We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, Canadian Premier League, Northern Super League, and World Cup chat.

The Whitecaps got their preseason action on the pitch underway last week in Spain with a narrow loss to Polish championship contenders Raków Częstochowa. We delve into what we gleaned from the match, the addition of Canadian winger Jayden Nelson to the team, talk Brian White's good week for his country, and find out just what is Sebastian Berhalter's Favourite Jam!

Our feature interview this episode is with the man that got a goal and an assist in that first preseason match, Whitecaps centre back Tristan Blackmon. We chat with Tiki about his time in Vancouver so far, life under a new coach, his footballing heroes, and his new found love of darts among other things.

Plus we look at what might be the legacy in Vancouver from the 2026 World Cup as the plan to improve Memorial Park gets shelved by the city, and we talk a busy preseason week in the CPL and NSL, as Vancouver Rise add more players and try out a few local and experienced faces.

All of this plus Hot Chocolate Boy is back, the Rakes wrap up their residency as Album of the Month, we've another Britpop song, and Wavelength features a song all about Ajax, as we debate - is football art?

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.28: Intro - drama on the stage and late drama off the pitch
11.45: Hot Chocolate Boy - Dough Girls and 49th Parallel
21.27: Vancouver's legacy from the 2026 World Cup - or lack of?
46.20: Whitecaps preseason gets underway with a narrow loss
50.56: Jayden Nelson joins the 'Caps
58.16: Brian White - an American hero
63.50: Sebastian Berhalter's Favourite Jam
69.46: Tristan Blackmon interview
99.55: Vancouver Rise add players and try out many more
114.15: CPL news of the week
127.25: Wavelength - Robbie and the Kock - Ajax Is Art

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and Canadian Premier League chat.

The Whitecaps unveiled their new head coach, Jesper Sorensen last week. We look at our initial impressions of the Dane from what was said and the lack of additions to the 'Caps squad. Maybe the new MLS roster rules will help the Whitecaps bolster their numbers. We delve into the new cash trade mechanism in the league and the new off-roster homegrown rules, plus we get the thoughts of Vancouver CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster on it all.

Turning our attention to the CPL, Vancouver's roster has been decimated by the retiral of Ben Fisk, the release of players, and the pending transfers of a couple of young starlets. It's early days, but they need a big rebuild, something provincial rivals Pacific are starting to do nicely, with a couple of familiar faces set to return. We chat about all of that plus the drama out east at Forge over Beni Badibanga.

All of this plus Hot Chocolate Boy returns, the Rakes continue as Album of the Month and we've another Wavelength song to honour the recent passing of the legendary Scot, Denis Law.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.28: Intro - beavers, cereals, and podcast places
08.16: Hot Chocolate Boy - Melt Confectionary and To Live For
19.02: MLS roster changes and the thoughts of Axel Schuster
35.05: Cash transfers now possible in MLS
47.55: New MLS Homegrown off-roster improvements
60.30: The short lived Anderson Duarte rumour
63.30: Jesper Sorensen introduced - initial thoughts
77.15: Retiral, releases, and transfers decimate Vancouver FC roster
114.50: An old CPL face set to return, as a current one refuses to
125.00: Wavelength - The Men They Couldn't Hang - Denis Law and Ali McGraw

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Rise, Northern Super League, Canadian women's national team, and League1 Canada chat.

It's been quite the week in Canadian women's soccer circles. On the domestic side, the NSL teams are adding to their rosters apace, with Vancouver Rise announcing their marquee signing, Quinn. We bring you the introductory press conference from the Canadian international midfielder and talk about what their signing means to the league and to the Rise. Plus we find out if they fancy a chocolate digestive and chat with Rise President Sinead King about the signing, playing out of Swangard, future signings, and more.

On the international stage, the Canadian women's national team have a new head coach, Casey Stoney. We look at the appointment and talk to Casey about her previous Canada memories and the launch of the country's new domestic league, plus we hear a bit from her introductory presser about why she took the job and the baggage that's coming with it.

