The Sweeper

Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
  • 5.0 (146)
  • FOOTBALL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to The Sweeper Podcast, the unique world football show covering all 211 FIFA countries and beyond. Join Lee Wingate and Paul Watson for the best headlines from across the football world, and news, stories, insight and interviews you won't find elsewhere. Whether you're into underdogs and upsets, ultras and fan culture, groundhopping and travel, derbies and rivalries, geography and geopolitics, or simply want a break from the relentless churn of big-money football, The Sweeper Podcast has you covered! Featured topics: FIFA, UEFA, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, CAF, AFC, OFC, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup qualification, UEFA EURO, UEFA Nations League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, CONCACAF Champions Cup, CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, CFU Club Shield, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two, AFC Challenge League, OFC Champions League, OFC Professional League, Coupe de France, Greenlandic Football Championship, San Marino Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SweeperPod Video & audio editing: Ralph Foster & Tom Middler Graphic design: The Gentlemen Creatives, Vienna Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 31 OCT

    Latvia: The Baltic League grand plan, vanishing champions & a final between friends

    In Part 1, Lee sits down with Virslīga President Maksims Krivunecs in Riga for an inside look at the Latvian football landscape. What is Latvia’s unique claim to fame within the 55 UEFA countries? Why have five of the country’s nine different champions since independence gone out of business? What does the average Virslīga footballer earn per month? And why is he in favour of setting up a Baltic League along with Lithuania and Estonia? In Part 2, Lee returns to the virtual studio to dissect Maksim’s grand plan for a Baltic League and tell Paul all about the live experience at the Latvian Cup final. What format for the Baltic League take and how would the three stages of the competition work? What is the likelihood of it ever happening? Why was the Skonto Stadium in Riga only 14% full for the big match? And what exactly is the strange relationship between Riga FC and Auda FK? *There is NO official proof on paper of an official relationship between Riga FC and Auda FK. Our source regarding their curious connection is Baltic Football News: balticfootballnews.com Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:10 – The good and bad of Latvian football 04:23 – The vanishing champion problem 12:11 – Memorable European nights 20:05 – The Baltic League grand plan 28:08 – Format, strengths & weaknesses 37:37 – The 2025 Latvian Cup final 47:20 – On The Spot

    50 min

  2. 28 OCT

    Sweden’s Mjällby miracle, Lithuania’s warm welcome & Ireland’s marathon helicopter

    In Part 1, Lee and Paul reflect on ultimate underdogs Mjällby becoming Swedish champions and the key figures behind their unlikely Allsvenskan triumph. How have sporting director Hasse Larsson and coach Anders Torstensson shown courage in the face of adversity? Why are Mjällby the best-ever team in Swedish history? And why is the village of Hällevik looking for a new postman? And from one first-time champion to another, Titas Teiten of Baltic Football News has the lowdown on new Lithuanian title-winners Kauno Žalgiris. Part 2 continues in Lithuania, where Lee has paid a visit to second-tier champions TransINVEST and their stunning newstadium to ask some key questions. How does a new club based in a village outside Vilnius and owned by a logistics company build a fanbase from scratch? What has the reaction been in the rest of Lithuania? And why is football firmlyin the shadow of basketball in this beautiful Baltic country? To finish off, there are tales of helicopters, heartbreak and heroism in Ireland, Iceland and Kazakhstan respectively. More from Baltic Football News Read the Baltic Football News Website Listen to the Baltic Football Podcast   Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:45 – The Mjällby miracle 09:37 – Kauno Žalgiris with Baltic Football News 14:08 – A trip to TransINVEST 29:45 – Ireland’s marathon helicopter 31:51 – Relegation for cup winners Vestri 32:50 – Final-day drama in Kazakhstan 34:23 – On The Spot

