFK 2000 hold? And how did the Cold War delay a European tie between Northern Ireland's Glenavon and Germany's Aue by 65 years?

In Part 2, the stories are from the rest of the world. In China, a tournament between AI robot footballers takes place. But will they ever be good enough to face humans? Meanwhile, Palau remains the only country in the world without an active Football Association – which goes some way to explaining why Paul was allowed to play (and score) in their domestic league. And in Mauritius, LaCure Waves have won the cup without a recognised goalkeeper for the quarter-final or semi-final. But why are they still seething with the powers-that-be?

Rayo Vaticano Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soyrayovaticano

Rayo Vaticano e-mail: [email protected]

Guardian profile of SFK 2000: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/may/29/sfk-2000-sarajevo-bosnia-and-herzegovina-womens-football-moving-the-goalposts

The Blizzard Issue 57: https://forwardpress.imbmsubscriptions.com/sweeper10

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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In Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by Nick Miller of The New York Times & The Athletic to discuss Greenland and the long road to international football. Why was the world’s largest island rejected by CONCACAF? How do you go about setting up an international football team? What unusual ploy did Kosovo put into action to aid their bid for UEFA membership? And why is Kiribati among the hardest places on earth to play the beautiful game?

In Part 2, it’s back to the club game with stories about the European club competition qualification rounds and the domestic leagues. How does exclave club Araz-Naxçıvan get to away games in Azerbaijan? Why are the ultras of Turkish team Samsunspor nicknamed Şirinler (The Smurfs)? What annual salary is Santi Cazorla paid at newly promoted Real Oviedo? And which European country has already got its 2025/26 season under way?

Read 'Geography, politics and admin: The long road to becoming an international football team' by Nick Miller: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6218449/2025/03/21/geography-politics-and-admin-the-long-road-to-becoming-an-international-football-team/

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper

Part 1 is all about the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. Will the players of New Zealand outfit Auckland City get time off for the tournament? Why have LAFC replaced Club Leon at the last minute? How on earth did Red Bull Salzburg qualify? Why are the Seattle Sounders players protesting about the competition? And what should you know about Wydad Casablanca, Flamengo and Palmeiras?

World Cup qualifying action is the focal point in Part 2. Which petty measures did Albania resort to at their crunch clash against rivals Serbia? Why did Venezuela stop Bolivia from leaving the country on Friday? Will Curacao replace Iceland as the World Cup’s smallest-ever nation? Plus: Uzbekistan and Jordan achieve historic World Cup qualifications and Finland’s women accidentally call up a 51-year-old ex-player. 

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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Welcome to our first-ever video podcast! Let's be honest with you: we're not entirely sure how well this will work first time round. It seems that Spotify is the only podcast platform that allows video podcast uploads. So if you prefer to use Apple Podcasts or another platform but you want to watch it, please head on over to our YouTube channel and subscribe to us there! Finally, let us know what you think about the new format in the comments!

Part 1 is largely dedicated to some epic title races across the European continent. What was the Croatian FA President’s original plan for the delivery of the league trophy to the winner on the final day of the season? Which grounds were The Sweeper present at for Austria’s most memorable final day in years? Why was the former Union Saint Gilloise player Gustav Vanderstappen accused of witchcraft? And what was the biggest underdog to win a domestic trophy across Europe this season?

There are four sub-categories in Part 2: African affluence, Middle East minorities, nomadic nearly men and Scandinavian silliness. How is the African Champions League following in the footsteps of its UEFA counterpart? Which club fiercely supported by the minority Azeri population has lifted their first Iranian title? Have guest club Al-Hilal of Sudan won the Mauritanian Super D1 or not? And what European record is a fishing village in south-east Sweden on course to break this year?

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper

In Part 1, Lee tells Paul all about his travels and experiences in Bruges and Brussels. What did he witness first-hand outside a train station in the capital that shocked him to his core? Which Belgian football stadium is a contender for Europe’s ugliest stadium? How did fourth-tier Crossing Schaerbeek bring their championship trophy onto the pitch at full-time? And which unlikely participants joined in the Belgian Cup trophy lift?

In Part 2, there’s a ‘Best of Britain’ section with stories from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. What were Bodø/Glimt fans trading for tickets to the Europa League semi-final against Spurs? Which Northern Irish club famous for its burgers has finally earned the respect of its rivals? How has Scotland taken inspiration from the UEFA Champions League? And why is VAR making its debut in Wales…in the seventh tier?!

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Belgium’s brilliant goal-line clearance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unogut8fyOY

Editor: Ralph Foster

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Bulgarian club Ludogorets are the starting point in a Europe-focused Part 1. But what continental record have they equalled? And how might the Crazy Forest gang’s story have turned out so differently? Next up is the Vatican. But what is the link between Serie C club Avellino and the Pope? And why have the Swiss Guard withdrawn from the league in the world’s smallest state. Then it’s over to the world’s largest country: Russia. Why are spin-offs of Ukrainian clubs from occupied territories springing up? And will UEFA allow it to happen?

Part 2 is dedicated to the rest of the world and starts with continental finals in Asia. How have Lion City Sailors of Singapore been impacted by Lady Gaga? And have Arkadag of Turkmenistan finally dropped points or not? Over in Belize, a 24-year old female coach has almost won the Premier League title with a men’s team. How do her achievements compare to other female managers in men’s football? And finally, South America: Why did Chelsea-bound Estêvão have an 18th birthday to remember? And does posting a highlights reel on Facebook pay off?

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Editor: Ralph Foster

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