We also bring you the second part of our interview with TSS Rovers Sporting Director Colin Elmes, as we talk about the eco-system of Canadian soccer, the chances of TSS making the jump to the CPL, and exciting news about a possible new stadium for the club. Plus we look at how the CPL clubs plan to, and should, utilize League1 Canada, hear from York's Pasquel Brothers and Forge's Bobby Smyrniotis on that subject, look at the Canada Soccer directive affecting players who have to decide between amateur nationals and the Canadian Championship, and we say farewell to a couple of legends - Denis Law and David Lynch.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.29: Intro
06.25: Quinn joins Vancouver Rise
20.50: Anyone Fancy A Chocolate Digestive? - Quinn
22.54: Rise President Sinead King interview
31.00: Casey Stoney on becoming CanWNT coach and NSL
45.26: TSS Rovers' Colin Elmes Interview - Part Two
86.06: RIP David Lynch
93.12: Players lose out in Canada Soccer Canadian Championship directive
104.00: League1 Canada and the CPL teams
117.40: Wavelength - Rod Stewart and Denis Law - Angel

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, Canadian Premier League, League1 BC, and Canadian college chat.

Vancouver Whitecaps' coaching search is over and the new man at the helm is 51-year-old Dane Jesper Sørensen. The former Brondy and Denmark U21 head coach bring a wealth of experience to Vancouver as a player and a manager. We delve into the appointment and ponder what will the hire mean to the 'Caps? Some fans are enthused, some feel it's underwhelming, but we won't know until the season plays out. The appointment sees every MLS coaching search complete. We look at the other hires around the league this year, including Robin Fraser to Toronto FC. A surprisingly underwhelming appointment or a shrewd one? Plus we look at some coaching extensions in the CPL.

We've two feature interviews to bring you this week. First up is part one of a two-part interview with TSS Rovers Sporting Director and co-owner Colin Elmes. This episode we chat with Colin about the successful 2024 for the Rovers, look ahead to what 2025 might have in store for them, as the Whitecaps potentially await in the Canadian Championship, and talk finances, losses, and the question everyone always asks, what is all that share money used for?!

Turning our attention to the college game, 2024 was a very successful one for BC schools. None more so than UBC Thunderbirds, who achieved an unprecedented USPORTS double on the men's and the women's side. We chat with UBC midfielder Joven Mann about a great year for the team and him personally, his footballing journey through the Whitecaps, and the adventure that now awaits after he was selected by HFX Wanderers in the 2025 CPL draft.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.27: Intro
07.45: The Whitecaps finally have their man - welcome Jesper Sørensen
29.50: The MLS managerial merry-go-round is complete
45.47: Ghotbi and Dos Santos given CPL extensions
53.40: TSS Rovers' Colin Elmes Interview - Part One
98.05: UBC Thunderbirds' Joven Mann interview
118.35: Wavelength - Nine Steps To Ugly - Bobby Charlton's Haircut

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Premier League chat.

Our extensive interview with Axel Schuster in the last episode certainly produced a lot of chatter and we unpack some of what the Whitecaps CEO told us in this episode around the search for a new coach, the search for new owners, the search for new players, and more.

Our first feature interview of 2025 sees us sit down for an in-depth chat with the man that lifted his first CPL North Star Cup last year, Tommy Wheeldon Jr. We chat with the Cavalry head coach about the successful 2024 for the team, the chance to take on Mexican opposition in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the return of an Albertan derby, taking the next step forward in 2025, Jay Herdman, Myer Bevan, the state of the CPL, his beloved Everton, and more.

