On the 21st of February 1897, in a cafe in Paris, a football club was born. It was founded on inclusive values, which it still upholds today. This is the story of Red Star, the last romantic football club in France.

What does it take to be a professional footballer? From childhood dream to playing in a World Cup, former Danish international and Premier League goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen reflects on life in the game and competing at the highest level.

Football is often said to be a universal language. If you can play it, you can communicate with anyone around the world. But as the sport has embedded itself into cultures, so too has the way we write about it and talk about it. From match reports and opinion pieces to radio broadcasts and fan discussions, the words and phrases we use continue ...…

On January 22 1927, BBC Radio broadcast a football match for the very first time. It was thought that radio coverage would affect match attendance and newspaper sales, but by 1931 the BBC were broadcasting over one hundred games a season. Six years later, they aired the first match on live television. As football has grown, so too has the way w ...…

It was November 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War when an international football tournament was held in Saigon - and Australia's national team was sent to compete.

As the world game, football is a reflection of our global society. It has the power to transcend political, religious, cultural and social barriers. But that also means there is still work to do when it comes to representation, equality and inclusion. For gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and non-binary people, being your true self isn’t alwa ...…

Whether you’re a player on the pitch or a fan in the stands, the highs and lows over the course of a football match test our nerves and pull at our emotions. It’s a unique experience where intense feelings are concentrated and heightened. There’s also a parallel with emotions we experience in our own lives. This is especially felt by those who ...…

This is the story of the worlds oldest football trophy and the games first knockout tournament. Before the FA Cup, there was the Youdan Cup.

Association football may be the most popular sport in the world but in many regions the development of the game remains a work in progress. For countries that are still trying to build their own football culture, the very globalisation of the game can sometimes have the opposite effect on local football.…

FIFA, football’s world governing body, established in 1904 to oversee the international game. Today, it’s comprised of 211 member associations. That’s more than the United Nations. But of course, there are many nations outside of FIFA. That’s where CONIFA comes in. The Confederation of Independent Football Associations.…

In collaboration with The Blizzard - The Football Quarterly, we present 'The Silenced Crowd'. The greatest scandal in British football in the first half of the twentieth century, as a group of players from two of the country’s greatest sides colluded to fix a match. The Silenced Crowd by Richard Fitzpatrick, originally published in Issue 10 of ...…

It's a scene that plays out every weekend around the world during the football season. People flock to their local community clubs to watch, play, coach and volunteer. On this episode we explore why grassroots football is the lifeblood of the game.

Have you ever dreamed of creating your own football club? This is the story of some football fans who went several steps further. They created an entire league. Le Ballon, the coolest amateur football league in the world.

As a global sport football is integral to so many cultures around the world and naturally, we see it represented in many different art forms, including film. In this episode we take a look at some of the best (and worst) football films and explore the ways in which the beautiful game is represented on screen.…

A nation torn apart by war and the football team that defied all odds to achieve the impossible. This is the inspirational story of how Iraq became Champions of Asia.

Football video games have become a major part of soccer fandom. We explore their role in modern football culture and the growing influence they're having on the sport itself.

This is the story of Dylan Tombides. The young Australian footballer who’s brave battle with testicular cancer inspired the Foundation in his name and left a legacy that aims to educate and raise awareness, throughout the football community and beyond.

2004 saw the demise of Australia’s National Soccer League, which existed in various forms from 1977 as the top level of the game in the country. It made way for a new national competition, which commenced in 2005 - the A-League - consisting of eight foundation clubs. One of those clubs was to be located in Melbourne, a city with the most compet ...…

Football's success stories are well documented. Like the youth players that rise through the ranks of the academy system to make it as professionals. But what about the ones who don't make it? Ignacio Martin was just like any young football fan. He dreamed of playing professionally for his boyhood club. But when the opportunity to join Real Mad ...…

In 1921, with the popularity of football growing rapidly throughout Europe, Englishman, Harold Searles Thornton wanted to create a game that replicated football that people could play in their homes. Inspiration struck with a box of matches. The matches were lying parallel across the top of the box, extending past the edges. This idea was devel ...…

For many of us, our love for the game begins from a young age and it's these early experiences that often define our relationship to football and the connection we have to our favourite club. This was certainly the case for Andy Jackson. Growing up a diehard Aston Villa fan in Birmingham, the 1980-81 season was one he would never forget.…

Football writer, Musa Okwonga talks about his connection with football, his love for Manchester United and capturing the beauty and simplicity of the world game through poetry.

In July 1936, The Civil War broke out in Spain and the La Liga season was put on hold as tensions grew around the country. Aligning with the Republicans, FC Barcelona were a club under threat. On the verge on bankruptcy, it was the actions of the club's then manager that saved Barcelona from financial ruin. Irishman, Patrick O’Connell.…

An amateur pub team embark on a football tour of the Far East. But what they find when they arrive, nobody would have expected.

In 1992 the European Cup became the Champions League. Not only was it the introduction of a new group stage format, it also gave us a piece of music that would become iconic in its own right.

The story of the 1975 Portland Timbers. Author, Michael Orr and original '75 Timbers player, Mick Hoban document the establishment of the football club and their debut season in the North American Soccer League.

A life long Arsenal fan travels from Australia to London in the hope of witnessing the clubs last ever match at Highbury.