{"podcast":{"title":"First Touch | World Soccer","slug":"kickback-26-7606085","podcast_index_feed_id":7606085,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/kickback-26/","website_url":"https://kickbacksoccer.com/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/eb7c02ff-278b-426c-b8be-4fc6c53c8834/firsttouch-podtile-062326.png","author":"Kickback Soccer Media","episode_count":130,"summary":"First Touch is the American home for the global game, exploring not just what happened, but why it matters. From iconic clubs and legendary rivalries to the cultures, communities, and surprising stories that shape the game, we bring the world's game into sharper focus. We're glad you're here.","last_synced_at":"2026-09-24T22:20:03.563979+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085"},"episode":{"title":"First Touch Weekly Ep. 1 - 1986 Failed US WC Bid & 2026 World Cup Boycotts","slug":"first-touch-weekly-ep-1-1986-failed-us-wc-bid-2026-world-cup-boycotts","published_at":"2026-02-19T14:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085/first-touch-weekly-ep-1-1986-failed-us-wc-bid-2026-world-cup-boycotts","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085","url":"https://kickbacksoccer.com/","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/a8825f3d-44b5-4857-b5e5-cec0fb365733.mp3","summary":"Susannah Fuller hosts the premiere episode of First Touch Weekly as dive into the biggest questions surrounding the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Guardian’s Senior Sports Editor Alexander Abnos breaks down whether a World Cup boycott is truly possible and what it would mean for fans, players, and national teams. Then, we look back at the U.S.’s failed bid to host the 1986 World Cup with veteran journalist Michael Lewis, exploring how that collapse reshaped U.S. Soccer and set the foundation for the modern American game. We close with one of the strangest stories in soccer history, the mystery of South Korea’s “cursed” gold medals. If you want to hear more from Michael Lewis his newest book looking back on 40 years of soccer coverage is available now here . 2:38 Alex Abnos (The Guardian) On Potential World Cup Boycott 14:32 Story Of The USA's Failed 1986 World Cup Hosting Bid 24:30 South Korea's Gold Medal Curse Listen to our shows, and subscribe to our newsletter at: https://kickbacksoccer.com/ .","meta_description":"Susannah Fuller hosts the premiere episode of First Touch Weekly as dive into the biggest questions surrounding the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026. The G…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1645,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/kickback-26-7606085/episodes/first-touch-weekly-ep-1-1986-failed-us-wc-bid-2026-world-cup-boycotts/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/kickback-26-7606085/first-touch-weekly-ep-1-1986-failed-us-wc-bid-2026-world-cup-boycotts.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}