Baltic Football Podcast

In this episode of Pitchide, Harry and Tony look at the tightening Virslīga title race after the Riga derby, the standout players shaping the Baltic season, and the clubs battling to stay clear of trouble. In Lithuania, the title race has become one of the most unpredictable in the region, with Džiugas Telšiai, Kauno Žalgiris, Sūduva, TransINVEST, Banga and Žalgiris Vilnius all part of a shifting...

FK Tukums 2000 striker and current Virsliga top scorer Ede Oloko joins the Baltic Football Podcast to talk through his flying start to the season, his push for the Virslīga golden boot, and why everything is clicking at Tukums right now. In this episode, Ede discusses the team morale behind Tukums’ attacking form, his personal goal-scoring ambitions, the hat-trick against Riga FC, life in Latvia,...

Can Baltic football leagues ever catch up with the Bundesliga - not financially, but in fan engagement, digital strategy and audience growth? In this episode of the Baltic Football Podcast, we look at what clubs in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia can learn from the Bundesliga’s digital ecosystem. The discussion moves from influencers such as Speed and KSI to the harder question of whether football c...

The early Baltic football season has already thrown up its first big questions: who can keep pace at the top, and which clubs are already being dragged into trouble? In this episode of Pitchside with Harry and Tony, the focus is on momentum, pressure and early warning signs across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. RFS are still leading in Latvia, but Auda have shown they can be got at. Riga FC are fi...

Pitchside returns with a detailed scan of the Baltic football landscape as the new domestic season begins to take shape across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia! Harry and Tony break down RFS’s unbeaten start in Latvia, Auda’s improved attack and why their new Panama forward could change the club’s ceiling, while also assessing Riga FC’s early stumble at Liepāja and the pressure building on sides at t...

We are a month in and Baltic football has already given us contenders, warning signs and a few early surprises. In this episode of the Baltic Football Podcast, we break down the start of the season across Latvia’s Virslīga, Estonia’s Premium Liiga and Lithuania’s Toplyga: why RFS look steadier than expected, why Nõmme Kalju are the early surprise package, whether Kauno Žalgiris are setting the sta...

The Baltic leagues are back, and 2026 is already shaping up to be exciting! Riga FC defending a title they snatched from RFS, Kauno Žalgiris coming off a historic season in Lithuania, and a very different-looking race in Estonia after Flora’s comeback. In this season preview, we run through what pre-season actually told us (and what it didn’t), why the first rounds on artificial grass can decide c...

Welcome to Pitchside - a new podcast segment with Baltic Football News' journalist Harry Brown and former FK Auda and Valmiera FC goalkeeping coach Tony McMullen! For a closer look at Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian football, join Tony and Harry Pitchside! This week is Lithuania-heavy because the Toplyga is the first of the three Baltic leagues to kick off. The headline is Kauno Žalgiris lift...

One year ago, we launched Baltic Football News with a simple idea: to open up Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian football to international audiences - properly, consistently, and with respect for the game. What followed was... not really all we expected it was going to be. In this special episode, we look back candidly at the first year of running a football news portal from scratch. We talk about...

Our inaugural Baltic Football Awards 2025 brings together the very best of Lithuania’s A Lyga, Latvia’s Virslīga, and Estonia’s Premium Liiga. With Baltic Football News reporters attending matches weekly across all three countries, this awards edition delivers the most complete, on-the-ground assessment of Baltic football in 2025. What were the surprises and disappointments of 2025, who are the be...

In our first A Lyga, Virslīga and Premium Liiga season review, Dmitrijs and Frank dissect title races, collapses, managerial failures, relegation battles, and statistical trends across all three Baltic leagues. Tune in for analysis of Flora vs. Levadia, Kauno Žalgiris’ first title, Riga FC’s onslaught, and why certain “powerhouse” clubs imploded. 00:00:30 – Reflecting on our first Baltic season 00...

England comes to Riga — but what does this clash reveal about Baltic football? In this episode, we dig into Latvia’s big test against England, why the Baltic national teams keep struggling, and whether domestic leagues are helping or holding them back. From Riga to Kaunas and Tallinn, we explore whether the Baltics are ready to take the next step — or stuck repeating old mistakes. (00:00:57) Engla...

