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The World Cup soccer tournament opens in South Africa in seven weeks and South Africans are psyched. 360,000 foreign spectators are expected to bring their enthusiasm – and money – to South Africa. But some South Africans view the World Cup as a burden that has made their lives worse. We’ll learn why from The World’s Laura Lynch. Download MP3Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Zimbabwe marks its 30th anniversary of independence on Sunday. And the same man who became the leader of the new nation is still in charge today. Back in 1980 Robert Mugabe was cheered as a hero, now he is reviled by many of his own people who have watched their nation descend into violence and poverty under his rule. The World’s Laura Lynch takes a look at the country’s fractured politics through the lens of soccer. Download MP3Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
David Beckham’s dream of playing in a fourth soccer World Cup looks to be over after he tore his left Achilles tendon while playing for AC Milan on Sunday. The 34-year-old England midfielder had surgery in Finland today. The World Cup tournament starts in June in South Africa. The World’s William Troop tells us more. Download MP3 Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
One of the favorites to win this year’s FIFA world cup tournament in South Africa is England. After all, it’s home to one of the top professional soccer leagues on the planet. But England only won a world championship once, way back in 1966 and The World’s Alex Gallafent (an England fan) is now worried that the English team is unraveling less than 100 days from kick-off. Download MP3 (flickr image by .imelda)
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A senior FIFA official has denied African soccer fans are being priced out of the World Cup in South Africa. Fans in the African countries that have qualified for the tournament say tickets are being sold on the internet, to which they have limited access. Furthermore, even if they could afford tickets, few African fans have credit cards, needed for online purchases. Marco Werman talks with The World’s soccer aficionado William Troop about the dilemma. Download MP3
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In this week’s podcast, we feature a listener-generated segment on robotic soccer. Tell me, is there anything more awesome than teams of three kid-sized robots trying to score goals against one another? Absolutely not is the answer. We’ll hear from the FUmanoids, the German team that is currently the #2 team in the world. We’ll also talk about Google’s Europe woes, and about Latvia’s virtual “Robin Hood.”
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Today is one of the most important days for soccer aficionados: The 32 countries that qualified for next year’s FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa found out which group they will be playing in. The US team will face England, Algeria, and Slovenia in the group stage. Marco Werman analyzes the draw with our soccer aficionado, William Troop. Download MP3
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The World’s William Troop bemoans a tough loss for the US men’s national soccer team against Brazil, but muses that defeat may create more committed fans for US soccer.Listen
The World’s Gerry Hadden reports on how Spaniards are dealing with their loss to the United States in yesterday’s Confederation Cup soccer match. Listen
Chinese officials will now require that every PC sold in the country have Internet filtering software installed on it. The software is called Green Dam Youth Escort, and cyber-security experts are already noting it may be open to hacking. Meanwhile, rights groups are calling foul. Listen
The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is the Portuguese island of Madeira. Its most famous son is soccer superstar Ronaldo. He’s just been acquired by the Spanish team Real Madrid for 131 million dollars. Anchor Lisa Mullins gets details from Forbes London bureau chief Parmy Olson. Listen
Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Julie Foudy about the new Women’s Professional Soccer League or WPS. One of the leagues top players is Brazilian soccer star, Marta. She hails from a small state in northeastern Brazil. It called Alagoas, and it’s the answer to today’s Geo Quiz.
