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, international and national federations and other organised groups and how they use or abuse the game to "Small, Everyday Politics" in the form of community-level clubs, fan associations and the way that football reflects the political challenges of our day to day lives.
The FootPol Podcast is brought to you by co-hosts Drs Francesco Belcastro and Guy Burton.
Podcasting since 2023 • 98 episodes
The FootPol Podcast
Latest Episodes
Carnival or Control? Politics and the 2026 World Cup ft. Pete Watson & Roger Magazine
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, how will geopolitics, migration policy and fan culture shape the tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada? In this episode of FootPol, Guy Burton is joined by Pete Watson (University of Leeds) and...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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54:21
Grassroots, Growth and the Game: Football in New Zealand ft. CJ Price
In this episode of FootPol, Francesco Belcastro and Guy Burton are joined by CJ Price, Director of Football at Palmerston North Marist FC, for a deep dive into how football is evolving in New Zealand and across Oceania. Using Palmerston North M...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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41:44
How the Football Association Took Over the Women's Game ft. Rafaelle Nicholson
What really happened when the FA took over women’s football in 1993 – and why does it still matter today?In this first episode of 2026, co-hosts Francesco Belcastro and Guy Burton are joined by Rafaelle Nicholson of Bournemouth Media Sch...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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44:43
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 Belcast...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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47:21
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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39:51
