Sooz and David are here to ring in the new year! The World Cup will be the biggest soccer event in the world in 2026 but the Committee aims to pull back and see the wider scope of soccer locally and abroad from the leap until the end of 2026, complete with specific dates. From pre-season at Coachella Valley on Feb. 7th, through the World Cup’s kickoff on June 11th, to the NWSL Championship and U-17 World Cup in November, the Committee reviews it all to kick off the new year in the sport.

Listen to First Touch ’26 Capsule Podcasts to prepare for the 2026 World Cup: https://linktr.ee/firsttouchksm

Subscribe to The Kickback Minutes here: https://kickbacksoccer.com/

03:44 - Coachella Valley Invitational

07:54 - Season Kickoffs

16:57 - CONCACAF Champions Cup

19:17 - FIFA World Cup Intercontinental Playoffs

22:36 - UEFA Champions League

25:20 - 2026 World Cup

34:02 - US League Breaks and Post-Season

38:32 - Ballon D’or

40:57 - U20 & U17 Men’s and Women’s World Cup

42:24 - Closer

Hey Kickback crew this is David dropping a sample of our new podcast "Kickback '26". We have built a capsule like this for every country that has qualified for 2026 World Cup so far. They all follow a similar format covering the history of the sport, top world cup moments/soccer moments for each country, urban legend or unsung heroes, and young players to know. All the episode are between 10-18 minutes long so consumable and easy to binge! About a quarter of them have interviews as well including players, fans, and journalists. Please follow the link below if you enjoy this and share with anyone you think might like it as well!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kickback-26/id1857994985

https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vx00ibBgMbgB5Y2LaQ8WN

The Committee gather to present the Ultimate Soccer Holiday Gift Guide. Books, Apparel, a Video Game and more for this 2025 holiday season. David presents his pitch and story for a Hallmark Christmas Soccer Movie and we are ENTHRALLED by the end of the tale.

Kickback Committee’s 2025 Ultimate Soccer Holiday Gift Guide

Adidas 2026 World Cup Kits: https://www.soccer.com/shop/products/fifa-world-cup

Despelote: https://despelote.game/

The Messi Effect by Paul Tenorio: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-messi-effect-9781250364173/

The Striker by Ana Huang: https://anahuang.com/books/thestriker/

TSA Pre-Check: https://www.tsa.gov/precheck

Away Luggage: https://www.awaytravel.com/collections/carry-on-luggage

Body Armor Zero Sugar Drink Packets: https://www.drinkbodyarmor.com/flash-iv-sticks

Dirt Pitch Apparel: https://dirtpitch.com/

Dreadfully Drawn Illustrations: https://www.dreadfullydrawn.co.uk/

02:37 - The Committee’s Soccer Holiday Gift Guide

25:53 - David’s Pitch for a Soccer Hallmark Christmas Movie