Radio Free CONCACAF

[Nations League QF] Panama v Costa Rica

Welcome back CONCAfición!
Always a treat when two neighboring states confront each other, especially when the stakes are high. Panama and Costa Rica cross swords in this CONCACAF Nations League QF, with the winner qualifying directly to the Copa América. Jamaica v Canada, Mexico v Honduras, and USA v T&T round out the other quarter-finalists.
Outside of the lines, these two countries navigated a tricky border dispute in the early 1900s that led to a diplomatic stalemate for over a decade, despite both the USA and France attempting to mediate. That political rift did not prevent Los Ticos from inflicting Panama's largest-ever defeat though!
We also cover notable matchups between these two teams, including the final in which the son of a coach who has managed both national teams missed a key penalty...while facing his father's team! Tune in to find out more.
Finally, we predict the outcome of this home-and-home series. Costa Rica is hitting the reset button in the twilight of their 2014 golden generation, and Los Canaleros are ascending to new heights in their footballing history. 
Thanks for listening, and we look forward to seeing you soon for our coverage of upcoming confederation-wie club tournaments!
Cullen & Fernando

[2023 WWC] PAN v FRA / JAM v BRA

To close out our coverage of the 2023 Women's World Cup group stage, we focus on the deciding day for Group F, which saw some surprises after we recorded!
In this double-header we cover France's role in the creation of the Panama Canal, including one Fernando de Lesseps whose links to the Suez Canal also show up in the historical record. We also cover the various meanings of the word "Panama".
Secondly, Jamaica and Brazil have both been home to sovereign polities founded by people of African descent who escaped slavery. We focus on the "quilombo" of Palmares in northeastern Brazil and the Maroons of Jamaica, examining how the people who were brought from Africa to the Americas implemented their traditions of governance as they explored their freedom.

[2023 WWC] Canada vIreland

Céad míle fáilte to our aficionados! The latest episode in our series on the 2023 Womens' World Cup covers the July 26 Group B faceoff between the Dominion of Canada and the Republic of Ireland.
Two nations with a complex common history with England, as well as some interesting conflicts between them...but not really between each other.
We delve into the Irish diaspora in Canada's Maritime provinces (and feature some related music), the Fenian Raids, where Irish independence advocates invaded Canada, as well as of course the footy matchup.
Thanks for tuning in, and we look forward to watching the game with you!
Song - Excursion Around the Bay by Great Big Sea

[2023 WWC] Haiti vs England

Hey team we are back with the first episode in our series on the 2023 Womens' World Cup, held in AUS and NZ!
This edition focuses on the matchup between Haiti and England. While this will be their first matchup on their field, their battle on Hispaniola during the Haitian Revolution drastically altered the course of both countries, as well as the global sentiment towards the abolition of slavery. 
Subsequently, we help fill you in on the prominent players and storylines behind this amazing matchup, specifically the dominant performances by each team in qualifying rounds.
Watch this space for our next episode on Canada v Ireland

[2023 Gold Cup] Costa Rica v El Salvador

Hola hola!!
We are back for the 2023 Gold Cup covering this group stage matchup between Costa Rica and El Salvador, taking place June 30 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ.
As a prelude to our live coverage of the match, we delve into the footy, the history, and the footy history as per usual!
- Francisco Morazán, the Central American liberal, who touched the history of both countries in his pursuit of a united Centroamérica. We also delve into some parallels with the 2024 US election.
- Ricardo Saprissa, born in San Salvador to Spanish parents, who went on to found the most successful Costa Rican club team
- Examining the head-to-head history between these two famed squads, and predictions for the match.
Tune in, and join us in NJ if you can!!
 
Fernando & Cullen

[March 2023 CNL] HON @ CAN - Part 2

Rounding out the HON @ CAN trilogy, this episode focuses on the unique history of Honduras, and its unique relationship with Canada. 
- The origin of the nickname "catracho" - Honduran Civil War hero Florencio Xatruch
- The shared British colonial encounter for Canada and Honduras
- Honduras' Miskito people, a group comprised of indigenous peoples and African peoples seeking freedom from enslavement in Caribbean colonies
- Canada's role in Honduras' 2009 military golpe de estado (coup d'etat)
 
This wraps our March Nations League coverage, looking forward to serving you with more juicy footy history in the future! We'll focus on the Women's World Cup, Nations League Finals, and release another in-person episode 6/30 when Costa Rica faces off against El Salvador in Harrison, NJ, home of the NY Red Bulls!

[HON @ CAN] Matchday Footage

Tune in for a mix of live interviews with fans of La H who turned up behind enemy lines at BMO Field to watch the matchup between Honduras and Canada, and halftime and postgame analysis from Fernando and Cullen!

[HON @ CAN] - Entrevista con Jose Flores

Siguiendo la onda de este partido, aquí les presentamos una entrevista con un amigo de Cullen, José Flores, nacido y criado en Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
 
En esta entrevista, platicamos sobre el fútbol hondureño, su historia reciente, y la experience personal que tiene José con unos jugadores de la selección catracha.

[March 2023 CNL] HON @ CAN

Big matchup to decide Group C in this 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League...Honduras to visit Canada in downtown Toronto, with Fernando and Cullen in attendance!
We had a great time putting together this episode in anticipation of this clash, touching on the 1985 CONCACAF Championship to decide who went to the 1986 World Cup when the crafty Canucks used their intimidating home conditions to help them win, the 8-1 blowout by Honduras in the 2014 WCQ, and the recent spicy Nations League fixture where Canada lost 2-1 in Tegucigalpa while picking up two red cards.
Fernando relives some memories of La H terrorizing his beloved Ticos and Rouges, calls out the Garifuna contribution to the Seleccion over the years, and we cover the latest news on each squad's anticipated call-ups.
Part 2 coming soon, where we cover the more conventional historical aspects of this rivalry, while also hearing some perspectives from La H supporters themselves.
Looking forward to enjoying this one with both teams tomorrow!

[March 2023 CNL] Guatemala @ Belize

Welcome back cherished listeners!
In this episode, we tackle the juicy history between Guatemala and Belize ahead of their March 24th clash in the CONCACAF Nations League. For Guatemala, making the trip to Belmopan entails crossing a border that their government only reluctantly recognizes, as they see Belize as a remnant of British usurpation of their rightful territory...and they are not really wrong!
We also get into the fun footy storylines, such as why both of these federations have been suspended by FIFA, that Guatemala hosts one of the great Clasicos of CONCACAF (Municipal vs Comunicaciones), and our predictions for the match.
As always, please share wide and far with your fellow lovers of CONCACAF, footy, history, and CONCACAF footy history.
 
- Fernando & Cullen