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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Referees are integral to football. But with every decision scrutinised, why would anyone want to be a referee?
The Athletic has been given insider access to the life of Premier League referees. From a gruelling pre-season training camp to matchday, join Adam Leventhal as he finds out what it takes to take command of the football pitch.
We'll explain the new laws you'll see this season and the refs will explain why they should benefit the game.
You'll hear from PGMO chief, Howard Webb, current Premier League refs Andy Madeley and Peter Bankes, the latest VAR recruits, and many more.
Join us as we take you inside the world of referees.
Host: Adam Leventhal
Exec Prod: Abi Paterson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Transfers that shook the world, a summer series for The Athletic FC looking back on the moves that sparked fury and saw heroes become villains.
Today we’re heading back to July 2001, when Sol Campbell completed perhaps the most controversial move in Premier League history.
More than 20 years on, why are feelings still so strong? And was Campbell vindicated in swapping Spurs for their bitter rivals Arsenal?
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: Amy Lawrence & Danny Kelly
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
Producers: Guy Clarke & Lucy Oliva
Sound Design: Jay Beale
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Transfers that shook the world, a summer series for The Athletic FC looking back on the moves that sparked fury and saw heroes become villains.
Today we’re heading back to July 2009 when Carlos Tevez swapped the red half of Manchester for blue.
So why was the move quite so controversial - and how symbolic was it in shifting the balance of power in the hunt for Premier League dominance?
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: Andy Mitten & Oli Kay
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
Producers: Guy Clarke and Lucy Oliva
Sound Design: Jay Beale
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Transfers that shook the world, a summer series for The Athletic FC looking back on the moves that sparked fury and saw heroes become villains.
Today we’re heading back to the summer of 2006, and a saga that saw rival lines crossed from the North to West of London as Ashley Cole traded boyhood club Arsenal for rising force Chelsea.
So why was the acrimonious move considered such a betrayal? And how did the deal signify a power shift in capital as the blue side of London rose to prominence?
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: Simon Johnson & James McNicholas
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
Producers: Guy Clarke and Lucy Oliva
Sound Design: Jay Beale
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Transfers that shook the world, a summer series for The Athletic FC looking back on the moves that sparked fury and saw heroes become villains.
Today we’re heading back to August 2012, when Arsenal captain Robin van Persie crossed a divide that had defined a Premier League era…
So why was van Persie determined to swap the Emirates for Old Trafford - and did the move ultimately prove to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s final masterstroke at Manchester United?
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: David Ornstein, Amy Lawrence, Oli Kay & Andy Mitten
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
Producers: Guy Clarke and Lucy Oliva
Sound Design: Jay Beale
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Transfers that Shook the World, a summer series for The Athletic FC looking back on the moves that sparked fury and saw heroes become villains.
Today we’re heading back to January 2011 when Chelsea broke the British transfer record to sign Liverpool’s No.9, Fernando Torres.
So why was Torres’ move from Liverpool to Chelsea so controversial and was he a success at Stamford Bridge?
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: Simon Hughes and Dom Fifield
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
Producers: Guy Clarke and Lucy Oliva
Sound Design: Jay Beale
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Transfers that shook the world, a summer series for The Athletic FC looking back on the moves that sparked fury and saw heroes become villains.
Today we’re heading back to July 2000 - when Luís Figo did the unthinkable and made the move from Barcelona to Real Madrid…
It was a transfer that sent shockwaves through La Liga and went down in footballing folklore - but a quarter of a century later, how is it viewed now? And how pivotal was it in shaping the modern day Real Madrid?
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
With: Pol Ballús, José Antonio Espina & Andy Mitten
Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead
Producers: Guy Clarke and Lucy Oliva
Sound Design: Jay Beale
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There's been two football tournaments in the United States this summer, the Club World Cup and the Gold Cup. Both with an ostensible Saudi feel, all part of grand plan to invest heavily in sport backed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Adam Leventhal has travelled to Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas to witness this soft power at play. Hear from Saudi players and fans who celebrate the exposure afforded by these tournaments, but also, crucially, those who fear its impact. All with an eye on the future when Saudi Arabia will be hosting the 2034 Men's World Cup.
Host: Adam Leventhal
Producer: Jesse Howard
Exec Producer: Abi Paterson
Featuring footage from: DAZN, Fox News, CBS News, France 24 News, FIFA
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, is world football's most powerful man.
