Podcast Episodes

World Cup Draw Group By Group Analysis x Kickback '26

Episode 17

Kickback 26 is your front-row seat to the 2026 World Cup. Hosted by David Gass, Claudia Pagan, Heath Pearce, and Eric Krakauer, this podcast breaks down every World Cup group with a mix of tactical i…

Published on 1 week ago

First Touch ’26 - Spain

Episode 16

Spain has only lifted the World Cup once, but La Roja seem omnipresent in every tournament conversation—and 2026 will be no different. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass traces the arc from Spain’…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Saudi Arabia

Episode 15

They shocked the world by toppling Messi’s Argentina in 2022; now Saudi Arabia is trying to prove that was no one-off. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass tells the story of the Green Falcons—from …

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Egypt

Episode 14

Egypt helped invent African football greatness, but the World Cup has never quite gone their way. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass charts the Pharaohs’ journey from early Olympic pioneers and 19…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Iran

Episode 13

It’s hard to find a place where politics and football are more tightly intertwined than Iran.

In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass traces how Team Melli has become a symbol of both state power and p…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Austria

Episode 12

Once home to the “Wunderteam” and the legendary Matthias Sindelar, Austria’s greatest football tales used to live in black and white.

In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass connects that glorious past…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Ivory Coast

Episode 11

For many fans, Ivory Coast will always be the land of Drogba, the Touré brothers, and a golden generation that helped pause a civil war and made the Elephants a global cult favorite.

In this World Cu…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Panama

Episode 10

Panama’s World Cup history is short and brutal: one appearance, three losses, and a 32nd-place finish in 2018. But that’s only half the story. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass digs into how a ba…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - Qatar

Episode 9

No country is more polarizing in modern football than Qatar. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass examines how a tiny, oil-rich Gulf state went from football afterthought to one of the game’s most i…

Published on 1 week, 1 day ago

First Touch ’26 - France

Episode 8

For most countries, just qualifying for the World Cup is a dream. For France, it’s World Cup trophy or failure. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass dives into the story of Les Bleus: a global power…

Published on 1 week, 6 days ago