    36 min

  3. 20 OCT

    Cape Verde: World Cup qualification, the LinkedIn footballer & donkey deliveries

    In Part 1 of this special episode, Paul is joined by African football expert Ali Howorth live from the Cape Verdean capital of Praia to talk about the country’s historic World Cup qualification. What force of nature helped the islanders get the job done against Eswatini? What were the highlights of the after-party? What role has the Dutch city of Rotterdam played in Cape Verde’s success? And why might the Blue Sharks have more fans than expected at the World Cup? In Part 2, Lee and Paul hear from Cape Verde central defender Roberto Lopes, who explains the story of his international recruitment via LinkedIn, and discuss everything from diaspora to donkeys. Why are there as many Cape Verdeans living overseas as on the islands themselves? Which geographical and demographical records have they broken by qualifying? And how has the Portuguese colonial rule shaped the domestic game today? More from Ali Howorth On The Whistle Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@otw_podcast Substack Newsletter: https://alasdairhoworth.substack.com/ Chapters 00:00 – Intro 01:52 – Ali Howorth live from Praia 18:47 – Cape Verde shirt giveaway 20:00 – Diaspora and DMs 24:07 – Roberto Lopes voice note 26:37 – Best international recruitments 28:58 – World Cup’s smallest nations 35:14 – Domestic football and donkeys

    42 min

  4. 14 OCT

    OUR GREENLAND ASSIST, San Marino's "pizza bakers" & Paks' power-plant ultras

    In Part 1, Lee tells Paul about his travels to watch pod favourites Greenland and San Marino live during their respective trips to Austria over the international window. How did he impact the course of the Arctic island's match against Slovenia from the sidelines? What insights did he glean from inside the Greenland camp? Why is the legendary Austrian striker Toni Polster so bitter towards San Marino? And what question did Lee ask SM coach Roberto Cevoli at the press conference following his side's double-digit defeat? There's more groundhopping tales to tell in Part 2 – but this time from the club game, because Lee has also been to watch Paks against Ferencváros in a Hungarian top-of-the-table clash in Budapest. What resemblance do Hungary's surprise league leaders bear to Athletic Bilbao of Spain? Why is their ultra group named 'Atomic Strike'? Why did thousands of Ferencváros fans change places in the stands five minutes into the match? And why might we not recommend live football in Hungary to groundhoppers? Support The Sweeper • Join The Sweeper on Patreon • Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee Links Watch Greenland's Football Heroes (in German) here Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:30 – Greenland: Assists & red cards 07:01 – Greenland: Insights from the camp 14:27 – San Marino: Double-digit demolition 20:23 – San Marino: The press conference 25:39 – Paks: The Athletic Bilbao of Hungary 29:12 – Football Manager save ideas 31:37 – Paks: Robbie Keane's many meltdowns 35:00 – Paks: The power plant ultra group

    39 min
  5. Slovakia’s belated EURO triumph, Montserrat’s challenge to India & Crotone’s mafia infiltration

    30 SEPT

    Slovakia’s belated EURO triumph, Montserrat’s challenge to India & Crotone’s mafia infiltration

    In Part 1, Lee and Paul investigate why Slovakia have finally been recognised as EURO 1976 winners 49 years later – with the help of a UEFA insider, a Slovak football podcaster and people on the ground in the capital, Bratislava. How is the successor country of a no-longer existing nation like Czechoslovakia determined? What brought about the update on UEFA’s website on 12 September? And what do Slovaks make of the bizarre timing of this decision? In Part 2, the focus switches to the Italian lower leagues. There’s a mafia infiltration at Crotone at Foggia, as various criminal gangs target teams based in the south of Italy. Further north, Ternana appoint the 23-year-old daughter of a billionaire as their new club president. And Italy-based FC Südtirol face WSG Tirol of Austria, the club with only one away fan (sort of), in an intriguing match-up of two teams based in regions that used to be in the same country. #slovakia #euro1976 #uefa #worldfootball #footballpodcast #crotone #ternana #seriec #serieb #italianfootball Sign up to FIFA+ for free • This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper • Send us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new FIFA+ football team to support. #MakeItHappen – Montserrat v India friendly • X: https://x.com/SweeperPod/status/1970926209614979083 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_v2AMDeq8/ Support The Sweeper • Join The Sweeper on Patreon • Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee Follow The Sweeper • Twitter: x.com/SweeperPod • Instagram: instagram.com/sweeperpod • Facebook: facebook.com/SweeperPod The Sweeper team • Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson • Editor: Ralph Foster Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:51 – Czechoslovakia's EURO 1976 win 05:27 – Football successor nations 09:28 – UEFA's recognition for Slovakia 14:21 – Reaction from Bratislava 25:47 – Montserrat's challenge to India 30:04 – Crotona's mafia infiltration 35:00 – Atalanta U23s in Serie C south 37:47 – Ternana's 23-year-old club president 42:17 – Serie C on FIFA+ 44:04 – Battle of the Italian & Austrian Tyrols 46:10 – WSG Tirol's one away supporter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    51 min
  6. Austria's football-sized sinkholes, Kosovo’s UEFA challenges & Bolivia's altitude masterclass

