WNYC Studios and Roger Bennett of the sports show Men in Blazers have announced American Fiasco — a 12-episode podcast series chronicling the U.S. men’s soccer team and their disastrous bid to win the 1998 World Cup. It debuts Monday, June 4.
“In the lead-up to the 2018 World Cup, we’re revisiting the story of one of the most heartbreaking, self-inflicted defeats in sports history,” said Emily Botein, Vice President of On-Demand Content, WNYC Studios. “We’re thrilled to partner with Roger Bennett, whose absorbing interviews and storytelling unveil the story you didn’t know. American Fiasco is a fascinating case study for sports enthusiasts, history buffs, and podcast lovers alike.”
“I’ve been waiting 20 years to dive into this epic, untold story. It combines my two greatest passions: soccer and America,” said Bennett, a Liverpool-born American citizen. “American Fiasco is set in a time… when American soccer was truly lost in the wilderness. Then came a World Cup played on American soil, which nurtured a team of telegenic, cocksure American players, which in turn begat the rather American conviction that the U.S. could, in four years’ time, become a dark-horse threat at the next World Cup.”
American Fiasco will release its first six episodes on Monday, June 4, on FiascoPodcast.com, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and all other places where podcasts may be downloaded. The remaining six episodes will follow on Monday, June 11.
