The Soccernomics Podcast
Get ready for the World Cup through the lens of Soccernomics. It's a New York Times Bestseller, but it's also a way of looking at the game that uncovers its hidden truths. Featuring Simon Kuper, Stefan Szymanski and Ashish Malhotra.
Episodes
Simon Kuper weighs in on Manchester City and Infantino's Future at FIFA
Simon Kuper drops in to play peacemaker between Stefan and Ashish. Tune in to hear his views on the Manchester City fallout, and whether FIFA President Gianni Infantino has weathered the storm after his failed World Cup sell-off plan. Note: This episode was recorded before the Times of London revealed Gianni Infantino has been receiving an undisclosed second salary at FIFA.As a reminder you can vo
The Gloves Are Off: Manchester City Debate, Round Two — Szymanski v Malhotra (and the Listeners)
As we expected, we got quite a lot of messages and emails about Stefan's controversial position on Manchester City. And despite pushing back on that position last week, Ashish has also come back thinking he should have pushed even harder. Stefan, for his part, isn't really budging. The stage is set for the most combative episode of The Soccernomics Podcast so far...Tell us what you think at thesoc
Understanding Stefan's Views on Financial Regulations in Football [Rerun]
Based on the feedback we've been getting, a lot of you had a lot of thoughts about Stefan's takes on the Manchester City case last week. We knew that was probably gonna be the case. Like many of you, Ashish is also not fully convinced about Stefan's arguments. So consider this Thursday's episode a part two of the debate, where he'll also put some of your questions and points to
Manchester City Found Guilty: But Stefan Thinks the Outrage is Overblown
By now you've probably already heard the news. After years of investigation, Manchester City have been found guilty of all but one of the 100 + charges they've been facing in relation to breaching the Premier League's financial regulations.If you know Stefan, you probably won't be surprised to find out that many of his views on this topic go against the mainstream narratives. And t
We're Finalists at The Signal Awards!
A quick check-in to explain why we didn't do an episode today, and to announce that we are finalists at the Signal Awards.It's one of the biggest awards competitions in the podcasting world, so it's a big honor for this independent podcast that didn't even exist five months ago.You can help us win the Listener's Choice Award by voting here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVo
Has VAR made refereeing decisions more accurate?
VAR always produces a spirited debate, and today's episode is no different. Though Stefan has data that proves that VAR is highly effective, Ashish pushes back arguing that it's still used too subjectively, and that perceptions around its accuracy are a problem. What do you think?
What Are The Best Leagues in the World?
The English Premier League is widely considered to be the best soccer league in the world, but how can we rank the rest of them? Opta, the British sports analytics company have come up with their latest power rankings. We discuss them, and metholodigies that can be used to rate the world's best leagues.
How Much Do Managers Really Matter? [Rerun]
Following on from our latest episode on why managers get fired so often, today we're republishing our episode on how much they really matter in the first place.This episode was first published on June 25. None of the dates or references have been changed since that time.
"You're Getting Sacked in the Morning": Why Managers Get Fired So Much
Football managers are constantly on the hot seat. Just a few weeks into the season, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Fiorentina and Valencia have already sacked their managers. What's behind the constant merry-go-round? And does it make sense from an economic point of view?
Why Don’t American Sports Have Promotion and Relegation?
At long last, we delve into the promotion/relegation in the context of Major League Soccer, but also American sports in general. Stefan explains the closed league system, and what it would take for it to change. We also discuss how US sports leagues avoid charges of collusion under antitrust litigation.
Can MLS Actually Become a Major League?
As an extension from our Thursday episode, we discuss the MLS experiment and where it is today. How did it survive after its lowest ebbs in the late 90s and early 2000s? What's behind high present day MLS club valuations? And why hasn't it taken off and actually become a major league?
Before MLS: The Wild History of American Soccer
From the Boston Beaneaters of the ALFP, to the New York Cosmos of the NASL, we dig into the long history of professional soccer in the US, dating back to the 1890s. It sets us up for Stefan's critiques of Major League Soccer, and why he believes the league should bring in promotion and relegation.
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It: Stefan on Football’s Financial Rules
After a walking vacation in Ireland, Stefan has had a lot of time to think about football's financial regulations - and he's got a lot to say. Well let's be honest: both of those things are always the case, vacation or not. But with the English Premier and Football Leagues new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) regulations in place for this season, we thought it was a good opportunity to talk abou
Why Does Messi Keep Missing Penalties? [Rerun]
As Stefan recently pointed out, Lionel Messi has missed three penalties in a row. That, along with Ashish's never ending debate with his friend Rishi over David De Gea, made today feel as good a time as any to republish our penalties episode. In it, we go beyond the pub talk, where Stefan and Simon explain the game theory that underlines the economics and psychology behind penalty kicks.This episo
The Soccernomics Podcast x NO SUCH THING
After Stefan recently fired back at people who didn't like his analysis about the origins of the word 'soccer', we thought we'd play you the entire conversation that led to the backlash in the first place - thanks to our friends at NO SUCH THING.Manny Fidel, Devan Joseph and Noah Friedman had us on their award-winning show last month to talk about the transfer system, US soccer, pr
Why Are Sports Teams Suddenly Worth So Much Money?
