# FIFA World Cup 2026 - discussion etc **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [October 14, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962 "2025-10-14T15:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/281 "2026-04-20T12:18:42Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Do they plan to perform the national anthem too? I assume so since that is a normal part of world cup games? What’s unusual is that Americans play the anthem at domestic games, not that anthems play at World Cup games. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/282 "2026-04-20T12:33:12Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Do they plan to perform the national anthem too? I hope the guests bring vuvuzelas. No grudges? It’s about time! Yeah, it could be interesting. I was at a New England Revolution match last week against Montreal, and Montreal’s traveling fans are always way up in a corner of the second deck, away from the rest of the fans. They kept chanting something I couldn’t distinguish during the singing of the Canadian national anthem; then, they fell dead silent during the US national anthem until “…and the rockets’ red glare”, at which point they erupted in boos and whistles for the remainder of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/283 "2026-04-20T12:37:28Z")
I guess he means the U.S. anthem in games that do not feature the U.S. team. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/284 "2026-04-20T12:53:07Z")
I meant to ask whether they (the US-hosts) plan to play _their_ national anthem before _other team’s_ games. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/285 "2026-04-20T12:54:01Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > I guess he means the U.S. anthem in games that do not feature the U.S. team Oh, gotcha. Actually, they might. Apparently NHL stadiums will play the American anthem before a game even if two Canadian teams are playing, and some stadiums like Buffalo will play both anthems regardless of which teams are playing (so Oh Canada will play even if two American teams are up). But that’s the NHL’s choice, and none of the national leagues are involved here. I guess it would be up to the stadiums and many of them may very well do it. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/286 "2026-04-20T12:58:20Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Actually, they might. Then my bet is that President Ineptstein will forbid vuvuzelas by presidential decree after the first five games at the latest. Until then they will sell very well, this is a short lived business oportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/287 "2026-04-20T13:04:29Z")
So let’s sum up: - ICE and general xenophobic bullshittery - Extremely expensive tickets - Extremely expensive transportation to and from the stadiums - Public without football culture and visitors from countries that do have it probably not going doing to the first 3 points. - U.S. anthem in games that do not feature the U.S. - A frigging “half-time show” in the Diego-blessed World Cup final. 🤮 It may end up being an interesting World Cup, the event has a way of transcending the environment it’s played on, but it doesn’t look good. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/288 "2026-04-20T13:10:03Z")
A US anthem and a “halftime show” you can take a piss during are a lot less disruptive to football culture than banning all alcohol by surprise two days before matches started after repeatedly assuring everyone it wouldn’t be a problem. And at least the Mexico matches should more than pull their weight when it comes to football culture. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/289 "2026-04-20T13:13:19Z")
Indeed, even the current USA (reminder: only one third of the World Cup organizers) have _ **not yet** _ managed to make Qatar look good. > [@WotNot](#): > > Give it time. The tournament hasn’t even started yet. Your wish is my command. > [@Babale](#): > > And at least the Mexico matches will not be played in the USA, will they? At least not until semi-finals or so, if they manage to get that far. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/290 "2026-04-20T13:19:17Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > A US anthem and a “halftime show” you can take a piss during are a lot less disruptive to football culture than banning all alcohol by surprise two days before matches started after repeatedly assuring everyone it wouldn’t be a problem. Not to me, I don’t drink when watching football. Plus, the public drinking or not drinking _does not affect the game itself_ a 25 minute half-time does. > [@Babale](#): > > And at least the Mexico matches should more than pull their weight when it comes to football culture. IMHO Mexico and football culture do not belong in the same sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/291 "2026-04-20T13:20:22Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Indeed, even the current USA (reminder: only one third of the World Cup organizers) have _ **not yet** _ managed to make Qatar look good. That’s what I had in mind when I said that the event has a way of transcending its sourroundings. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/292 "2026-04-20T13:43:08Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > IMHO Mexico and football culture do not belong in the same sentence. (this is a joke by the way, Mexico does have a football culture, horrible horrible culture but they do have it) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/293 "2026-04-20T13:46:05Z")
Throwing bags of pee at visiting teams is a tradition, not an infringement! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/294 "2026-04-20T13:55:25Z")
~~The~~ ~~One of the~~ _ **a** _ problem with Mexican football culture is that some of their customs are directly in opposition the real, original, valid ones (read: Rioplatense). A galling example, people who know football don’t chant “ole” unless: 1. Their team is winning 2. By at least 2 goals of difference Mexican fans start chanting “ole” whenever they feel like it, and don’t understand how humiliated they should be to lose a game in which they chanted it. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/295 "2026-04-20T14:00:52Z")
Also, while they didn’t invent the execrable (Mexican) wave, they certainly popularized it. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/296 "2026-04-20T14:05:43Z")
Or screaming “Puto!” at the top of their lungs when the opposite team goalkeeper puts the ball in the game, or always believing their team is a candidate to win the big thing when they have never passed the round of 8, or … ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/297 "2026-04-22T14:01:54Z")
I went back to the FIFA Unity bid book to see what we’d promised to FIFA. Such promises are of course nonsense, as both sides surely realized, but necessary to help create public support. - No new stadiums, and mostly current infrastructure. Pretty much! - “World class” and FREE public transportation. Hahahahahaha. - Seamless border crossing between the three nations for ticketed fans. LOL. - Regional clusters to minimize travel. Kind of? It’s true I think for group stages, but then knockouts are all over the place, so you could be following your group stage winner to a different country. Overall: no surprises. ETA: oh, apparently there was a renegotation on travel costs. And apparently local reps tried to hit up FIFA for travel money, that should go well. [FIFA ‘surprised’ by US backlash as transport costs skyrocket at World Cup | World Cup 2026 News | Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/4/16/fifa-surprised-by-us-backlash-as-transport-costs-skyrocket-at-world-cup) ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/298 "2026-04-23T08:48:24Z")
Frankly anyone travelling to the US to watch this sh\*tshow needs their head examined. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/299 "2026-04-23T08:50:21Z")
I guess this is the thread I should have mentioned this, not the **[omnibus football](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omnibus-world-football-thread-2020-2022-edited/918264/1794)** thread. Sorry for the double link: > **[Trump envoy asks Fifa to replace Iran with Italy at World Cup finals](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/apr/22/trump-envoy-seeks-to-replace-iran-with-italy-at-world-cup-says-report)** > > The US special envoy Paolo Zampolli confirmed he had suggested Italy go to the World Cup as doubts remain over Iran’s participation ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/300 "2026-04-23T10:01:49Z")
Eh, I’m just pleased there are enough association football fans on this board to keep any threads going. Both are fine with me. Also, I did the bad thing, and I bought WC tickets. Apologies to everyone for supporting the vile corrupt regime. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=16)