We also look back at Pacific's two latest additions, the current quiet time at Vancouver FC, and look at an interesting year for York United, both on and off the pitch, as we chat with Mexican owners the Pasquel brothers about their first year in charge. Plus we get the thoughts of Bobby Smyrniotis, James Merriman and Tommy Wheeldon Jr about the need for some kind of VAR in the CPL and look at the stadium issues that plague Canadian soccer.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.35: Intro - another new year awaits
07.30: Unpacking Axel Schuster's State of the Whitecaps interview
38.33: Pacific add two, all quiet at VFC, and Forge busy again
68.32: The Pasquel brothers' first year in charge at York
75.20: Canadian soccer has a stadium issue
93.30: Tommy Wheeldon Jr interview
142.25: The vital need for some kind of VAR in the CPL
149.55: What we'd love to change in the CPL
169.45: Wavelength - Robb Johnson - Life Is Football

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Canadian national team, and general Canadian football chat. It's our last show of 2024 - our New Year Special!

What a year it's been. For the Whitecaps it was one that promised so much, saw some relative highs amongst disappointment, and then ended in turbulent fashion with the sacking of head coach Vanni Sartini and the announcement that the club was up for sale. Never has the phrase "out with the old, in with the new" been more applicable to the team. We sit down with Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster in our 40 minute annual "State of the Whitecaps" interview to chat about it all, to look ahead to 2025, and more. What's happening with the coaching search? What's the sale interest been like? What players could we see coming in? There's a lot to talk about.

We also bring you our Canadian national teams end of year review, in what was a wild 2024 both on and off the pitch, plus we chat with Cindy Tye about her year with the U20s and senior women's team.

All of this plus we look at the other Whitecaps news of the week as two players get set to depart, the breaking news that Vancouver FC's Rob Friend has taken up a CEO job in Malaysia, we hand out our final end of the year awards (heroes and villains edition), and music-wise we wrap up our 2024 Festive 15 with the songs that came in at the top three positions. Who will take the coveted number one spot?! And we finish 2024 with an absolute quality Wavelength song from Armchair Loyal.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.41: Intro- Christmas, New Year, and 2024 musings
26.17: A 2024 Football In Memoriam
29.00: Whitecaps News of the Week
36.00: Vancouver FC's Rob Friend become CEO of Malaysian FA
43.11: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #3 Fontaines D.C. - In The Modern World
48.20: Axel Schuster's State of the Whitecaps interview
88.56: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #2 Electric Callboy and Babymetal - Ratatata
94.10: Canadian national teams Year in Review
125.37: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #1 Fontaines D.C. - Starbuster
131.38: More AFTN End of Year awards - heroes and villains edition
162.25: Blankety Blank!
169.20: Wavelength - Armchair Loyal - Shit 'n' Miss

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show and it's our 2024 Christmas Special, so jump on the Polar Express for a couple of hours of Festive Fun as we have football chat, presents, games, music, and a few surprise guests dropping in throughout the show to chat about a whole variety of things! So dig out the egg nog, have another mince pie, and ponder do you really need that item in the Boxing Day sales?!

Major League Soccer gave Whitecaps fans an early Christmas present as they released the 2025 schedule last week, giving fans in Vancouver and throughout the league a chance to plan ahead early and perhaps book some trips with discounts in those very sales. We delve into what is a tough, tantalizing, and at times disappointing set of fixtures for the 'Caps. Plus we chat a bit more about the 'Caps seemingly completed search for a new coach and ponder is the MLS draft now redundant after it felt buried this year?

Bringing in the Christmas cheer, we sit down with Whitecaps goalkeepers Isaac Boehmer and Yohei Takaoka, and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter to chat about what Christmas is like in their respective families, their traditions, and what they're hoping to find under the tree this year.

All of this plus we have three Christmas hits from 1974 to round off our year of Whitecaps 50th anniversary celebrations, look back at what Christmas was like in 1974, we play some fun games that you can join in on at home, and Michael even gives you a potted version of the musical Oliver!

