This was too important a story not to discuss, so co-host @drfrancescobelc.bsky.social squeezed time in from his holidays to join me and talk about it.

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 7d ago

Is the World Cup for sale? We're briefly back from our summer break with a FootPol episode on FIFA's $20bn proposal. FIFA says investment will transform football. Critics ask if private money changes who the game serves. Listen 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... Opportunity or a step too far?

It's been a fun season, doing the @footpolpodcast.bsky.social with @drfrancescobelc.bsky.social. We've had great guests talk to us about football and politics this year. We're off on a well earned summer break, but we already have plans for new episodes, topics and guests come September. Stay tuned!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 2w ago

🎙️ That's a wrap on Season 3! A huge thank you to everyone who's listened, shared and supported us. In just 3 years we've passed 100 episodes and reached the Top 25 podcasts on Buzzsprout. Catch up on the archive over the summer—we'll be back with Season 4 in September: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/

This was our last episode of the season. There was a lot to get through and @drfrancescobelc.bsky.social kept me on my toes as I wanted to get it all in within a limited amount of time. I think we did it justice, but we'll let you be the judge of that! Have a listen and let us know what you think.

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 2w ago

Was World Cup 2026 ever just about football? In our Season 3 finale, we revisit the politics behind the tournament—from FIFA and ticket prices to Iran, Palestine, Balogun, Mbappe, Pride and more. Check it out here: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... We'll be back in September. Have a great summer!

Reflecting on the morning after the night before and thank goodness Spain won. We could get into the politics of it all (and I'd still plump for Spain), but really, Argentina were just a thuggish bunch who chose to shithouse rather than play.

Our latest @footpolpodcast.bsky.social episode is out! We recorded before the knockout stage and before the biggest controversies. But if anything, they just reinforce the points Gaby made. Personally, I think FIFA is working as intended... But that's not necessarily good for players or fans.

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 2w ago

The World Cup is over. Now comes the bigger question: can FIFA be reformed? Guy spoke to sports consultant Gaby Bracamonte about governance, ticket pricing, commercialisation and what players, managers and fas can do to reclaim control of football. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

A bit of a change from the World Cup, but still an incredibly important topic and I'm glad that we were both able to cover it and with @cmrobertz.bsky.social do it real justice. Do listen and let us know what you think!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · last mo.

🚨New episode! Marie-Louise Eta’s appointment at Union Berlin in April wasn’t the “first” in women coaching men’s football—but it’s the highest-profile in a top European league. New FootPol ep w/ @cmrobertz.bsky.social on why that framing persists + what it hides: www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

My latest commentary for @eastasiaforum.bsky.social is out. China isn’t mediating the US–Israel–Iran war because it isn’t trying to. Its Middle East strategy is commerce first, not security leadership. A key risk though is prolonged disruption in Hormuz. Do read! eastasiaforum.org/2026/07/01/c...

China gains by standing aside in the Iran War

Despite its growing influence in the Middle East, China has largely remained on the sidelines of the Iran war, prioritising economic ties over security leadership.

eastasiaforum.org

This is a big deal for us. Podcasts are saturated with football content, but ours is very different. We've found our audience and the reviews have been kind. But we want to achieve more. If you can help us do it by listening, sharing and subscribing, it would really help! www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/

The FootPol Podcast

The podcast that brings together football and politics. We'll be exploring the relationship between the two, both inside and outside the game.The podcast covers "Big Politics" like politicians, clubs,...

buzzsprout.com

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · last mo.

FootPol Podcast is now in the top 25% on Buzzsprout 🎙️ Of 100k+ shows, this marks steady growth for a small independent project built without funding or institutional backing. Thanks to listeners—subscribe or share if you can. It genuinely helps. Next stop: top 10%. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/

The dominant narrative says Ukraine is gaining the upper hand and Russia is weakening. But what if that's the wrong way to read the war? In the latest Ten Minutes On..., I argue the conflict may be heading towards escalation, not resolution. 🎙️ www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis...

Our new episode is out! And it's a timely one, given that we're into the World Cup where we've already seen empty seats as a result of the excessive pricing. So it's just as well that we had @moneill94.bsky.social come and explain to us why this points to football's "enshittification." Do listen!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · last mo.

New episode out today. Football didn’t break—it got optimised. Hook fans, lock them in, squeeze everything out. That’s enshittification, now the game’s operating model. Roy Keane saw it. Arsenal illustrated it. @moneill94.bsky.social explains it. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

Switzerland held a referendum. Northern Ireland saw protests and disorder. Same underlying issue: migration. Why do similar pressures produce such different political outcomes? That's the question I explore in this week's Ten Minutes On… podcast. www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis...

Yes, I know Pique divides opinion but I have a soft spot for him. 1986 was the first World Cup I followed. I'm still working out the trauma of England's defeat to Argentina and Brazil going out on penalties to France—which led my 8-year old sister to ask if they could play the game again!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Mexico v South Africa today. We’re visiting FootPol's archives to study countries playing each day—adding political context to the football. Today: Mexico with @drpetewatson.bsky.social & Roger Magazine. Co-host @guyburton.net is also wearing Pique from Mexico ’86. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

The World Cup starts this week. But do tournaments like this actually transform countries? In the latest Ten Minutes On... episode, I explore the economics, politics and legacy of mega-events—from Barcelona 1992 to USA 1994 and Mexico 1986. 🎧 Listen now. www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis...

