Stephen Donovan 2026 promises to be a thrilling year of football with the 2026 FIFA World Cup the headline act. Stephen Donovan picks out 20...

Excitement is building for the start of Africa Cup of Nations this weekend. The tournament kicks off this Sunday, 21st December and runs until the final on Sunday, 18th January. So will hosts and favourites Morocco deliver? Can reigning champions Ivory Coast defend their crown? Will 'fired up' Salah give Egypt the edge? And who are the key players to keep an eye on? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Jay Harris and Simon Hughes to tell you everything you need to know ahead of AFCON 2025. Plus, former Ghana manager Chris Hughton drops in to give the lowdown on what it’s actually like to manage at AFCON. Host: Ayo Akinwolere Guests: Jay Harris, Simon Hughes, Chris Hughton Executive Producer: Abi Paterson Producers: Mike Stavrou, Paul Illife Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three world-class goals and a heroic victory to reach the World Cup. It’s classic Scotland, right? Maybe not, but today Marcus, Jim and Pete are here to revel in one of the greatest games they’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. That’s what football do to ya, eh?! Elsewhere, Wales’ seven goals against North Macedonia somehow aren't headline news and Curaçao make history. Plus, DR Congo earn a famous victory without breaking any rules at all! Join the Football Ramble WhatsApp HERE Sign up to the Football Ramble Patreon for ad-free shows for just $5 per month: https://www.patreon.com/footballramble. Click here to become a Friend of the Ramble on YouTube! Find us on Bluesky, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and email us here: [email protected]. The Football Ramble, the original and best football podcast. Brand new podcasts every single weekday throughout the Premier League season and every day throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jetting off on this international break with Jimbo are Duncan Alexander, Daniel Storey and Colin Millar. World Cup qualifying is reaching its conclusion with France officially there, Norway all but officially there and Portugal blowing another chance to be there. Ronaldo is sent off in defeat to the Republic of Ireland who keep their hopes alive. England make it 7 wins out of 7 as they beat Serbia 2-0. How much is Thomas Tuchel learning from this qualification campaign? We discuss the possibility of Curaçao reaching next summer’s tournament and how San Marino can improve their chances by getting hammered against Romania. Jay Harris joins us from Morocco where he’s watching the African play-offs before the inter-confederation play-offs in March, as Nigeria and DR Congo set up a decider on Sunday. Plus all you need to know about the betting scandal that has rocked Turkish club football and led to over a thousand players being suspended. Produced by Charlie Jones RUNNING ORDER: • PART 1a: Ronaldo sees red against the Republic (03.30) • PART 1b: European qualifying - Northern Ireland, Scotland & Wales’s hopes (07.00) • PART 2: England 2-0 Serbia (24.00) • PART 3a: Nigeria 4-1 Gabon with Jay Harris (31.00) • PART 3b: Could Curaçao qualify? (38.00) • PART 3c: Why don’t more populous nations qualify? (42.00) • PART 4: The Turkish betting scandal explained (45.00) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada’s Gold Cup; Club World Cup; Tate Johnson interview; Vancouver Whitecaps vs San Diego preview

Curaçao delivered the shock of Matchday 2 with a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer against Canada, keeping Group B wide open. Alexi Lalas and David Mosse break down what went wrong for Jesse Marsch’s side and how changes to the starting XI may have backfired.The guys look ahead to the USMNT's final group stage clash against Haiti, with updates on injuries, potential lineup changes, and what success looks like for the United States this summer. Will Tyler Adams return to the starting lineup? And who needs to step up with Diego Luna and Sebastian Berhalter sitting on yellows?They wrap the show by previewing Group A’s matchups and discussing Gio Reyna and the Dortmund bench watching from the locker room during Club World Cup action.Presented by Yerba Madre #CometoLifeIntro (0:00)Canada Drops Points in Group B (3:30)Jeremy Antonisse's Late Equalizer (7:43)Honduras Bounces Back (13:48)USMNT Eyes Top of Group D (16:10)What does success look like for USMNT this summer? (20:52)Group A Preview (25:46)Gio Reyna