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.20: Intro - getting into the Christmas spirit, gift exchanges
22.23: Whitecaps MLS schedule throws up challenging 2025
45.10: A Berhalter Family Christmas
51.10: Who Am I? - Part One
62.38: Mud - Lonely This Christmas
68.00: A 1974 Christmas
78.13: Connect Four
90.35: The Whitecaps new coach - who could it be?!
95.06: Is the draft now redundant in MLS?
102.50: The Wombles - A Wombling Merry Christmas
107.38: A Boehmer Family Christmas
117.45: Who Am I? - Part Two
133.47: Showaddywaddy - Hey Mr Christmas
139.10: A Takaoka Christmas
144.20: Christmas Countdown
158.00: Wavelength - Robb Johnson - When My Grandfather Played Football
176.10: Glasvegas - Silent Night

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver Rise, and Canadian Premier League chat.

The offseason keeps rolling on apace in the North American soccer leagues. MLS held a somewhat farcical untelevised SuperDraft on Friday. The Whitecaps added two players and we chat with one of them, University of North Carolina Freshman Tate Johnson who was picked by the 'Caps in the first round. We also chat with Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster about the team's two draft picks and we get a tantalising little tease about the search for a new manager. It looks like it's done and it's not a Canadian!

It's been a busy week for the new club in town, NSL side Vancouver Rise, who announced their first five signings. We look back at who has been revealed so far, hear from the club's first signing, Canadian defender Shannon Woeller, and talk with club President Sinead King about a couple of off the pitch aspects of the new team.

Turning our attention to the CPL, we look at the offseason so far for the two BC teams, Pacific and Vancouver, as roster decisions are made and rebuilding begins. Plus music-wise we continue our 2024 Festive 15 with the songs that came in at the numbers 4 to 6 positions.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.27: Intro
03.50: Whitecaps add two in farcical MLS SuperDraft
15.18: Axel Schuster on draft picks and manager search
30.05: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #6 Fontaines D.C. - Romance
34.00: Vancouver Rise add first five players
68.41: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #5 Soft Play - Everything and Nothing
75.55: Pacific FC's offseason so far
94.19: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #4 Idles - Gift Horse
100.10: Vancouver FC's offseason so far
123.30: Wavelength - Cha Cha 2000 - Tired Legs At The End Of The Game

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian soccer chat.

The Whitecaps' owners dropped the bombshell announcement last week that the club were up for sale. That's naturally led to a lot of questions, concerns, worry, and more for supporters. We're joined by Harjeet Johal to delve into a lot of those questions in this episode, including will the team stay in Vancouver, who might the new owners be, does the lack of their own stadium and tangible assets affect things, what does it mean for the search for a new head coach and more. Plus we hear some thoughts from Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster about the sale.

In happier Whitecaps news, we look at the draw for them and the other Canadian teams in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup and Canadian Championship, which has thrown up some pre-Christmas crackers for the season to come. Plus we hear from Cavalry President Ian Allison, as he explains why they need to play their Pumas tie on Vancouver Island, and music-wise we continue our 2024 Festive 15 with the songs that came in at the numbers 7 to 9 positions.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.47: Intro - why is my wife eating our Christmas food now?!
06.25: Vancouver Whitecaps are up for sale
21.20: Axel Schuster on Whitecaps sale
33.33: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #9 Sputn1k - Oh No
36.15: Will the Whitecaps stay in Vancouver and other big questions
78.16: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #8 The Jesus and Mary Chain - Discoteque
83.40: Whitecaps to face off against Kendall Waston's Saprissa in Champions Cup
93.25: Cavalry and Forge draw Mexican opposition in Champions Cup
103.55: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #7 Ice3peak - Hate You
107.45: Canadian Championship draws throws up tantalizing ties
121.22: More Whitecaps and WFC2 roster decisions announced
127.14: Wavelength - The Mercernaries - Hands Off The Hibs
133.10: Some final thoughts on the Whitecaps sale and some weekend's football action

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and general soccer chat, in what's been another eventful week in the world of Canadian football.

