FIFA Club World Cup Kicks Off at Hard Rock Stadium

In this second episode of Goal Keepers, Morgan State student journalists visit Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the FIFA Club World Cup opening night at Hard Rock Stadium. They interview soccer fans from around the world and talk to Tim Weah from the Italian team Juventus. They also watched carefully as the U.S. Men's National Team entered the Group Stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. And they interviewed Florida Atlantic University professor Dr. Jermaine Scott about the growth of soccer in America and the black community.

Students from Morgan State University's School of Global Journalism and Communication have produced Goalkeepers: A weekly show covering global soccer, including the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 across 12 U.S. host cities and the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, combining news, analysis, long-form storytelling, and fan engagement.

Hosted by junior Brandon Henry and sophomore Peytn-Omaree Smith, the weekly show is a podcast/videocast developed by Morgan State University's Black SoccerLab. A new Goalkeepers program will appear weekly on Fridays, June 14 – July 13, 2025. The show is designed for: • American soccer fans who are curious about the global game. • African American, African, and Afro-Latinx audiences who see soccer as a cultural force. • Tactical purists who crave deep analysis. • Casual viewers are drawn in by storytelling and star power.

Photo Credit FIFA

About the Black SoccerLab

The Black SoccerLab functions as a pivotal intellectual and media hub, amplifying the narratives of soccer across the African-American community and the global African diaspora. Its mission encompasses: • Providing a scholarly platform to elucidate the historical and cultural dimensions of soccer within the African diaspora. • Celebrating and disseminating narratives of exceptional soccer talent and achievements in Black communities worldwide. • Analyzing and promoting the unifying and transformative potential of soccer across diverse cultural landscapes. • Advancing critical research and discourse on the socio-political implications of soccer within Black communities, addressing issues such as representation, equity, and access in the sport.