    16 SEPT

    Austria's football-sized sinkholes, Kosovo’s UEFA challenges & Bolivia's altitude masterclass

    In this episode of The Sweeper Podcast, we cover the big stories from 2026 World Cup qualifying and the latest international football news from Europe and beyond: Part 1: Europe Austria’s stadium sinkhole saga continues as Ralf Rangnick takes to an e-bikeRomania’s Mircea Lucescu becomes the second-oldest international coach everKosovo are unofficial world champions - but continue to face geopolitical challengesErling Haaland apologises mid-game as Norway beat Moldova by record 11-1 scoreSlovakia and Iceland upset the odds to record famous World Cup qualifying wins Part 2: Rest of the world Suriname turn around their fortunes with sports passport initiative & Dutch DNABolivia rely on altitude again to give themselves an edge in World Cup qualifyingUzbekistan continue incredible year by beating Iran to win 2025 CAFA Nations CupNepal cancel Bangladesh friendly due to civil unrest & elect new leader on DiscordNorthern Mariana Islands’ U23s face China in one of football’s biggest mismatches The Sweeper is the global football podcast bringing you weird and wonderful stories from every corner of the planet. Whether you're into underdogs and upsets, ultras and fan culture, groundhopping and travel, derbies and rivalries, geography and geopolitics, or simply want a break from the relentless churn of big-money football, The Sweeper has you covered! Support The Sweeper: Join The Sweeper on PatreonSupport The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee The Sweeper team Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul WatsonEditor: Ralph Foster Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 00:58 – Austrian sink holes and bicycles 05:34 – Mircea Lucescu: Football’s oldest coach? 09:08 – The 2025 Amateur Nations Cup 11:14 – The World Tram Driver Championship 13:48 – Kosovo’s unofficial world title 16:18 – UEFA’s seven banned match-ups 21:35 – Norway’s demolition job on Moldova 26:33 – Celebrations for Slovakia & Iceland 31:03 – Suriname’s World Cup push 34:59 – Bolivia’s strategic masterclass 38:25 – New Caledonia’s Gibraltar friendly 40:56 – Uzbekistan are Central Asian champions 42:29 – Nepal’s protest-related cancellation 45:02 – China’s U23s thrash Northern Mariana Islands Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  7. Kairat's Champions League heroics, Malta's European debutants & the 2026 OFC Pro League line-up

    2 SEPT

    Kairat's Champions League heroics, Malta's European debutants & the 2026 OFC Pro League line-up

    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+. Sign up to FIFA+ for free: This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeperSend us an email to sweeperpod@gmail.com with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new FIFA+ football team to support. Support The Sweeper: Join The Sweeper on PatreonSupport The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee Follow John Mac Travels Watch John Mac Travels on YouTubeFollow John Mac Travels on InstagramFollow John Mac Travels on X The Sweeper team Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul WatsonEditor: Ralph Foster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  8. Tiny Mjällby's fairytale season, Belgium’s barmy border club & chaos in the Caribbean

    19 AUG

    Tiny Mjällby's fairytale season, Belgium’s barmy border club & chaos in the Caribbean

    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? Please follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/sweeperpod Join The Sweeper on Patreon: patreon.com/sweeperpod Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee/sweeperpod “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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
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5
out of 5
146 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Sweeper Podcast, the unique world football show covering all 211 FIFA countries and beyond. Join Lee Wingate and Paul Watson for the best headlines from across the football world, and news, stories, insight and interviews you won't find elsewhere. Whether you're into underdogs and upsets, ultras and fan culture, groundhopping and travel, derbies and rivalries, geography and geopolitics, or simply want a break from the relentless churn of big-money football, The Sweeper Podcast has you covered! Featured topics: FIFA, UEFA, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, CAF, AFC, OFC, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup qualification, UEFA EURO, UEFA Nations League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, CONCACAF Champions Cup, CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, CFU Club Shield, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two, AFC Challenge League, OFC Champions League, OFC Professional League, Coupe de France, Greenlandic Football Championship, San Marino Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SweeperPod Video & audio editing: Ralph Foster & Tom Middler Graphic design: The Gentlemen Creatives, Vienna Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    91
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
  • Show Website
    The Sweeper

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