Football is by far the most popular sport in the world, making it "the world's game". And yet there some countries in the world that don't have a national team or are unrecognised by major organisations like FIFA. In this episode, co-hosts Francesco and Guy talk to Paul Watson about who does and who doesn't get to participate in "official" international football and why football representation is important. Paul offers deep insight as the ex-manager of the Micronesian island team Pohnpei and organiser of the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA. Paul, who is a co-host of the Sweeper Podcast, also shares his experience of owning and managing a football club in Mongolia and how football was used as a social tool there.
Football is by far the most popular sport in the world, making it "the world's game". And yet there some countries in the world that don't have a national team or are unrecognised by major organisations like FIFA. In this episode, co-hosts Francesco and Guy talk to Paul Watson about who does and who doesn't get to participate in "official" international football and why football representation is important. Paul offers deep insight as the ex-manager of the Micronesian island team Pohnpei and organiser of the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA. Paul, who is a co-host of the Sweeper Podcast, also shares his experience of owning and managing a football club in Mongolia and how football was used as a social tool there.