The Game

Latest Episodes:

PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: PART TWO Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

The 2026/27 Premier League season is here. So, it is prediction time.

Who is going to win it, who is in the top four?Who's getting relegated, who could be looking over their shoulders?

Plus who will be the surprise packages, who are we most excited to see and which manager will come under pressure first?

Tom Clarke is joined Chief football correspondent for The Times and Sunday Times and football journalist of the year Jonathan Northcroft, the former Chelsea, Villa and Celtic player Tony Cascarino and journalist and former footballer Gregor Robertson.

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EFL EXTRA: Lankshear shines and surprises galore Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

The Football League is back and as unpredictable as ever.

Gregor Robertson joins Tom Clarke to discuss the opening weekend in The Championship, League One and League Two after plenty of reminders of why these divisions are so hard to call.

Will Lankshear scored twice to get promotion chasing Middlesbrough off to a winning star but West Ham, Burnley and Wolves all draw. There was controversy as West Brom surprise Norwich and Southampton endured a difficult weekend as they sold their best player and lost at Watford.

Gregor has a new hero in a gold mask in League One and Tom apologises to Salford fans for jinxing their start in League Two.

Tom also has a new charity pledge to try and appease the fans who want VAR in the football league...

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PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: PART ONE Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Are Arsenal clear favourites to retain the title? Do Man City really need more players and are Chelsea dark horses? Just some of the questions we answer in the first of our Premier League Preview shows.

Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson and Pete Rutzler also look at which teams need more signings before the season starts and could some big players still be on the move.

Plus, which teams might be taking a worried look over their shoulders at the promoted clubs - Fulham, Everton, Palace, Sunderland?

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The BIG Football League season preview Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Tom Clarke is joined by the Times Joe Harston and Kit Shepard and EFL stalwart Gregor Robertson to preview the start of the EFL season which kicks off this weekend!

Can anyone stop West Ham? And is Jarrod Bowen going to run away with the Golden boot? We discuss how the Hammers will cope with the pressure of having to win every week having just dropped into the Championship

Elsewhere we look at how well equipped the other two relegated sides, Burnley and Wolves are to have an immediate return to the Premier League.

How much of an impact will spygate have on Southampton's season? It may be last season's story but the scandal is still set to have a prominent role in the terraces and the media throughout the season.

And Tom tells us why his beloved Lincoln will silence their doubters and remain in The Championship following their promotion from League One.

Elsewhere we look at how Leicester will cope in League One and is this finally the year that Salford City get their coveted promotion from League Two?

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Who can challenge Arsenal this season? Rejuvenated Spurs, and Glasner's Forest Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Tom Clarke is joined by Alyson Rudd, Gary Jacob and Tony Cascarino to continue the build up to the new Premier League season which is less than two weeks away!

Bruno Guimares has signed for champions Arsenal, we ask what impact the Brazilian will have on the Gunners midfield and we herald the return of experienced and sensible transfers after they shelled out £75 million for the 28 year old.

One Brazilian in the door, but another one will be staying in Madrid, we ask who the Gunners should turn to now that Vinicius Jnr has chosen to stay in Madrid, and if Marcus Rashford is a realistic option to fill the void on the left wing.

Elsewhere Tony tells us why he's so excited by what Chelsea can do under Xabi Alonso, we ask if Spurs can get back into top 5 under Roberto De Zerbi and can Oliver Glasner last the full season under Evangelos Marinakis?

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Infantino clings on and a big fortnight on Merseyside Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Tom Clarke check's in with the Times Chief Sports reporter Martyn Ziegler who brings us right up to speed with all the latest surrounding under pressure FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

He remains in charge.....for now, following an emergency meeting in Morocco, but he has apologised for his handling of the FFE proposals which rocked the football world last week.

Martyn explains why Infantino won't go away without a fight and tells us why he's confident this saga will spell the end of any future proposals to sell off part of the World Cup by Infantino and whoever ends up replacing him.

Away from all the FIFA chaos, we hear from The Times man in Merseyside Paul Joyce who tells us why Andoni Iraola has a lot of work to do to get Liverpool contending for the Premier League next season after a frustrating summer of transfer activity at Anfield.

And we hear why David Moyes could be under pressure at Everton if they fail to get off to a decent start to the new season.

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Infantino finished? Mourinho's Madrid & Iraola's Liverpool challenge Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

What next for Gianni Infantino and FIFA?

Tom Clarke is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Allnut and Tony Cascarino to discuss what the future holds for the controversial FIFA President after a number of FA's across Europe publicly withdrew their support for him following his attempt to sell off a stake in the World Cup.

We ask if we have really seen the end of this story for good and compare the similarities with UEFA's introduction of a new Champions League format in the wake of the failed Super League.

Away from the FIFA scandal, Tom Allnut talks us through hs article on Real Madrid and how new manager Jose Mourinho will get the best out of England's Jude Bellingham.

And we ask which teams are we excited by, intrigued by and worried by, with the new Premier League season less than three weeks away!

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FIFA Special: What now for Infantino? Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

Another huge day in the biggest story in football - Tom Clarke is joined by Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter at The Times and the man who broke the news of FIFA's plan to sell stakes in the tournament.

In this special, snap episode Martyn offers an update on who has spoken out against the plans, why they will not proceed and whether it could be the end of Gianni Infantino as FIFA President.

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FIFA, Howe, Henderson and Barcola Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

What a dramatic day! Tom Clarke is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Allnutt and James Gheerbrant to discuss FIFA, Gianni Infantino and their plans to sell the World Cup.

The panel call for action and a strong response and before we could finish editing we got that strong response, as UEFA announce they will boycott all future FIFA competitions - Tom rejoined the show to give us the latest.

As if that wasn't busy enough, in part two the team discuss Eddie Howe's shock departure from Newcastle, Chelsea's surprise pursuit of Jordan Henderson and wonder if Xabi Alonso's team will be title challengers.

There is also transfer talk too as Tottenham vow to make another 'bomba' signing and Liverpool eye Bradley Barcola.

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TIMES EXCLUSIVE: FIFA - Football for sale Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Tom Clarke speaks to The Times Chief Sports reporter Martyn Ziegler - following his exclusive story in detailing FIFA president Gianni Infantino's plans to offer 'stakes' in the World Cup.

What are the plans? Why does it matter and what happens next?

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