Sportswashing

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/bluemoon Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! ========== A pair of 2-0 wins for Manchester City this week and David Mooney is joined by City fan Richard Burns and football commentator for the Premier League, the BBC and others Conor McNamara to review the victories against Everton and Villarreal. With Aston Villa and Swansea coming up, we hear from Frankie from All Villa No Filler to see how things are going at Villa Park. Plus we catch up with Swans fans Alex and Sam ahead of the trip to South Wales. Also, what does it mean to be a City fan in 2025? The most-successful era has come just a stone's throw away from the worst ever period, so how does that affect or influence the fan experience? Then there's a whole host of other factors that are laid at fans' doors, like ownership, sportswashing, 115, "how can we compete with this?", plastic fans, oil club... How do you navigate that? We speak to Dom Farrell about his new book that examines the City fan experience. ========== If you'd like to buy Dom's book, here is the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glory-Days-Waifs-Strays-Manchester/dp/1785909681 And, if you'd like to come to the launch party, you can get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-city-book-launch-with-author-dom-farrell-tickets-1731067432289 ========== To get more podcasts or to listen without the ads, join our Patreon. It's just £2 per month for all the extra content and you can get a 7-day free trial first: https://www.patreon.com/BlueMoonPodcast And why not gift a Patreon subscription to a friend or family member? More details: https://www.patreon.com/BlueMoonPodcast/gift Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been confirmed the FIFA World Cup will be returning to the Middle East in 10 years' time after FIFA awarded Saudi Arabia the hosting rights to the 2034 tournament. Securing football’s most high-profile tournament is just the latest example of the Kingdom’s growing influence on global sport, which its critics say is in an effort to 'sportswash' the regime's reputation. Katie Smith is joined by BBC sports editor Dan Roan and Tariq Panja, global sports correspondent for The New York Times, to provide the background to Saudi Arabia’s unopposed bid. We hear from the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Yasser Al Misehal, and from Amanda Staveley, who was part of the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United in 2021, on why the tournament will be a great success, while BBC sports news correspondent Laura Scott speaks to Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness about Norway's decision to abstain from the voting process for the 2030 and 2034 tournaments. Stephen Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of housing, workers rights, and sport, and Wycombe Wanderers midfielder David Wheeler, the PFA’s sustainability champion, also join the podcast to discuss their concerns over human and the environment. And we ask what all this means for Saudi Arabia’s huge investments in domestic football, particularly at Newcastle United.

In this week’s episode of It Was What It Was, Miguel Delaney discusses his new book: States of Play: How Sportswashing Took Over Football. Jonathan, Rob and Miguel assess how mega-rich investors and state-backed owners have transformed clubs and competitions around the world. The trio explain the impact of sportswashing on our modern game - where nations and corporations have used football to enhance their public image and gain global influence. Join us for a compelling insight into football's new landscape - and find out what the future could hold for clubs, players, and fans. If you’re enjoying the podcast, please hit subscribe to never miss an episode, and consider leaving us a five-star review to help others discover the show. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Qatar has hosted the 'best group stage ever' at a World Cup. But what about all of the issues off the field of play casting a large, looming shadow over the tournament? Host Adam Leventhal is joined by The Athletic’s Deputy Editor Laura Williamson and writers Adam Crafton and Matt Slater to dissect all. We hear the tragic story of how a Filipino migrant worker died during the group stage at Saudi Arabia’s training resort in Qatar. The panel also discuss the 'Disney-fication' of the World Cup, LGBTQ+ issues, sportswashing and much, much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Editor-in-Chief Alex Kay-Jelski, Deputy Editor Laura Williamson and Investigations writer Matt Slater, to pause and reflect, just days before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar... How Qatar retained the World Cup following the controversy surrounding their bid to host. The moral dilemmas of covering and even sending reporters to the tournament, how much Doha has changed in the intervening years and what visiting fans from all over the world can expect. Plus, how Gareth Southgate and the FA have navigated human rights issues in the lead up to the biggest festival of football in the world, Gianni Infantino's lamentable letter, Jurgen Klopp's aspersions on the media and if sportswashing is really at the heart of Qatar's World Cup project. Produced by Adonis Pratsides Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amnesty International have noted their dismay at recent reports that Newcastle United plan to change their away kit to match...

Get a 7-day free trial and 50% off an annual subscription to THE ATHLETIC. Murad Ahmed of The Financial Times joins Tifo to discuss: the economic impact of coronavirus on football, Jim Rattcliffe and Ineos' £400m investment in sports, and a little about how he went from tech journo to sports correspondent for the FT. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.