The Sweeper Podcast
@sweeperpod.bsky.social
🌍 World football podcast telling stories from all 211 FIFA countries & beyond ⭐️ 5* rating from 1,000+ listeners 📧 Enquiries: business@sweeperpod.com
https://linktr.ee/SweeperPod
https://linktr.ee/SweeperPod
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📺 NEW PODCAST 📺
Part 1: Canada 🇨🇦
🏔️ Vancouver Whitecaps' relocation fears
❓ Vancouver FC's continental berth
🆕 Supra du Québec: Canada's Athletic Bilbao
Part 2: Rest of the world 🌍
🇬🇵🇲🇶🇬🇫 4 points for a win in the Caribbean?!
🇳🇴 Lillestrøm: Norway's cup winners
🏆 The World Cup draw for the debutants
Part 1: Canada 🇨🇦
🏔️ Vancouver Whitecaps' relocation fears
❓ Vancouver FC's continental berth
🆕 Supra du Québec: Canada's Athletic Bilbao
Part 2: Rest of the world 🌍
🇬🇵🇲🇶🇬🇫 4 points for a win in the Caribbean?!
🇳🇴 Lillestrøm: Norway's cup winners
🏆 The World Cup draw for the debutants
🎅 From both The Sweeper Podcast & our friends at Finnish football club FC Santa Claus, we wish you an amazing Christmas!
December 25, 2025 at 10:47 AM
🎅 From both The Sweeper Podcast & our friends at Finnish football club FC Santa Claus, we wish you an amazing Christmas!
🇶🇦 Without a win in the AFC Champions League this season and despite being 2-1 down deep into stoppage time, Al-Sadd have pulled off an insane comeback!
The Qatari side pulled level with UAE team Shabab Al-Ahli in the 95th minute, before adding further goals in the 101st and 103rd minutes to win!
The Qatari side pulled level with UAE team Shabab Al-Ahli in the 95th minute, before adding further goals in the 101st and 103rd minutes to win!
December 23, 2025 at 9:24 PM
🇶🇦 Without a win in the AFC Champions League this season and despite being 2-1 down deep into stoppage time, Al-Sadd have pulled off an insane comeback!
The Qatari side pulled level with UAE team Shabab Al-Ahli in the 95th minute, before adding further goals in the 101st and 103rd minutes to win!
The Qatari side pulled level with UAE team Shabab Al-Ahli in the 95th minute, before adding further goals in the 101st and 103rd minutes to win!
📺 NEW EPISODE 📺
Part 1: Asia with John Duerden
🇮🇳 India's Super League crisis
🇲🇾 Malaysia's naturalisation scandal
🇰🇷 Jeonbuk's racism row in South Korea
Part 2: Rest of the world
🇲🇦 AFCON 2025 with Ali Howorth
🇵🇱 The utterly mad Polish Ekstraklasa
🇨🇽 Football & crabs on Christmas Island
Part 1: Asia with John Duerden
🇮🇳 India's Super League crisis
🇲🇾 Malaysia's naturalisation scandal
🇰🇷 Jeonbuk's racism row in South Korea
Part 2: Rest of the world
🇲🇦 AFCON 2025 with Ali Howorth
🇵🇱 The utterly mad Polish Ekstraklasa
🇨🇽 Football & crabs on Christmas Island
December 23, 2025 at 8:50 PM
📺 NEW EPISODE 📺
Part 1: Asia with John Duerden
🇮🇳 India's Super League crisis
🇲🇾 Malaysia's naturalisation scandal
🇰🇷 Jeonbuk's racism row in South Korea
Part 2: Rest of the world
🇲🇦 AFCON 2025 with Ali Howorth
🇵🇱 The utterly mad Polish Ekstraklasa
🇨🇽 Football & crabs on Christmas Island
Part 1: Asia with John Duerden
🇮🇳 India's Super League crisis
🇲🇾 Malaysia's naturalisation scandal
🇰🇷 Jeonbuk's racism row in South Korea
Part 2: Rest of the world
🇲🇦 AFCON 2025 with Ali Howorth
🇵🇱 The utterly mad Polish Ekstraklasa
🇨🇽 Football & crabs on Christmas Island
🇧🇴 Nacional Potosí have won the 2025 Copa Bolivia, the first major trophy in their history, and reached the Copa Libertadores qualifying rounds.
