Northern Fútbol Podcast

After a slow start to the 2026 U20 Women’s World Cup for Canada’s U20 team, things have picked up for them in a BIG way, as they defeated France 3-1 in the Round of 16 thanks to a hat trick from Kaylee Hunter. Ben Steiner and Alex Gangué-Ruzic look at how Canada were able to respond to a slow start to the tournament in a big way in the knockout rounds (which they barely qualified for!), before looking at what they can still achieve at this World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The journey towards the 2030 World Cup is about to begin for the CanMNT, as they’re getting set for their first international window after this summer’s World Cup. As a result, they named their 26-man squad for that window, in which they’ll play Chile, Peru and the United States in a trio of friendlies - and they’ve called in some fascinating names for those matches. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangue-Ruzic dive into everything you need to know about the squad, one that features both some brand new faces and the return of some key veterans, along with some other surprise inclusions. From potential positional battles to the integration of a new generation of players, they look at all of the challenges Jesse Marsch will face with this squad later this month in this episode of the Northern Futból podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the 3 Canadian teams, they all enter this stretch with different aspirations. For the Vancouver Whitecaps, their goal is simple - finish as high up the Supporters’ Shield standings as possible and win an MLS Cup, as they look to avenge a 2025 season where they were close to winning it all but left short of winning some of the biggest prizes on offer. Meanwhile, Toronto FC has found some stability after some recent signings, although wins have been a bit more elusive than hoped - as for CF Montréal, their focus might quickly turn to the Canadian Championship with their playoff hopes dwindling Ben, Brendan and Alex chat about that, and other Canadian domestic club matters, in this episode of the Northern Fútbol Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cyle Larin has picked up where he left off with Southampton, as he’s been on fire to start this season. Clearly, the decision to make his move permanent this summer has been great for all parties. Jesse Marsch and the CanMNT will hope Larin can replicate this form for Canada. Villarreal's Canadian trio, Tajon Buchanan, Tani Oluwasyi and Nathan Saliba, started together in the UEFA Champions League and are finding their feet in Spain. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop, and Alex Gangue-Ruzic dive into all the Canadians playing abroad and how they’ll help the CanMNT in this upcoming window. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Later transfer windows in Saudi Arabia and MLS have opened the door for at least a few Canadian defenders to make late summer moves. Joel Waterman's trade to Portland gives the Timbers another CanMNT international in Portlanada. Derek Cornelius didn't get his move to Spain, but could still move to Saudi. And Canada get set to begin what could be an incredible U20 Women's World Cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a great summer of moves for CanMNT players with a few Canadians making some big last-minute moves. Safe to say that the World Cup effect has continued to benefit this Canada team in a big way. From Jonathan David’s loan to Atlético Madrid, to Niko Sigur signing with Toulouse FC and Liam Millar’s loan to Birmingham City, Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangue-Ruzic dive into all of the latest transfers before breaking down their favourite moves of the window. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All of the top European leagues are back which is exciting news after a busy summer of CanMNT transfers. Liam Millar made his Premier League debut, Alphonso Davies has won yet another trophy, and Luc De Fougerolles took a big step towards staying with Fulham this season. And, the MLS season remains in full swing, with several Canadian internationals impressing weekly. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangue-Ruzic dive into everything Canadians Abroad, as well as the three Canadian MLS teams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A busy summer of Canadian transfers continued this week, as La Liga side Villarreal CF signed Canada midfielder Nathan Saliba from RSC Anderlecht. That’s great news for Canadians, who already see Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi in action every week at Villarreal. Now three Canadians play for the Yellow Submarine… or should we now say the Red Submarine? Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangue-Ruzic share their thoughts on Saliba’s transfers, as well as some other Canadian transfer news, including Jayden Nelson’s surprise move to the EFL Championship, Stephen Eustáquio’s surprising links to Swansea and Jonathan David’s future, among other topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a shock transfer, CanMNT striker Promise David joined English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise this week, in what is a massive move for David, Brighton and fans of the CanMNT. After 2 enormously successful years in Belgium, where he helped USG snap a lengthy title drought and make their UEFA Champions League debut, it was rumoured that David would make a move of some sort this summer, although many didn’t expect a move of this magnitude to materialize. Ben, Brendan and Alex are back together and dive into what stands out about this move, one that makes David the latest Canadian to play in the Premier League, before finishing the show with some other CanMNT transfer chatter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a shock signing, CF Montréal have signed Chilean legend Alexis Sánchez to a Designated Player contract, as they made a big money move to bolster a team looking for more star power. Could this move work out for a Montréal team needing a lot more reinforcements? It’s too easy to say, but it’s certainly a signal of ambition from a team who could use a spark like this Alex