# 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:** 25
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/481 "2026-06-11T20:59:19Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > The first red on RSA was called on Sphephelo Sithole. The 12-year-old in me really wants to giggle at that name. Great minds think alike. šŸ˜„ ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/482 "2026-06-11T20:59:52Z")
Stupid stupid move by Mexico to draw out a red in added time when theyā€™re up 2-0. That player will Have a lot of time to think this over when heā€™s sitting out the next game. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/483 "2026-06-11T21:00:26Z")
Iā€™m with Landon Donovan, thatā€™s not a red. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/484 "2026-06-11T21:01:10Z")
The Guardian live feed: > [RED CARD FOR SOUTH AFRICAā€™S SITHOLE!](https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/jun/11/mexico-v-south-africa-world-cup-2026-opening-match-live?page=with%3Ablock-6a2b17958f0880a900034cca#block-6a2b17958f0880a900034cca) šŸ¤Ø ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/485 "2026-06-11T21:01:12Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Iā€™m with Landon Donovan, thatā€™s not a red It seems like denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity to me, why would it not be a red? ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/486 "2026-06-11T21:02:10Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Are three red cards in an opening game a new record? Announcer just confirmed that it is indeed a first for a world cup opening game. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/487 "2026-06-11T21:03:14Z")
I thought so. And it even wasnā€™t a particularly ugly game. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/488 "2026-06-11T21:04:21Z")
And thatā€™s game. More red cards than goals. Fun opener though! ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/489 "2026-06-11T21:05:04Z")
Because heā€™d have ended up out wide and in a bad shooting position. Thatā€™s never a red in La Liga or MLS, the two leagues I watch regularly. Not the greatest soccer for the opener, but thatā€™s fine. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/490 "2026-06-11T21:07:27Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Because heā€™d have ended up out wide and in a bad shooting position. Thatā€™s never a red in La Liga or MLS, the two leagues I watch regularly. My understanding was that if you foul the attacker and there is only one defender between that attacker and the goal (usually thatā€™s the goalie but I remember one game where the goalie ran forward but there were two defenders further back than him) itā€™s a DOGSO ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/491 "2026-06-11T21:09:05Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > My understanding was that if you foul the attacker and there is only one defender between that attacker and the goal (usually thatā€™s the goalie but I remember one game where the goalie ran forward but there were two defenders further back than him) itā€™s a DOGSO Thatā€™s basically right, and the South African striker would have been in a good position to either shoot immediately or go for the goal in a breakthrough if he hadnā€™t been fouled. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2026, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/492 "2026-06-11T21:09:17Z")
There were four red cards for the entire 2022 Qatar tournament. Three reds is a lot - but I canā€™t say they were undeserved, mostly scoring opportunities. Mexico should get into the next round; their goals looked pretty strong. _Ā”Ɓnimo!_ ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/493 "2026-06-11T21:10:57Z")
The play being out wide / not directly at goal is like the single most common mitigating factor for DOGSO, followed by a defender maybe being able to cover. Both are actually present here. Thatā€™s why both Fox announcers were flabbergasted at the call. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/494 "2026-06-11T21:11:19Z")
Last world cup there was a very interesting situation with what may have been either a light touch or a near miss in a DOGSO situation and it was reiterated by various commentators that in this context you either have a red or you have nothing, not even a foul. If there was a foul, it must have been a red. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/495 "2026-06-11T21:12:45Z")
[![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7k7xonm7i7t5afu4nu4qi5wa/bafkreigdneiochcwmjp3zmdc23pp72ncveux36j7upujrbqseete6mkfe4) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7k7xonm7i7t5afu4nu4qi5wa/bafkreigdneiochcwmjp3zmdc23pp72ncveux36j7upujrbqseete6mkfe4) Heā€™s very wide and there are 2 defenders that would have covered. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/496 "2026-06-11T21:13:43Z")
I donā€™t see any defender nearer to the goal than the striker, and thatā€™s the criterion. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/497 "2026-06-11T21:14:15Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Heā€™s very wide and there are 2 defenders that would have covered ?? I have no idea how you can look at this image and say so. If he was not fouled he could have easily turned left with plenty of time before the other two defenders, who are quite far away, could have gotten there. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/498 "2026-06-11T21:15:53Z")
I just watched another replay from a higher angle (on TV or Iā€™d have linked it) and the attacker is running straight at the box, not alongside it as it appears in the still. Definitely a red. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/499 "2026-06-11T21:16:40Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > in this context you either have a red or you have nothing, not even a foul. If there was a foul, it must have been a red. Yeah, in this situation, if a foul clearly prevents an excellent chance for a goal, it doesnā€™t matter if it was a light touch or a brutal tackle. Itā€™s red anyway. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/500 "2026-06-11T21:17:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RfvfR2l3kKE/maxresdefault.jpg "CĆ©sar Montes red card from Mexico | Mexico vs South Africa 2-0 World Cup 2026") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfvfR2l3kKE) Definitely a red card. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=26)