The FootPol Podcast

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The FootPol Podcast

Francesco Belcastro and Guy Burton

94 episodes

1 week ago

Last Friday's 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC kicks off a new mini-series running on the FootPol Podcast this season, about debutant nations heading to next year’s tournament. In this first episode, we turn to Uzbekistan — one of the most intriguing first-timers on the global stage. Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro are joined by Donat Iskanderov, a Central Asian groundhopper from Tashkent, to unpack how Uzbekistan reached its first-ever men’s World Cup and what that achievement means f...

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Last Friday's 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC kicks off a new mini-series running on the FootPol Podcast this season, about debutant nations heading to next year’s tournament. In this first episode, we turn to Uzbekistan — one of the most intriguing first-timers on the global stage. Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro are joined by Donat Iskanderov, a Central Asian groundhopper from Tashkent, to unpack how Uzbekistan reached its first-ever men’s World Cup and what that achievement means f...

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Episodes (20/94)

The FootPol Podcast

From College to the Pros: Power and Pathways in Women’s Football ft. Sydney Minarik

As the year comes to a close, FootPol examines what it really takes to build a career in women’s football — and how politics, policy and power shape pathways into the professional game. In this episode, co-hosts Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro are joined by Sydney Minarik, former Clemson University defender, to discuss elite NCAA Division I women’s soccer, professional opportunities, and her upcoming move to Australia’s National Premier League (NPL). Drawing on her experience in one of the...

2 weeks ago

47 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

2026 World Cup Debutants: Uzbekistan’s Rise from Soviet Shadows ft. Donat Iskanderov

Last Friday's 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC kicks off a new mini-series running on the FootPol Podcast this season, about debutant nations heading to next year’s tournament. In this first episode, we turn to Uzbekistan — one of the most intriguing first-timers on the global stage. Guy Burton and Francesco Belcastro are joined by Donat Iskanderov, a Central Asian groundhopper from Tashkent, to unpack how Uzbekistan reached its first-ever men’s World Cup and what that achievement means f...

1 month ago

39 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Football in a state of emergency ft. David Goldblatt

Historian and sociologist of football David Goldblatt is back on the podcast to talk to hosts Guy and Francesco about his latest book 'Injury Time. Football in a state of emergency'. David's excellent work discusses how football is an extraordinary tool to understand the recent past in Britain, from Brexit to covid and the various crises associated with the rising cost of living, growing inequality and climate change. As well as setting out the problems and challenges that society faces, Davi...

1 month ago

55 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

How Football Sells Its History: Stadium Tourism and Identity ft. Felipe Tobar

This week on The FootPol Podcast, we explore the booming world of football tourism, stadium tours, and club museums with expert Felipe Bertazzo Tobar of Clemson University. From the Camp Nou to the Maracanã, Felipe unpacks how football heritage has become a powerful mix of politics, identity, and global business to co-hosts Guy and Francesco. Why do clubs curate their histories the way they do? How are women’s football and fans reshaping the stories told in these spaces? And what happens when...

2 months ago

56 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Fueling or burning the game? Football clubs, fans and energy companies ft. Leslie Mabon

In the latest FootPol Podcast episode, Leslie Mabon, senior lecturer in environmental systems at The Open University discusses how football’s deep ties to industry reveal a bigger story about climate change, community identity, and the energy transition. From the coalfields of Fife to the steelworks of Dortmund and Japan’s industrial clubs, football’s roots run through carbon-intensive economies. Mabon explains how clubs are now reinterpreting their industrial heritage — through shirts, banne...

2 months ago

45 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

African Fans, European Dreams ft. Manase Chinwesha and Solomon Waliaula

Why do millions of Africans passionately support European football clubs they’ve never seen in person? This episode addresses this question in Manase Chiweshe and Solomon Waliaula's recent book African Fans of European Football by exploring how fandom in Africa is reshaping global football culture. From Liverpool murals on Zimbabwean buses to Arsenal “tribes” in Kenya, we unpack how football fuels identity, community, masculinity, and even prayer. We also discuss sports betting, gender, and h...

2 months ago

53 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Pride in the Game: LGBTQ+ Football Culture ft. Rory Magrath

This week on the FootPol Podcast, Rory Magrath of Southampton Solent University joins co-host Guy to unpack LGBTQ+ issues in football. From the late acceptance of LGBTQ+ players and fans in the men’s game to the more welcoming culture in women’s football, Rory explains why attitudes have shifted — and what challenges remain. We also dive into his new book, LGBT Football Fans (Routledge, 2025), exploring how fan communities are reshaping the sport.

3 months ago

50 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Season 3 Opener: Israel, Women’s Football, FIFA and Saudi Power Plays

FootPol is back for a brand new season — and we’re hitting the ground running. In this season opener, we recap the biggest political battles shaping the beautiful game and give you a taste of what’s to come. We start with Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and the mounting grassroots calls to expel Israel from world football — alongside the deafening silence from FIFA and UEFA. From there, we shift to the women’s game, exploring the politics laid bare in the Women’s Euros, the African Cup of Nation...

3 months ago

47 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Full-Time Whistle: The Season 2 Finale!

In the last episode of the seasone, co-hosts Guy and Francesco reflect on a great second season of FootPol, and pick apart some of the main themes from the season. They include conversations about community clubs and inclusivity as well as the relationship between social class and football in the past and present. There's also a look at the number of Asia-related episodes that were produced and what could be in store for next season. But before that check out the back catalogue of episodes th...

