The Sweeper - A World Football Podcast

Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
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Are you tired of the Premier League and want to discover the hidden stories of the global game? The Sweeper tells the most extraordinary stories from across the football world. From the World Cup and Champions League to the most obscure competitions on earth, experts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson explore the intersection of soccer, travel, geography, geopolitics and history. If you enjoy Guardian Football Weekly, The Totally Football Show or Football Ramble, you'll love The Sweeper. Start here: 🎧 North Korea’s top-secret league (3 March 2026) 🎧 Greenland left out in the cold (24 June 2025)

  1. 1D AGO

    Shakhtar Donetsk's imposter club – Plus Heidelberg’s Asian aspirations & Montserrat’s Facebook coach ad

    Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian club – but Russia are trying to change that! As part of their efforts to integrate occupied Ukrainian territories, Russia are now creating their own versions of major Ukrainian teams. So why are UEFA not stopping this? What lie is being told to make it happen? And could the real Shakhtar win the Conference League? On this episode, we’re taking you on a journey to Ukraine to investigate how football is being used as a weapon of war. Plus: Semi-pro Heidelberg United eye up an historic AFC berth and Montserrat search for a new head coach on Facebook. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:25 – The copycats in Russia’s fourth tier 06:22 – The Crimean Premier League 08:01 – Shakhtar Donetsk’s European run 11:15 – The rapid rise of LNZ Cherkasy 17:31 – Heidelberg United’s AFC aspirations 20:58 – Unlikely continental qualifications 25:30 – Montserrat’s unorthodox manager hunt

    35 min

  2. APR 14

    Inside promoted Thun’s fairytale season in the Swiss Super League – Part 1

    A newly-promoted club are on the verge of the impossible. If tiny FC Thun can get just a few more points on the board, they will win the Swiss Super League and claim the first major trophy in their 128-year history. But what do the locals make of it all? Why is Thun the perfect place for such a fairytale? And how did a literal sauna force a high-stakes clash with Basel to be called off? We headed to the Alps to meet the fans and find out the answers. Join us in Thun for Europe’s most extraordinary club football story of 2026. Sign up to Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod to enter the FC Vaduz giveaway. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:35 – A quick history of FC Thun 04:45 – The fire at St. Jakob Park 11:20 – Other bizarre postponements 16:46 – Groundhopping with the Thun Army 22:16 – A tour of the Stockhorn Arena 28:10 – The stunning beauty of Thun 33:15 – A quick stop-off at FC Vaduz

    37 min

  3. APR 7

    Bosnia’s poker player at the World Cup – Plus Ceuta coach’s Rome pledge & Nauru’s 1 child 1 ball initiative

    A former poker player has coached Bosnia to the World Cup! Sergej Barbarez has guided the Balkan country to the tournament in his first head coach role – at the expense of four-time champions Italy. So how did he go from the casino for the dugout? Why has qualification cost his striker Ermedin Demirovic €300,000? And how are Bosnia at a second World Cup without ever making the EUROs? In this episode, we explore brilliant Bosnia’s incredible journey and reflect on Iraq and DR Congo’s play-offs successes too. Plus, the Ceuta coach pledges to walk to Rome and Nauru launch their one child, one ball initiative. Nutmeg Magazine (You can buy the magazine for a special Sweeper discount rate of £10 by using the code 'sweeper' at checkout): https://www.nutmegmagazine.co.uk/product/issue-39/ Nauru's 1 Child 1 Ball Initiative: https://stingz.co/pages/nauru-soccer-federation-one-child-one-ball-initiative?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ8cvxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEelDO7Gm-3sFxEpJ4A-iTsjaeuk0DmhnSSu4YoASfMxIsy-KbfggLYXbPp-qE_aem_QArFYavpkwgspTpT7riFWA Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:26 – Bosnia’s poker-playing coach 15:20 – Iraq’s 21-match qualifying campaign 19:32 – DR Congo and the legend of Zaire 23:39 – Nutmeg magazine’s World Cup issue 26:24 – Ceuta coach’s pledge to walk to Rome 31:40 – Nauru’s 1 child 1 ball initiative

    38 min

  4. MAR 31

    Liechtenstein: Europe’s strangest national team – Plus Germany’s drug dealer striker & Italy’s coach turned priest

    Liechtenstein have the strangest national football team in Europe. They have no domestic league to develop players, sometimes take just one fan to away matches and, for years, had just one professional footballer. So how do they make it work? Why is it so hard to generate support for the team? And what change to international football might improve their fortunes? In this episode, we put the micro-state under the microscope and examine how Europe’s richest country is also home to its strangest national football team. Plus, the German winger with a secret double life and the Italian coach who disguised himself as a priest. Equator's World Cup 2026 course with David Goldblatt: https://www.equator.org/courses/world-cup-2026 Stamping Grounds by Charlie Connelly: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stamping-Grounds-Exploring-Liechtenstein-World/dp/0349114889 Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:03 – Liechtenstein at the FIFA Series 08:07 – Europe’s strangest national team 18:41 – Sudan’s bizarre 12th-tier call-up 20:21 – Puerto Rico’s tournament triumph 23:08 – Equator’s 2026 World Cup Masterclass 27:22 – The German winger with a double life 30:07 – Italy’s coach disguised as a priest

