# 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:** 31
**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 13, 2026, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/601 "2026-06-13T02:41:14Z")
How dare you root for one of the (checks notes) two landlocked countries in South America? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/602 "2026-06-13T02:41:33Z")
Paraguay doesn’t seem in a big hurry to pick up points. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/603 "2026-06-13T02:43:17Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > If they lose those games each 2-0 what happens? Probably still ok. It depends on what the other teams who finish third do. Realistically 3 GS is probably enough to finish in top half, no matter how they do in their other matches. If they do lose heavily on their next match it might get interesting but probably not. ---
**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 13, 2026, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/604 "2026-06-13T02:44:23Z")
South American idiosyncrasy, we can kill each other at the pitch but we support each other when any of us plays against non-South-Americans. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/605 "2026-06-13T02:45:37Z")
I think they should do that, but that doesn’t rectify the incorrect yellow, which can have a substantive impact on the game. At least have a procedure for canceling the incorrect yellow (and informing the player) during the match. ---
**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 13, 2026, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/606 "2026-06-13T02:46:43Z")
True, maybe give VAR ( 🤮) the right to clear improperly adjudicated yellows. ---
**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 13, 2026, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/607 "2026-06-13T02:49:59Z")
How do you, as a professional footballer, start a set piece offside? It’s not like they had an offside trap going. ---
**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 13, 2026, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/608 "2026-06-13T02:55:42Z")
All in all an exhibition by the USMNT, “un baile” as we say in Spanish. It remains to be seen how much it was the USMNT merit and how much it was Paraguay playing horribly, but it’s the first time (I believe) that the US does this in a world cup. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/609 "2026-06-13T03:02:24Z")
I was about to joke that they still had a minute to score. DAMN. ---
**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 13, 2026, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/610 "2026-06-13T03:02:28Z")
Paraguay has given up. USA easily scores its 4th goal. ---
**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 13, 2026, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/611 "2026-06-13T03:02:47Z")
Welp, the 4th goal only makes what was happening in the pitch explicit. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/612 "2026-06-13T03:04:31Z")
Paraguay players really look demoralized. ---
**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, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/613 "2026-06-13T03:04:47Z")
On to Seattle and Australia. We mustn’t underestimate the Socceroos. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/614 "2026-06-13T03:06:58Z")
wait until they try and hook it clockwise and it goes straight. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/615 "2026-06-13T03:46:41Z")
Except that finishing first in your group is better than finishing second or third, for the elimination round matchups. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/616 "2026-06-13T03:49:49Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Except that finishing first in your group is better than finishing second or third, for the elimination round matchups Yeah but that’s not what makes the group stage interesting, its all about getting through to the next round. To the handful of teams who expect to make to, or near to, the finals, the route there matters. But for everyone else it’s really all about making it out.of the group. And the new format means much fewer games where that’s at stake ---
**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:** [June 13, 2026, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/617 "2026-06-13T05:48:15Z")
They had this same format in 1986, 1990 and 1994, and they currently do at the Euros, and yes it sucks. 72 games to eliminate 16 teams. 72!! ---
**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, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/618 "2026-06-13T06:46:26Z")
Yes, this is what pisses me off. It used to be that the last game of a group-stage was critically important; it often determined who advanced and who went home. And now with this new format, once a team wins the opener, it now faces much less jeopardy for the remainder of the group. There will also be a whole lot of lame-duck group-stage ending games that have no significance because both teams have already qualified for Round-of-32. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/619 "2026-06-13T10:14:05Z")
I’m a Tottenham Hotspur fan so watching the USMNT game I wasn’t all that shocked. Pochettino as a coach is superb at bringing a young group of players together who aren’t elite but have enough of a mix of technical skill and athleticism to be able to play entertaining football if put together on the field in a right way. Pulisic is the genuine superstar. He’s got a style of play similar to Eden Hazard the way he can burst past defenders with a sudden change of direction but usually he can drift out of games since he’s never been the best player on his team which is why his club career in Europe has never been seen as hitting the heights. Plus injuries. For the national team though you can tell he is relishing the responsibility of being the guy everyone looks to. I did a bracket before a ball was kicked which had the final as a repeat of 2022 but this time France win. And I have them winning quite comfortably. Their front three of Mbappe, Dembele and Olise is just scarily good and it will be incredible if by the end of the year the only one of those three who won’t have a Balon d’or trophy (the best player in the world) is Mbappe. I think at this moment in time a good World Cup will put Olise in the frontrunner position. If England have a successful tournament then Harry Kane will probably take it. The best player for Tottenham I have ever seen and who has just scored 60 goals for Bayern Munich in the same team as Olise. I have them losing in the semi finals to Argentina. I have USMNT going out in the quarter final stage to Portugal. In my opinion once the US play a team that matches them for physicality but has an abundance of better technical players they will hit a wall and Portugal have a team very capable of going all the way with or without Ronaldo. ---
**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 13, 2026, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/620 "2026-06-13T11:31:06Z")
Welcome to my town today, all you fine Scotland and Haiti fans. Enjoy temperatures in the 90s today, and then in the high 70s tonight at match time, with a humidity of 80%. I’m off to mow the church lawn now before it gets too sweltering. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=32)