Their opponents will be Botafogo, who will face a tough task in the away leg: the Estadio Víctor Agustín Ugarte is almost 4,000 metres above sea level!
Their opponents will be Botafogo, who will face a tough task in the away leg: the Estadio Víctor Agustín Ugarte is almost 4,000 metres above sea level!
December 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM
🇧🇴 Nacional Potosí have won the 2025 Copa Bolivia, the first major trophy in their history, and reached the Copa Libertadores qualifying rounds.
Their opponents will be Botafogo, who will face a tough task in the away leg: the Estadio Víctor Agustín Ugarte is almost 4,000 metres above sea level!
Their opponents will be Botafogo, who will face a tough task in the away leg: the Estadio Víctor Agustín Ugarte is almost 4,000 metres above sea level!
⬆️ The top nations at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by FIFA ranking:
🇲🇦 Morocco (11), 🇸🇳 Senegal (19), 🇪🇬 Egypt (34), 🇩🇿 Algeria (35), 🇳🇬 Nigeria (38), 🇹🇳 Tunisia (40), 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast (42), 🇲🇱 Mali (54), 🇨🇩 DR Congo (56), 🇨🇲 Cameroon (57)
🇲🇦 Morocco (11), 🇸🇳 Senegal (19), 🇪🇬 Egypt (34), 🇩🇿 Algeria (35), 🇳🇬 Nigeria (38), 🇹🇳 Tunisia (40), 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast (42), 🇲🇱 Mali (54), 🇨🇩 DR Congo (56), 🇨🇲 Cameroon (57)
December 23, 2025 at 2:09 PM
⬆️ The top nations at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations by FIFA ranking:
🇲🇦 Morocco (11), 🇸🇳 Senegal (19), 🇪🇬 Egypt (34), 🇩🇿 Algeria (35), 🇳🇬 Nigeria (38), 🇹🇳 Tunisia (40), 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast (42), 🇲🇱 Mali (54), 🇨🇩 DR Congo (56), 🇨🇲 Cameroon (57)
🇲🇦 Morocco (11), 🇸🇳 Senegal (19), 🇪🇬 Egypt (34), 🇩🇿 Algeria (35), 🇳🇬 Nigeria (38), 🇹🇳 Tunisia (40), 🇨🇮 Ivory Coast (42), 🇲🇱 Mali (54), 🇨🇩 DR Congo (56), 🇨🇲 Cameroon (57)
🇸🇿 Eswatini has almost certainly set a record for the longest streak of national champions with animals in their name - from 2004/05 to 2023/24.
Royal Leopards, Mbabane Swallows, Young Buffaloes & Green Mamba were all champions in that time, before Nsingizini Hotspurs broke the run last season!
Royal Leopards, Mbabane Swallows, Young Buffaloes & Green Mamba were all champions in that time, before Nsingizini Hotspurs broke the run last season!
December 23, 2025 at 11:14 AM
🇸🇿 Eswatini has almost certainly set a record for the longest streak of national champions with animals in their name - from 2004/05 to 2023/24.
Royal Leopards, Mbabane Swallows, Young Buffaloes & Green Mamba were all champions in that time, before Nsingizini Hotspurs broke the run last season!
Royal Leopards, Mbabane Swallows, Young Buffaloes & Green Mamba were all champions in that time, before Nsingizini Hotspurs broke the run last season!
🇬🇷 What a season it has been for Levadiakos, who sit fourth in the Greek Super League and have only lost to the three clubs above them this season.
In the second tier as recently as 2024, they are currently in the race for the European places for the first time in their history.
In the second tier as recently as 2024, they are currently in the race for the European places for the first time in their history.
December 22, 2025 at 7:18 PM
🇬🇷 What a season it has been for Levadiakos, who sit fourth in the Greek Super League and have only lost to the three clubs above them this season.
In the second tier as recently as 2024, they are currently in the race for the European places for the first time in their history.
