In Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by Asia correspondent John Duerden to cast a look at some huge stories across the continent – in India, Malaysia and South Korea. What on earth happened on Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour of Kolkata? And why is the world’s largest country still without a top-flight league months after the season should have gotten under way? What has the fallout been from Malaysia’s attempt to illegally naturalise seven players? And why did Gus Poyet resign in protest after winning the double with Jeonbuk in South Korea?

In Part 2, Africa correspondent Ali Howorth drops in before flying to Morocco to give us the lowdown on AFCON 2025 and help us decide which team to support at the tournament. Then it’s over to Europe to put the Ekstraklasa under the microscope. But what unique situation that we have never seen before has occurred in Poland’s top flight? And finally, to mark the festive season, there is a mention for Christmas Island – an Australian overseas territory that is known for its red crabs and its football rivalry with the nearby Cocos Islands.

World Soccer magazine special offer: shop.kelsey.co.uk/sweeperxmas25

John Duerden’s Substack newsletter: https://howfootballexplainsasia.substack.com

Ali Howarth’s AFCON flow chart: https://x.com/ahoworth97/status/2001293214012014953

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:35 – India’s Super League crisis

08:56 – Other leagues in limbo worldwide

11:29 – Malaysia’s naturalisation scandal

21:47 – Gus Poyet’s Jeonbuk departure

27:17 – AFCON 2025 in Morocco

39:55 – The crazy Polish Ekstraklasa

44:25 – Mayhem & chaos across UEFA

48:00 – Christmas Island and red crabs

53:45 – On The Spot - The Apertura crown

In Part 1, Lee and Paul take a deep dive into Canadian football, including the national team's World Cup draw, Vancouver Whitecaps' incredible campaign and the changes to the line-up in the Canadian Premier League. Do Canada have a chance against Qatar, Switzerland – and probably Italy? Will the Vancouver Whitecaps be able to stay in Vancouver? How on earth did the Canadian Premier League's bottom club qualify for the top continental competition? And who are FC Supra du Quebec, the new club joining the division in 2026?

In Part 2, it's the usual array of stories from across the world. Several French overseas territories award four points for a win – but what other location-specific football rules exist around the world? Lee tests Paul in a quiz! Over in Norway, a season of surprises continues as Viking claim the Eliteserien and second-tier Lillestrøm win the Norwegian Cup. We hear from Viking's No.1 overseas fan Babsi! And finally, the 2026 World Cup group stage draw is now done and dusted. Which debutant has the best chance of going through?

Copa 90 documentary on Vancouver Whitecaps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Hnk37Lwo8

Weird and wacky football rules: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_tournament_ranking_system#Association_football

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:47 – Canada's World Cup prospects

02:38 – The Vancouver Whitecaps story

07:24 – Relocation fears

11:35 – Vancouver FC's Champions Cup qualification

15:33 – The newcomers: FC Supra du Québec

17:50 – The departure: Valour FC

19:43 – The rebrand: Inter Toronto

24:33 – Four points per win in the Caribbean

28:15 – Bizarre football rules quiz

36:30 – Norway's season of surprises

48:14 – Debutant World Cup groups

50:38 – On The Spot

In Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by North and Central American football expert Jon Arnold to talk about the craziness in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Why did Curacao fly from Bermuda to Jamaica via London in the November window? Why has Haiti's French coach Sebastien Migne never set foot on the island? How did an uncelebrated last-gasp own goal save Suriname's World Cup hopes? And was it a cowardly move for Steve McClaren to resign as Jamaica coach with the play-offs coming up in March?

In Part 2, the focus switches to three stories across three different continents that have caught our eye at Sweeper HQ: promoted Thun's Swiss title charge, Al Hilal and Al Merrikh's move to Rwanda, and a controversial new championship title in Argentina. What has coach Mauro Lustrinelli done to help Thun take the Super League by storm this season? What exclusive club have the Sudanese duo of Al Hilal and Al Merrikh joined by moving to Rwanda? And will Argentina really have eight title-winners every year?!

More from Jon Arnold:

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jonarnoldfc

Substack newsletter: https://getconcacafed.substack.com

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

00:51 – Curacao's World Cup miracle

13:17 – Haiti's triumph in face of adversity

23:47 – The own goal that saved Suriname

26:57 – The inter-confederation play-offs

28:35 – Steve McClaren's Jamaica exit

35:40 – Thun's extraordinary Swiss title tilt

39:48 – 2025: The year of the promoted club

41:48 – Sudanese duo's Rwanda move

45:19 – Trivia: Three-country football clubs

46:49 – Argentina's new championship title

51:07 – On The Spot