The Soccer Business Podcast

Simon and André break down the USA's 4-1 collapse against Belgium in the Round of 16 — and why the manner of the exit, not the result itself, has triggered a wave of hot takes across social and sports media. They unpack the noise around player development, arguing that most of the criticism misses what's actually working and what is really in need of reform. They also tackle the Pulisic scapegoati...

A significant, first of a kind, new investment in an MLS club. LAFC sell their Swiss club and a USL purchase are among the issues discussed in our new review before Bruno Costa, head of the international office for the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) talks to us about the World Cup magic of the yellow jersey and their North American strategy.

Simon and Andre dive into the opening two weeks of the World Cup - beyond the extraordinary attendances and record-breaking ratings, the tournament has captured the imagination in lots of unexpected ways. With the extra ad revenue generated, are hydration breaks here to stay? What's behind the hate campaign against Alexi Lalas and will the people who are spending thousands of dollars on the World...

While the USMNT make their bid for glory at the FIFA World Cup. the U.S. Soccer Federation is breaking revenue records with over $1.3 billion in contracted revenue. Chief Commercial Officer Dave Wright reveals the business behind the national team and why they say no to so many potential deals.

Former top Coca Cola and Visa sports sponsorship executive Ricardo Fort joins the pod to reveal the inner workings of the business, ambush marketing and why AI firms could be at the forefront of the next wave of mega-deals around the World Cup.

Don Garber visited Montreal on Thursday and made it very clear he wants to see changes to the stadium situation in the city. After Vancouver, is a second Canadian city facing the threat of relocation with Las Vegas waiting in the wings. What is going on with MLS and Canada? Journalist Manuel Veth joins us from Canada to go inside the issues.

There was plenty of criticism of MLS's broadcast deal with Apple TV - from both fans and within the industry. But the latest numbers out of MLS suggest that real growth is happening. Seth Bacon EVP Media with MLS joins the podcast to discuss the numbers. Plus we look ahead to the UEFA Champions League final.

After a weekend of promotion and relegation drama in Europe - what is happening with USL's plans for pro/rel? How would a true pyramid work in the USA? Plus the latest news including Netflix eyeing World Cup rights.

Drake's deal for Venezia in Serie A. FIFA-Fanatics collectibles deal, New Man United training kit sponsor, Liga MX dominating MLS again. Plus does Messi's attitude to media dilute his impact? Can USL be a hipster brand? And will MLS Next Pro's plans really work? All that and more in this week's Soccer Business News Review with Simon Evans and Andre Da Costa.

Tom Glick, CEO of Hometown Soccer Holdings, reveals how a groundbreaking partnership with Major League Soccer and private equity giant KKR is revolutionizing community football across the U. S. and creating a new model for sustainable soccer growth. This is the story of how small-town clubs will become the beating heart of local communities and a catalyst for the sport’s nationwide boom. From stra...

The U.S. soccer pyramid is about to change—overnight. A major global investment firm, KKR, just partnered with MLS to revolutionize how lower-division soccer operates in North America. This isn’t just about new teams or stadiums; it’s a strategic roll-up of the entire ecosystem that could challenge the USL’s dominance and reshape the future of American football. If you’ve wondered how private equi...

Are the Vancouver Whitecaps heading out of Canada and facing relocation to Las Vegas or Phoenix? Simon and Andre discuss the Athletics' report that MLS has been discussing relocation as an option. Plus we dive into the big numbers around NWSL after Jimmy Haslem forks out $205 million for an expansion slot in Columbus amid soaring valuations. Plus some USLgameday experience and some National League...

Marc Spiegel made history in 2025 by becoming the first American to take majority ownership of a Liga MX club. In this episode, the Querétaro FC chairman explains why he sees Mexican soccer as the most exciting investment opportunity in world football right now, how a chance dinner conversation in Wyoming set the whole thing in motion, and what a tech entrepreneur can bring to the beautiful game t...