From Liverpool to the Lakers: its been a big week in the world of sports team ownership. Mark Walter's sale of his controlling stake of the Lakers, just 14 months after he bought it raised eyebrows in the NBA - as did the 25% profit he pocketed. Just days later Jeff Bezos bought 30% of Liverpool FC.The sales are just the latest examples of a recent trend of sports teams going for whopping prices -
Mailbag Part II: Soccer vs Football, Colonialism & Pay to Play
Stefan fights off the haters when it comes to his position on Soccer v Football. Seriously, if you haven't read his book, "It's Football, Not Soccer (And Vice Versa), co-authored with Silke-Maria Weineck. We also discuss the WAFCON, the effects of colonialism, pay to play, and compare the times FIFA has gotten into bed with dictators around the world.
Mailbag: Penalties, the European Super League & Match Momentum Graphs
In our first listener questions episode, we get into a variety of topics - from penalties, to the European Super League and those weird "Match Momentum" graphs FOX kept showing during World Cup matches in the US. If you've written to us and didn't get your question answered, don't worry - we will be doing another one of these episodes very soon!
Kieran Maguire on Infantino, FIFA and Ebbsfleet United
A momentous day for The Soccernomics Podcast: Our first guest. Kieran Maguire, one of the world's leading football finance experts, and the author of "The Price is Football" joins Stefan and Ashish for a wide-ranging chat. Topics range from Infantino, to private equity, and the turmoil at Ebbsfleet United.
Will Gianni Infantino Resign?
Since we last recorded, the pressure has been mounting on Gianni Infantino. Though he retreated from his botched World Cup sell-off plan, many want more - his resignation. From the internal dissent within FIFA, to the opposition to Infantino's leadership from various national football associations and continental confederations - we discuss it all, and consider the fundamental question of whet
Amid FIFA Sell-Off Fiasco, A Reminder That World Cups Save Lives [Rerun]
Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide. Though we promise, this is ultimately an uplifting and hopeful story. As the fallout from Gianni Infantino's botched attempt to sell a share of the World Cup continues, we'll be coming to you with a new episode about it on Thursday. In the meantime, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to republish an episode we first put out in May
Will Infantino's World Cup Plan Tear FIFA and UEFA Apart?
In a shock move on Tuesday, FIFA announced plans to create FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), a new subsidiary which would sell all of FIFA’s commercial rights and run its major events, such as the World Cup. But the most significant part of the plan is that FIFA would then sell off up to 21% of the company to private investors. The idea has been met with sharp criticism, especially from the governin
Why Does Western Europe Dominate Global Football? [Rerun]
We're taking a little breather this week, catching our breath from the World Cup. But we'll be back with new episodes very soon. Until then, we thought we'd republish an episode we did before the tournament began. It's one that seems very relevant again after Spain won the World Cup - Why Western Europe dominates global soccer. This episode first aired on June 9th. None of the time
Who's to Blame for England's Collapse?
We had to talk about that England collapse, and the fallout that's followed. Thomas Tuchel has received most of the blame. But is that fair? Was it more on the players, or was it a combination of various factors?
World Cup Recap: Spain Reigns Supreme
After a 1-0 win over Argentina, Spain added to their Women's World Cup title in 2023, and now hold the Men's title as well. What is it about Spanish football that's bringing it so much success? We also discuss how Argentina became this World Cup's villains...
Live Show at House of GOAL Ahead of England-Argentina
Our first live show at the House of GOAL Festival in Industry City, New York. We previewed the England-Argentina match, which took place right after we got off stage, and also talked about the World Cup so far through the lens of Soccernomics.
Bellingham and Kane: England's Most Influential World Cup Duo?
Simon Kuper rejoins the pod amid his World Cup travels to share his takeaways from the tournament so far. The gang discuss the impact of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane on the tournament, and whether they've ever seen anything like it from English superstars.
Was Egypt Robbed by VAR? And What's Wrong With US Men's Soccer?
We discuss the most controversial match of the tournament so far - Egypt v Argentina. Is there a bias towards Argentina? We also discuss the fallout from the US Men's National Team crashing out of the tournament. Where does US Men's Soccer go from here?
