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Re: World Cup 2026

Patman360 — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:44:49 GMT

Author: Patman360

Posted: 06/23/2026 14:44

Hard to look past the usual suspects, have drawn Netherlands and Belgium in our various group busters so that's where my hopes are, more hope in the Dutch clearly as Belgium aren't going at all, their time has come and gone.

France and Mbappe have looked decent so far, maybe the midfield is lacking compared to previous years but their attackers are probably the strongest in the world on their day?
I always find Olise a joy to watch.

Spain when they're on it can beat anyone, but the lack of a fully fit Yamal and Williams has slowed them somewhat, as their so integral to their plans.

England are England and have world class players but being Irish can't bear discussing them as potentially winners.

Portugal have a problem in Ronaldo, there's probably a better balanced team out there without him somewhere.

Messi still firing at the moment, Argentina mightn't get on so easy in the latter rounds but they're a serious threat also.

Not sure what to make of Brazil yet, Morocco continue to impress me in patches, and Norway and Haaland could be thrown in the dark horse pile.

Oh yeah, and the Germans, never underestimate the Germans.

Torn between France and Spain overall at the moment, whoever can get their squad clicking the most consistently of those 2 will win for me.

Re: World Cup 2026

Repo — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:04:06 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 06/23/2026 03:04

AfterHours wrote:

Link

Real football, for fellow elitists

I want more!!! Most brilliant match! 🤣

Re: World Cup 2026

AfterHours — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:20:24 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 06/22/2026 16:20

Link

Real football, for fellow elitists

Re: World Cup 2026

Johnnyo — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:05:40 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/19/2026 17:05

Hayden wrote:

kokkinos wrote:

junodog4 wrote:

I root for Canada

Hayden wrote:

& all I really want is for Canada to win a game... we've never done it, and it's time—

Aaand you've done it, congrats! Enjoy the moment!

Now that was a win 😎
Y'done it boys—

If you’re going to win your first World Cup match, win it big. Thoroughly deserved victory

Re: World Cup 2026

Hayden — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 01:04:30 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 06/19/2026 05:04

kokkinos wrote:

junodog4 wrote:

I root for Canada

Hayden wrote:

& all I really want is for Canada to win a game... we've never done it, and it's time—

Aaand you've done it, congrats! Enjoy the moment!

Now that was a win 😎
Y'done it boys—

Re: World Cup 2026

kokkinos — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:27:58 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 06/19/2026 00:27

junodog4 wrote:

I root for Canada

Hayden wrote:

& all I really want is for Canada to win a game... we've never done it, and it's time—

Aaand you've done it, congrats! Enjoy the moment!

On the other hand, such a shame that Kone's terrible injury turned this into a Pyrrhic victory...

Re: World Cup 2026

AfterHours — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:41:49 GMT

Author: AfterHours

Posted: 06/17/2026 17:41

I’m a casual when it comes to Soccer/Futbol.

So while I’m not pulling for Radiohead this time (nice one Madhattan!), I am for Messi and Argentina

One of my greatest sports memories is being at an Argentinian bar for the 2022 World Cup Final between Argentina and France

Being able to witness perhaps the greatest match in football history in that setting

Absolutely incredible to experience with the energy and drama and suspense and sheer jubilation that ensued

Still feel so lucky to this day to have been there

GO ARGENTINA!!!!

MESSI FOR THE HAT TRICK ALREADY!!!!

Re: World Cup 2026

Johnnyo — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:52:38 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/17/2026 12:52

kokkinos wrote:

Not sure what to make of Sweden. They had a poor qualifying campaign and were lucky to find a backdoor route to the World Cup. Also, I have a hard time trusting their manager. On the other hand, they have the attacking talent that can decide any match in their favour. In any case, Isak staying fit is an absolute necessity. It's a shame he's been plagued by injuries. We'll get a clear picture of where they stand after their two games vs Netherlands and Japan.

