The Athletic FC Presents...

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Inside the world of Premier League referees Aug 10, 2025

Show notes

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.

Transfers that shook the world: Sol Campbell to Arsenal Aug 03, 2025

Show notes

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.

Transfers that shook the world: Carlos Tevez to Manchester City Aug 03, 2025

Show notes

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.

Transfers that shook the world: Ashley Cole to Chelsea Aug 03, 2025

Show notes

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.

Transfers that shook the world: Robin Van Persie to Man United Aug 03, 2025

Show notes

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.

Transfers that shook the world: Fernando Torres to Chelsea Aug 03, 2025

Show notes

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.

Transfers that shook the world: Luís Figo to Real Madrid Aug 03, 2025

Show notes

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.

At what cost? Saudi Arabia and soccer Jul 13, 2025

Show notes

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.

The Most Powerful Man in World Football Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

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.

A World Cup Divided: Trump and 2026 Mar 30, 2025

Show notes

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.