Lionel Messi buys a club in Spain. A plan for a new soccer stadium in Vegas? Netflix move into North American soccer, Chelsea's heavy losses and those transport prices for the World Cup in New York/New Jersey. Simon Evans and Andre Da Costa break down this week's headlines in soccer business.

EFL clubs are suffering record losses but there is no shortage of (American) investors willing to take on the challenge of trying to make it to the Premier League. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire joins Simon and Andre to dig deeper into the reasons behind the negative balance sheets.

Writer Andres Martinez is the author of a new book on American Soccer 'The Great Game - A Tale of Two Football's And America's Quesst to Conquer Global Sport' which is a deep dive into how American soccer has moved in from the fringes of society to the mainstream and how America's traditional sports are, in turn, seeking to spread their reach globally. In this conversation with Simon Evans, host o...

This episode of the Soccer Business Podcast kicks off with a review of the week’s top headlines, beginning with the "kit war" between Nike and Adidas during recent US national team matches, where retro designs and "guerrilla marketing" took center stage. Hosts Simon Evans and Andre Da Costa celebrate the record-breaking debut of the Denver Summit, who drew 63,000 fans to an NFL stadium for their N...

Simon and Andre report back from Atlanta on a busy week at the SBJ conference on the in North American soccer business. Arthur Blank, Mohammed Mansour and Don Garber made their marks with their contributions raising a number of big issues. Plus Will Mo Salah bring a 'Middle Eastern Messi' effect to MLS? And does women's soccer need to talk more like a business than a community venture?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Joins Fox Sports: A Game Changer for World Cup Coverage? Is the Jordan Brand Ruining Brazil’s Iconic Kit? Why American Soccer Fans Are Talking About the '94 Denim Kit. Did Nike Miss a Trick? And Cracking the Code: How Brands Can Reach the 'New' American Soccer Fan Through Creators. Host Simon Evans is joined by regular guest Andre Da Costa and Darren Weber of Beautiful Game Cons...

This week Simon and Andre look at Lionel Messi's growing equity stake in Inter Miami, Carlos Velas's investment in LAFC, a new soccer lifestyle product and in our deep dive Pardeep Cattry of CSB Sports joins us to discuss the new NWSL season and the KPIs that Commissioner Jessica Berman will be looking out for.

In this week's interview Nicolas Garcia Hemme, Managing Director of LaLiga North America, provides details on how the Spanish league has been sweeping up lucrative partnership deals with the likes of McDonalds and Walmart while continuing to grow their fan-base across the region. Is LaLiga replacing LigaMX as the preferred partner for brands looking to reach the Hispanic soccer fan in the USA? Plu...

MLS Next Pro President Ali Curtis discusses the league's expansion plans, their new broadcast deal and role of the league in growing the game across the United States and much more in this week's Soccer Business interview. Plus Andre Da Costa joins Simon to go over the big stories in North American soccer business news.

In this week's Soccer Business Podcast - Simon Evans and Andre Da Costa quickly go over the main talking points from the week in North American soccer business before our feature interview - a deep dive into the revenue strategy at Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur with Chief Revenue Officer Ryan Norys. Find out about how Spurs maximize their state-of-the-art stadium 7-days a week, how they en...

Simon Evans is joined by Erik Stover, CEO of the New York Cosmos, who are about to begin their new life in USL and soccer market analyst Andre Da Costa. As well as examining the return of the Cosmos brand and the work being undertaken in New Jersey, we look at the recently announced plans for USL Premier and the broader ambitions for the introduction of promotion and relegation for USL.

The Bundesliga signed a 17-year partnership with Relevent Sports to boost their performance in the U.S. market and the broader Americas market. What is the strategy for the German league as they seek to enhance their business performance and profile in the Americas? Robin Austermann, head of Europe and Latam for the Bundesliga joins Simon Evans on The Soccer Business Podcast to break down that dea...