# 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:** 28
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/541 "2026-06-12T20:44:47Z")
I didn’t see it originally, but that goal deflected off a defender. Still a great shot, however. ---
**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 12, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/542 "2026-06-12T20:45:41Z")
He’s the co-owner of a Welsh soccer team, but there are no Canadians or Bosnians on it. Just a star shot I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/543 "2026-06-12T20:49:39Z")
Ryan Reynolds is Canadian. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/544 "2026-06-12T20:49:46Z")
I mean, he’s Canadian, there’s that. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/545 "2026-06-12T20:59:30Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Why do we care? (About Ryan Reynolds, that is?) Is he funding the team or something? No, he’s just a celeb and it’s fun to see him cheering. I dunno, just something to notice. ---
**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 12, 2026, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/546 "2026-06-12T22:20:56Z")
Canada has about the best team they’ve ever had. They are seeded 30th. I think their highest seed was 26th. They have beaten Mexico and tied Colombia, a pretty strong team. Is Canada subpar? They qualified fairly. Today they scored their first World Cup goal. They dominated possession. What they did not do was place a defender at the close post during a corner kick, allowing Bosnia to capitalize on a flawless shot. Canada consistently earned decent opportunities but failed to capitalize, becoming nervous or not expecting a play. But some good individual dribbling, and the last twenty minutes they played pretty well. Their goal was pretty. They need to much improve corner kicks, of which they had many. Bosnia beat 11th seed Italy to eliminate them. They also looked weak for much of the game. Still, even with a home advantage Canada was slightly lucky to tie them. Canada may well beat Qatar, but Switzerland is a decent team. Should Canada qualify for the next round, they will have had a successful World Cup. Expectations should be kept real. You can’t win games unless you score goals. Canada’s best male athletes generally play hockey, where the money is; though women’s soccer is better, and we do well in heptathalons and decathlons. ---
**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 12, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/547 "2026-06-12T22:50:15Z")
Predictions, US vs. Paraguay? ---
**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 12, 2026, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/548 "2026-06-12T22:53:26Z")
1 - 1 or 0 - 0. For some reason I don’t see USA defeating Paraguay, my man Gustavo Alfaro is an expert on parking the bus if the need arises. ---
**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 12, 2026, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/549 "2026-06-12T23:23:29Z")
Re: Hydration breaks. From what I see in social networks and hear on the street, consensus in Argentina goes from the death penalty to life in prison with forced labor for the people responsible. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/550 "2026-06-12T23:28:49Z")
I am not impressed with the list I’m seeing for the opening ceremony in America. Katy Perry? Come on. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/551 "2026-06-12T23:32:17Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > From what I see in social networks and hear on the street, consensus in Argentina goes from the death penalty to life in prison with forced labor for the people responsible I guess that speaks to the quality of adverts in Argentina;) they didn’t show any during the hydration break on ITV in the UK (they did in Ireland apparently) But yeah everyone agrees it’s bs ---
**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:** [June 12, 2026, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/552 "2026-06-12T23:37:16Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > But yeah everyone agrees it’s bs So what is the rule on advertising in the stadiums? Only “official sponsors”? I noticed stadiums are expected to take their corporate logos off or cover them. You can see what Levi’s Stadium did here: [![](https://i.redd.it/5h8berh7yv6h1.jpeg) ](https://i.redd.it/5h8berh7yv6h1.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/553 "2026-06-12T23:41:16Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Only “official sponsors”? I noticed stadiums are expected to take their corporate logos off or cover them Yeah but that’s always been the case. You have to commit to **city-wide** enforcement of FIFA branding to host world cup game ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/554 "2026-06-12T23:43:01Z")
The point is the way that Levi’s Stadium got around the rule. ---
**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 12, 2026, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/555 "2026-06-12T23:43:35Z")
Adverts shmadverts, imagine you are losing 1-0 and have the opposing team on the ropes, you can _feel_ the goal coming… and then HYDRATION BREAK. It changes the game in ways we viscerally dislike. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/556 "2026-06-12T23:46:54Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Yeah but that’s always been the case. You have to commit to **city-wide** enforcement of FIFA branding to host world cup game Huh. I remember 1994 when Pontiac, Michigan hosted matches. I don’t remember any city-wide stuff. So Toronto and other major cities are doing city-wide advertising blocks? ---
**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 12, 2026, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/557 "2026-06-12T23:51:10Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > It changes the game in ways we viscerally dislike. That said, Carlos Bilardo would already have 3 strategies to deal with it when needing a goal and 6 to deal with it when needing to “cool” the game. I hope Scaloni has enough Bilardism in him to take that kind of thing in account. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/558 "2026-06-12T23:59:13Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > imagine you are losing 1-0 and have the opposing team on the ropes, you can _feel_ the goal coming… and then HYDRATION BREAK. > It changes the game in ways we viscerally dislike. I’ll lead with the caveat that mandatory breaks are bad. But FIFPRO, the soccer players’ union, was one of the major advocates for expanded breaks. The players want it, it’s the fans that complain. We need to let go of the idea that players should sacrifice their health for our entertainment. They aren’t gladiators. > **[Extreme Weather in Football](https://www.fifpro.org/en/articles/2021/07/extreme-weather-in-football)** > > The human body maintains a constant core temperature that usually ranges from 36.1C to 37.8C. Extreme weather conditions – especially heat and cold – trigger physiological responses that can damage health and performance. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2026, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/559 "2026-06-13T00:06:42Z")
Yeah, if hydration breaks were being imposed on players against their will, that would be one thing. But for players to want it and for fans to object, is basically fans saying, “We want you to play dehydrated!!!” ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/560 "2026-06-13T00:10:24Z")
I’m watching the pregame and one of the Fox commentators is Thierry Henry. Who sounds like he smoked a big spliff with the audio guys before work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=29)