More than the Score

Episódios

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  Is Tadej Pogacar unstoppable? 05.08.2026 22min

  Tadej Pogacar has dominated the Tour de France once again, and now has his sights set on this year's Vuelta a Espana - the only one of cycling's triple crown races he's yet to win. Few would bet against him taking that title too. But how has one man become the dominant force in one of the world's most notoriously gruelling sports - and does anyone have a hope of stopping him?Jonathan Vaughters is the general manager of the EF Education-EasyPost team, one of the rivals of Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates squad. He tells More than the Score's Mani Djazmi why taking on Pogacar is so difficult, and why he believes the 27-year-old may be his own biggest competition. Vaughters also shares his thoughts on drug testing in cycling, and argues its approach is far more rigorous than other sports.Mani's also joined by the BBC's Matt Warwick, who discusses what Pogacar's dominance means for the sport as a spectacle.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  Neeraj Chopra: India's javelin ace aims for Commonwealth gold 29.07.2026 19min

  In 2018, Neeraj Chopra won javelin gold at the Commonwealth Games. It was the first major senior victory of his career, and he followed it up with gold at the Olympics and World Championships. More than the Score's Lee James talks to Neeraj about the medal that changed his life, and the effect it's had on Indian sport. Neeraj also discusses this year's Commonwealth Games, where he's facing a field packed with Olympic and world champions, including Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, Kenya's Julius Yego and Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago - and explains why he's learned important lessons about listening to his body.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  What's next on More than the Score 28.07.2026

  The World Cup may be over, but there's a whole world of sport to explore - and every week, we'll be doing just that. Search More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts, and follow and subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode.
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  Wafcon 2026: Can Morocco end Nigeria’s dominance? 24.07.2026 53min

  After another disrupted build-up, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations returns, just one year on from the last tournament. Now expanded to 16 teams, Wafcon enters a new era. Can Nigeria complete "Mission XI" by claiming an unprecedented 11th continental title? Will hosts Morocco, runners-up in the last two tournaments, finally lift the trophy on home soil? Can South Africa bounce back after a disappointing finish at the last edition? Or will Zambia’s talented golden generation continue their resurgence?This year also marks a milestone for tournament debutants Malawi and Cape Verde, whose participation reflects the growing reach of the women’s game across Africa. Does the expanded format offer more opportunities for smaller nations to make history?Maz Farookhi is joined by two of Africa’s leading women’s football journalists, Busisiwe Mokwena and Biola Solace-Chukwu. Together, they assess the title contenders, examine the biggest talking points on and off the pitch, and explore what this Wafcon could reveal about the future of women’s football on the continent.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  The Commonwealth Games fights for its future 23.07.2026 22min

  The Commonwealth Games has arrived in Glasgow, but in a very different format to before. Around 3,000 athletes will compete in 10 sports, six of them including a para-sport element - far fewer than any of the previous editions this century. Glasgow also only took over this year's edition after the intended host, the Australian state of Victoria, pulled out as costs spiralled.So do this year's Games represent a chance to build a more sustainable future, or are they a sign of its decline?Earlier this month, More than the Score's Mani Djazmi spoke to Katie Sadleir, CEO of Commonwealth Sport, who gives an insight into what it took to put Glasgow 2026 together, and why she thinks the Games's new model could be more attractive to potential host cities.Mani also speaks to the BBC's Shabnam Younus-Jewell, who's reporting on the Games in Glasgow, and Mo Allie, who gives us his perspective from Cape Town. What kind of anticipation is there for the next 11 days of competition?You can hear more of Mani's discussion with Katie Sadleir in The Interview podcast from the BBC World Service.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  Is LA ready to welcome the Olympics? 22.07.2026 24min

  Los Angeles hosted eight games at the World Cup - but in 2028, the city will take on an even bigger test when it welcomes the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic games. Is it ready for sport's other "greatest show on Earth"?More than the Score's John Bennett talks to Libby Rainey, who's reporting on the Olympic preparations for Los Angeles public media organisation LAist. She discusses the political, logistical and economic challenges the city faces - including whether one of the most famously car-dependent cities on Earth can build a public transit system to keep everyone moving.They're also joined by the BBC's Isaac Fanin, who reported on the World Cup from LA for the World Service. He shares his perspective on the city as a visitor, and why a visit to the Walk of Fame revealed a surprising problem.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  How 'baby boy' Haaland conquered America at the World Cup 21.07.2026 25min

  Erling Haaland's Norway went out of the World Cup at the quarter-final stage - but on social media, he's arguably been the tournament's biggest winner.From shopping for a cowboy hat in Texas to coming home with a taxidermied raccoon, Haaland's American adventures have seen his online following explode, and his fame has now spread into wider US pop culture. But what is it about him that America has fallen in love with - and just how big a star could he become?Crystal Bell, digital culture editor at Mashable, tells More than the Score's John Bennett how Haaland's authenticity has been a huge draw for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and why the way he uses Snapchat is key to his appeal. She also analyses how he's been building his brand in China and beyond.Tobias Hovland also joins the show to discuss what he's seen while reporting from the US for Norwegian broadcaster NRK, and how Haaland's exploits have been received back home.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  World Cup 2026: Messi, the Muppets and hydration breaks 20.07.2026 32min

