Episode 705 – The AFTN Soccer Show (A Season For The Ages Comes To An End - Whitecaps’ MLS Cup heartbreak, stadium issues and roster decisions, World Cup draw)

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and World Cup draw chat. And I think this might be our longest episode so far!

Vancouver Whitecaps' 2025 season came to a heartbreaking end against Inter Miami in Saturday's MLS Cup. It was a battling performance but they were beaten by Messi and themselves in the end, leaving a bitter tinge of what could have been, but it shouldn't overshadow what has been the club's best season ever. We pick over the bones of the game, chat about how the Whitecaps take that next step now after the bar has been set so high, and hear from head coach Jesper Sorensen about that.

We also chat about the Whitecaps end of season roster decisions, managing the squad and the salary cap next season, and the big talking point that will carry on over the offseason, the club's stadium issues both at their current home at BC Place and their desire to build a new stadium up at the Hastings Racecourse. The latter seems closer, with a possible announcement of a MOU coming this week, but the former still doesn't appear to have both sides close to an agreement. We also hear from Whitecaps GM Axel Schuster about it all and BC Place GM Chris May.

And there's time to delve into the farcical 2026 World Cup draw that feels like it still might be going on! We look at the paths ahead for Canada, Scotland, and the matches we'll host here in Vancouver.

Music-wise, it's December, so you know what that means - the return of AFTN's Festive Fifteen! Our countdown of our favourite tracks of the year continues with the songs at positions 10 to 12, plus we have a World Cup themed song in Wavelength.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.32: Intro - Christmas in the searing heat isn't right!
10.25: The end of a great Whitecaps season and taking that next step
29.25: Whitecaps MLS Cup heartbreak against Miami
74.52: 2025 Festive Fifteen - #12 I See Orange - Feebleness
79.15: How the initial Whitecaps offseason shapes up
85.00: The Whitecaps' current and future stadium issues
114.23: 2025 Festive Fifteen - #11 Kneecap - Sayōnara
118.20: Whitecaps roster decisions
158.16: 2025 Festive Fifteen - #10 Mog - Voices
162.00: World Cup draw analysis
202.25: Wavelength - Stari Most - Group of Death