Football Weekly’s summer mailbag: World Cup 2026, the off-season and more: part one – podcast
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This is a podcast episode from the Guardian's Football Weekly series, in which host Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, John Brewin and Jonathan Wilson for the first part of a summer mailbag special, answering listener-submitted questions during the football off-season. The episode uses the World Cup 2026 and the quiet summer period as a springboard for wide-ranging discussion rather than breaking news, reflecting the show's regular audio format for fans wanting football content outside the playing season.
Topics covered include the panel's views on how the recent tournament was officiated, how they each spend their time when there is no football to follow, which celebrities they are told they resemble, and a lighter aside about Barry Glendenning's old-fashioned approach to note-taking. The piece is presented purely as an audio podcast with accompanying links to the show's Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels, rather than a written news report.
- Football Weekly panel answers listener questions in summer mailbag podcast
- Topics include World Cup 2026 officiating and off-season routines
- Lighter segments cover celebrity lookalikes and Barry Glendenning's note-taking
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Football Weekly is The Guardian's podcast where football journalists and commentators discuss the sport with listeners. During summer, when professional football is not being played, the show holds a special mailbag episode, inviting listeners to submit questions for the panel to answer.
Host Max Rushden is joined by contributors Barry Glendenning, John Brewin and Jonathan Wilson to work through listener submissions. The panel discusses a range of topics from officiating and tournament organisation to how they occupy their time away from the sport, giving football fans analysis during the quieter months when few matches are played.