# 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:** 185
**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 9, 2026, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3681 "2026-07-09T15:47:16Z")
You’re not wrong, but you might also be underestimating the depths Trump can sink to before the end of the tournament. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3682 "2026-07-09T15:49:01Z")
Expect His Orangeness to try and keep a winner’s medal. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3683 "2026-07-09T15:49:31Z")
> [@ricepad](#): > > Expect His Orangeness to try and keep a winner’s medal “I always wanted to win the World Cup…and now I have!” ---
**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 9, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3684 "2026-07-09T15:49:42Z")
Will he be physically able to hand over something shiny and gold to another person? ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3685 "2026-07-09T15:53:42Z")
“Sir, some people say that nobody deserves a World Cup winner’s medal more than you. I say that as a muscle-y guy, with tears in my eyes - and I never cry.” ---
**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 9, 2026, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3686 "2026-07-09T15:54:10Z")
Belgium did explicitly mock him multiple times after beating the US, but yeah I wouldn’t expect them to do it in person. Whoever wins probably would be reminded sternly to behave themselves. ---
**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 9, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3687 "2026-07-09T16:55:49Z")
It’s not the team’s reaction what we are anticipating, obviously all teams will try to conduct themselves in a professional manner if not for other reasons to avoid future FIFA sanctions. It’s Trump’s. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3688 "2026-07-09T16:56:17Z")
FIFA’s chief refereeing officer is quoted as saying “nobody can question the integrity of the officials”. To which I say 1. This is America, I can question anything I want and 2. You’re FIFA, which means someone is on the take. ---
**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 9, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3689 "2026-07-09T17:05:41Z")
Hehehe, yeah. I saw that headline and had the same reaction. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3690 "2026-07-09T17:15:20Z")
“YOU’RE CORRUPT”. See, not questioning, just stating a fact. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3691 "2026-07-09T17:42:30Z")
FIFA not beating the allegations with a two game suspension for England because reasons. ---
**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 9, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3692 "2026-07-09T17:49:52Z")
Trying to get to normal after this little, ahem, episode… ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2026, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3693 "2026-07-09T17:56:28Z")
I was walking through Penn Station the morning after the US loss to Belgium. Polymarket and Kalshi both advertise on the screens, generally include real-time betting odds. They still showed the US with a 3% chance of winning the World Cup. Chances are it was just an error, but I wondered if there are some Americans who were still betting that somehow Trump would sway FIFA into handing the US the World Cup. ETA- It was just Polymarket that showed those odds. Don’t want to implicate Kalshi ---
**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 9, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3694 "2026-07-09T17:58:32Z")
They think it was just the first game of the series… ---
**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 9, 2026, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3695 "2026-07-09T18:16:23Z")
“Isn’t it still the group stage?” ---
**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 9, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3696 "2026-07-09T18:35:32Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > FIFA not beating the allegations with a two game suspension for England because reasons. Our two best players, Bellingham and Kane, are on yellows. If they get another yellow vs Norway (this is making the big assumption that we win), they will miss a likely semi final against Argentina (and a certain popular player). What’s the betting that… ---
**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 9, 2026, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3697 "2026-07-09T18:36:04Z")
Sure, maybe they finished 16th, but if the top 15 teams get disqualified somehow… ---
**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 9, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3698 "2026-07-09T19:38:27Z")
Dislike the Morocco football team after their antics at AFCON but definitely rooting for them against France - even if I think England would have a better chance against France than Spain should they get to the final. ---
**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 9, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3699 "2026-07-09T19:44:47Z")
Saibari being out is a big blow for Morocco but they do have 18 year old Bouaddi in the centre who has been incredible in this tournament. ---
**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 9, 2026, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/3700 "2026-07-09T19:49:18Z")
Deschamp didn’t want him for the French team (and I don’t blame him, he had so many world class players to choose from), so he started for Morocco instead. Would be ironic if he shot them to the semi-finals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=184) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=186)