In the second tier as recently as 2024, they are currently in the race for the European places for the first time in their history.
🤝 Some lesser-known shared club names in world football:
🇮🇪 Bohemian & 🇨🇿 Bohemians 🔵
🏴 Hibernian & 🇲🇹 Hibernians ⚫️
🇦🇿 Sabah & 🇲🇾 Sabah 🟢
🇨🇩 Simba & 🇹🇿 Simba 🔴
What is the most obscure club name you can think of?
🇮🇪 Bohemian & 🇨🇿 Bohemians 🔵
🏴 Hibernian & 🇲🇹 Hibernians ⚫️
🇦🇿 Sabah & 🇲🇾 Sabah 🟢
🇨🇩 Simba & 🇹🇿 Simba 🔴
What is the most obscure club name you can think of?
December 22, 2025 at 6:29 PM
🤝 Some lesser-known shared club names in world football:
🇮🇪 Bohemian & 🇨🇿 Bohemians 🔵
🏴 Hibernian & 🇲🇹 Hibernians ⚫️
🇦🇿 Sabah & 🇲🇾 Sabah 🟢
🇨🇩 Simba & 🇹🇿 Simba 🔴
What is the most obscure club name you can think of?
🇮🇪 Bohemian & 🇨🇿 Bohemians 🔵
🏴 Hibernian & 🇲🇹 Hibernians ⚫️
🇦🇿 Sabah & 🇲🇾 Sabah 🟢
🇨🇩 Simba & 🇹🇿 Simba 🔴
What is the most obscure club name you can think of?
🇭🇷 Rijeka are the current champions of Croatia, but did you know that the club - then called US Fiumana - once played in Italy's Serie A in 1928/29?
During the interwar period the city of Rijeka, which is called Fiume in the Italian language, belonged to the Kingdom of Italy.
During the interwar period the city of Rijeka, which is called Fiume in the Italian language, belonged to the Kingdom of Italy.
December 22, 2025 at 4:43 PM
🇭🇷 Rijeka are the current champions of Croatia, but did you know that the club - then called US Fiumana - once played in Italy's Serie A in 1928/29?
During the interwar period the city of Rijeka, which is called Fiume in the Italian language, belonged to the Kingdom of Italy.
During the interwar period the city of Rijeka, which is called Fiume in the Italian language, belonged to the Kingdom of Italy.
🇳🇴 Eliteserien winners Viking Stavanger have marked their first Norwegian league title in 34 years by releasing a special commemorative shirt.
It has been created to honour the entire title-winning squad & includes an image of every player who made an appearance during the season.
It has been created to honour the entire title-winning squad & includes an image of every player who made an appearance during the season.
December 22, 2025 at 2:53 PM
🇳🇴 Eliteserien winners Viking Stavanger have marked their first Norwegian league title in 34 years by releasing a special commemorative shirt.
It has been created to honour the entire title-winning squad & includes an image of every player who made an appearance during the season.
It has been created to honour the entire title-winning squad & includes an image of every player who made an appearance during the season.
🇮🇹 Finally, at the 16th time of asking, Fiorentina have won a game in Serie A this season, thrashing 10-man Udinese by a 5-1 scoreline!
Nonetheless, the Viola will be bottom of the table at Christmas & could still drop down to the second division for the first time since 2004.
Nonetheless, the Viola will be bottom of the table at Christmas & could still drop down to the second division for the first time since 2004.
December 21, 2025 at 7:27 PM
🇮🇹 Finally, at the 16th time of asking, Fiorentina have won a game in Serie A this season, thrashing 10-man Udinese by a 5-1 scoreline!
Nonetheless, the Viola will be bottom of the table at Christmas & could still drop down to the second division for the first time since 2004.
Nonetheless, the Viola will be bottom of the table at Christmas & could still drop down to the second division for the first time since 2004.
