The Ball is Tainted: Iran, FIFA, and the World Cup

The Ball is Tainted: Iran, FIFA, and the World Cup

There’s long been a shared belief that despite the mistakes and wrongdoings of players, organizers, or world leaders, the game of soccer remains pure – untouched by our sins. In this episode we ask: how can that still be the case today? And we look into one of the countries that exemplifies the political turmoil and contradictions that have come to define this World Cup: Iran. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Andrés Cantor: The Man Behind "Goooool!"

Andrés Cantor has been a sports announcer for almost 40 years. He’s received eight Emmy Awards for his broadcasting and a place in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. You know his voice. His “Gooooooooool” has been featured everywhere from Late Night to the Simpsons. We get into the nitty gritty of calling a game, why he’s not afraid to cry, and the beauty of the World Cup. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

BONUS: Let the World Cup Begin

It’s here! This World Cup will be unlike many others – with more teams playing than ever before, challenging logistics, and volatile geopolitics – so we brought together two soccer experts to help give us the lay of the land for this tournament. We talk about impressions from the fans, FIFA’s prohibitively expensive ticket prices, the players to watch like Lamine Yamal, and so much more. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Haiti: The World Cup’s Underdog

Every sport has an underdog story. There are teams and players who go through such insurmountable odds that you can’t help but root for them. This World Cup, that team is Haiti.  In this episode, we look at how a country and a soccer team written off by the world managed to shock everyone. And we go beyond this epic qualification, as Haitian fans at home and abroad navigate through a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment and hostile policies coming from the main World Cup host: the United States. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Why U.S. Women are the Global Soccer Powerhouse

There has been mounting anticipation for the 2026 Men’s World Cup, but it’s impossible to make a series about soccer culture in the U.S. without bringing up the women’s national team. Because for decades, that team has dominated the sport in the United States and abroad. We're talking a global powerhouse, with four Women’s World Cup titles under its belt. We talk about the making of the U.S. Women’s National Team, how the players fought so hard off the pitch for equal pay, and what’s in store for women’s soccer.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.