Mexico’s Liga MX wants to copy the MLS model!

The 18 club owners have voted to separate the league from the federation, move towards a franchise model, and permanently abolish promotion and relegation in practice.

But hang on, wasn’t relegation already abolished in Mexican football? Don’t lots of top leagues worldwide function as a closed shop? And why are Mexico’s 2026 World Cup preparations under Javier Aguirre causing problems for the domestic league too?

On this episode, we investigate the state of domestic football in Mexico and look ahead to the co-host’s controversial build-up to this summer’s global showpiece.

Plus: Racing de Montevideo celebrate their maiden Uruguayan title on the roadside and San Marino Calcio’s players pen an angry letter.

Jon Arnold's Substack is here and his viral Mexican football video on Instagram is here.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:25 – Seismic shifts in Mexican football

06:00 – The death of promotion & relegation

10:05 – Closed shop leagues worldwide

15:37 – Mexico’s pre-World Cup chaos

21:38 – Racing’s roadside title celebration

27:22 – San Marino Calcio’s angry letter

FC Thun midfielder Ethan Meichtry was a road worker three years ago. Now he’s a Swiss Super League winner.

His story perfectly encapsulates the improbable rise of the club, who were promoted only last summer and are already champions of Switzerland for the first time in their history.

So how did Meichtry go from construction worker to title-winner? How did Thun take Swiss football by storm? And where does their triumph rank on the all-time list of great soccer fairytales and underdog stories?

In this episode of The Sweeper Podcast, we pull back the curtain one of the biggest European football stories of 2026: Thun’s unlikely transformation from relegation candidates to first-time national champions.

You can sign up for the waiting list for The Sweeper's live show and the ‘Around The World in 80 Clubs’ book launch via this link: ⁠thesweeper.eventbrite.com⁠

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:20 – Celebrations: Pyrotechnics and pubs

04:40 – Management: Gerber and Lustrinelli

09:36 – Players: Roadworkers, recoveries and rejects

12:50 – Style: Verticality and disregard for possession

15:42 – Rivals: Basel & Young Boys underperformance

19:05 – Records: Swiss and European comparisons

23:03 – Patreon plug and live show information

24:35 – Fairytales: Where does Thun sit in the ranking?

Red Bull are finally coming for Italian football!

The energy drinks giant, which already majority-owns football clubs in Austria, Germany, America, Brazil and Japan, reportedly wants to venture into football in Italy and has now set its sights on FC Südtirol.

So what makes the Serie B club a sensible strategic move for Red Bull? And why should supporters in Bolzano be wary of multi-club ownership?

This weekend, we went to Austria Salzburg – the phoenix club that rose from the ashes of Red Bull’s hostile first foray into the sport – to explore what the future may hold for FC Südtirol.

Plus, Bursaspor win each of Turkiye’s top four divisions and a defeat helps Den Bosch secure a spot in the Eerste Divisie play-offs.

You can book your ticket for The Sweeper's live show and Around The World in 80 Clubs book launch from this link: thesweeper.eventbrite.com

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:15 – Red Bull’s Italian expansion plans

07:30 – The hostile takeover of Austria Salzburg

11:10 – The phoenix club that rose from the ashes

15:40 – FC Südtirol: Yes or no to the energy empire?

21:15 – Bursaspor’s Turkish football completion

26:45 – UEFA Champions League fallen giants

28:12 – Promotion chaos in the Eerste Divisie

Shakhtar Donetsk are a Ukrainian football club – but Russia are trying to change that by founding Shakhtyor Donetsk!

As part of their efforts to integrate occupied Ukrainian territories, Russia are now creating their own versions of major Ukrainian teams.

So why are UEFA not stopping this? What is the current situation in the Crimean Premier League? And how has the invasion changed football in Ukraine?

On this episode, we’re taking you on a journey to Ukraine to investigate how football is being used as a weapon of aggression.

Plus: Semi-pro Heidelberg United eye up an historic AFC berth and Montserrat search for a new head coach on Facebook.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:25 – The copycats in Russia’s fourth tier

06:22 – The Crimean Premier League

08:01 – Shakhtar Donetsk’s European run

11:15 – The rapid rise of LNZ Cherkasy

17:31 – Heidelberg United’s AFC aspirations

20:58 – Unlikely continental qualifications

25:30 – Montserrat’s unorthodox manager hunt

A newly-promoted club are on the verge of the impossible.

