Christopher Corey - Owner & President at Walton & Hersham FC

Inside the realities of modern football ownership, very few voices operate across both the U.S. and UK ecosystems with true, first-hand experience.

In this episode of the One Soccer Nation Podcast, Kareem Rae sits down with Christopher Corey, Owner & President of Walton & Hersham FC, to break down what actually works in football, what is fundamentally broken in the United States, and what real structural change could look like ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

This is not theory.

This is an operator-level conversation on sustainability, governance, cultural differences, and the future of the global game.

Key themes include:
• Why most U.S. soccer clubs struggle to survive
• The reality of running a sustainable football club in England
• Cultural gaps between U.S. and UK football ecosystems
• Promotion & relegation vs closed league systems
• The “murder pyramid” and why grassroots clubs disappear
• Media, community, and building a modern football club
• What must change in American soccer right now

For investors, operators, and leaders across the game, this is a clear look at how football is actually built, financed, and scaled.

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👉 Interested in appearing on the podcast or partnering?

Reach out directly via email to Kareem Rae: kr@onesoccernation.com

One Soccer Nation Website: onesoccernation.com

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© 2025 One Soccer Nation, under exclusive license to One Soccer Nation LLC.

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DISCLAIMER: Kareem Rae runs One Soccer Nation (OSN) all views expressed by him and the guests on his podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the views of One Soccer Nation. You should not treat any opinion expressed by Kareem or his guests as a specific inducement to make a particular investment or follow a particular strategy, but only as an expression of his personal opinion. This podcast is for informational purposes only.

Investment opportunities are offered through One Soccer Nation LLC.

The information contained herein is provided for informational and discussion purposes only and is not intended to be a recommendation for any investment, service, product, or other advice of any kind, and shall not constitute or imply an offer of any kind. Any investment opportunities and/or products or services shown here will only be completed pursuant to formal offering materials, a letter of intent, and/or any other agreements as determined by One Soccer Nation containing full details regarding risks, minimum investment, fees, and expenses of such transaction. The terms of any product, service, or particular investment opportunity, including size, costs, and other characteristics, are set forth in the applicable constituent documents for such product, service or particular investment opportunity and may differ materially from those presented in this presentation. Such terms are subject to change without notice. Quotes included in these materials related to One Soccer Nation’s services should not be construed in any way as an endorsement of One Soccer Nation's advice, analysis, or other service rendered to its clients/investors.

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Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction & Guest Overview
00:40 – How Christopher Corey Entered the Game
02:25 – Most Meaningful Moments in Football
03:45 – The Reality of Owning a Football Club
05:07 – Becoming an Owner-Operator
07:03 – Learning to Run a Club
08:51 – Building a Sustainable Football Model
10:04 – U.S. Investors Entering UK Football
13:21 – Sunderland, Wrexham & Club Value
14:51 – 100+ Years of Walton & Hersham FC
17:03 – Fan Culture: UK vs North America
20:35 – Pressure of Promotion & Relegation
24:05 – Building a Winning Culture
25:43 – U.S. vs UK Soccer Ecosystems
29:16 – What’s Broken in American Soccer
33:22 – Structural Barriers & Federation Issues
38:25 – Who Has the Power to Drive Change
40:16 – Designing the Ideal U.S. Pyramid
44:25 – USL Pro/Rel & Market Dynamics
47:52 – Player Development & Exporting Talent
49:13 – Media Strategy & Club Growth
51:01 – Media as Revenue vs Community Tool
52:29 – The “Murder Pyramid” Explained
56:04 – Why Clubs Fold in the U.S.
58:05 – Will Change Actually Happen?
1:00:15 – World Cup 2026 Predictions
1:04:01 – Rapid Fire Insights
1:07:07 – Long-Term Vision as an Owner
1:07:10 – Closing Thoughts