Advertise on podcast: More than the Score

Lebanon might not be the first place you think of when you think of rugby league, but their men's national team, the Cedars, have reached the quarter-finals at the past two World Cups. The team is composed of players from Australia's large Lebanese diaspora, several of whom are leading names in one of the world's top leagues, the NRL. Lebanon's own national federation is working to build the domestic game too - something that's proved increasingly challenging given the crises the country has faced in recent years. More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd hears from Gaby Haddad, chief operating officer of the Lebanese Rugby League Federation, about the sport's history in Lebanon, his hopes for developing domestic players who can star on the world stage, and the battle his federation faces to persuade eligible players to represent them. They're also joined by Simon Smale from Australia's public broadcaster, the ABC, who tells us more about some of the players with Lebanese roots who've become big names in the game. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations across a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018. During the period in question, City spent around $1.5 billion on transfers and won eight trophies - including three Premier League titles - but the club was found to have artificially inflated revenue through "sham" sponsorship agreements. City have always protested their innocence, and have lodged an appeal. In a short statement, they said the commission's ruling contained "clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe". So just how damaging could this case be for both Manchester City and the Premier League, and how does it compare to some of sport's other major scandals? More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd is joined by Kieran Maguire, professor of football finance at the University of Liverpool, and Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at Emlyon Business School, to discuss the case and its potential consequences - as well as how far its impact could extend beyond football. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland’s controversial winner in the recent Manchester derby has reignited the debate over VAR in football. Should the video assistant referee be scrapped, or can it be improved? How does it work in other countries, and can football learn anything from other sports? Former Premier League VAR official Graham Scott and CBS Sports analyst Michael Lahoud - a former Sierra Leone and MLS striker - join the BBC's John Bennett to debate ten ways VAR could be improved. We also hear from the BBC’s football issues correspondent Dale Johnson, who explains how VAR works across Europe, as well as BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones, who explains how video technology works in rugby. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

If you've watched cycling on TV, you've probably seen people racing away from the rest of the pack, or peloton - then struggling alone for mile after mile, before eventually being caught again. It's a hard, risky way to go for the victory, and doesn't often succeed. But what's it like when it does? Sigrid Haugset shocked the cycling world this summer when she rode nearly 90km on her own to win a stage of the Tour de France Femmes - the longest solo breakaway in the race's history. Her efforts also saw her become the first Norwegian woman to wear its famous yellow jersey. During his competitive career, Steve Cummings gained a reputation as one of cycling's most adventurous racers, winning stages of the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, as well as Olympic and World Championship medals for Great Britain. He now works as a directeur sportif for the Jayco AlUla team, masterminding the victories of other riders. They talk to More than the Score's Lee James and the BBC's Matt Warwick about the art of the breakaway - how to know when to go, and what it takes to stay away. They also give an insight into the kind of thoughts that go through a rider's head when they take on the world alone. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Kenya is the second-most successful country in the history of the World Athletics Championships, but none of its 72 gold medals have been won on home soil. But in 2029, the tournament will head to Nairobi - and Africa - for the first time in its history. More than the Score's Lee James talks to BBC Africa's Celestine Karoney and former Boston and Los Angeles Marathon winner Wesley Korir about the years of work that have gone into bringing the Championships to Kenya, from developing infrastructure to lessons learned from other major sporting events - including the Africa Cup of Nations. Will this be a tournament that connects with Kenya's huge and passionate athletics fanbase, and what could its wider significance be for the country? Plus, with so many current champions hailing from Africa, what does it mean to them for one of the sport's biggest occasions to finally be held on the continent? Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Ben Shelton's defeat by Alexander Zverev in the US Open final means it's now been 23 years since an American last won a men's Grand Slam singles title. That didn't seem likely when Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi ruled men's tennis - but what does it really say about America's place in the tennis world? More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd talks to former professional player Denis Kudla, who's now a coach at Maryland's Junior Tennis Champions Centre - the place where US Open men's semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe and women's doubles finalist Robin Montgomery learned the game. He tells Delyth about his journey through the US developmental system, and how he built a 16-year career that saw him play at all four Grand Slams. He also shares the lessons he's now instilling in young players, and the importance of role models in their development. Delyth's also joined by Ben Rothenberg, editor of tennis magazine Bounces, who talks about why US women have had much more recent success at Grand Slams than their male counterparts - and why he believes a breakthrough on the men's side could happen very soon. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