  After six weeks, the FIFA 2026 men's World Cup, held across the United States, Canada and Mexico and featuring a record 48 teams is over. Spain are champions for a second time after beating Argentina 1-0 in extra-time in the final at the New York-New Jersey stadium.More than the Score's Mike McCarthy is joined by the chief football writer at the i paper, Daniel Storey and by CBS Sport's Lisa Carlin to reflect on the match and the tournament as a whole. Daniel discusses his mammoth road trip across the US covering the event and why watching the great Lionel Messi, perhaps for the last time at a World Cup, has been a privilege. He also explains why FIFA must address high ticket prices going forward. Lisa explains why the tournament has been well received among Americans and why she enjoyed the controversial half-time show featuring Justin Bieber, Brazilian football legend Ronaldo and the Muppets. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  Alex Rose: The engineer making athletics history for Samoa 18.07.2026 24min

  Last September, Alex Rose made athletics history by winning bronze in the men's discus at the World Athletics Championships. It was the first-ever medal at the championships for the Pacific island of Samoa.What made the feat even more remarkable is that Alex isn’t a full-time athlete. He has to fit training around working and travelling as a sales engineer in his native Michigan – meaning he often has to train on his lunch breaks, or before or after work, trying to find facilities wherever he can.In March of this year, Alex Rose talked to More than the Score’s Ade Adedoyin about his long road to making history for Samoa, and why he decided to compete for his father’s native land rather than the US. He also talks about the realities of raising two young sons while competing as a world-class athlete, and why his wife Samantha is his “rock”.Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  World Cup 2026: The rebirth of the New York Cosmos 17.07.2026 40min

  The New York Cosmos were the original Galacticos, the ultimate glamour club and now they’re back in 2026. Lee James tells the story of the original club, which was founded in the 1970s and featured star players like Pele, before charting their rebirth in 2026.He discovers the impact the Brazilian legend Pele had both on and off the pitch. Hearing from former teammates, including goalkeeper Eddie Edgar, finds out how celebrity fans including Mick Jagger followed the team, and learns about the cultural impact the Cosmos also had on the United States.Lee also attends a training session at the new Cosmos club as they return to professional soccer and speaks to the former Manchester United forward Guiseppe Rossi, who is the Cosmos head of soccer and Erik Stover the CEO who tell us why competing in a league with promotion and relegation will change the domestic game in the US.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  World Cup 2026: Will Messi and Argentina lift the trophy again? 16.07.2026 20min

  Argentina will face Spain in Sunday's World Cup final, after overcoming England in a semi-final that once again showcased their battling spirit - but will Lionel Messi lift the trophy again in New York?Mani Djazmi is joined by South American football expert Tim Vickery and ESPN Argentina's Francisco Canepa to analyse why the Albicelestes are one game away from retaining their title. Francisco shares what it was like to be part of the crowd in Atlanta, and Tim explains how Messi's changing role with the squad has transformed their fortunes.We also hear from Argentina's Geronimo Rulli, the Marseille goalkeeper who's taking part in his second World Cup, about his memories of victory in 2022 - and what it's like playing for coach Lionel Scaloni.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  World Cup 2026: Spain shock favourites France to reach the final 15.07.2026 23min

  Spain produced a masterclass in control to beat pre-tournament favourites France 2-0 in Dallas and secure their place in just their second World Cup final. BBC football reporter John Bennett tells Lee James why the performance of the European champions is one of the best he's ever seen at a World Cup. Spanish football journalist Ernest Macia explains why their current midfield, led by Rodri, can be compared to that of Xavi and Andrés Iniesta - the engine room of their 2010 World Cup winning side. French football journalist Sara Menai explains where it all went wrong for Didier Deschamps’ side, while South American football expert Tim Vickery looks ahead to the second semi-final between defending champions Argentina and 1966 winners England. More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd joins the show from New York, where the atmosphere ahead of Sunday's final is building. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  World Cup 2026: Can anyone stop Mbappe’s France? 14.07.2026 19min

  Mani Djazmi is joined by Loic Tanzi from L’Equipe and Juan Castro from Marca to preview the World Cup semi-final between France and Spain. France are many people’s favourites to win the tournament, while Spain head into the game on the back of a 36-match unbeaten run.Mani also gets an Argentinian perspective from journalist Nicolas Rotnitzsky, who says their semi-final against England is one of the most important games in the national team’s history. He’s also predicting the 2026 World Cup final will see his nation meet France in the final, just as they did at Qatar 2022.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  World Cup 2026: The refugee stars at the World Cup 13.07.2026 28min