Agreed. The Netherlands and Japan are going to be really testing for them. It's a really tough group to decide who might finish one & two. Might all three get through to the knockout stages? Probably not!

Re: World Cup 2026

albummaster — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:19:06 GMT

Author: albummaster

Posted: 06/17/2026 08:19

kokkinos wrote:

last world cup was in Qatar which says it all and don't remember hydration breaks there. Understand partially if the temp is above x degrees, but not if game is played at night or temp doesn't reach the threshold (10pm in Vancouver?). Having a blanket rule smells to high heaven and just spoils a normal game, so make it per game (if any at all).

Re: World Cup 2026

kokkinos — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 19:53:05 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 06/16/2026 23:53

albummaster wrote:

what's killing me are the hydration ad breaks which totally kill the momentum and are a shocking addition. I thought Blatter was corrupt, but Infantino taking it to a new level. Spain was a surprise, but they lost the first match in SA and still ended up winning it.

Well, I never thought I'd see the day when football would be played in four quarters, but here we are. And it's funny to claim these breaks are for the players' health when they've expanded the tournament and increased the total number of matches played from 64 to 104. Apparently, there was even a case where the referee was asked to delay the restart so that more ads could be broadcast.
Words fail to capture the full extent of FIFA's/Infantino's corruption. And they show no signs of slowing down either, just look at how they twisted the rules to make sure the 2034 World Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia.
On Spain, I wouldn't draw any conclusion based on their opening match. Not only were they missing their two most potent attackers - Yamal and Nico - but it's clear they underestimated the opponent and complacency kicked in. As a result, their play lacked a sense of urgency. Still, full credit to Cape Verde for their inspired defensive performance and a shout-out to their 40(!)-year-old goalkeeper.

Johnnyo wrote:

I drew Sweden in the sweepstake so happy to see them having a great start. They definitely have goals in them. Isak could be one of the stars of the tournament

Re: World Cup 2026

MadhattanJack — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:33:53 GMT

Author: MadhattanJack

Posted: 06/16/2026 22:33

Johnnyo wrote:

Hydration breaks! You’re right, ad breaks. At some venues I get it but Who needs a hydration break in 22 degree air conditioned stadium?

Americans actually like hydration breaks, in fact we like all sorts of breaks, because our attention spans have been short-circuited, if not destroyed, but years of psychologically-abusive TV news.

Also, it's very hot and humid here in the USA, and all the stadiums are outdoors. They started doing hydration breaks in the NWSL a few years back, so we're used to them, but those get called only if the effective temperature, or "wet-bulb globe" temperature, goes above 82 degrees. (They might have set up something similar for the MLS, I don't remember.) If it goes above 93°, and there's a Heat Advisory Warning in effect for the area, you can also get an "Extreme Heat Delay" or even an outright cancellation. They started scheduling more night games to avoid those delays, but they had one just last year for a Prime Time game.

So I guess the big question is, will Radiohead be able to withstand the heat and humidity when they get to the final? Those guys aren't getting any younger, you know.

Re: World Cup 2026

Johnnyo — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:46:12 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/16/2026 17:46

kokkinos wrote:

The World Cup is supposed to be a celebration of football, the ultimate experience for players and fans alike. Admittedly, it feels less and less like it. The politics had already reared its ugly head in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, and it’s more of the same this time around – albummaster has already mentioned the most striking and embarrassing cases. The cost of the tournament is another reminder that football’s romantic era has been well and truly lost to the sands of time – examples include the absurd prices or the fact that no match starts on the hour because it needs to be over-commercialised. In short, the World Cup used to be a distraction from the world’s problems, now it’s a part of them. The number of teams is a valid concern, too, though it could be argued that moments like Cape Verde vs Spain make it all worthwhile.

