The Sweeper - A World Football Podcast

ตอน

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  How does Portugal’s geography & history explain the big three | Benfica, Sporting & Porto 22.09.2026 23นาที

  There have been 92 editions of the Portuguese Primeira Liga to date. Only two of them have been won by clubs other than Benfica, Sporting and Porto. A whopping 95% of football fans in Portugal support the big three – a share that even dwarves the share of national support for the big three in Türkiye and the Netherlands. So how have the trio established such a fierce grip on the domestic game and its fans? What role have the country’s history and geography had to play? And what chance, if any, does a club outside the big three have of breaking its stranglehold? Plus, countrymen Torreense claim the first European league phase win for a lower-league team in a decade and our partner Golaço Kits holds a Portuguese club shirt giveaway! You can already listen to Monday’s bumper bonus podcast on Patreon. In it, we take a virtual journey across Central and Eastern Europe to profile four unique clubs, including the village team who lured Real Madrid’s 12th man to Moldova! Links Lee’s ESPN article Paulo Sarreira’s hotel The Golaço Kits website (promo code: SWEEPER10) Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 00:52 – Triumph for Torreense 02:40 – Big three dominance 07:43 – 95% national support 10:58 – Lusophone influence 14:10 – Potential challengers 18:10 - Golaço Kits giveaway Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Ugandan king? Why a 9th-tier goalkeeper turned down the throne 17.09.2026 25นาที

  There is a lot to love about the English non-leagues, but it will be hard to top the sensational story that emerged about SE Dons goalie George Desmond Kamurasi last week. The 36-year-old, who plies his trade in England’s ninth tier, has been chosen to be the next king of the Tooro people, one of the four traditional kingdoms in Uganda, following the death of his cousin, King Oyo, in late August. There are so many questions to be answered. Who, for example, has chosen him to be the king – and why? Could he miss his cousin’s funeral for football? Does he want to be royalty in Africa? And what might happen if he rejects the offer and stays in the UK? Plus, Dominica’s national team takes the unusual step of appealing on social media for a new goalkeeper, Vanuatu hosts its first professional matches, and Norwegian side Strømmen send their reserves to the Arctic Circle. You can already listen to Monday’s bumper bonus podcast on Patreon. It features tales from the CAF Confederation Cup, such as the Seychelles side drawn to play in Ebola-hit DR Congo and Botswana club Jwaneng Galaxy’s on-pitch sorcery. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:02 – Uganda’s non-league king 07:04 - Dominica’s online goalkeeper hunt 13:30 - Vanuatu’s first professional match 16:41 – The Norwegian cup cop-outs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  What if the English FA Cup included British Overseas Territories? 15.09.2026 26นาที

  The English FA Cup is the oldest and most storied domestic football competition in the world. But it is not the most inclusive. The Coupe de France comfortably takes that title. The tournament not only has 7,000+ participants, but also invites teams from French overseas territories, creating special experiences and mammoth away days for those involved. We have often wondered what the FA Cup would look like if England followed France’s lead. So on this episode, we’re simulating that very scenario: Which British Overseas Territories have enough people and footballers to take part? Which teams would be invited to play? Where would the ties be held? And how would the guests fare against mainland opposition? Join us on Patreon for this Monday’s bonus podcast featuring the underdogs and outsiders in this season’s CAF Confederation Cup, the African equivalent of the Europa League. If you enjoyed the recent episode on the CAF Champions League, this one is for you. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:02 – Disclaimers and caveats 01:35 – Overview of British Overseas Territories 03:11 – The ineligible territories 08:12 – The eligible territories & their teams 11:22 – The big theoretical questions 19:45 – Forecasts and predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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  Osnabrück’s moving rollercoaster: How fans built football’s best-ever tifo 10.09.2026 22นาที

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  The African club bringing the Champions League to the Sahara Desert | JS Saoura 08.09.2026 24นาที

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  From the 9th tier and ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ to the UCL | Valdas Dambrauskas 01.09.2026 38นาที

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  109 games unbeaten! How Johor Darul Ta’zim broke the Guinness World Record 25.08.2026 34นาที

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  From CONCACAF to CONMEBOL: Will Mexico switch confederations? 18.08.2026 37นาที

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  A team from North America in the Europa League? It IS possible 11.08.2026 34นาที

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  Why a tiny island of 4,400 people turned down $40 million from FIFA 04.08.2026 35นาที

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  World Cup 2026: Cape Verde’s tourism boost, Paraguay’s rags to riches keeper & an England fan manhunt 07.07.2026 36นาที

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  World Cup 2026: Cape Verde’s Messi meeting, Doctor Congo in dreamland & the Habsburg Derby 30.06.2026 38นาที

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  World Cup 2026: The Gijón grudge match, a Dutch royal groundhop & Hervé Renard’s crisp white shirts 23.06.2026 34นาที

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  World Cup 2026: Balogun’s curious US citizenship, Peru’s mascot drug raid & Algeria’s sleep tax 16.06.2026 33นาที

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  Uzbekistan: The World Cup's nearly men no more 12.06.2026 21นาที

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  Jordan: The World Cup captain who defied his coach 09.06.2026 23นาที

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  Curaçao: The World Cup squad with only ONE local player 05.06.2026 22นาที

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  Cape Verde: The World Cup player recruited by LinkedIn DM 02.06.2026 22นาที

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  Andorran adventures: Cross border clubs, squirrel costumes & micro-state uproar 26.05.2026 37นาที

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  Al Hilal's African odyssey, Brazil's first indigenous pro club & a 42-second Dutch replay 19.05.2026 30นาที

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