Two novelists, Daniel Alarcón and John Green, friends since they were teenagers, tackle questions big and small around the World Cup and international football more generally. The only soccer podcast that regularly name checks Toni Morrison, The Away End is about much more than sport: it's about politics, literature and culture, with an eye toward those moments and spaces where our collective love of soccer reveals something unexpected about who we are.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Episode 30: A Story of Belonging, the Legend of Barry Fuller, and Our Collective World Cup Journey
On the 30th and final episode of Season 1 of The Away End, Daniel tells a story of his first international call-up, and how he got the name “Cabeza de Brócoli”. Then John
Jul 28 51 min
Episode 29: La Furia Roja, the Game that Didn’t Matter and Surprising Innovations in Football
On Episode 29 of The Away End, Daniel and John celebrate Spain for their World Cup victory and try to make sense of a miserable game that no one will ever willingly rewat
Jul 21 51 min
Episode 28: Goals That End Dreams, Cape Verde and Whoever Wins the World Cup, Plus the Friends We Made Along the Way
On Episode 28 of The Away End, Daniel and John talk about the semifinal matches, starting with the incredible England vs. Argentina match where Messi, once again did some
Jul 16 50 min
Episode 27: New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill Joins The Away End, Self-Celebration and the Everlasting Power of Lionel Messi
On Episode 27 of The Away End, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill joins John and Daniel for a look at how the state’s lead executive is dealing with hosting the world’s b
Jul 14 38 min
Episode 26: The Stars and Stripes, The Pharaohs and Los Cafeteros
On Episode 26 of The Away End, “To lose is to win a little bit.” As all the host countries have now been eliminated, there are lessons to be learned on how not to gain a
Jul 9 49 min
Episode 25: The Guts and Glory of Cape Verde, Those Who Must Tip the Scales and Other Revelations of Truth and Consequence
On Episode 25 of The Away End, the full spectrum of the World Cup is on display. We begin with everyone’s favorite Cape Verdean, Janine de Novais as she joins Daniel and
Jul 7 57 min
Episode 24: We Were Wrong About Everything Part 2, USMNT Outlook and the Vozinha Rule
On Episode 24 of The Away End, Daniel and John recap what we’ve seen so far and preview what’s to come including the USMNT’s prospects of making it to the Round of 16. Th
Jul 1 53 min
Episode 23: Even When You’re Wrong, You Can Still Be Right, Americana Culture with an Achy Breaky Heart Vibe, and Unforgettable Moments
On Episode 23 of The Away End, Daniel and John begin with a discussion of the differences between Messi and Ronaldo, "The Peru Rule", and the things that have made this T
Jun 24 45 min
Episode 22: Pochettino's Redemption, Alarcón vs. Jordan and the First Days of the World Cup
On Episode 22 of The Away End, The World Cup brings people together, and that includes Daniel, John and Sean who, after many years or maybe just a year apart, find themse
Jun 17 47 min
Episode 21: World Cup Brackets, Predictions, and an Enigmatic, Beautiful Man
On Episode 21 of The Away End podcast, the road to the long-awaited bracket reveal has come to an end! But first, Daniel and John have a disagreement over what John facet
Jun 10 44 min
Episode 20: Pochettino's Folly, Spain Deep Dive and Sweet Sweet Music
On Episode 20 of The Away End podcast, Daniel is recovering from a whirlwind weekend that included watching vignettes of the UEFA Champions League final between PSG and A
Jun 3 47 min
Episode 19: Super-Sized Listener Mailbag Edition
After Daniel takes a victory lap for his (Arsenal's) finish atop the Premiere League and talks about sharing the joy with his son Eliseo, albeit for different reasons, Jo
May 27 54 min
Episode 18: The Sadness of A One-Sided Rivalry, Brazil Deep Dive and Becoming a Football Legend in Just Three Months
On Episode 18 of The Away End, Daniel’s story about watching the Arsenal v. West Ham game and the aftermath leads John to zero in on a major problem with human behavior.
May 20 43 min
Episode 17: Seeking Beauty with Author Simon Kuper
Author of the new book, World Cup Fever: A Soccer Journey in Nine Tournaments, Simon Kuper joins The Away End for a discussion about football and the complexity of nation
May 13 48 min
Episode 16: TV for Chickens for Humans, Haiti Deep Dive, and Daniel's Honduran Fixer
On Episode 16 of The Away End, John has returned from England with something on his heart. After letting it out, he deep dives into the Haitian National Team. And Daniel
May 6 40 min
Episode 15: Failure is an Option, South Korea Deep Dive, and John Takes a Magical Bus Ride
On Episode 15 of The Away End, Daniel begins with a call to action regarding the current, Kafkaesque reality of being a football fan and wishing to attend a World Cup gam
Apr 29 53 min
Episode 14: The Tragedy of Poorly-Timed Injuries, the Corrosive Influence of Sports Gambling, and a Very Special Guest
On Episode 14 of The Away End, John and Daniel start with a discussion about the heartbreaking injury of the great Liverpool player, Hugo Ekitike and the implications it
Apr 22 1 h 01 min
Episode 13: Daniel Goes to an Arsenal Game, Germany Deep Dive and a Messy Messi Interview
On Episode 13 of The Away End, Daniel sets the tone with a story of his recent trip to London to see Arsenal play Bournemouth, and the ensuing disappointment and heckling
Apr 15 58 min
Episode 12: The World Cup Stage is Set, Bosnia and Herzegovina Deep Dive, and an Ode to Ali Al-Hamadi
On Episode 12 of The Away End, John and Daniel unpack the wins and losses of the final World Cup playoff games and begin to look ahead, now that the 48 World Cup teams ar
Apr 8 47 min
Episode 11: AFCON Insanity, England Deep Dive, and Daniel Plays an Epic Football Game at a Peruvian Prison
On Episode 11, Daniel and John dissect the latest in the saga of the AFCON Final aftermath between Senegal and Morocco, John does a deep dive into the English National te
Apr 1 50 min
Chart trend
Position in the Soccer chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#93#185JunJulAugSep
#2
all-time peak
2
days in the top 3 since Jan 2026
Chart positions
Where The Away End with Daniel Alarcón and John Green ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 25, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I’m going to a couple World Cup games for the first time in my life this year, and this podcast has been the best to get me ready for it. It’s my favorite storyteller and his friend who’s an excellent writer chatting about their passion for fútbol, their high school memories, and the ocasional writer or written work. It’s funny, accessible and they don’t take themselves too seriously. A new favorite, specially when Sean comes on.
phoenikera · Apr 2026
This podcast has me falling in love with soccer again. This podcast represents everything beautiful about the world cup, and anyone who is intending to watch the world cup should listen.
ooottt44444 · Apr 2026
I love this podcast so much! As a recently converted soccer/football fan, this podcast has helped me contextualize football history and get excited for this year’s World Cup. Daniel and John’s conversations are both entertaining and moving. I came for the football education, but I am staying for the insightful discussions about the human spirit, current events, personal investment in sport, literary references, etc. It’s more than just a sports pod, it’s a human pod! Thanks Daniel and John!
josclark · Apr 2026
I am new to the world of Football/soccer (apologies for my incurable American-ness) and attribute John as one of the people who inspired my interest in the sport. This is such a wonderful way to learn about the World Cup in a fun, thoughtful and informative way. Daniel, John and Sean are such a great team for this show. Thanks for fueling my passion for soccer/football! (PS Go Nashville SC!)
SheldonCMusic · Mar 2026
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
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About The Away End with Daniel Alarcón and John Green on Reason.fm
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Away End with Daniel Alarcón and John Green, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