🏆 There are only five football clubs worldwide that have won 50 or more top-flight league titles:
🍀 Linfield (Northern Ireland, 57)
🏴 Celtic (Scotland, 55)
🏴 Rangers (Scotland, 55)
🇺🇾 Peñarol (Uruguay, 52)
🇺🇾 Nacional (Uruguay, 50)
🍀 Linfield (Northern Ireland, 57)
🏴 Celtic (Scotland, 55)
🏴 Rangers (Scotland, 55)
🇺🇾 Peñarol (Uruguay, 52)
🇺🇾 Nacional (Uruguay, 50)
December 21, 2025 at 5:48 PM
🏆 There are only five football clubs worldwide that have won 50 or more top-flight league titles:
🍀 Linfield (Northern Ireland, 57)
🏴 Celtic (Scotland, 55)
🏴 Rangers (Scotland, 55)
🇺🇾 Peñarol (Uruguay, 52)
🇺🇾 Nacional (Uruguay, 50)
🍀 Linfield (Northern Ireland, 57)
🏴 Celtic (Scotland, 55)
🏴 Rangers (Scotland, 55)
🇺🇾 Peñarol (Uruguay, 52)
🇺🇾 Nacional (Uruguay, 50)
🇱🇮 The champions of the Challenge League, the Swiss second tier, at the winter break are not from Switzerland... They are from Liechtenstein!
FC Vaduz, one of the seven clubs from the micro-state that all play in Switzerland, top the standings & are on track to return to the Super League next term!
FC Vaduz, one of the seven clubs from the micro-state that all play in Switzerland, top the standings & are on track to return to the Super League next term!
December 21, 2025 at 3:28 PM
🇱🇮 The champions of the Challenge League, the Swiss second tier, at the winter break are not from Switzerland... They are from Liechtenstein!
FC Vaduz, one of the seven clubs from the micro-state that all play in Switzerland, top the standings & are on track to return to the Super League next term!
FC Vaduz, one of the seven clubs from the micro-state that all play in Switzerland, top the standings & are on track to return to the Super League next term!
🏆 AFCON 2025 gets under way today as hosts Morocco face islanders Comoros in their first competitive meeting since...December 2025!
Morocco kicked off their FIFA Arab Cup campaign in Qatar, a competition they ultimately won, against Comoros only 19 days ago! They won 3-1.
Morocco kicked off their FIFA Arab Cup campaign in Qatar, a competition they ultimately won, against Comoros only 19 days ago! They won 3-1.
December 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
🏆 AFCON 2025 gets under way today as hosts Morocco face islanders Comoros in their first competitive meeting since...December 2025!
Morocco kicked off their FIFA Arab Cup campaign in Qatar, a competition they ultimately won, against Comoros only 19 days ago! They won 3-1.
Morocco kicked off their FIFA Arab Cup campaign in Qatar, a competition they ultimately won, against Comoros only 19 days ago! They won 3-1.
🇧🇷🇺🇸 Vasco da Gama face Corinthians in Brazil's cup final today, but we think at some point they should play Columbus Crew in the 'Explorer Derby'!
Both Vasco da Gama, a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, and Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, are named after famous explorers!
Both Vasco da Gama, a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, and Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, are named after famous explorers!
December 21, 2025 at 11:04 AM
🇧🇷🇺🇸 Vasco da Gama face Corinthians in Brazil's cup final today, but we think at some point they should play Columbus Crew in the 'Explorer Derby'!
Both Vasco da Gama, a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, and Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, are named after famous explorers!
Both Vasco da Gama, a neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, and Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, are named after famous explorers!
🇬🇭 We very much like the fact there's a team in Ghana called Top Flight that play nowhere near the country's actual top flight, the Premier League.
Top Flight play in Ghana's fourth tier, which is full of other fantastic names such as Star Makers, Beautiful Game and Atomic Gateway!
Top Flight play in Ghana's fourth tier, which is full of other fantastic names such as Star Makers, Beautiful Game and Atomic Gateway!
December 20, 2025 at 5:31 PM
🇬🇭 We very much like the fact there's a team in Ghana called Top Flight that play nowhere near the country's actual top flight, the Premier League.
Top Flight play in Ghana's fourth tier, which is full of other fantastic names such as Star Makers, Beautiful Game and Atomic Gateway!
Top Flight play in Ghana's fourth tier, which is full of other fantastic names such as Star Makers, Beautiful Game and Atomic Gateway!