This year, the US Open gave accreditation to nearly 100 social media influencers and content creators. The tournament sees them as crucial to helping promote tennis to younger audiences - but they've also been accused of disrupting matches. Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka are among the players who have complained about crowd behaviour at Flushing Meadows, with umpires having to pause some matches due to excess noise and bright lights in the stands. But do influencers deserve this criticism - and what are content creators and tennis gaining from each other? Rachel Stuhlmann, one of the world's leading tennis influencers, tells More than the Score's Delyth Lloyd how she's built her career over the past decade, and the day-to-day realities of creating content at the world's biggest tournaments. Delyth's also joined by Sara Gordano from the sports business site Sportico, who explains tennis's relationship with the creator economy - and why the US Open's "party" atmosphere gives it a very different character from other Grand Slams. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Schalke are one of the traditional giants of German football, with seven top-flight titles and the UEFA Cup among their list of honours. Their imposing stadium, the Arena AufSchalke, has hosted World Cup games and the Champions League final. But in recent years, the team from the former mining city of Gelsenkirchen have been in the doldrums. They spent four of the past five seasons in German football's second tier - but have now returned to the Bundesliga. Can fans start dreaming big once more? More than the Score's Mani Djazmi talks to former player Christian Fuchs and BBC Sport's Nathan Edwards about Schalke's past and present, their bitter rivalry with Borussia Dortmund, and what it will take for them to return to their former glories. We also hear from Schalke's head coach Miron Muslic, who told the BBC's Euro Leagues podcast about what legendary Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko has brought to the club. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

The build-up to the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations was chaotic, with short-notice changes to qualification and even the dates of the tournament itself. But once the action got under way, it was packed with shocks and surprises. Cameroon scored upset wins over Nigeria and Morocco on their way to their first-ever Wafcon title, with star-making performances from the likes of Monique Ngock and Michaely Bihina. Malawi also had a fairytale run to the final, fuelled by goals from the Chawinga sisters. But does this changing of the guard mean a brighter future for African's women football? Sophia Hartley talks to journalists Busisiwe Mokwena and Biola Solace-Chukwu about the big takeaways from this year's Wafcon, and what's next for the players and teams that made their names at the tournament. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

The Women's Professional Baseball League, or WPBL, is the first attempt this century to establish a professional women's baseball competition in the US. Four teams, representing New York, LA, San Francisco and Boston, are facing off in Springfield, Illinois for its inagural title. Can the WPBL follow in the footsteps of what the WNBA and PWHL have done for basketball and ice hockey - and why has baseball yet to create a successful pro league for women? Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Jose Mourinho has been appointed as manager of Real Madrid for a second time, 14 years after leading them to the La Liga title. The "Special One" has one of the most formidable reputations in world football - but it's been more than a decade since he last won a league title. His last two managerial roles, at Fenerbahce and Benfica, both ended without trophies. More than the Score's John Bennett is joined by BBC pundit Pat Nevin and Spanish football journalist Eduardo Alvarez to analyse Mourinho's return to Madrid, and whether he can still get the best out of superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior. Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon also gives his verdict on whether Mourinho is the right man for the job. Plus, Robert Huth and Chris Smalling give their insights into how Mourinho runs a dressing room, and we get perspectives from Portugal and Italy with journalists Duarte Monteiro and Daniele Verri. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Tadej Pogacar has dominated the Tour de France once again, and now has his sights set on this year's Vuelta a Espana - the only one of cycling's triple crown races he's yet to win. Few would bet against him taking that title too. But how has one man become the dominant force in one of the world's most notoriously gruelling sports - and does anyone have a hope of stopping him? Jonathan Vaughters is the general manager of the EF Education-EasyPost team, one of the rivals of Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates squad. He tells More than the Score's Mani Djazmi why taking on Pogacar is so difficult, and why he believes the 27-year-old may be his own biggest competition. Vaughters also shares his thoughts on drug testing in cycling, and argues its approach is far more rigorous than other sports. Mani's also joined by the BBC's Matt Warwick, who discusses what Pogacar's dominance means for the sport as a spectacle. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

In 2018, Neeraj Chopra won javelin gold at the Commonwealth Games. It was the first major senior victory of his career, and he followed it up with gold at the Olympics and World Championships. More than the Score's Lee James talks to Neeraj about the medal that changed his life, and the effect it's had on Indian sport. Neeraj also discusses this year's Commonwealth Games, where he's facing a field packed with Olympic and world champions, including Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, Kenya's Julius Yego and Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago - and explains why he's learned important lessons about listening to his body. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

The World Cup may be over, but there's a whole world of sport to explore - and every week, we'll be doing just that. Search More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts, and follow and subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode.

After another disrupted build-up, the Women's Africa Cup of Nations returns, just one year on from the last tournament. Now expanded to 16 teams, Wafcon enters a new era. Can Nigeria complete "Mission XI" by claiming an unprecedented 11th continental title? Will hosts Morocco, runners-up in the last two tournaments, finally lift the trophy on home soil? Can South Africa bounce back after a disappointing finish at the last edition? Or will Zambia’s talented golden generation continue their resurgence? This year also marks a milestone for tournament debutants Malawi and Cape Verde, whose participation reflects the growing reach of the women’s game across Africa. Does the expanded format offer more opportunities for smaller nations to make history? Maz Farookhi is joined by two of Africa’s leading women’s football journalists, Busisiwe Mokwena and Biola Solace-Chukwu. Together, they assess the title contenders, examine the biggest talking points on and off the pitch, and explore what this Wafcon could reveal about the future of women’s football on the continent. Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore