Episode 626 – The AFTN Soccer Show (All Plans Are Golden - Canada's Olympics defence over, Dronegate continues, Leagues Cup, L1BC champs crowned)

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Leagues Cup, Canadian national team and Olympics chat, and we're joined once again this week by Harjeet Johal to talk about it all. The Canadian women's national team's defence of their Olympic gold came to an end at the hands of Germany last week. We look at their fighting spirit on the pitch after a tumultuous two weeks off it, and ask what's next for the team and everyone involved? We also look at the men's Olympic football and Canada's failure to make it to the games since 1984. What's wrong with the youth program here in the country, especially after the men's U20s missed out on next year's World Cup? Turning our attention to the club game, Vancouver Whitecaps saw off LAFC and Tijuana to top their Leagues Cup group and set up a clash with Mexican giants Pumas. We look at the matches, the highs and the lows coming out of them, and chat with Belal Halbouni, Levonte Johnson, and Fafa Picault about what cup competitions mean to them. Plus we chat with 'Caps head coach Vanni Sartini about what he's learned as a coach playing against Mexican opposition and learn how he'd like the Leagues Cup to expand beyond the current month it's played out over. And there's still time to look back at this weekend's two League1 BC championship matches, chat with Whitecaps Girls head coach Katie Collar and captain Brianne Reed, talk with TSS Rovers men's head coach Brendan Teeling and history-making defender Nik White, and look at the latest action around the Canadian Premier League. Plus English new-rave band The Klaxons feature as our new Album of the Month. Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode: 02.17: Intro 04.00: Canada's Olympic title defence is over 19.00: What's next for the Canadian women's national team? 26.12: The spying scandal drones on 47.40: Men's Olympic football - should Canada prioritise it more? 62.05: Canada U20s fail to make the World Cup - how do we fix the system? 78.38: More known about Vancouver's 2026 World Cup games 82.40: Whitecaps top Leagues Cup group 100.33: Whitecaps players excited for cup football 105.47: Vanni on facing Mexican opposition and expanding the Leagues Cup 118.20: This Week in Whitecapsland 1974 128.15: Whitecaps Girls Elite do the L1BC three-peat 133.17: Katie Collar interview 137.25: Brianne Reed interview 143.03: TSS Rovers make history with L1BC double 146.30: Brendan Teeling interview 148.40: Nik White interview 153.00: Wavelength - Baron Nichts - Soccer 159.51: CPL chat