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Episode Notes
Lobbing Scorchers, Ari Liljenwall and Noah Riffe break down the first week of the 2026 World Cup with the group stage opening round officially in the books. Egyptian supporters took over Seattle for Belgium and Egypt, downtown fan zones were buzzing without the USMNT even playing in town yet, and Seattle looks every bit the part FIFA hoped it would be. Has the Emerald City already made the case for an even bigger role in future FIFA events?
Lobbing Scorchers digs into the USMNT stock after a 4-1 demolition of Paraguay, with Folarin Balogun emerging as a Golden Boot candidate and Gio Reyna finding his form. But how much should expectations actually change after just one game, and could Australia, with Mohamed Touré and Nestory Irankunda, be a tougher test than anyone is giving them credit for?
The boys share their favorite World Cup moments so far: Cape Verde keeper Vozinha goes from 50,000 Instagram followers to 10.9 million after the Spain draw, Messi drops a hat trick on Algeria, Haaland and Mbappe both bag braces, and FC Dallas striker Petar Musa scores for Croatia in a 4-2 loss to a sharp looking England side.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
Contact: lobbingscorchers@justoncemedia.com
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"Seattle is proving FIFA made the right call" is an episode of Lobbing Scorchers. Runtime 1 hr 21 min. Published June 18, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
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Quick FAQ
- When was this episode published?
- June 18, 2026.
- How long is this episode?
- 1 hr 21 min.
- What podcast is this from?
- Lobbing Scorchers. Browse the full back catalog on the show page.
- What does this episode cover?
- Lobbing Scorchers covers soccer. This episode runs on the show's regular cadence.