The World Cup starts this week and our latest @footpolpodcast.bsky.social episode is out this week, covering the subject. Unfortunately, I was away when it was recorded, so my co-host @drfrancescobelc.bsky.social did a fantastic job doubling for us both! Do have a listen!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 2mo ago

World Cup starts this week! @guyburton.net is away so @drfrancescobelc.bsky.social hosts @politicsofsports.bsky.social & Tamir Bar-On, co-editors of Soccer & Society issue of World Cup 2026 politics. FIFA, Iran, nationalism, ticket prices, global football shifts. www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

Ebola is back in the DRC. But this isn't just a health story—it's about conflict, aid cuts, weak institutions and global health security. In 10 minutes, I explain why this outbreak matters and what it tells us about future crises. 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis... ▶️ youtu.be/BAVr09DRbio

I'm catching up on last week, which includes my most recent article for @apsamena.bsky.social on AI in the Gulf and its effort to offer a "Third Option" between the US and China. It was mostly written before the Iran war, so some of the ambitions may face tempering. zenodo.org/records/2019...

A bit late from me, owing to the long weekend and having friends visiting, but I am grateful to @tomthehack.bsky.social for including my words alongside George Cafiero and Dania Thafer in his article on UAE-Israel relations amid the Iran war. www.scmp.com/week-asia/po...

Israel thrusts a reluctant UAE into the open over defence ties

Disclosures about Iron Dome batteries and secret meetings have exposed ties analysts say the UAE would rather handle ‘more discreetly’.

scmp.com

Pakistan was never supposed to be the key mediator between the US and Iran. So why has Islamabad suddenly become central to Middle East diplomacy? New episode of Ten Minutes On… examines Pakistan’s risky geopolitical balancing act. www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis... #Pakistan #Iran #Geopolitics

This was a great one to record. Living just inside France, it's great to know more about the game in the country here. And @jonathanervine.bsky.social was a really informative guest!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Last episode: Curaçao, the smallest nation to reach a World Cup. Today: France, one of the favourites for 2026 and why its football is inseparable from politics, identity, race & nationalism. With @jonathanervine.bsky.social of @bangoruniversity.bsky.social 🎧 www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

What if Washington no longer wants Cuba’s regime to collapse? After Venezuela and Iran, the US may fear chaos, migration and failed-state collapse more than Havana itself. 🎧 Podcast: www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis... ▶️ YouTube: youtu.be/NGyjtFBjBbk?...

My contribution on the Trump–Xi meeting: why expectations of a decisive geopolitical turning point may be overstated. The real story is in structural US–China rivalry, strategic ambiguity over Taiwan, trade tensions & uncertainty around US policy coherence. themedialine.org/top-stories/...

Trump-Xi Beijing Summit Tests Leverage on Trade, Taiwan, Iran - The Media Line

US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on […]

themedialine.org

Britain’s local elections poses a key question: what happens when electoral systems no longer reflect fragmented societies? New episode of Ten Minutes On… explores democracy, legitimacy & electoral reform from the UK to Canada, France, Japan, Chile & beyond. www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis...

Our latest @footpolpodcast.bsky.social episode is now out. It's a great complement to tyhe other 3 we've done on World Cup debutants, in which we dig beyond what's happening on the pitch to get a sense of the country itself: its history, politics, society, economy as well as football development.

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 3mo ago

⚽ How did Curaçao build a World Cup team in the Netherlands? New FootPol: with Karym Leito & Margo Groenewoud on Curaçao’s road to 2026—diaspora, colonial ties, identity and football’s “Blue Wave.” 🎧 Final episode in our World Cup Debutants mini-series. Out now! www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis...

Not everyone can be a “science Kardashian.” Visibility may bring funding and opportunities, but many equally capable researchers remain unseen. This isn’t just about effort - it’s structural. Celebrity logic elevates a few and leaves the rest overlooked. www.ifo.de/en/cesifo/pu...

Do Science Kardashians Get Citation Premium? Self-Fulfilling Effects of Social Media on Citations | ifo Institute | CESifo

ifo.de

I have a New Ten Minutes On episode out today, on El Niño 2026–27 and why it matters. How a climate event can intensify extreme weather, disrupt food production, and raise global prices—especially amid current geopolitical tensions. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis...

Our latest FootPol Podcast episode is out. Ever since reading Graham's @foreignpolicy.com article back in December, I knew we had to get him on. He gives us an account of what Froer got right and what he missed out: understandable given the 20 years that have passed since his book. Do listen!

The FootPol Podcast@footpolpodcast.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Can football really explain globalisation? In our latest episode, we revisit How Soccer Explains the World with historian Graham Cornwell—from global brands to local identity, money power & myth. 🎧 Listen now www.buzzsprout.com/2253650/epis... #Football #Globalisation

This whole Mandelson business is so laboured and tedious. Bottom line: No 10 wanted him in, regardless of vetting. It was a political decision, not a failure of process. Does that need a paper trail? Pinning it on civil servants is just deflection. Why can't they admit they got it wrong?

My new podcast episode: Ten Minutes On… After Berlin Last week’s Sudan conference highlights a bigger issue—global humanitarian aid is falling short just as needs hit record levels. Why is funding shrinking, and what does it mean for crises worldwide? www.buzzsprout.com/2354388/epis...

I was asked by @tomthehack.bsky.social what the Houthis may do in response to the US blockade of Iran and what options are available to the US in his latest @scmpnews.bsky.social article here: www.scmp.com/week-asia/po... My response:

I was quoted in this @scmpnews.bsky.social by Fan Chen on whether the US is trying to get China into its war wtih Iran. Short answer: I don't think so, at least not directly. For more, here's the link: www.scmp.com/news/china/d...

Is the US trying to pressure China with Hormuz blockade?

Speculation has been circulating that Washington’s aim is to force Beijing to put pressure on Tehran to strike a peace deal.

scmp.com