🏟️ The 'Campo de Fútbol de Llívia' is based in the Pyrenees in an eponymous Spanish exclave of 12.9 km² & 1,400 people that is surrounded by France.
It is one of the host venues for the Pyrenees Cup, an international youth football tournament held annually across Spain, France & Andorra 🇪🇸🇫🇷🇦🇩
It is one of the host venues for the Pyrenees Cup, an international youth football tournament held annually across Spain, France & Andorra 🇪🇸🇫🇷🇦🇩
December 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
🏟️ The 'Campo de Fútbol de Llívia' is based in the Pyrenees in an eponymous Spanish exclave of 12.9 km² & 1,400 people that is surrounded by France.
It is one of the host venues for the Pyrenees Cup, an international youth football tournament held annually across Spain, France & Andorra 🇪🇸🇫🇷🇦🇩
It is one of the host venues for the Pyrenees Cup, an international youth football tournament held annually across Spain, France & Andorra 🇪🇸🇫🇷🇦🇩
🇳🇱 As the only amateur team in the KNVB Cup third round, De Treffers have won the first 'Blue Cup' - awarded to the last amateur team in the tournament.
This summer, the Dutch FA made the tournament the first cup competition in the world with a separate prize for participating amateur clubs.
This summer, the Dutch FA made the tournament the first cup competition in the world with a separate prize for participating amateur clubs.
December 20, 2025 at 2:43 PM
🇳🇱 As the only amateur team in the KNVB Cup third round, De Treffers have won the first 'Blue Cup' - awarded to the last amateur team in the tournament.
This summer, the Dutch FA made the tournament the first cup competition in the world with a separate prize for participating amateur clubs.
This summer, the Dutch FA made the tournament the first cup competition in the world with a separate prize for participating amateur clubs.
🇬🇵 It's time for a Christmas trip to the mainland for Caribbean club AS Le Gosier, the last overseas team remaining in the 2025/26 Coupe de France.
The Guadeloupeans have a mammoth task to overcome as they travel 6,500km across the Atlantic Ocean to face Ligue 1 club Lorient today!
The Guadeloupeans have a mammoth task to overcome as they travel 6,500km across the Atlantic Ocean to face Ligue 1 club Lorient today!
December 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
🇬🇵 It's time for a Christmas trip to the mainland for Caribbean club AS Le Gosier, the last overseas team remaining in the 2025/26 Coupe de France.
The Guadeloupeans have a mammoth task to overcome as they travel 6,500km across the Atlantic Ocean to face Ligue 1 club Lorient today!
The Guadeloupeans have a mammoth task to overcome as they travel 6,500km across the Atlantic Ocean to face Ligue 1 club Lorient today!
🇳🇱 A curious record was set in the KNVB Cup tie between Roda JC & Go Ahead Eagles this week: the victorious visitors made eight substitutions!!!
Five were regular subs; two head injury subs (a team receives an extra one if their opponents also make a head injury sub); and one for extra-time!
Five were regular subs; two head injury subs (a team receives an extra one if their opponents also make a head injury sub); and one for extra-time!
December 19, 2025 at 10:57 PM
🇳🇱 A curious record was set in the KNVB Cup tie between Roda JC & Go Ahead Eagles this week: the victorious visitors made eight substitutions!!!
Five were regular subs; two head injury subs (a team receives an extra one if their opponents also make a head injury sub); and one for extra-time!
Five were regular subs; two head injury subs (a team receives an extra one if their opponents also make a head injury sub); and one for extra-time!
