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Part 1 is all about the biggest domestic cup shocks and upsets across the globe, starting with Spaeri. But does their association with a government entity make it less of a fairytale triumph for the fast-rising second-tier Georgians? The focus then turns to other lower-league cup triumphs in 2024, including Senegal, where the final set an almost unbelievable all-time record. The segment concludes with our stand-out cupsets of the season in Spain, Austria, Norway and Denmark, where two top-flight teams have been hit with an expensive fine for a snowball fight.

Up next in Part 2 is a whistlestop tour of the globe, with five stories from five continents. In Europe, Serie D outfit Piacenza race through three coaches in one day, while a passionate fan tries to smuggle his grandfather’s skull into a continental final in South America. A striker hoping to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the Asian Champions League joins the wrong Esteghlal in Iran, TP Mazembe get stuck at the airport for two nights ahead of an African Champions League tie and Central American Cup winners Alajuelense want a place at the FIFA Club World Cup.

For bonus episodes, extra blog posts, weekly World Football Newsletters, sneak peaks at our agenda, football shirt giveaways and access to our magnificent Discord community, join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for a fiver a month and support our independent journalism. There are no contracts, no sign-up fees, no minimum stays and no advertisements. The next bonus episode – featuring our favourite stories from the 2024 calendar year – will be released on Wednesday 18 December.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:00 – Intro

00:39 – A Spaeri-tale Georgian Cup triumph

06:17 – Senegal’s lower-league final

09:53 – Cupsets across the continent

17:12 – An expensive Danish snowball fight

20:28 – Africa: TP Mazembe’s airport disaster

24:28 – Europe: Piacenza’s mental 24 hours

28:51 – South America: A smuggled skull in Paraguay

31:50 – Asia: A transfer to the wrong Esteghlal

35:13 – North & Central America: Alajuelense’s CWC claim

37:46 – The 2024 Intercontinental Cup on FIFA+

Editor: Ralph Foster