and Ben dive into that move, as well as other Canadian MLS news and a CanWNT update, in this episode of the Northern Futból Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the start of the European club season, which means the end of the transfer window is just around the corner. That’s worth noting from a CanMNT perspective, as several players could be set to make moves over the coming days and weeks, including Alistair Johnston, Niko Sigur and Jonathan David. Alex and Ben dive into what they think of those potential moves and how they can help the CanMNT, as well as some more chat on the CanMNT’s U20 team, in this episode of the Northern Futból Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the 2026 World Cup is over, the injury troubles have continued for the CanMNT, as Ali Ahmed is the latest to suffer a major injury, as he hurt his knee in a Norwich City friendly. Not all is bad news on the rest of the CanMNT front, however, as Alistair Johnston and Daniel Jebbison look to be potentially on the move, while the likes of Owen Goodman, Jamie Knight-Lebel and others have secured key transfers in recent weeks. And Canada is set to play a friendly against the US this fall, too! Alex and Ben dive into all of that, and more, in this episode of the Northern Futból Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first time since 2007, Canada's U20 men's national team is bound for the World Cup after an emphatic win against Jamaica in the quarterfinals of the U20 Concacaf Championships. Led by Jesse Marsch, they now look to take the next steps and qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which will be hosted across the United States. On the first part of this week's NFP, Ben Steiner and Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic break down the tournament so far, and the top players which have stood out and could be future prospects — and they also do a little Olympic roster dreaming, too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's already been a big summer in the transfer market for Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and CF Montréal, but more is expected in the summer window as the three Canadian teams look to take steps forward in the hunt for the MLS Cup Playoffs and, for the Whitecaps, even bigger goals. While the efforts to build out the rosters stand out, so too does the push to find form after the World Cup break, as none of the Canadian teams have been able to secure a full three-point victory in the games since Spain lifted the trophy. Ahead of this weekend's action, Ben, Alex and Dunlop break down where each team stands, and their hopes of a result this weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has tabled a proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in exchange for big private equity cash, which would instantly go to federations around the world. The controversial proposal, incited strong reactions from UEFA, who wholeheartedly oppose the proposal and are ready to boycott FIFA events. Alex, Ben and Brendan dive into the fallout of this news, and what it means for the future of FIFA, Infantino and the World Cup. Plus, Canada’s U20s are battling to qualify for the U20 World Cup at the U20 Concacaf Championship, where they’ve opened with a win and a draw. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s next for the CanMNT now that the World Cup is over? The good news for fans of this men’s National Team is that they won’t have to wait long to see them back in action on Canadian soil, as it was announced this week that they’d play Chile and Peru in a pair of friendlies in Toronto and Montréal this fall. In this episode of NFP, Ben, Brendan and Alex look at what Canada should look to get out of those friendlies, before looking at the big tournament that Canada’s head coach, Jesse Marsch, will be focusing on before then - the U20 Concacaf Championships, which kick off in Mexico this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the 2026 World Cup is now over, that won’t take away from some of the memories this summer gave all of us. To help remember the tournament that was, Ben, Brendan and Alex look back at some of their best moments from this World Cup in this episode of NFP, including their favourite games and other funny memories, before reflecting on a chaotic final in New Jersey, one where Brendan got a front-row seat to Spain’s clash with Argentina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Canadian men’s national team fell out of the 2026 World Cup on Saturday, but the past month provided some remarkable moments for the sport from coast-to-coast-to-coast. On Part 2 of our post-match show from the 3-0 loss to Morocco, Ben Steiner, Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic and Brendan Dunlop dive into which players could still play a key role in four years time, and dive deep into whether this summer was a success + their favourite moments from the run. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CanMNT’s 2026 World Cup journey is over, as they fell 3-0 to Morocco in the Round of 16. Despite the scoreline, it was far from a dominant performance by Morocco, as Canada pushed to the edge in the first half, but were unable to turn a dominant start into a positive result. Ben Steiner, Brendan Dunlop and Alex Gangué-Ruzic dissect the defeat, what went wrong and what almost went right, the errors made, and how Canada could've influenced the game with their substitutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada is in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup and faces an immense challenge as they take on Morocco in Houston. It won't be an easy task for Canada to get past the Atlas Lions, but it's not impossible. Ben Steiner, live from Houston, and Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic break down everything there is to the matchup, how Jesse Marsch may adapt, what penalties could look like, and plenty more before offering their predictions. To end the show, Brendan Dunlop catches up with play-by-play broadcaster Jon Champion about the tournament as a whole and offers an international perspective on Canadian soccer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.