His presidency has been marked by the controversial men's World Cups in Russia and Qatar, as well as the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. But it is the newly-expanded Club World Cup that he hopes to leave as his legacy.
So, who is Gianni Infantino, where did he come from, where is he taking the game, and has he fulfilled his promises?
Join Adam Leventhal as he tracks Infantino's journey from son of migrants to rubbing shoulders with the world's leaders.
Featuring footage from: FIFA, Sky News, ABC News, AFP, iShowSpeed, Eurosport, Channel Four, Reuters, China Global Television Network
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In Los Angeles, California, four nations collided in a football tournament with an inescapable geopolitical backdrop.
Canada, Mexico and Panama have all found themselves in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump within his first 100 days in office, and they all met, with the US, in the Nations League finals.
Adam Leventhal has been looking into what happens when the sport and politics are thrust together like this speaking with the players, stakeholders and fans to find out how they feel about the various subplots surrounding this tournament and the 2026 World Cup.
How do the co-hosts put on a united front when so much of the talk is of division?
Host: Adam Leventhal
Exec Prod: Abi Paterson
Featuring audio from: The Daily, The Headlines, CBS, NBC, CSPAN, ESPN
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Online searches for fake football shirts have gone up by over 500% since 2021, with the Premier league counterfeit market worth over £180m.
But what damage could they be causing you and others?
Adam Leventhal has spent the last nine months investigating the illicit trade of counterfeits, and uncovered some shocking details along the way.
Host: Adam Leventhal
Mixing: Jay Beale
Executive Producer: Abi Paterson
Featuring footage from: Sky News, Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa, sdpeasyy, Culture Force
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In August 2023, on the pitch in Sydney, Australia, Spanish forward Jenni Hermoso's life changed. But not in the way it should have.In a moment that became more widely known as "The Kiss" former Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales, grabbed Hermoso's face and planted a kiss on her lips.
It became front page news around the world.In February 2025, Rubiales went on trial for one count of sexual assault and one of coercion. If he was found guilty of both counts, the prosecution was asking for a two and a half year prison sentence.In the end, following a two week trial, Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault but not guilty of coercion.
So, how did we get to this ruling?
Meg Linehan guides you through the full story, with the help of The Athletic's Spanish reporters, from the pitch in Sydney, to the hills of south Spain, over to the court room of Madrid. And ultimately ask one question, se acabó? Is it over?
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Credits
Host: Meg Linehan.
Contributors: Dermot Corrigan, Guillermo Rai, Laia Cervello and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero.
Producer: Theo Lloyd-Hughes
Executive Producers: Abi Paterson and Emily Olsen
Featuring footage from: ABC News, Sky Sports, Al Jazeera, The Independent, Sky News, France 24 English, Fox, Jenni Hermoso Instagram, RFEF
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Football fans are desperate for transfer news - and it's often bigger than the sport itself.
Open twice a year - in January and the summer - the transfer window changes the game.
But what actually goes on when deals are made?
Join Adam Leventhal as he goes behind the scenes at training grounds, stadiums and offices to explain the anatomy of a transfer and to breakdown the complex process of what a player goes through when they move from club to club.
Host: Adam Leventhal
Exec Prod: Abi Paterson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On December 1, one of the world’s worst stadium disasters unfolded. At the Stade du 3 Avril in Nzerekore, Guinea, a devastating crush led to chaos and, according to officials, the deaths of 56 people. But domestic human rights organisations believe they have verified that at least 135 people lost their lives that day.
The Athletic travelled to Nzerekore to visit the stadium, analyse what happened and speak to eyewitnesses and relatives of those involved. They are grieving and searching for the truth.
Content Warning: This show contains reporting that some listeners may find upsetting
Host: Adam Leventhal
Producer: Abi Paterson
News reporting: Channel 4, France News, Sky News
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In April 2023, civil war broke out in Sudan. It continues to this day leaving in its wake the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, according to the United Nations.
Despite this, Sudan’s national football team has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 and tops its World Cup qualification group.
They are a source of hope to a nation left in ruins.
In this special episode of The Athletic FC Documentary we’ll take you into the war torn country where amateur matches continue amid the shelling, and football grounds have become burial grounds.
At a refugee camp in neighbouring Chad, we’ll hear of the horrors of war and how football is helping children there.
And hear how geo political influence, immigration and perilous journeys over land and sea are part of this journey with Sudan, football and a war struggling to be seen and heard.
Credits
Written and presented by Adam Leventhal
Produced by Abi Paterson
Additional reporting in collaboration with Tom Rhodes and Zemenfes Goudos GebreMikael
Featuring footage from beIN Sport, Al Jazeera, British Pathé, Sky News, Fairshot, SuperSport, Sudan FA
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To round up our series on Brentford we answer the outstanding questions on the Bees.
What next for star striker Ivan Toney following his ban from football by the FA?
How far up the Premier League table can the club go?
And what are the club doing behind the scenes to ensure that they can keep improving year on year?
Plus we hear about the women's team and how the club are supporting them.
Hear from Chief Exec Jon Varney, Head Coach Thomas Frank, Captain Christian Norgaard, Performance Director Ben Ryan, Director of Football Phil Giles, Women's Head Coach Karleigh Osbourne, and Technical Director Lee Dykes on all this - and their thoughts on what the future holds for the club.
Host: Jay Harris
Producer: Abi Paterson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Brentford Football Club suffered a devastating loss to their staff in November 2018 when Technical Director Robert Rowan passed away in his sleep aged just 28 due to a fatal cardiomyopathy episode.
Christian Eriksen, the Danish international who had a heart attack on the pitch in 2021, was lucky. He survived and went on to play for Brentford from January 2022.
In this episode we bring you their stories and tell you about the work that the club is doing with their community to raise awareness for heart charities.
Hear from Robert's wife Suzanne Rowan, Head Coach Thomas Frank, Captain Christian Norgaard, Director of Football Phil Giles, B Team Head Coach Neil MacFarlane, Technical Director Lee Dykes and Director Nity Raj
Host: Jay Harris
Producer: Abi Paterson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What are the questions reporter Jay Harris gets asked the most? How does Brentford's recruitment work? And are they the moneyball club?
Well in episode two we get all the answers, or at least as many as we could, from the staff and players at Brentford FC.
Hear from Technical Director Lee Dykes as he explains how he's built a unique data system to make sure Brentford can recruit the very best talent, at a much cheaper price than the rest of the Premier League. Plus he tells us how he builds squads and why he has 16 positions on the field, not 11.
Players Ben Mee and Christian Norgaard explain what persuaded them to join the West London outfit.
You'll also hear from Director of Football Phil Giles and manager Thomas Frank.
Oh, and don't call them moneyball.
Host: Jay Harris
Producer: Abi Paterson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jay Harris is given access all areas to one of the most intriguing clubs in the Premier League: Brentford.
The club had the lowest wage bill in the top tier and yet were able to do the double over champions Manchester City and in their short two year stay (so far) in the league, beaten the big six at least once. So how do they do it? That's what we're here to tell you.
First up, a whizz through the history of Brentford since owner Matthew Benham took over.
Hear from Chief Exec Jon Varney, Head Coach Thomas Frank, Captain Christian Norgaard, Performance Director Ben Ryan, Director of Football Phil Giles, Women's Head Coach Karleigh Osbourne, Technical Director Lee Dykes, Director Nity Raj and club announcer Peter Gilham as they tell the Bees' story
Host: Jay Harris
Producer: Abi Paterson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the third and final episode of this documentary series, presenter Mike Zimmermann explores the legacy that Lionel Messi will leave behind.
Matt Slater explains the motives behind the Saudi Pro League, and why Messi turned down nearly half $1 billion annually in favor of Major League Soccer.
The relationship between Messi and Inter Miami started back in 2018 — Paul Tenorio takes us through the initial interest from Miami, the inner workings of a contract that includes equity and profit-sharing from Apple and Adidas, and how Messi will change Major League Soccer, both on the field and off.
With MLS and Apple partnered for the next 10 years, a broadcast deal worth $2.5 billion, Richard Deitsch describes Lionel Messi's arrival in the US as "a massive catalyst" for Apple's soccer coverage and the media landscape.
You'll also hear from Andrés Cantor, legendary Telemundo Deportes broadcaster, about how Messi is viewed in Argentina leading up to the 2024 Copa America and 2026 World Cup, both being played in the United States.
Produced by Mike Zimmermann.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