If tiny FC Thun can get just a few more points on the board, they will win the Swiss Super League and claim the first major trophy in their 128-year history.

But what do the locals make of it all? Why is Thun the perfect place for such a fairytale? And how did a literal sauna force a high-stakes clash with Basel to be called off?

We headed to the Alps to meet the fans and find out the answers. Join us in Thun for Europe’s most extraordinary club football story of 2026.

Sign up to Patreon at patreon.com/sweeperpod to enter the FC Vaduz giveaway.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:35 – A quick history of FC Thun

04:45 – The fire at St. Jakob Park

11:20 – Other bizarre postponements

16:46 – Groundhopping with the Thun Army

22:16 – A tour of the Stockhorn Arena

28:10 – The stunning beauty of Thun

33:15 – A quick stop-off at FC Vaduz

A former poker player has coached Bosnia to the World Cup!

Sergej Barbarez has guided the Balkan country to the tournament in his first head coach role – at the expense of four-time champions Italy.

So how did he go from the casino for the dugout? Why has qualification cost his striker Ermedin Demirovic €300,000? And how are Bosnia at a second World Cup without ever making the EUROs?

In this episode, we explore brilliant Bosnia’s incredible journey and reflect on Iraq and DR Congo’s play-offs successes too.

Plus, the Ceuta coach pledges to walk to Rome and Nauru launch their one child, one ball initiative.

Nutmeg Magazine (You can buy the magazine for a special Sweeper discount rate of £10 by using the code 'sweeper' at checkout): https://www.nutmegmagazine.co.uk/product/issue-39/

Nauru's 1 Child 1 Ball Initiative: https://stingz.co/pages/nauru-soccer-federation-one-child-one-ball-initiative?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ8cvxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEelDO7Gm-3sFxEpJ4A-iTsjaeuk0DmhnSSu4YoASfMxIsy-KbfggLYXbPp-qE_aem_QArFYavpkwgspTpT7riFWA

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:26 – Bosnia’s poker-playing coach

15:20 – Iraq’s 21-match qualifying campaign

19:32 – DR Congo and the legend of Zaire

23:39 – Nutmeg magazine’s World Cup issue

26:24 – Ceuta coach’s pledge to walk to Rome

31:40 – Nauru’s 1 child 1 ball initiative

Liechtenstein have the strangest national football team in Europe.

They have no domestic league to develop players, sometimes take just one fan to away matches and, for years, had just one professional footballer.

So how do they make it work? Why is it so hard to generate support for the team? And what change to international football might improve their fortunes?

In this episode, we put the micro-state under the microscope and examine how Europe’s richest country is also home to its strangest national football team.

Plus, the German winger with a secret double life and the Italian coach who disguised himself as a priest.

Equator's World Cup 2026 course with David Goldblatt:

https://www.equator.org/courses/world-cup-2026

Stamping Grounds by Charlie Connelly: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stamping-Grounds-Exploring-Liechtenstein-World/dp/0349114889

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:03 – Liechtenstein at the FIFA Series

08:07 – Europe’s strangest national team

18:41 – Sudan’s bizarre 12th-tier call-up

20:21 – Puerto Rico’s tournament triumph

23:08 – Equator’s 2026 World Cup Masterclass

27:22 – The German winger with a double life

30:07 – Italy’s coach disguised as a priest

Eritrea’s national team haven’t played an official match in seven years.

But this month, the Red Sea Camels are making their long-awaited return to the international stage in AFCON 2027 qualifying.

So what kept Eritrea away? Why are they returning to the fold now? And do they have any chance against Eswatini?

In this episode, we take you on a virtual journey to the Horn of Africa – and shine a light on the only country excluded from the FIFA rankings.

Plus, the Belarusian team in exile in Poland and the Russian war critic making waves in Cyprus.

Sweeper football shirts: ⁠https://stingz.co/collections/sweeper-podcast⁠

Deutsche Welle documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMRQQYGNBK8

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:14 – Eritrea’s international absence

04:55 – Dictatorships and defection

09:16 – The long-awaited return to the fold

13:30 – The state of play in the national team

19:02 – Poland’s Belarusian club in exile

22:47 – Sweeper shirts and special bonus pod

24:17 – Russia’s war critic turned club owner