Rephonic
Artwork for The FootPol Podcast
Football
Politics
Exeter City FC
Fan Ownership
Israel
Women's Football
FIFA
Ireland
Football Academy
Gaza
Women’s Football
Sectarianism
Community Engagement
Local Community Initiatives
Exeter, United Kingdom
Racism
Good Friday Agreement
Home Rule
Supporters Trust
Esports

The podcast that brings together football and politics. We'll be exploring the relationship between the two, both inside and outside the game.The podcast covers "Big Politics" like politicians, clubs, international and national federations and other organised groups and how they use or abuse the game to "Small, Everyday Politics" in the form of community-level clubs, fan associations and the way t... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes88Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsSoccerSportsNews

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Artwork for The FootPol Podcast

Latest Episodes

FootPol is back for a brand new season — and we’re hitting the ground running. In this season opener, we recap the biggest political battles shaping the beautiful game and give you a taste of what’s to come.

We start with Israel’s ongoing war on Gaz... more

In the last episode of the seasone, co-hosts Guy and Francesco reflect on a great second season of FootPol, and pick apart some of the main themes from the season. They include conversations about community clubs and inclusivity as well as the relati... more

In this episode of The FootPol Podcast, Guy and Francesco explore how war is disrupting football in 2025, focusing on conflicts that are ongoing or escalated this year.

They examine:

• Israel’s war on Palestine and Palestinians, especially in Gaza more

This week, Francesco and Guy are joined by Josh Bland, a research student at the University of Cambridge, to explore the enduring and evolving relationship between football and social class in England.

Josh traces the historic connection between the... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Miguel Lourenço Pereira
Portuguese journalist and football historian
Pitch Publishing
Episode: Pasión, Politics & the Pitch: Spain's Football Journey ft. Miguel Lourenço Pereira
Sean McCabe
Head of climate justice and sustainability at Bohemian FC
Bohemian FC
Episode: From community to climate justice. Bohemian FC ft. Sean McCabe
Charl Galloway
Consultant in women's football and advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.
Cardiff Dragons FC
Episode: Kicking Down Barriers: Building Inclusivity through Football ft. Charl Galloway
Carrie Dunn
A prolific football writer specializing in women's football.
Episode: Flying the Flag: The women who played football abroad ft. Carrie Dunn
Leslie Mabon
Environmental expert and returning guest
Episode: The Politics of FIFA's 2030 World Cup ft. Leslie Mabon
Theofilos Pouliopoulos
Project manager at Stimulife for Social Change and co-founder of Entel Sports with a PhD in sports management focused on Greek football.
Stimulife for Social Change, Entel Sports
Episode: The Drama of Greek Football ft. Theofilos Pouliopoulos
Jonathan Wilson
Journalist and author, known for his work on football tactics and history.
The Guardian
Episode: Are football styles and tactics political? ft. Jonathan Wilson
Danyel Reiche
Visiting research fellow at the Center for International and Regional Studies and visiting assistant professor at Georgetown University in Qatar.
Georgetown University
Episode: The German Football Model: Politics, Fans, and the 50+1 Rule ft. Danyel Reiche
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen
Fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute, Rice University, and Director of Middle East Energy Roundtable
Baker Institute, Rice University
Episode: Football's new home? The beautiful game in the Gulf ft. Kristian Coates Ulrichsen

Hosts

Guy Burton
Co-host, likely involved in discussions bridging football and politics.
Francesco Belcastro
Co-host, engaged in exploring football's societal issues.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 30 ratings
  • New favourite

    I’ve heard people say you shouldn’t mix sport and politics, I couldn’t disagree more.

    This podcast fills a fascinating gap left by conventional sport podcasts

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    alexisgoodwin
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • It’s more than a game…

    Enjoyed all three of the episodes I’ve so far heard.

    Hoping for an episode unpacking the dinamo zagreb/Red star game of 1990

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    5areen
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There are requests for deeper explorations of specific football events and their political implications.
Listeners appreciate the insightful discussions that connect football and social issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#76
Norway/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#188
Norway/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#234
Mexico/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#237
Ireland/Sports/Soccer

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why do football clubs collapse? ft. Football Heritage's Rory Bryce
Q: How do community ties affect clubs' existence?
Community involvement and strong supporter bases directly correlate with a club's longevity and resilience.
Why do football clubs collapse? ft. Football Heritage's Rory Bryce
Q: What needs to change about football governance?
Football clubs need to be viewed as community assets and governance should ensure sustainable management practices.
Why do football clubs collapse? ft. Football Heritage's Rory Bryce
Q: Can you tell us a bit what you learn from doing the podcast?
Different countries have different contexts affecting clubs' operations, leading to unique trends in club stability.
What is e-football and how is it political? ft. Tsubasa Shinohara
Q: Can you tell us a bit in terms of to what extent they're being exploited for popularity, who is exploiting them, and who are the main players?
The main players are the eSports publishers and video game companies that organize tournaments for e-football. Clubs negotiate using players' image rights but face challenges regarding contracts and labor rights.
British history, social changes and football ft. David Kynaston
Q: What do you think is really the relationship now between football and society in Britain from the present looking back?
David believes the separation between football and society has continued to widen since the 1990s, with players' lives becoming increasingly detached from the lives of fans.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About The FootPol Podcast

What is The FootPol Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Exploring the intricate intersections between football and politics, this podcast examines how these two worlds influence each other at both grand and local levels. Key discussions focus on the political narratives surrounding major football events, the social impacts of community clubs, and the role of football in reflecting societal issues. The program features interviews with guests from diverse backgrounds, including journalists, activists, and football club officials, providing insight into topics such as climate justice, gender equality, and international relations, making it a unique platform for engaging with contemporary challenges through the lens of sport.

Where can I find podcast stats for The FootPol Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The FootPol Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The FootPol Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The FootPol Podcast get?

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What are the audience demographics for The FootPol Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does The FootPol Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The FootPol Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The FootPol Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The FootPol Podcast:

1. Football Travel by Outside Write
2. The Sweeper
3. It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast
4. Football Cliches
5. The Athletic FC Podcast

How many episodes of The FootPol Podcast are there?

The FootPol Podcast launched 2 years ago and published 88 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The FootPol Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The FootPol Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The FootPol Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The FootPol Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The FootPol Podcast?

Recent guests on The FootPol Podcast include:

1. Miguel Lourenço Pereira
2. Sean McCabe
3. Charl Galloway
4. Carrie Dunn
5. Leslie Mabon
6. Theofilos Pouliopoulos
7. Jonathan Wilson
8. Danyel Reiche

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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