# 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:** 180
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3581 "2026-07-07T19:57:00Z")
Soccer (I mean football!) newbie here. I’m guessing it’s kind of like a close offsides that gets missed in hockey. If the defense immediately steals the puck and clears the zone, nobody cares about the offsides or asks for a review. If, OTOH, they score, then that’s a horse of a different color. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3582 "2026-07-07T19:59:59Z")
> [@Precambrianmollusc](#): > > I am going to have to root for Norway Treasonable offence!! ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3583 "2026-07-07T20:06:34Z")
One interesting perspective I’ve seen people talk about online is that it feels extra bad for how this Egypt goal was called back because they were essentially punished for being too efficient in their attack. Had they completed a few more passes in the midfield and then scored, it almost certainly would have stood. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3584 "2026-07-07T20:09:01Z")
Yet another of those grey areas in football where adding a video check just makes things even murkier. That’s the problem with the sport - so much room for interpretation and subjectivity. And I love it. It’s just that VAR really hasn’t worked in terms of taking the uncertainty away. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3585 "2026-07-07T20:18:07Z")
VAR it’s not a good idea, today it helped us, but tomorrow it will bite us in the ass, the net effect is negative for the sport, you can no longer celebrate a goal the moment it’s scored. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3586 "2026-07-07T20:23:04Z")
That was a ball perfect for Gregor Kobel, he would save a shot like that in 99/100 atempts. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3587 "2026-07-07T20:27:37Z")
I disagree generally in that I think VAR has shown itself to be very useful at getting more calls correct than strictly human refereeing, which in my mind has always had a bit of a whim of the referee feel to it (sometimes good, often bad). I do agree that the delay to getting things right needs to be improved, though. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3588 "2026-07-07T20:29:43Z")
IMHO, either call the foul before the goal is scored or forget it, if you can improve the tech so it does so, good, if not tough luck. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3589 "2026-07-07T20:32:27Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Why can’t they just pick a host country and stick to it? Any of this year’s three hosts would have been perfectly capable of hosting on their own. I don’t think Canada has enough world class stadiums, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3590 "2026-07-07T20:34:10Z")
It’s genunely odd how many times in the tournament an upstart team from Africa or some other unlikely place, a non traditional contender, has held a lead most of the game only for a traditional contender to pull a remarkable late game rally. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3591 "2026-07-07T20:36:14Z")
But football would be a lot of fun if played on hockey stadiums. The Zambonis would have to work hard during the even more superfluous hydration break, I’ll grant you that. But it would still be hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3592 "2026-07-07T20:37:22Z")
Yes it’s been a common pattern. I guess it just shows how much pressure there is in the dying minutes of a big game and how the big teams are so much better at handling the pressure. I think it also helps explain why a handful of teams have historically dominated the last couple of stages of the World Cup. But credit to the underdogs for providing some wonderful games and it probably supports the decision to expand the field to 48. ---
**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 7, 2026, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3593 "2026-07-07T20:42:31Z")
Sending me to The Tower may be a better option for me though . On the subject of losing one’s head it was good that Argentina didn’t in this game and avoided a frustrated melt down . ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3594 "2026-07-07T20:46:15Z")
Are you insinuating that we Argentines put more importance than we should on this game? if so, you are totally right. ---
**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 7, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3595 "2026-07-07T20:47:56Z")
Insinuate ? Nope definitely not insinuating. 🙂 ---
**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 7, 2026, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3596 "2026-07-07T20:50:19Z")
0-0 at half time swiss., colom.. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3597 "2026-07-07T20:53:44Z")
Go Colombia!, we need a guaranteed South American team in semis! ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3598 "2026-07-07T20:57:40Z")
I’ve received the following order in the Argentinian blog where I also comment: “FRODO, PARA LOS CUARTOS TE ME COMPRAS 40 KILOS DE HIELO, LLENAS LA BAÑERA CON AGUA FRIA, PONES EL HIELOS Y TE ME BAÑAS AHI, EH” “FRODO FOR THE QUARTER FINALS YOU BUY ME 40 KILOS OF ICE, FILL THE BATHTUB WITH COLD WATER, PUT THE ICE INSIDE AND AND TAKE YOUR BATH THERE FOR ME, EH” ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3599 "2026-07-07T20:59:53Z")
Lucho fan reporting in here & rooting for Colombia. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2026, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3600 "2026-07-07T21:02:09Z")
The “EH” is quite compelling. You better do it. It will not have happened without pictures. 🧊 ❄ ☃ 🛁 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=179) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=181)