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-bike
• Romania’s Mircea Lucescu becomes the second-oldest international coach ever
• Kosovo are unofficial world champions - but continue to face geopolitical challenges
• Erling Haaland apologises mid-game as Norway beat Moldova by record 11-1 score
• Slovakia 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 DNA
• Bolivia rely on altitude again to give themselves an edge in World Cup qualifying
• Uzbekistan continue incredible year by beating Iran to win 2025 CAFA Nations Cup
• Nepal cancel Bangladesh friendly due to civil unrest & elect new leader on Discord
• Northern 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!

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The Sweeper team

• Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
• Editor: 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

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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+.

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The Sweeper team

• Hosts: Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
• Editor: Ralph Foster

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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?

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“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.