Race, Class, and the Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game

International football is a beloved sport, but beneath the surface lies a legacy shaped by empire, exploitation, and racial hierarchy. In this episode, we explore how major European clubs and leagues benefit from a global system where talent is scouted, commodified, and exploited, and where dark-skinned players face racist abuse.We dive into the political economy of soccer: the role of FIFA, the Premier League, and global sports markets in maintaining structural imbalances. We look at the ways in which international football mirrors colonial labor systems or even the auction block, and how politics and profit have always been central to the game. Is football still a beautiful game, or a global empire in disguise? We dedicate this episode to Palestinian footballers. Since October 2023, nearly 440 Palestinian football players and support staff in the West Bank and Gaza have been killed.