    34 min

  5. MAR 24

    Eritrea’s dictatorship defection dilemma – Plus Poland’s Belarusian team and Russia’s war critic in Cyprus

    Eritrea’s national team haven’t played an official match in seven years. But this month, the Red Sea Camels are making their long-awaited return to the international stage in AFCON 2027 qualifying. So what kept Eritrea away? Why are they returning to the fold now? And do they have any chance against Eswatini? In this episode, we take you on a virtual journey to the Horn of Africa – and shine a light on the only country excluded from the FIFA rankings. Plus, the Belarusian team in exile in Poland and the Russian war critic making waves in Cyprus. Sweeper football shirts: ⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠ Deutsche Welle documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMRQQYGNBK8 Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:14 – Eritrea’s international absence 04:55 – Dictatorships and defection 09:16 – The long-awaited return to the fold 13:30 – The state of play in the national team 19:02 – Poland’s Belarusian club in exile 22:47 – Sweeper shirts and special bonus pod 24:17 – Russia’s war critic turned club owner

    29 min

  6. MAR 17

    Iran's possible World Cup withdrawal – Plus the Barca fan at the wrong St. James’ Park & Llantwit Major’s wacky cup run

    A World Cup co-host is at war with another participating nation. Since the United States launched strikes against Iran at the end of last month, the big question in the football world has been whether the latter will still play at the World Cup. So will Iran play or not? Could they even face the United States? And who would likely replace them if they were to withdraw? Today, we run through all the conceivable scenarios and analyse the most turbulent build-up to a World Cup in living memory. Plus: The Barcelona fan who went to the wrong St. James’ Park and Welsh club Llantwit Major’s hilarious cup run. BUY THE SHIRTS: ⁠⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠⁠ Get £6 off with Patreon: ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/sweeperpod⁠ The Guardian on the 1930 World Cup: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/may/13/world-cup-stunning-moments-25-conte-verde-uruguay The Los Angeles Times on India: https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/sports-now/story/2011-07-19/did-india-withdraw-from-the-1950-world-cup-because-they-were-not-allowed-to-play-barefoot Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:55 – Iran’s World Cup predicament 04:35 – USA fit to host tournament? 08:09 – Scenario 1 – Iran play at World Cup 11:25 – Historical precedents for withdrawals 16:40 – Scenario 2 – Iran withdraw from World Cup 20:55 – Barca fan’s extreme travel mix-up 29:17 – Llantwit Major’s wacky cup run

    32 min

  7. MAR 10

    Steaua Bucharest’s European Cup dispute – Plus the Italian coach who sacked himself & Germany’s pirate island club

    Steaua Bucharest, Romania’s most successful club, no longer exists. Instead, two teams now both lay claim to the original club’s success – including the highly prized 1986 European Cup. So who is the true successor? Why did UEFA change its mind four decades later? And could they ever play against each other? In this episode, we take you inside one of European football’s oddest disputes: the battle for Steaua Bucharest’s history. Plus: The Italian coach who sacked himself after 44 years and the German pirate island club with no opponents. BUY THE SHIRTS: ⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠   Get £6 off with Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/sweeperpod Chapters 00:00 – Intro 00:57 – FCSB’s nightmare season 02:19 – The battle for Steaua’s history 10:09 – Unlikely European Cup winners quiz 14:07 – Gigi Becali: Football’s craziest owner 17:39 – The coach who sacked himself 23:04 – Football’s longest-serving managers 26:10 – The club with no opponents

    34 min

  8. MAR 9

    Welcome to The Sweeper Podcast

    Welcome to The Sweeper Podcast. Each week, we bring you the most extraordinary global football stories from across the 211 FIFA countries and beyond. New episodes are released at 8pm UK time every Tuesday. For bonus podcasts every Thursday at the same time, sign up at patreon.com/sweeperpod.

    1 min
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Are you tired of the Premier League and want to discover the hidden stories of the global game? The Sweeper tells the most extraordinary stories from across the football world. From the World Cup and Champions League to the most obscure competitions on earth, experts Lee Wingate and Paul Watson explore the intersection of soccer, travel, geography, geopolitics and history. If you enjoy Guardian Football Weekly, The Totally Football Show or Football Ramble, you'll love The Sweeper. Start here: 🎧 North Korea’s top-secret league (3 March 2026) 🎧 Greenland left out in the cold (24 June 2025)

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