# 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:** 157
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3121 "2026-07-06T03:00:00Z")
England have to channel Ghana here ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3122 "2026-07-06T03:00:19Z")
I need Mexico to win for my money’s sake. I already lost some when Brazil lost today. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3123 "2026-07-06T03:01:32Z")
Were those two quick yellows? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3124 "2026-07-06T03:01:33Z")
Win or advance? Because they’re not winning. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3125 "2026-07-06T03:02:45Z")
Mexico injury - used all their subs - 10 to 10 for last bit here ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3126 "2026-07-06T03:03:01Z")
I wanted both Brazil and Mexico to advance. But at least having one or the other would be better than neither. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3127 "2026-07-06T03:05:29Z")
England win. Match of the tournament so far. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3128 "2026-07-06T03:05:37Z")
Wow , I need oxygen ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3129 "2026-07-06T03:05:38Z")
What a game. What a performance from England to go to the Azteca and put Mexico out in their own back yard. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3130 "2026-07-06T03:08:31Z")
Internet dropped right at 99 minutes. What a great day of futbal. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3131 "2026-07-06T03:15:29Z")
I hope the rest of the games are as entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3132 "2026-07-06T03:15:33Z")
The Azteca stadium was built 60 years ago and this is only the third time Mexico have ever lost a game there. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3133 "2026-07-06T03:19:06Z")
Wish I’d caught this game from the beginning, especially the two quick goals. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3134 "2026-07-06T03:24:41Z")
No doubt Kier Starmer is on the phone to Infantino right now asking to get Quansah’s suspension delayed till next year. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3135 "2026-07-06T03:36:36Z")
If they don’t want to rescind it they can argue that this red isn’t controversial in the least, but yeah anything that’s borderline I don’t know how you can argue the suspension should stand. That is if they care about maintaining a fig leaf of respectability. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3136 "2026-07-06T03:45:47Z")
Well, not the outcome I wanted, but damn that was a good game. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3137 "2026-07-06T03:53:57Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Already happened apparently: [Reddit - Please wait for verification](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fvar-is-pathetic-terrible-v0-jbmwwinarqah1.jpeg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3D32d4df79f985bb378c965dfd5b93597118c82b2f) I’d rather you simply tell us instead of making us have to click on a (dubious?) link. So what happened? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3138 "2026-07-06T03:54:56Z")
I dunno, maybe the thing that was being discussed immediately before the link. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3139 "2026-07-06T04:38:06Z")
Any time a player scores with his Johnson, it should count double. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2026, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3140 "2026-07-06T04:49:27Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > how do you judge someone falling and hurting someone with no clear view of the action? Players are continuously coming into contact with each other and that’s a normal part of the game. It ain’t easy, that’s for sure. One thing we used to teach referees is to look at the space between the bodies. It sounds a little crazy, but in that space you can see a lot of fouls going on. In the old days, there were just three officials: the referee (often erroneously called the ‘center’ or ‘center referee’), and two assistant referees. Then a fourth got added to the team, logically called the ‘fourth official’, and now we have the VAR at the higher levels of play. The three on the field are theoretically supposed to be able to see everything that happens on the pitch, and if they’re not using headsets, they have a system of communicating with flags and hands. In the instant case, however, the play in question was in a bad place for the team to see exactly what happened. The referee generally runs a diagonal from end to end, while the ARs run the touchline, each on one end of the field in opposite corners from each other. The ball was played long enough that the referee, who ideally is within 15-20 yards of the ball, was further away and running like hell to get there and did not have a good sightline, which makes it hard to ‘see between the bodies’. Neither AR was in a position to have a better look, and neither, for that matter, did the fourth official. The game is much harder to officiate than most other sports, which have a ton of stoppages baked into play, as well as a smaller field of play, and an equal or greater number of officials. Making it even more of a challenge, referees are often advised to let games flow, suggesting that blowing the whistle too often ruins it for everybody. All that being said, it was fun to do, and if my knee could take the pounding I’d still be doing it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=156) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=158)