# 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:** 261
**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 31, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5201 "2026-07-31T12:37:05Z")
I doubt he can survive a World Cup without UEFA, FIFA would lose a lot of money and that’s anathema. ---
**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 31, 2026, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5202 "2026-07-31T12:50:25Z")
I mean, he’ll simply back down on this particular topic and be able to maintain his reign of corruption for another 20 years. ---
**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 31, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5203 "2026-07-31T13:26:51Z")
True, though I hope his enemies smell weakness in that case and go for the kill. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5204 "2026-07-31T14:28:40Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > A World Cup with European nations is a disaster While the rest of us keep losing to European teams, I don’t think it’s that bad. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5205 "2026-07-31T16:12:36Z")
But to be replaced by whom? It could well be a case of the devil you know vs the devil you don’t! (This is NOT an endorsement of Infantino by any stretch!) ---
**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 31, 2026, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5206 "2026-07-31T17:56:56Z")
At this point it would be healthy enough that he be replaced, so his successor knows that are certain limits that shouldn’t be crossed. That said, let’s hope his successor, corrupt as he surely will be, at least cares about football. ---
**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 31, 2026, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5207 "2026-07-31T21:29:12Z")
I spend a lot of time each day on [kicker.de](http://kicker.de) to catch up with the latest football news. You must know that it’s the online presence of Germany’s oldest football magazine that has existed for over 100 years and still is in print with two editions weekly. So they often have those little polls on their website, and I just voted in the poll “Do you support UEFA’s boycott against Infantino’s investment plans?” (guess what I voted for…). The current poll was at 99% for “Yes”, a margin I’ve never seen in any of their polls, not even closely. ---
**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:** [July 31, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5208 "2026-07-31T22:14:52Z")
The need for private investment when you just made $15 billion in profit has not been explained. Nor were other committees involved. They were given a crazy timeline to agree. Infantino insulted any who disagree with him as haters in a disjoint post. And few details were given. So what’s not to like? $1000 is almost a bargain to see Mali play Martinique, when the TrumpBall ™ World Cup is held every six months. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2026, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5209 "2026-08-01T00:05:46Z")
CONMEBOL issued a statement! It says…“reply hazy, provide more information.” > To that end, CONMEBOL requested additional information and clarification from FIFA on different aspects relating to the scope, structure, governance, and possible effects of the FFE project. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5210 "2026-08-01T00:17:19Z")
FIFA has now scrapped the plan. lol. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2026, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5211 "2026-08-01T03:57:50Z")
Scrapped or moved onto a new, even more devious, plan? What’s good for soccer has never been in the picture. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2026, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5212 "2026-08-01T14:59:17Z")
Hey! UEFA is swinging for the fences now (excuse the different-sport metaphor). [UEFA welcomes FIFA’s withdrawal of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup | UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/02a8-213e1cb056eb-c0ae1b85aa7f-1000--uefa-welcomes-fifa-s-withdrawal-of-plans-to-sell-a-stake-i/) > We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account. > > It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again. That review should be thorough and fundamental. No option should be off the table. The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family. > > When Gianni Infantino asked for the trust and the votes of FIFA’s Member Associations to elect him as their President in 2016, he said, “Of course we have to be transparent. I have been this in the last 15 years of my life in UEFA. You will have to play a part every day in the life of FIFA,” before telling the assembled stakeholders, “The money of FIFA is your money. It’s not the money of the FIFA President. It’s your money. You are the national associations and the money of FIFA has to serve for the development of football and not for anything else.” > > On both these promises, he has failed to deliver. The shabby, back room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through was anything but transparent. > > And with reserves standing at over $5bn, he has also failed to use associations’ money for the benefit of the game. > > UEFA will begin work immediately with partners and stakeholders all over the world and right across the game to propose a new way of distributing resources through the existing FIFA Forward programme. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2026, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5213 "2026-08-01T15:53:24Z")
This whole affair was the first time in years that UEFA was able to throw in their weight into an important FIFA matter, and have other federations follow them, so this seems to have made them going for the throat. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5214 "2026-08-03T14:54:01Z")
Now there are calls from UEFA or at least from several European FAs against Infantino’s reelection on the basis that he has lost their confidence with this last scheme. Good, good (rubs hands together) ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5215 "2026-08-03T15:00:57Z")
The thing is, if this is really Infantino’s downfall, the next corrupt guys (and of course the next one will be a guy) are already standing in line. There should be a whole change in culture and politics, but that won’t happen in this thoroughly corrupt association. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5216 "2026-08-03T15:55:07Z")
Right. Who did Infantino replace? It was Sheep Bladder, wasn’t it? And he was also as corrupt as the day is long. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5217 "2026-08-03T16:01:57Z")
I don’t have high hopes for a complete reboot of FIFA, I’ll be glad if the next guy at least knows that there are _limits_ (Cancelling red cards, trying to sell the WC) that he cannot cross. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5218 "2026-08-03T16:06:00Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Who did Infantino replace? It was Sheep Bladder, wasn’t it? And he was also as corrupt as the day is long. And that hypocrite now is one of Infantino’s most vocal critics… ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5219 "2026-08-03T16:10:54Z")
An incredible case of the kettle calling the pot black _and the pot being actually **blacker** than the kettle_. ---
**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:** [August 3, 2026, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/5220 "2026-08-03T16:17:13Z")
It’s like Victor Frankenstein getting horrified by the monster he created. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=260) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=262)