World Football

Mani Djazmi is in Brisbane, as co-hosts Australia reach the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup for the very first time after beating France 7-6 in a dramatic penalty shootout after it finished goalless after 120 minutes. Mani speaks to ecstatic Australia fans outside the Brisbane Stadium, as Matildas mania sweeps across the country. We hear from a passionate Australia manager Tony Gustavsson aft...

Join Maz Farookhi in Wellington as Spain reach their first ever World Cup semi-final following a 2-1 victory over 2019 runners up Netherlands. A goal from Barcelona’s Salma Paralluelo in the 111th minute was enough for Jorge Vilda’s side to progress to the last four. Maz spoke to Laia Cervello from The Athletic about the achievement and what it means for women’s football in the country. We'll also...

Mani Djazmi, Maz Farookhi and Katie Smith are back together to preview the four quarter-finals. Maz joins from Wellington to tell us about a quite extraordinary Netherlands press conference involving manager Andries Jonker and forward Lineth Beerensteyn ahead of their game against Spain. Beerensteyn doesn't hold back in her criticism of the USA. Katie is in Sydney to talk about her chat with Engla...

Katie Smith is in Melbourne where Colombia have made history, booking their spot in the last eight for the first time by beating Jamaica 1-0. Katie catches up with Colombian journalist Valentina Pena to talk about the battle of the underdogs - how does the team's mentality change when they are not the lower ranked side trying to defy expectations? Plus, she gets immersed in the Colombian after par...

There are huge celebrations in Sydney where Australia comfortably made it through to the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Denmark. Mani Djazmi spoke to jubilant Matildas fans and the ABC’s Samantha Lewis to discuss the goals, increased expectations and the return of captain Sam Kerr for her first appearance at her home World Cup since being injured. Plus, England sur...

Katie Smith is in Melbourne, where Sweden have knocked out the back-to-back defending world champions USA in a dramatic penalty shootout. Katie speaks to jubilant Sweden fans and dejected USA supporters. A relieved Björn Nordling from SVT reflects on Sweden's victory and looks ahead to their quarter final against Japan, while Emily Olsen, soccer editor for The Athletic, stops by to discuss where i...

2011 winners Japan beat Norway 3-1 to make it through to the quarter finals of the World Cup. Japanese sports writer Masujima Midori joins Maz Farookhi to discuss the teams performance. The Athletic's Laia Cervelló Herrero also stops by to chat all things Jorge Vilda as Spain thrash Switzerland 5-1 to become the first team in the last eight. Katie Smith is in Melbourne speaking to United States ca...

In today's episode, Mani Djazmi, Maz Farookhi and Katie Smith reflect on Morocco's miraculous progression to the last 16 at the Women’s World Cup. Mani chats to two-time World Cup-winner with Germany, Nadine Angerer, about the country’s shock elimination, while the team preview all eight round of 16 matches. Former Switzerland international Tatjana Haenni drops by to talk about Switzerland's chanc...

Katie Smith and Mani Djazmi are in Melbourne as Jamaica make history by becoming the first men's or women's Caribbean team to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup. Jamaican journalist Wayde Brown from Irie FM joins us at the Rectangular Stadium to discuss the scale of the Reggae Girlz' achievement and how it will be received back home. Brazilian journalist Ricardo Setyon also stops by to discu...

Maz Farookhi is in Auckland as the four-time winners of the World Cup, the United States, are into the knockout stages of the World Cup following a 0-0 draw with Portugal. Maz speaks to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jonathan Tannenwald, New York Times World Editor Andrew Das and Tatjana Haenni, the National Women’s Soccer League’s Chief Sporting Director, about why the USA have found this tournament...

Katie Smith and Mani Djazmi are joined by not one, not two, but three former Australian internationals in the shape of Mark Schwarzer, Amy Chapman and Alicia Ferguson to reflect on the Matildas’ 4-0 thrashing of Olympic champions Canada in Melbourne to progress to the last 16 as group winners. We also hear from former Colombia international Vanessa Cordoba following Colombia’s shock 2-1 win over t...

New Zealand become the first ever hosts of the Women’s World Cup to exit at the group stage, after their 0-0 draw with Switzerland. Maz Farookhi speaks to former Football Fern Bex Sowden about New Zealand’s elimination from the tournament and what this means for football in the country. Former winners Norway are the second team to make it through following their 6-0 thrashing of Philippines. Norwe...