Anyway, let’s try to enjoy what happens on the pitch. I agree that France and Spain are in a league of their own. I’d say France have the most talented squad, but Spain are functioning better as a team. I also expect Portugal to be there or thereabouts. They have the most complete midfield and that's where most games are decided. England and Brazil are tricky to call. They play an uninspiring brand of football, but they have elite managers who specialise in the knock-out format. I can’t see Argentina repeating their 2022 heroics, but a Ronaldo vs Messi final would break the internet. Germany are suspect defensively, most Dutch players had underwhelming seasons and Belgium have missed their window of opportunity. Can’t view any of them as contenders. Senegal look like Africa’s best bet, but can’t rule out Morocco. South Korea and Japan have balanced squads that can adapt to pretty much any opposition. Either of them could be the tournament's biggest overachievers, though the latter have been unlucky with injuries. Mexico are solid and always reliable, but I don’t think they have the individual quality for a really deep run. Actually, I was more impressed by how well-drilled the United States were. Not having to play any qualifying matches did wonders for their preparation.

The USA were way more impressive than I thought they might me. Decent squad and top draw manager. Might go far in the tournament. Dare I say, semi-finals?

Re: World Cup 2026

Johnnyo — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:41:05 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/16/2026 17:41

albummaster wrote:

Hydration breaks! You’re right, ad breaks. At some venues I get it but Who needs a hydration break in 22 degree air conditioned stadium?

Re: World Cup 2026

Johnnyo — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:39:04 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 06/16/2026 17:39

albummaster wrote:

Too many teams in it this time imho, leading to too many games which won't be competitive (already seeing some of those). France or Spain to win probably. Sweden as a surprise package. Disgusting how some of the teams/officials have been treated at immigration (except for Partey maybe). Iran should be interesting matches.

Agree there are too many teams but already we have seen some of the less favoured team doing well. Cape Verde! Wow. What a performance.

Best game for me so far was New Zealand v Iran. Just end to end.

I drew Sweden in the sweepstake so happy to see them having a great start. They definitely have goals in them. Isak could be one of the stars of the tournament

Re: World Cup 2026

albummaster — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 05:13:37 GMT

Author: albummaster

Posted: 06/16/2026 09:13

kokkinos wrote:

Re: World Cup 2026

MadhattanJack — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:46:27 GMT

Author: MadhattanJack

Posted: 06/16/2026 04:46

There are a lot of good teams, but this is BEA, so my money's still on Radiohead to win the whole thing. Though it'll probably come down to a penalty-kick shootout in the final, the way things are looking right now.

Re: World Cup 2026

kokkinos — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 20:14:41 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 06/16/2026 00:14

The World Cup is supposed to be a celebration of football, the ultimate experience for players and fans alike. Admittedly, it feels less and less like it. The politics had already reared its ugly head in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, and it’s more of the same this time around – albummaster has already mentioned the most striking and embarrassing cases. The cost of the tournament is another reminder that football’s romantic era has been well and truly lost to the sands of time – examples include the absurd prices or the fact that no match starts on the hour because it needs to be over-commercialised. In short, the World Cup used to be a distraction from the world’s problems, now it’s a part of them. The number of teams is a valid concern, too, though it could be argued that moments like Cape Verde vs Spain make it all worthwhile.

Anyway, let’s try to enjoy what happens on the pitch. I agree that France and Spain are in a league of their own. I’d say France have the most talented squad, but Spain are functioning better as a team. I also expect Portugal to be there or thereabouts. They have the most complete midfield and that's where most games are decided. England and Brazil are tricky to call. They play an uninspiring brand of football, but they have elite managers who specialise in the knock-out format. I can’t see Argentina repeating their 2022 heroics, but a Ronaldo vs Messi final would break the internet. Germany are suspect defensively, most Dutch players had underwhelming seasons and Belgium have missed their window of opportunity. Can’t view any of them as contenders. Senegal look like Africa’s best bet, but can’t rule out Morocco. South Korea and Japan have balanced squads that can adapt to pretty much any opposition. Either of them could be the tournament's biggest overachievers, though the latter have been unlucky with injuries. Mexico are solid and always reliable, but I don’t think they have the individual quality for a really deep run. Actually, I was more impressed by how well-drilled the United States were. Not having to play any qualifying matches did wonders for their preparation.