FK Panevėžys head coach Roland Vrabec joins us fresh off lifting the Lithuanian Cup. In this wide-ranging conversation, the German coach opens up about his journey to the Baltics, the challenge of rebuilding Panevėžys after a title hangover, and the tactical plan that stunned Hegelmann in the Cup final. From life in a small Lithuanian town to the thrill of European qualification, Vrabec shares an...

How does a footballer from London end up fishing in Daugavpils? We sit down with Wasiri Williams, the London-born defender making his mark in the Latvian Virslīga with BFC Daugavpils. Williams shares what it’s like to swap London for Latgale, giving an inside look at the realities of football in Latvia and the challenges of adapting to a new culture and style of play.⏱️ Key moments:(00:02:15) Firs...

The Baltic Football Podcast returns with a special deep dive into the 2025 European qualification campaigns. From Lithuania’s brightest moments to Latvia’s heartbreak and Estonia’s struggles, we relive the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of this summer’s Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League qualifiers. (00:00:30) Lithuania’s Bright Spot: Žalgiris Kaunas on the Rise (00:07:2...

Can Riga FC pull off a European upset, or will Sparta Praha’s firepower prove too much of an obstacle? In this episode, we break down everything you need to know ahead of the UEFA Conference League play-off round clash. From Sparta’s resurgent form and key stars to Riga’s chances of making history, this is the ultimate preview for fans following Baltic and Central European football. Joining us is...

In this episode, we sit down with Moshe Ziat, Israeli football commentator and lifelong Beitar Jerusalem fan, to discuss the historic, cultural, and tactical dimensions of Beitar ahead of their UEFA Conference League qualifier against Riga FC. 🔔 Subscribe for more exclusive interviews and Baltic football coverage. (00:01:25) – Beitar 101: Who Are They? (00:04:45) – European Drama & Bucharest...

Swedish football journalist Josip Ladan joins us to preview Malmö FF’s highly anticipated Champions League qualifier against RFS. From tactical insights and key players to Malmö’s European mindset, this is the ultimate pre-match breakdown ahead of this tie. (01:22) – Malmö FF's origin story & fan culture (03:24) – Malmö’s golden years & European legacy (04:58) – 2025 season challenges:...

It’s been a wild start to European competition for clubs from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia! In this episode, we break down the highs and lows of Champions League and Conference League Qualification Round 1 — including the dramatic RFS vs Levadia Baltic Derby, shocking eliminations, tactical surprises, and a look ahead to Round 2.We also explore what this means for UEFA coefficients, club develop...

Join us as we sit down with Grégory Vignal — former Liverpool, Lens and Rangers defender and current FC RFS assistant coach. In this exclusive interview, Gregory shares his insights into Latvian and Baltic football, the technical strengths and physical gaps he’s observed, and how he’s applying lessons from elite clubs like Liverpool to develop players at RFS.-Gregory’s first impressions of footbal...

This week, Baltic football takes center stage in Europe! Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian clubs are gearing up for crucial clashes in both the UEFA Champions League and the Conference League qualifiers. What to look out for:-The Baltic derby between Levadia and RFS in the Champions League-Žalgiris Vilnius battling Hamrun Spartans from Malta-Kauno Žalgiris heavy favorites against Penybont of Wales...

In this episode, we catch up on the Baltics leagues to see What's Hot and What's Not in Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian football before delving into the hype and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence in football - from how it's been used elsewhere to what are the potential use cases in the context of the Baltics.(00:02:00) Riga FC are Hot(00:04:22) Riga FC Women are HOT!!(00:08:00)...

Recent weeks kicked up some alarming news about the President of the Estonian FA allegedly blacklisting referees he doesn't like and the owners of FK Riteriai allegedly embezzling funds intended for running of the club. As we unpack all of this and catch up on the football side of things across the A Lyga, Virslīga and the Premium liiga, these developments also promted us to take a closer look...

Baltic football is now underway, so we catch-up on what’s been happening before the first international break of 2025 – whether it’s the surprising results in Estonia, edge-of-your seat friction in Latvia, and absolute mayhem in Lithuania, the start of the season in the region is exceeding all expectations. For the second part of the episode, Frank sits down with the President of the Latvian Footb...

Football in the Baltics is finally back! As A Lyga, Virsliga and Premium liiga are all about to kick off, we offer a quick, 3-in-1 preview to this year's season in each of the Baltic nations. From how we got to where we are, to who are the players to watch, to our predictions for each of the competitions in 30 minutes or less - we got you covered! (00:01:01) A Lyga season preview(00:07:17) A Lyga...