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.
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 (especially Saudi Arabia and Qatar), identity and politics through the lens of the pitch - from Syria to Islam - and the role of fans, ultras, and diasporas, including Kurds in Sweden, Algerians in France and women in Iran.
Whether you’re into geopolitics, grassroots fandom, or just want to understand how the region is reshaping the global game, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. You can also check out the report on SEPAD's website here.