It's D & D time in North American soccer, but instead of rolling the dice for some fantasy fun, it's clubs doing so in terms of a multitude of Drafts and Draws. Last week saw an insufferable draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, that doesn't bode well for what the one for the 2026 World Cup will look like, and there's a plethora of draws and drafts coming up over the next fortnight. Seattle will be hosting six matches in the Club World Cup. Will there even be one or will the players revolt? And what lessons, good and bad, might we glean for 2026 from the tournament's format and kick off times?

MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave his annual State of the League address last week. We pick over the bones of the main takeaways and talking points around the future schedule, how MLS will approach the various cup competitions next year, Apple TV metrics, and more.

Our feature interview this episode is with the Whitecaps Canadian Championship hero, goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer. It's been quite the 2024 for Isaac and we recap it here, as he battles for the number one jersey with the 'Caps next year. Could he also earn his first Canadian call-up in Jesse Marsch's Camp Poutine? And how is Muffin getting on? We get all the important answers!

All of this plus Ryan Gauld muses about Scotland's Nations League campaign and looks ahead to this Friday's UEFA World Cup qualifying draw, Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis talks to us about the upcoming CONCACAF Champions Cup draw and next year's Canadian Championship, and music-wise we kick off our 2024 Festive 15 with the songs that came in at the numbers 10 to 12 positions.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.24: Intro - advent calendars, a day with Dick, Spotify wrapped
15.21: Seattle host six matches after insufferable Club World Cup draw
39.40: Whitecaps, Cavalry, and Forge will soon learn Champions Cup fate
43.23: Bobby Smyrniotis on Champions Cup and Canadian Championship
52.37: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #12 Lambrini Girls - Company Culture
57.05: Garber's MLS State of the League - the main talking points
93.07: LA Galaxy win 6th MLS Cup
105.06: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #11 Sputn1k - Boys Never Cry
108.15: Isaac Boehmer interview
132.36: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #10 Mogwai - Lion Rumpus
137.25: Ryan Gauld talks Scotland, Nations League, and World Cup qualification
145.25: Wavelength - Halftime Oranges - Yesterday's Hero

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and general soccer chat, in what's been another eventful week in the world of Canadian football.

The fallout from Vanni Sartini's sacking continues in Vancouver in what has been somewhat of a managerial merry-go-round in MLS these past two months and he was joined in the employment line this past week by John Herdman in Toronto. We look at Herdman's departure at TFC, ponder what's next for him and Vanni, and look again at some of the candidates to replace them in what is now a very busy market. Plus we get the thoughts of Whitecaps captain Ryan Gauld on Sartini leaving the Whitecaps.

Our feature interview this episode is with Whitecaps 18-year-old midfielder Jeevan Badwal. We chat with the homegrown star about his whirlwind past two years, signing his first MLS deal, what lies ahead, the pressure of trying to be the South Asian player that breaks through, playing in a World Cup, and more.

We continue our Whitecaps awards for 2024, handing out gongs for Game, Goal, Save, and Miss of the Year. Plus we talk MLS Cup, FA Cup, Alphonso Davies' DUI, and music-wise we kick off our 2024 Festive 15 with the songs that came in at the numbers 13 to 15 positions.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.06: Intro - Tayay fever, Ted Lasso, Phonzie DUI, FA Cup drama
17.22: It's LA v NY in MLS Cup as Puig tears ACL
24.50: Ryan Gauld on Vanni Sartini's departure
40.26: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #15 Kosmetika - Pictures Are Gone
45.00: MLS Managerial Merry-go-round - Herdman out in Toronto
61.15: MLS Managerial Merry-go-round - What's next for Whitecaps and TFC?
76.43: Few surprises with Whitecaps roster decisions
83.41: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #14 Mayflower Madame - A Foretold Ecstasy
89.11: Jeevan Badwal interview
118.15: Anyone Fancy A Chocolate Digestive? - Jeevan Badwal
122.00: AFTN's 2024 Festive 15 - #13 Mog - Playing Along
125.45: AFTN's Whitecaps 2024 awards - Game, Goal, Save and Miss of the Year
149.17: Wavelength - Paul Nicholas - Yesterday's Hero