Mani Djazmi is in Brisbane as star Australia forward Sam Kerr says she’ll definitely be playing in their crunch match against Olympic champions Canada on Monday. Former Australia international Amy Chapman chats to Mani about the significances of this news. Mani is joined by Maz Farookhi and Katie Smith to discuss Kerr and the increase of injuries at this World Cup as England’s Keira Walsh becomes...

Mani Djazmi reflects on Nigeria's shock 3-2 victory over hosts Australia, while Maz Farookhi is in Wellington with reaction to an entertaining 1-1 draw between the USA and the Netherlands, in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final. After Nigeria’s win against Australia, a side 30 places above them in the rankings, Mani hears from their jubilant fans on the streets of Brisbane accompanied by the soun...

It’s a tale of two cities on the latest World Football. Maz Farookhi is in Wellington and Katie Smith is in Auckland as the Philippines score their first ever World Cup goal and get their first ever World Cup win against co- hosts New Zealand. We hear from former Football Fern Maia Jackman about what went wrong for New Zealand and Radyo Pilipinas’ Aaron Bayato on the historic win. Katie has also b...

Mani Djazmi is in Melbourne as two-time world champions Germany hit debutants Morocco for six in their tournament opener. Argentina's wait for a first World Cup win goes on as they are beaten by Italy. Katie Smith is joined by Argentinian commentator Andres Cantor who went viral on social media eight months ago when he got to call the moment that Lionel Messi guided the men's side to World Cup glo...

Mani Djazmi and Maz Farookhi reflect on holders USA's opening game win over Vietnam in Auckland, including hearing from Meg Linehan, senior writer for The Athletic. And we speak to FIFA assistant referee Heba Saadiyeh, who is the first Palestinian to participate in either a men's or women's FIFA World Cup. Photo: Lindsey Horan (L) of USA celebrates with teammate Megan Rapinoe (R) after scoring her...

The Philippines become the second country to make their World Cup debut and Maz speaks to journalist Ryan Fenix about what it was like to be in the stadium to watch his country. Katie Smith is in Melbourne as Nigeria’s goalkeeper saves them from defeat and we’ll hear from USA defender Naomi Girma as she prepares to burst onto the scene. Photo: Philippines players applaud fans after the team's 0-2...

World Football's Maz Farookhi is in Auckland to discuss New Zealand's first ever win at a Women's World Cup as Hannah Wilkinson’s goal stunned Norway. There was a minute’s silence before kick-off for the victims of a deadly shooting in Auckland on Thursday morning which overshadowed the opening game. Elsewhere there’s relief for co-hosts Australia - Mani Djazmi sees the co-hosts get off the mark w...

As the Australian Matildas get ready to kick off their home World Cup campaign, Katie Smith goes back to a time when life was very different for the women representing the national side when they weren’t full time professionals selling out stadiums, when money was tight and publicity almost non-existent. Let’s go back to 1999 - a year out from the Sydney Olympics, when Australian sports teams were...

With just two days to go until the world’s biggest ever women’s sports event kicks off in New Zealand and Australia, World Football’s Mani Djazmi and Katie Smith are in Sydney, with Maz Farookhi in Auckland to preview the start of the tournament. They discuss the hosts, the favourites and the debutants, including in-depth interviews with the two-time World Cup winner with the USA, Carli Lloyd; Aus...

Sam Kerr is at the pinnacle of her career. She’s won her fourth Women’s Super League title with Chelsea, another FA Cup and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, winning multiple Golden Boot awards across the globe. And now the Australian record goal scorer and captain, who was inspired by Cathy Freeman’s gold medal winning race at the Sydney Olympics, is the face of th...

Delyth Lloyd and Mani Djazmi profile the players who could make their breakthrough on the global stage at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Journalist Jen O’Neill joins the team to discuss the players to look out for, and the big names who will miss the tournament including England captain Leah Williamson. We’ll also hear from Sophia Smith after her call up to the USA squad. Phot...

Mani Djazmi and Sarah Mulkerrins profile the eight teams set to make their Women’s World Cup debuts at the upcoming tournament in Australia and New Zealand. They’re joined by journalist Jen O’Neill as the team go around the globe hearing from some of the players who will be representing their nation on the biggest stage. Louise Quinn of Ireland describes how excitement is building in the squad, wh...

In the last weekly edition of the programme, presenter Mani Djazmi, Heather O'Reilly and Pat Nevin reflect on 22 years of World Football.