In 2026, the World Cup will return to North America for the first time since 1994. The festival of football watched by nearly half the world's population will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada and is projected to be the most profitable tournament of all time. Will the US Men's National Team be ready to compete for glory on home soi…

The United States Women's National Team have taken home the World Cup Trophy on three separate occasions. Still, the Men's National Team comes home with more money. The recent lawsuit filed against the United States Soccer Federation on International Women's Day is just another step in a long line of fighting back by female athletes. Fighting for e…

Soccer teams can buy their players via the transfer market, but that's expensive work. How do teams find youth players, sign talent, and develop them until they eventually start playing with the first team? That is...if they ever do. Around the world, teams manage academies that are developing the next generation of soccer talent. How many kids mak…

Rule 5: The Referee. Unlike most American sports, the referee can have a significant impact on the game of soccer. How they choose to manage players, call fouls, and issue cards can vastly shift a game one way or the other. To make matters more significant, where most American sports have 2-3 referees and in the case of American Football, 10-12, ty…

In the 1960s, Liverpool had evolved from an industrial port city to the music capital of the world. The launching point for Merseybeat and the "British Invasion," it's no surprise that the city would also play host to one of soccer's most legendary songs. Gerry and the Pacemaker's cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone" became an instant hit and permane…

When people say they don't like soccer, a common reason why is because of all those nasty draws. How can you be happy without a winner and a loser? Even worse...a draw without any goals. This episode, we're joined by Dr. David Kilpatrick, former president of Arsenal America as we take a deep-dive into the 2006 Champions League match between Arsenal…

We've received a couple of hodgepodge questions from listeners. For the tenth episode of the WLOD Show, I've decided to spend some time answering the ones that don't seemingly fit into a larger episode or went unanswered in a previous episode. If you have questions for the show, send them to wlodshow@gmail.com.Music for this episode was provided by…

In 2014, the Mexican National Team were waylaid by two erroneous offside calls. What could have been a 2-0 lead at halftime in the second game of the 2014 World Cup was a 0-0 draw thanks to the oft miss-called and misunderstood rule. This week, we break down the two plays and describe what went wrong for linesman Humberto Claviho that day. What doe…

Christian Pulisic is the American soccer hope for a number of reasons. If the United States is going to win a World Cup in my lifetime, it'll probably be riding Christian's coattails. Aside from that, he's also the most expensive American soccer player ever after his recent transfer to Chelsea for $73 million. The transfer market is rife with compl…

What young kid doesn't want to own their own sports franchise? To many, it can seem impossible. Until this podcast starts turning a profit, I certainly don't have that kind of money.For Alex Lubyansky and his brother, though, they saw an opportunity. A chance to own a team in the very league he once claimed a championship trophy in. What does it ta…

In December of 1914, the space between the trenches, No Man's Land, became a soccer pitch. For a brief period of time, the fighting ceased, the shelling ended, and war was put aside in honor of the Christmas holiday. While the validity of the grandeur and significance of the Truce and its kickabouts are debated to this day, the impromptu matches ar…

In May of 2018, Fulham won at Wembley Stadium for the first time in 139 years. In doing so, they secured promotion to the Premier League and the nearly $180 million that accompanies a spot in the English top flight. What is promotion and relegation and why is it mysteriously absent from soccer in the United States? Plus, how can I possibly watch a …

The English Premier League is one of the top leagues in the world. It’s what a lot of new fans get hooked on. When they ultimately turn to Major League Soccer, it can be different animal. Unique style of play. Strange team names. Playoffs. But not too long ago, the MLS was significantly more non-traditional. Bizarre team names and Americanized rule…

Neymar is racing up the flank. Just one man to beat. That man sticks his leg out and sends Neymar flying to the turf, screaming in agony. It makes it hard to believe when he's up and playing 2 minutes later.Whatever you call it, the dive is a part of soccer. It's a tried and tested method of gaining an advantage, but it's also a calling card for so…