  Nestory Irankunda, Antonio Rudiger and Alphonso Davies represented Australia, Germany and Canada respectively at the World Cup - and all have links to Africa as refugees.Germany defender Antonio Rudiger tells the podcast how his brother was close to being forced into becoming a child soldier in Sierra Leone, and had to hide in a bag of rice to escape. Rudiger also discusses his childhood experience of living in a refugee centre in Germany.John Bennett and Ian Williams are also joined by Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and chief executive of Global Refuge, a non-profit organisation which has previously worked with the US State Department to resettle refugees. They discuss the players’ stories, and the challenges refugees face.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  A golden age of Italian tennis 12.07.2026 38min

  Italy has six players inside the men's world top 50 including number one and four-time Grand Slam champion, Jannik Sinner.Jasmine Paolini is flying the flag on the women's side while Sara Errani - one of the most successful doubles players in recent history - is still winning tournaments at the age of 39. The country has also won the last three Davis Cups and won the Billie Jean King Cup back-to-back in 2024 and 2025.Delyth Lloyd is joined at Wimbledon by former player and current tournament director of the Italian Open and director of women's tennis at the Italian Tennis Federation, Paolo Lorenzi, to discuss what's behind the rise of the sport in the country. We also hear from Sinner and Paolini as well as Italian tennis journalist Ubaldo Scanagatta.More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the World Cup to F1, golf to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like heavyweight boxing champion Fabio Wardley, Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore________________________________________
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  World Cup 2026: Norway can surprise England - Olympic great Johannes Klaebo 11.07.2026 17min

  Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo wrote himself into Olympic history earlier this year, by breaking the all-time tally for gold medals won by a Winter Olympian. But this summer, he has been dividing his time between training and travelling back and forth to the US to support Norway at the World Cup.More than the Score’s Lee James has been speaking to the Norwegian icon ahead of his fellow countrymen’s World Cup quarter-final against England. Klaebo compares his approach to training and recovery to that of Erling Haaland, and reflects on meeting the Norway striker and his exploits at the World Cup. Klaebo says Norwegians are proud Haaland chose to represent Norway over England.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  Ghostwriting: How to tell someone else's story 11.07.2026 17min

  Athletes' memoirs and autobiographies are among the biggest-selling books around the world each year - but often, the words aren't entirely their own. Many sports stars work with 'ghostwriters' - professional authors who turn their stories into bestselling prose.In November 2025, More than the Score's Lee James and John Bennett talked to Jonathan Northcroft from UK newspaper the Sunday Times, who's worked on autobiographies and memoirs with stars including former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. How do ghostwriters help sportspeople turn their anecdotes, memories and personal stories into books, and how do they make sure their words do justice to their subject's story?More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore
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  World Cup 2026: Who’s put themselves in the shop window? 10.07.2026 20min

  Plenty of players have made names for themselves at this World Cup, from goalkeepers like Cape Verde’s Vozinha and Paraguay’s Orlando Gill to New Zealand midfielder Elijah Just. But though they might not have been familiar to fans, the extent of modern scouting means clubs all over the world will already have known about many of them – so how have their heroics at the tournament affected their standing in the game, and their value in the transfer market? More than the Score’s Mani Djazmi speaks to Ben Littlemore from Transfermarkt, one of the world’s foremost football databases, about how transfer fees get calculated, and what effect the World Cup can have on a player’s price tag. They also discuss the curious case of Tim Payne – the New Zealand defender who became an unexpected viral sensation before the tournament, and now looks set to start a new chapter of his career in Paraguay. Mani’s also joined by Lutz Pfannenstiel, sporting director at Aberdeen, who’s played and worked all over the world in a professional career stretching back to the early 1990s. He explains how his team assesses transfer targets, and what effect major tournaments have on their thinking. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  World Cup 2026: Will there be a new name on the trophy? 09.07.2026 27min

  We’re at the quarter-final stage of the World Cup and four of the eight teams involved have never won football's greatest prize.For Morocco to do so, they must first overcome two-time champions, France, in their quarter-final in Boston. Belgium face 2010 winners Spain. Erling Haaland's Norway must beat 1966 winners England to progress, while Switzerland face holders Argentina. Former Switzerland international, Johan Djourou, won over 70 caps for his country and played at three World Cups. He explains to Lee James why his nation has a strong chance of knocking out Lionel Messi's side. North African football journalist, Maher Mezahi, discusses Morocco's chances against the pre-tournament favourites. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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  World Cup 2026: Soccer's growth in Trump's America 08.07.2026 49min

  Lee James looks at whether co-hosting the men's Fifa World Cup will take football to another level in the United States. In many countries around the world, football is the major obsession - but the same can't be said about the US. The NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball and NHL have a longer history and dominate the media coverage, the sponsorship deals and the national conversation. But has this World Cup changed that - particularly now President Trump has got involved? Lee tells the story of how soccer has made big strides in the country since it first hosted the men's World Cup in 1994. The women's team is a dominant powerhouse, and Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami has boosted interest in the men's domestic league, the MLS. Among the people we hear from are former head of US soccer Alan Rothenberg, the USA international footballers Eric Wynalda and Heather O'Reilly, MLS vice-president Dan Courtemanche, and South Korea captain Son Heung-Min, who made the move to the MLS from the English Premier League.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.