Episode 713 – The AFTN Soccer Show (Up Down, To and Fro – Whitecaps stadium issues cast doubts over future, Jesper Sorensen and Kyle Bekker interviews)
We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, CONCACAF Champions Cup, and World Cup football chat and interviews.
What a week it’s been in Whitecapsland. Captain Ryan Gauld has undergone surgery, players have been added, players have departed, and the stadium issues the ‘Caps have been having came very much to the fore on Friday, casting concern and doubt over the club’s future in Vancouver. We delve into all of that and hear from CEO Axel Schuster.
We’ve two feature interviews for you this episode and first up is Whitecaps gaffer Jesper Sorensen in our first chat with him of 2026. We look back at the wonderful year that was 2025, the successes, what’s been learned, that difficult second album, and 2026 preparations. We also chat with Forge FC captain Kyle Bekker about his career, Forge’s dominance in Canadian football, and their preparations for this week’s CONCACAF Champions Cup game against Mexican powerhouse, Tigres.
All of this plus we talk about the Vancouver World Cup fanfest, move onto the letter E in our Canadian Soccer A to Z series, Hot Chocolate Boy is back, and music-wise, Syd Barrett kicks off a residency as our Artist of the Month, The Bodines are the latest band to feature in our 40th anniversary tribute year to the C86 movement, and we have another World Cup themed song in Wavelength, this time from Danish singer/songwriter Cleeman.
Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:
01.27: Intro – Vancouver Fanfest no longer free for all?
15.26: Hot Chocolate Boy – Union Market
20.37: Whitecaps News of the Week – Gauld surgery, transfer comings and goings, preseason
53.45: Whitecaps stadium issues cast concern and doubt over future
116.25: Jesper Sorensen interview
151.15: Canadian Soccer A to Z – E
160.20: Kyle Bekker interview
186.40: CONCACAF Champions Cup preview
198.35: Wavelength – Cleeman – Princes of Denmark
You can download and/or listen to this, and all previous, episodes of the podcast on the following services:
Or after all that, you could just listen on the player below!
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