Radio Free CONCACAF

As you prepare to watch the USA v Panama, Radio Free CONCACAF's latest episode is here to prepare for fully experiencing the match!
USA vs Panama is an emerging regional rivalry on the footy front, but the fascinating history between the two nations that predates Panama's nationhood makes this matchup even more intriguing.
Fernando chats with our esteemed guest and scholar of Latin American history Professor Luis van Isschot to riff on US imperialism in the Western Hemisphere, its role in Panama's "independence" from Colombia, and predict the match!
Meanwhile in the studio, Cullen covers the recent footy intrigue, including Hexagonal WC Qualifier drama from 2013 (San Zusi), 2017 (Historic qualification via a late winner vs Costa Rica), and the 2023 Gold Cup where Panama finally knocked out the USA in a competitive fixture.

Time for the Champions League semifinals!! Real Ma-what?? Descolonízate!!We're talking about the Champions League in our part of the world - the ConcachampionsAmerica v PachucaColumbus Crew v MonterreyIn this episode, Fer and Cullen delve into the Concachampions lore - who owns it, who has scored the most goals, who has the most titles, and why are the answers to that all Mexican clubs??We also delve into this edition's matchups. Monterrey has owned this competition, winning all of its 5 titles in the last 15 years, and they knocked out the Crew in the QF in 2021. Ohio-based regiments assisted in the Siege of Monterrey in the Mexican American War, and you can be sure it's on everyone's mind!!Pachuca has some pedigree as Liga MX's oldest club, but America has the edge as by far the most dominant club in @concacaf , as well as their recent Liguilla titles. We take the rivalry between these two regions back to the Pre-Classic period, when the Chichimecas negotiated their niche on the periphery of the Mexica/Aztec empire.Episode available on Spotify and Podbean

Our next episode offering covers the 2023 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup! We delve into the strongest Caribbean clubs in history, and their records in the CONCACAF Champions League/Cup.The final will be contested between SV Robinhood of Suriname, who entered the tournament as the second-lowest seed after winning the lesser Caribbean Shield, and is one of the most successful domestic clubs. They have lost five CONCACAF Champions League finals, all coming during their golden era (70s-80s) when they would tour Holland and face off with Eredivisie teams.The opponent is Cavalier FC of Jamaica, who overcame traditional power @harbourviewfc to make the final, especially thanks to Golden Boot leader Shaniel Thomas.In addition to these two teams, we highlight a topic we also covered in our @womensworldcup2023 episode on Jamaica v Brazil - Maroons! Suriname has a parallel population descended from African people who escaped enslavement and formed their own societies.Thanks for listening, and please share with your footy-minded friends!CB & FML

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

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.

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

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

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

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!

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!