Watches Club World Cup from Locker Room (28:07) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this day 31 years ago, the 1994 FIFA World Cup kicked off on U.S. soil—and with just under a year to go until the next one at home, Alexi Lalas reflects on that historic moment.In today’s Gold Cup action, Curaçao and El Salvador battled to a scoreless draw, while Canada sent a clear message with a dominant 6-0 win over Honduras. Canada’s depth shined tonight, as the young star Promise David netted his first CONCACAF Gold Cup goal. Is Canada the favorite to win it all? And whose opening win was more impressive: Canada or the United States?Plus, good news for the USMNT—Tyler Adams, Johnny Cardoso, and Damion Downs are back in training ahead of Thursday’s match against Saudi Arabia. With key players returning, Mauricio Pochettino has some big decisions to make when setting his Starting XI. Presented by Yerba Madre #CometoLife Intro (0:00)Gold Cup: Day 4 Recap (5:51)Boost of the Game: Promise David Shows Canadian Depth (15:16)Adams & Cardoso Back for USMNT (19:52)Club World Cup Update (22:45)Group A Rolls On (24:40) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In today’s episode, co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper explore one of the most powerful stories in football history: Zambia’s remarkable triumph at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. Jonathan, who covered the 2012 tournament on the ground, shares firsthand reflections of what he calls the most emotional press box moment he’s ever experienced. Nineteen years after a devastating plane crash claimed the lives of their national squad, Zambia rose from the ashes to claim continental glory. This episode retraces their journey - from the tragedy off the coast of Gabon in 1993, the rebuilding efforts led by legendary captain Kalusha Bwalya, right through to their unforgettable victory on penalties in the very same country that witnessed their darkest hour. 00:00 The Final Match: A Battle Beyond the Pitch 00:15 Introduction to an Inspiring and Tragic Football Story 00:36 Zambia's Uplifting Victory After Tragedy 02:26 The 1993 Plane Crash: A National Tragedy 04:37 Zambia's Football Rise in the Late 80s 08:15 The Aftermath of the Crash and the Struggle for Resources 18:42 Rebuilding the Team: The Role of Kaia and New Coaches 24:01 The 2012 African Cup of Nations Journey 25:06 The Quarterfinals and Beyond 27:01 Gabon vs. Mali: A Penalty Heartbreak 27:30 Unexpected Journey to Bata 31:12 Ghana's Complacency and Zambia's Rise 38:38 The Emotional Beach Ceremony 40:27 The Dramatic Final Against Ivory Coast 51:10 Zambia's Historic Victory 52:16 Reflecting on the Significance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We look back on the career of the one-time Leeds star as he prepares to hang up his Ivorian boots after facing off against Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay. 🎧 Listen ad-free & get bonus shows: sqbl.co/plus · 🏷 Get 10% off your legal fees: levisolicitors.co.uk/thesquareball Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jimbo and the Euro crew of James Horncastle, Raphael Honigstein, Alvaro Romeo and Julien Laurens look ahead to the return of the Champions League. Bayern warm up for their game with Lazio by losing the top of the table clash at Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Why did Rapha describe them as embarrassing? Should they give Xabi Alonso a call? Playtime’s over for Girona as Real Madrid win the other top two clash in Spain. It’s Leipzig next in the Champions League. Hear why Los Blancos could dominate Spanish football for the next decade. PSG prepare for Real Sociedad by extending their lead and their unbeaten run in Ligue 1. And Inter make another statement with a big win at resurgent Roma. Plus Daniel Storey joins us to discuss the incredible finale at AFCON where hosts Ivory Coast secure one of the great tournament wins. Produced by Charlie Jones. RUNNING ORDER: • PART 1: Moment of the weekend (01.30) • PART 2: Crisis at Bayern after Leverkusen defeat - next up Lazio (07.30) • PART 3a: Real Madrid thrash Girona - next up Leipzig (25.00) • PART 3b: Shock defeats for Real Sociedad & Atletico (31.00) • PART 4a: PSG prepare for Real Sociedad (36.00) • PART 4b: A great week for the Milan clubs (42.00) • PART 5: Ivory Coast win AFCON, with Daniel Storey (53.00) SIGN UP TO THE ATHLETIC TODAY FOR £2 A MONTH FOR 12 MONTHS • theathletic.com/totally Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.