Re: World Cup 2026

albummaster — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:11:00 GMT

Author: albummaster

Posted: 06/15/2026 10:11

Too many teams in it this time imho, leading to too many games which won't be competitive (already seeing some of those). France or Spain to win probably. Sweden as a surprise package. Disgusting how some of the teams/officials have been treated at immigration (except for Partey maybe). Iran should be interesting matches.

Re: World Cup 2026

Hayden — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 03:23:24 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 06/15/2026 07:23

junodog4 wrote:

For context - I am Canadian, and my family is from England. I root for Canada and England. I have a soft spot for Denmark because of my wife, and I'd be happy to see Mexico win, as the country would go bananas. I generally root against Argentina and Italy (salty English fan) and USA (doesn't everyone outside America?)

I always look forward to the World Cup, but I've been lukewarm on Canada co-hosting since... well, for about a decade now... but... we're doing it? I guess—
We should've just outright hosted it though, y'know? And I think this ruins our chances of doing it solo for a long time—
Couldn't quite find myself hyped on the fact it'd be on home turf— it's just... too scant— we've got two patches of grass on the table— that's it—
Genuinely disappointed in the hosting situation, primarily for selfish reasons, but also the overall messiness—

Winnipeg, Montreal, Calgary, Halifax, etc— we could've done it—

Anywho—
I'm in South Korea and China for the cup—
Watching SK's comeback game was a bit of fun, especially because it was being played at lunchtime over here—
I still feel like my allegiance belongs to Mexico though, so I'm in a pickle for the next game—

I feel like the cup will go to one of the following, but I've still gotta watch the full first set of matches to really know—
Spain
France
England
Argentina

With these four getting my 'darkhorse' chances—
Morocco
Mexico
Portugal
Japan

(yes, you read that right, Japan— bonkers, I know—)
Brazil were a mess in their game... not sure how far they'll go if they keep playing like that—

I don't think any of the above is controversial or insane, and I look forward to following the cup the next month—

& all I really want is for Canada to win a game... we've never done it, and it's time—
We obviously have the best chance against Qatar, but if that ends in a tie... ugh—

Re: World Cup 2026

Cheddar — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 01:42:20 GMT

Author: Cheddar

Posted: 06/15/2026 05:42

I can't say I've been all that plugged into the football world recently, but I do love the World Cup, so I usually read up a bit and get really into it every four years. Of course I will root for my USA boys, but I have no illusions that we'll make a deep run. We have a fairly soft group (although the extra teams have made most of the groups a bit softer), so we could look really good out of qualifying and get some false hype going into the knockout stage, but I am not letting myself buy into the USA going far unless or until we make a strong showing at that stage against a contender. Plus Australia have already made things more interesting in that group. It will be interesting to see how we try and break down the defense that Türkiye couldn't.

For rooting interests outside of the US, I love the chaos of this tournament like you and generally want new blood. Although I do love Messi, so Argentina is probably the only one of the past 4 champions I'd be happy to see lift the trophy. I love when African teams go far (or really any team outside of Europe and the two SA juggernauts), so I'll be watching to see if Morocco or Senegal can make runs in the knockouts, with DR Congo being my dark horse out of Africa to make some unexpected noise. I agree that Mexico would be fun to see go deep since they have so much passion for the game and should get a boost from most of their matches being down there. Columbia is another good shout for American teams. I love me some Hueng Son Min, so I'll be hoping South Korea can make the knockouts from Asia. And for Europe I'll always pull for Sweden for heritage reasons and generally just want some new blood from there to do well (i.e. I enjoyed seeing Croatia's deep runs the past two World Cups).

As far as who I think will actually win, I have a feeling Mbappe and crew will get it done again or at the least make their third straight finals. I also wouldn't be surprised if England finally brings it home if only because we've already had a couple of different teams in major world sports break long championship droughts with the Knicks and Arsenal.