🇫🇮 𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 does club names like Finland! The teams that have already registered for the 2026 Suomen Cup, the Finnish national cup, include:
🕵️ AC Stasi, 🇨🇱 FC Colo Colo 🌿 FC Kiffen, 🇧🇷 FC Samba, 🎅 FC Santa Claus, 💪 FC Tarzan, 🐟 Fish United, 🩲 SexyPöxyt (Sexy Pants)
🕵️ AC Stasi, 🇨🇱 FC Colo Colo 🌿 FC Kiffen, 🇧🇷 FC Samba, 🎅 FC Santa Claus, 💪 FC Tarzan, 🐟 Fish United, 🩲 SexyPöxyt (Sexy Pants)
December 19, 2025 at 10:21 PM
🇫🇮 𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 does club names like Finland! The teams that have already registered for the 2026 Suomen Cup, the Finnish national cup, include:
🕵️ AC Stasi, 🇨🇱 FC Colo Colo 🌿 FC Kiffen, 🇧🇷 FC Samba, 🎅 FC Santa Claus, 💪 FC Tarzan, 🐟 Fish United, 🩲 SexyPöxyt (Sexy Pants)
🕵️ AC Stasi, 🇨🇱 FC Colo Colo 🌿 FC Kiffen, 🇧🇷 FC Samba, 🎅 FC Santa Claus, 💪 FC Tarzan, 🐟 Fish United, 🩲 SexyPöxyt (Sexy Pants)
🇦🇿 Sabah, who were only founded eight years ago and have never been champions of Azerbaijan, are top after coming back to beat Qarabağ!
The victory extended Sabah's unbeaten streak to 13 matches and they have now not lost a game since a defeat to İmişli at the end of August!
The victory extended Sabah's unbeaten streak to 13 matches and they have now not lost a game since a defeat to İmişli at the end of August!
December 19, 2025 at 8:59 PM
🇦🇿 Sabah, who were only founded eight years ago and have never been champions of Azerbaijan, are top after coming back to beat Qarabağ!
The victory extended Sabah's unbeaten streak to 13 matches and they have now not lost a game since a defeat to İmişli at the end of August!
The victory extended Sabah's unbeaten streak to 13 matches and they have now not lost a game since a defeat to İmişli at the end of August!
🇵🇹 Huge controversy in the Portuguese Cup as the referee awarded Sporting, who won 3-2, a penalty in the 106th minute v. Santa Clara after a 12-minute VAR review.
The move also drew scathing words from Benfica, who said it is "indefensible & unacceptable for the credibility of Portuguese football"!
The move also drew scathing words from Benfica, who said it is "indefensible & unacceptable for the credibility of Portuguese football"!
December 19, 2025 at 7:22 PM
🇵🇹 Huge controversy in the Portuguese Cup as the referee awarded Sporting, who won 3-2, a penalty in the 106th minute v. Santa Clara after a 12-minute VAR review.
The move also drew scathing words from Benfica, who said it is "indefensible & unacceptable for the credibility of Portuguese football"!
The move also drew scathing words from Benfica, who said it is "indefensible & unacceptable for the credibility of Portuguese football"!
🇮🇪 The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed the 15-club line-up for the National League, the new third tier which kicks off next year.
The league will begin with a truncated introductory season in autumn 2026, with promoted & relegation to be introduced for the first full season in 2027.
The league will begin with a truncated introductory season in autumn 2026, with promoted & relegation to be introduced for the first full season in 2027.
December 19, 2025 at 4:17 PM
🇮🇪 The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed the 15-club line-up for the National League, the new third tier which kicks off next year.
The league will begin with a truncated introductory season in autumn 2026, with promoted & relegation to be introduced for the first full season in 2027.
The league will begin with a truncated introductory season in autumn 2026, with promoted & relegation to be introduced for the first full season in 2027.
🇷🇸 Just when Red Star seemed to be faltering & lost a home game for the first time in over eight years, league leaders Partizan have reportedly been hit by a transfer ban!
Due to a debt of €1.3m owed to ex-player Patrick Andrade, Partizan will not be able to sign players for three transfer windows!
Due to a debt of €1.3m owed to ex-player Patrick Andrade, Partizan will not be able to sign players for three transfer windows!
December 19, 2025 at 3:22 PM
🇷🇸 Just when Red Star seemed to be faltering & lost a home game for the first time in over eight years, league leaders Partizan have reportedly been hit by a transfer ban!
Due to a debt of €1.3m owed to ex-player Patrick Andrade, Partizan will not be able to sign players for three transfer windows!
Due to a debt of €1.3m owed to ex-player Patrick Andrade, Partizan will not be able to sign players for three transfer windows!