In Part 1, Lee and Paul are joined by Nathan Joyes, a South American football expert and the host of the Copa Club Podcast to talk about some sensational stories from the CONMEBOL nations this season. Why do Chile’s new champions Coquimbo Unido have a pirate theme? Which strategic decision helped Mirassol rise from the sixth tier to the brink of the Copa Libertadores? Is there something in the water in Argentina, where underdogs are sweeping up the trophies? And which other South American country deserves a special mention?

In Part 2, the focus moves to elsewhere in the southern hemisphere: Oceania. Lee attended the soft launch event for the OFC Pro League, the continent’s first-ever professional competition, and has some interesting nuggets to share. Where and when will the OFC Pro League get under way? How will the tournament benefit the Tahiti and Fiji national teams. Is Christchurch United’s rebrand as South Island United a good or bad decision? And would South Melbourne theoretically be able to represent Oceania at the Club World Cup?

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Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thecopaclub

Substack: https://thecopaclub.substack.com

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:48 – Chile’s pirate champions

08:53 – Brazil’s meteoric risers

18:47 – Argentina’s year of the underdog

21:03 – Bolivian identity fraud

25:09 – Sweepers On Tour

26:11 – OFC Pro League recap

28:02 – OFCPL: Launches & logistics

33:27 – OFCPL: Coaches & CEOs

37:15 – OFCPL: Rebrands & reserves

40:29 – OFCPL: Non-OFC neighbours

45:16 – On The Spot

In Part 1, Lee sits down with Virslīga President Maksims Krivunecs in Riga for an inside look at the Latvian football landscape. What is Latvia’s unique claim to fame within the 55 UEFA countries? Why have five of the country’s nine different champions since independence gone out of business? What does the average Virslīga footballer earn per month? And why is he in favour of setting up a Baltic League along with Lithuania and Estonia?

In Part 2, Lee returns to the virtual studio to dissect Maksim’s grand plan for a Baltic League and tell Paul all about the live experience at the Latvian Cup final. What format for the Baltic League take and how would the three stages of the competition work? What is the likelihood of it ever happening? Why was the Skonto Stadium in Riga only 14% full for the big match? And what exactly is the strange relationship between Riga FC and Auda FK?

*There is NO official proof on paper of an official relationship between Riga FC and Auda FK. Our source regarding their curious connection is Baltic Football News: balticfootballnews.com

Chapters

00:00 – Intro

01:10 – The good and bad of Latvian football

04:23 – The vanishing champion problem

12:11 – Memorable European nights

20:05 – The Baltic League grand plan

28:08 – Format, strengths & weaknesses

37:37 – The 2025 Latvian Cup final

47:20 – On The Spot

In Part 1, Lee and Paul reflect on ultimate underdogs Mjällby becoming Swedish champions and the key figures behind their unlikely Allsvenskan triumph. How have sporting director Hasse Larsson and coach Anders Torstensson shown courage in the face of adversity? Why are Mjällby the best-ever team in Swedish history? And why is the village of Hällevik looking for a new postman? And from one first-time champion to another, Titas Teiten of Baltic Football News has the lowdown on new Lithuanian title-winners Kauno Žalgiris.

Part 2 continues in Lithuania, where Lee has paid a visit to second-tier champions TransINVEST and their stunning newstadium to ask some key questions. How does a new club based in a village outside Vilnius and owned by a logistics company build a fanbase from scratch? What has the reaction been in the rest of Lithuania? And why is football firmlyin the shadow of basketball in this beautiful Baltic country? To finish off, there are tales of helicopters, heartbreak and heroism in Ireland, Iceland and Kazakhstan respectively.

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Chapters

00:00 – Intro

00:45 – The Mjällby miracle

09:37 – Kauno Žalgiris with Baltic Football News

14:08 – A trip to TransINVEST

29:45 – Ireland’s marathon helicopter

31:51 – Relegation for cup winners Vestri

32:50 – Final-day drama in Kazakhstan

34:23 – On The Spot