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The Sweeper - A World Football Podcast

Lee Wingate and Paul Watson
San Marino
World Cup
Football
FIFA
CONCACAF
Cape Verde
Greenland
North Korea
Liechtenstein
Eritrea
OFC Nations Cup
OFC Pro League
Georgia
Austria
Curaçao
FC Thun
Coupe De France
Lugano
Champions League
Norway

Tired of the Premier League and big-league European football? Want to discover the hidden stories of the global game? The Sweeper Podcast is your passport to the most extraordinary stories from across the football world. From the World Cup and Champions League to the most obscure and overlooked competitions on earth, expert journalists Lee Wingate and Paul Watson explore the intersection of footba... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes123Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SoccerSports

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Sweeper

Latest Episodes

There are some simply sensational stories to be told about the 108 league phase participants in the three UEFA club competitions this season.

For example, it’s not every day that a ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ contestant uses their winnings to be... more

There’s totally dominating a league – and then there’s Johor Darul Ta’zim! The Malaysians have won the last 12 Super Leagues, the joint-longest active title-winning run in world football.

But JDT are currently in the limelight for a different reason... more

Mexico broke ranks with the rest of CONCACAF over Gianni Infantino’s botched plans to sell off stakes in the World Cup. Now there are reports the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has hatched a secret deal with the FIFA President to help them join CO... more

The Coupe de France is the most international national cup competition in the world, with overseas territories located in every continent bar Asia taking part. The first to enter each year is always the team from Saint Pierre and Miquelon, in round 3... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

John Duerden
Asia correspondent
Episode: India’s Super League crisis, the utterly mental Polish Ekstraklasa & Christmas Island’s red crabs
Ali Howarth
Continental correspondent discussing Afcon
Episode: India’s Super League crisis, the utterly mental Polish Ekstraklasa & Christmas Island’s red crabs
Jon Arnold
Expert on North and Central American football
Episode: Curacao & Haiti's World Cup heroics, Thun’s Swiss title tilt & Argentina’s invented champion
Nathan Joyes
Football commentator and host of Copa Club Podcast
Copa Club Podcast
Episode: Coquimbo Unido's treasured title, Mirassol's organic rise & the OFC Pro League soft launch
Maksims Krivunecs
President of the Vers Liga, Latvia's higher football league
Vers Liga
Episode: Latvia: The Baltic League grand plan, vanishing champions & a final between friends
Titas Teiten
Football journalist from Baltic Football News
Baltic Football News
Episode: Sweden’s Mjällby miracle, Lithuania’s warm welcome & Ireland’s marathon helicopter
Ali Howorth
African football expert
Cabo Verde National Team
Episode: Cape Verde: World Cup qualification, the LinkedIn footballer & donkey deliveries
Matej Mutiš
Co-host of Futbaloviva and winner of the 2024 Slovak Sports Podcast of the Year Award
Episode: Slovakia’s belated EURO triumph, Montserrat’s challenge to India & Crotone’s mafia infiltration
John MacAllister
Travel YouTuber currently in Kazakhstan
Episode: Kairat's Champions League heroics, Malta's European debutants & the 2026 OFC Pro League line-up

Hosts

Lee Wingate
Host of The Sweeper Podcast; co-host, with a focus on world football storytelling and geopolitics.
Paul Watson
Co-host with Lee Wingate; drives narrative-forward with global football stories and travel angles.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Proper Football Pod

    Excellent, well researched, fun and a different niche than the norm. A pod for proper football fans who love the travel, the game and don’t take the game quite so seriously. 5 star!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hamwick (Wessex)
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Great Podcast

    Slowly working my way through the old episodes of the podcast and really enjoying it. Good to hear some different stories rather than just the boring stuff from the bigger leagues.

    Would like it if the Europe United episodes would make a comeback, they were very good!

    Keep up the good work guys

    Updated 5/5/26

    The biggest football fairytale is St. Johnstone’s cup double. Nothing comes close

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Crockett7285
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Lee & Paul are the best joint managers since Lars Lagerback & Heimir H

    Have listened to this podcast for over a year - every episdoe is expertly put together - thank you all (producers as well as presenters & contributors) for the effort and time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TurloughB
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Thank you to Lee and Paul

    This podcast is incredible. I wish something like this existed for every sport. The Sweeper is my favorite escape from whatever’s going on in the world, and it’s the best podcast out there.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TreyTrey132
    United States6 months ago
  • Great podcast!!

    Genuinely one of best podcasts out there. can’t recommend joining the patreon highly enough: a serious journey of discovery for a fiver. I’ve learned so much about so many people and places related but going way beyond soccer/football. Very excited about the next year for this podcast; it’s one of the few places where you can learn about the beauties and strangenesses of the world without being inundated with its horrors (not that Lee and Paul shy away from discussing those as necessary, of cou... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LuckmannDeluxe
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

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

A niche, well-researched podcast with a loyal following and strong host chemistry.
Consistently high-quality, entertaining coverage of under-the-radar football stories.
Engaging, globally focused football storytelling beyond the big leagues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#129
United States/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#150
United Kingdom/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#186
Australia/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#213
France/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#35
Spain/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#45
Netherlands/Sports/Soccer

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Latvia: The Baltic League grand plan, vanishing champions & a final between friends
Q: What challenges come with trying to grow the profile of Latvian football?
Krivunecs mentions financial resources as a key challenge, primarily due to limited domestic TV rights and market size.
Latvia: The Baltic League grand plan, vanishing champions & a final between friends
Q: Can you sell the Vers Liga to our international audience? What makes Latvian football special?
Maksims Krivunecs discusses the appeal of the league, highlighting its youth and the diversity of clubs, while acknowledging it primarily caters to a local audience.
OUR GREENLAND ASSIST, San Marino's "pizza bakers" & Paks' power-plant ultras
Q: What did you say to your players after this game?
The San Marino coach indicated that they look to gain lessons from such games for better fixtures in the future.
Cape Verde: World Cup qualification, the LinkedIn footballer & donkey deliveries
Q: What were the logistical challenges faced by the Cape Verde national team?
The team has to manage extensive travel logistics to bring players from around the world, often training in Portugal before matches.
Cape Verde: World Cup qualification, the LinkedIn footballer & donkey deliveries
Q: What was the reaction in Cape Verde after the qualification for the World Cup?
The mood was celebratory yet low-key, as many were hungover after parties that lasted through the night.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Professions
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sweeper

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

Two hosts explore football as a global phenomenon, pairing on-field stories with geography, travel and geopolitics. Episodes spotlight obscure leagues, cross-border teams, and under-the-radar narratives from 211 FIFA members, often weaving in history and culture with a sharp, entertaining lens. Noteworthy are deep dives into governance, ownership, and the economics shaping the world game, along with a light, humorous rapport that makes dense topics accessible. The format tends to mix investigative context with colorful anecdotes, making it appealing to listeners who want global football beyond the top leagues and enjoy learning through travel and storytelling.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Sweeper?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Sweeper. 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 Sweeper and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Sweeper get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Sweeper?

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How many subscribers and views does The Sweeper have?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Sweeper?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Sweeper:

1. Football Cliches
2. On The Continent - A European Football Podcast
3. Libero
4. It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast
5. Football Weekly

How many episodes of The Sweeper are there?

The Sweeper launched 5 years ago and published 123 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 Sweeper?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Sweeper?

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What guests have appeared on The Sweeper?

Recent guests on The Sweeper include:

1. John Duerden
2. Ali Howarth
3. Jon Arnold
4. Nathan Joyes
5. Maksims Krivunecs
6. Titas Teiten
7. Ali Howorth
8. Matej Mutiš

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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