6 months ago

25 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Football in a Time of War: Gaza, Iran, Sudan & DR Congo

In this episode of The FootPol Podcast, Guy and Francesco explore how war is disrupting football in 2025, focusing on conflicts that are ongoing or escalated this year. They examine: Israel’s war on Palestine and Palestinians, especially in GazaThe 12-day Israel–US conflict with IranThe Sudanese civil warThe advance of Rwanda-backed M23 forces in eastern DR CongoThe discussion looks at how these wars affect domestic leagues, players, and fans—as well as the wider political repercussions for n...

6 months ago

45 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Class Act: Football and the English Working Class ft. Josh Bland

This week, Francesco and Guy are joined by Josh Bland, a research student at the University of Cambridge, to explore the enduring and evolving relationship between football and social class in England. Josh traces the historic connection between the working class and the beautiful game, and unpacks how today’s football—especially in its commercialised Premier League form—challenges ideas of “authentic” fandom and identity. Are traditional ties to the game only found further down the football ...

6 months ago

47 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

When Goals Don't Matter: Gals FC ft. Nora Beqaj

In this episode, Francesco and Guy speak to Nora Beqaj, co-founder of Gals FC, football's community of non-competitive football for women and non-binary people. Nora explains how the game looks like when goals don't count, and how Gals FC is bringing football to a lot of people who would otherwise not play the game.

6 months ago

41 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Did Spain's World Cup win change society? ft. Fernando Gutiérrez-Chico and Aníbal Mesa López

This week, Francesco and Guy are joined by Spanish scholars Fernando Gutiérrez-Chico and Aníbal Mesa López to explore the remarkable rise of women’s football in Spain. From La Roja’s 2023 World Cup triumph to the political fallout of the Rubiales scandal, this episode examines how the women's game is reshaping Spanish football and society. They discuss the evolution of the domestic league, the tension between women’s clubs that are affiliated with men’s teams versus independent outfits, and h...

7 months ago

55 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

The Club World Cup and Women’s Euros and What’s at Stake

This summer brings two major football tournaments into the spotlight: the Club World Cup and the Women’s Euros. In this episode, Francesco and Guy unpack the global politics surrounding both competitions—from restrictive US visa policies affecting teams and fans, to the growing cultural and social impact of the women’s game. As always, it’s not just about the football, but what the game reveals about the world beyond the pitch.

7 months ago

36 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Rage Sport: sport popolare, solidale e antifascista (edizione italiana)

In questo doppio episodio speciale italiano/inglese, Francesco intervista Maurizio Affuso, fondatore di Rage Sport, marchio d'abbigliamento che veste lo sport popolare, solidale e antifascista. Maurizio racconta l'incredibile storia di RAGE, il suo legame con Clapton Community Football Club, e perche' per RAGE lo sport e' politica.

7 months ago

41 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Rage Sport: People's sportswear against fascism (English edition)

In this special double episode, Francesco interviews Maurizio Affuso, founder of Rage Sport, sportswear brand that dresses 'sport popolare' (people's sport), anti-fascist clubs. Maurizio tells the story of how Rage Sport Started, the link with Clapton Community Football Club and why sport and politics are closely connected for RAGE sport.

7 months ago

39 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Inside Indonesia's Football and Politics ft. Andy Fuller

Co-hosts Guy and Francesco sit down with researcher, publisher and podcaster Andy Fuller—the mind behind Reading Sideways Press and Everyday Runners—for a deep dive into the work that he has previously done, on the complex world of Indonesian football. From vibrant stadiums packed with passionate fans to the darker sides of the beautiful game—corruption, mismanagement, and the deadly tragedy at Kanjuruhan Stadium in 2022—Andy offers sharp insights into the development of football in Indonesia...

7 months ago

42 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Pitching Ambition: The Rise and Risk of Non-League Football ft. Paul Caulfield

With the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals putting non-league football in the national spotlight at Wembley on Sunday 11 May—including a nail-biting outing for Guy’s own Aldershot Town FC—this week’s episode dives into the vibrant, volatile world of the English non-league game. Guy is joined by freelance journalist and non-league connoisseur Paul Caulfield to unpack the unique ecosystem of clubs outside the English Football League. What makes non-league tick? What keeps it alive? And why do some c...

8 months ago

27 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Small Nation, Giant Game: Uruguay’s Football Story ft. Will Huddleston

This week, Guy and Francesco are joined by Will Huddlestone, who recently completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, focusing on the early global success of Uruguayan football. Will unpacks how Uruguay — despite its small population — rose to international prominence as Olympic and World Cup champions in the 1920s and 1930, and how the national team’s triumphs became powerful political tools both domestically and abroad. The conversation charts the evolution of Uruguayan football after...

8 months ago

47 minutes

The FootPol Podcast

Football and identity in the MENA region ft. the SEPAD research group

This week, Francesco switches seats—co-hosting and guesting—as he and Guy dive into a lively discussion about football in and from the Middle East, inspired by a brand-new report from the Sectarianism, Proxies and De-sectarianisation (SEPAD) Project at Lancaster University. Francesco is joined by fellow co-editor Javier Bordon, along with SEPAD directors Simon Mabon and Edward Wastnidge, for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the Gulf states' rising influence in global football (especi...

8 months ago

48 minutes