England-Mexico Recap + Trump's Balogun Call
Does it get much better than that England-Mexico match? Somehow the most hyped match of the tournament exceeded expectations. Stefan and Ashish break it down, discuss whether Western Europe is slowly taking over the tournament, and get into Donald Trump's controversial call to Gianni Infantino to allow Flo Balogun to paly against Belgium.
Harry Kane Saves England. But Can They Handle the Azteca?
Moments after the final whistle, we break down the classic England-Democratic Republic of Congo R32 match, and look ahead to England's blockbuster meeting with Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. We also reassess whether this has been a tournament of upsets, and discuss the concept of 'inevitability' in sports.
Brazil Survives, Africa Shines, Iran Suffers Injustice
After an eventful Brazil-Japan match, Stefan and Ashish talk about the success of African teams at this World Cup so far, and the unfair treatment the Iranian team faced at the hands of FIFA and the tournament's main hosts, the United States.Note: As a reminder, this episode was recorded before the Germany-Paraguay and Morocco-Netherlands matches.
How Much Do Managers Really Matter?
After Ashish makes Stefan listen to his experience watching Ghana hold England to a draw, they talk about how much managers really matter, with particular focus on England and Brazil at this World Cup.
How Far Can Cape Verde Go?
After Stefan takes us back to the 1974 Poland-West Germany World Cup match, we talk about the fairytale story of Cape Verde so far, and discuss how far they can go in this year's tournament. We also talk more broadly about smaller countries like Portugal, Croatia and Palestine, whose teams have long overachieved based on their populations, GDP and global football experience. Email us with your
Dual National Players: A Win for Africa, Europe, or Both?
We discuss the latest games, the geopolitics around the Iraqi and Iranian teams, and the debate over who is gaining most from dual national players.
The Socceroos and USMNT: Can Diverse National Teams Drive Social Change?
In our first episode since the World Cup we discuss some of the surprise results so far, and highlight the great start for the Socceroos and their young star, Nestory Irankunda - who like two of his teammates - was born in a refugee camp in Africa before he and his family were granted asylum in Australia. We debate whether the success of multicultural teams like the Socceroos and the US can change
World Cup Predictions: On the Pitch and Off
The World Cup is here, and we're here to preview it all. Stefan has done a mind-boggling 20,000 simulations of the tournament, and yet somehow there is still no scenario where Haiti wins it all. We also talk into the political backdrop, with Ashish and Stefan talking about their recent piece for The Economist, about how this could be the last World Cup. Link below:https://www.economist.com/by-
Why Does Little Western Europe Rule International Soccer?
When Simon and Stefan first wrote Soccernomics, they predicted that the US, Japan, Australia, Turkey and Iraq were destiened to become the kings of the sport. That turned out to be wrong...well, so far at least. Instead, ove the last five World Cups, Argentina is the only non-European team to have finished in the top three. So what's behind Europe's (specifically Western Europe's) domi
Why the Transfer Market is a Form of Human Trafficking (Part 2)
Part two of our discussion from Tuesday, we discuss antitrust, player unions the differences between player unions in Europe and the US, and compare the transfer system to the NIL in American college sports.
Why the Transfer Market is a Form of Human Trafficking (Part 1)
Today we're talking football's transfer market - a topic Stefan is so passionate about, we've had to split it into two parts. In this one, he makes the case for why world football's transfer market is a form of human trafficking. Hear him out before you dismiss it as hyperbole...
Game Theory: The Hidden Science Behind Penalty Shootouts
Every World Cup has at least one memorable penalty shootout. And this weekend's Champions League Final in Budapest between PSG and Arsenal might as well. Is there a science behind the drama? We unpack it all in today's episode, where we also learn about Ashish's childhood goalkeeping exploits, and how Simon almost helped the Netherlands to World Cup glory in 2010.
Do World Cups Save Lives?
Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.It's an eternal story told about soccer - that when Brazil gets knocked out of World Cups, Brazilians jump off apartment buildings. But is it really true? And could football actually be saving lives rather than leading to an increase in suicides? Need help?If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S
Why England Never Win - But Might Be Getting Closer
We all know the story. Incredible hype around England at a World Cup or European Championship, and then inevitable letdown. 60 years of hurt. But since 2018, England has actually done a lot better. Is England finally going to get over the hump? Or were recent tournaments actually missed opportunities? We discuss the expectations around England, and whether they've been realistic given the economic
What is Soccernomics?
What is Soccernomics? In our first episode we discuss how Simon and Stefan first met, the debate over Football v Soccer, and how fans have the power to take back this summer's World Cup from Donald Trump.
Introducing: The Soccernomics Podcast
Get ready for the World Cup through the lens of Soccernomics. It's a New York Times Bestseller, but it's also a way of looking at the game that uncovers its hidden truths. Featuring Simon Kuper, Stefan Szymanski and Ashish Malhotra.
