# 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:** 58
**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 18, 2026, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1141 "2026-06-18T13:07:33Z")
May be it would help to know that Columbus name in Spanish is “Colón”, so ColOmbia. (why not ColoNbia? I don’t know but I suspect it’s because in Spanish N never goes before B) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1142 "2026-06-18T13:15:30Z")
Indeed. Or P. Old anecdote from school times and maybe a way to remember this fact: Teacher was explaining computers to class and wrote the word INPUT on the board. Somebody raises hand: “That is spelled wrong! It should be IMPUT, there is never an N before P”. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1143 "2026-06-18T13:38:00Z")
I grew up in Colombia (and have Colombian relatives) so it is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. The worse example is when I saw at a restaurant printed on the menu “Columbian coffee”. I mean even the packaging they get their coffee from says Colombian on it, how hard is it to get it right? Outside of that digression, the Colombian team is often referred to, at least in Spanish speaking match commentary as “Los Cafeteros” (the coffee growers), which since I was watching the match on Telemundo (actually Peacock but they simulcast the Telemundo feed) I heard it more than once. `//i\\` ---
**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 18, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1144 "2026-06-18T13:47:02Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > FIFA saving the best for last today. A South Korea win would cap today’s viewing off nicely. If you hear someone cheering when Korea scores, that’s me. ---
**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 18, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1145 "2026-06-18T13:47:44Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Maybe I wasn’t talking about the song, but about all the fans repeating the slogan. Yeah, for sure it isn’t being used the way the song intended. It definitely is a “we’re gonna win it” mentality. ---
**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 18, 2026, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1146 "2026-06-18T13:47:49Z")
Yup, in their endless efforts to avoid repetition, commentators have a whole list of national nicknames to help them: Colombia: Cafeteros. Chile: Trasandinos (In Argentina, the Chileans have the annoying habit of referring to us as “Trasandinos” when we are OBVIOUSLY cisandinos!) Paraguay: Guaranies (Native American tribe whose language is currently one of Paraguay’s national languages) Uruguay: Charruas (Native American tribe whose language (I think) is no longer even known) Bolivia: “Del Altiplano” (From the Highlands) Brazil: Carioca. Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela don’t seem to have nicknames, or at least I don’t remember them. ---
**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 18, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1147 "2026-06-18T14:06:15Z")
The second game for teams in Group B will be played today. The first round produced two draws, so a win by anybody will virtually assure them of advancement. Switzerland (over Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Canada (over Qatar) are both favored, according to the oddsmakers. Personally, I want to see two more draws today, just for the ensuing chaos. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1148 "2026-06-18T14:11:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Yeah, for sure it isn’t being used the way the song intended. It definitely is a “we’re gonna win it” mentality. Every team has ‘we’re gonna win’ chants! It seems only England gets criticised for it. ---
**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 18, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1149 "2026-06-18T14:28:01Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > It seems only England gets criticised for it. It’s the only team whose “we are gonna win” chants Americans can understand. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1150 "2026-06-18T15:47:19Z")
It’s simply ‘USA USA’ in a different dialect ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1151 "2026-06-18T15:49:27Z")
And that’s only for FIFA purposes - if you qualify as a citizen of a country by any other means, you’re in as well. The US’s Folarin Balogun, with parents and grandparents from Nigeria but who himself grew up in England, can claim US citizenship only (?!?) because he had been born here - his mother had come to the States for a conference and was not allowed to fly home due to her pregnancy, so he was born here and flew home a couple months later. So 1) any claim of citizenship makes playing for a country valid, over and above what FIFA provides for, and 2) birthright citizenship has meant two goals for the U.S. in this tournament (so far), here’s hoping the Supreme Court references this when it (hopefully) slams the Trump administration down later this month. ---
**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 18, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1152 "2026-06-18T16:06:44Z")
South Africa just let a goal in so easily, it was embarrassing. They look like chumps out there. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1153 "2026-06-18T16:10:07Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > can claim US citizenship only (?!?) because he had been born here - his mother had come to the States for a conference and was not allowed to fly home due to her pregnancy, so he was born here and flew home a couple months later. I won’t go into further into this, but it is not that he can claim that, but that US will claim that, in particular when it comes to taxes which they expect you to pay due to your birth in the country regardless of where you are domiciled. This has caused problems for people who did not even realize they had been born in the US and later found were subject to tax regulations and could not renounce their citizenship easily never having been issued a Social Security Number. Anyway, I think he would be disqualified because he might have the effrontery of calling the sport Football instead of soccer 😜 On with the beautiful sport! `//i\\` ---
**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 18, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1154 "2026-06-18T16:16:45Z")
One reason I want England to win is out of morbid curiosity to see what they’d sing once their song becomes obsolete. ---
**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 18, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1155 "2026-06-18T16:26:43Z")
If that ever happens, the Lightning Seeds will have to write new lyrics and record a new version. The band is still around. (btw., IMHO and that of most German football fans, “Three Lions” is the best football song ever, even though they made fun of us in the video, showing 11 “Kuntz” with mullets 😄) ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1156 "2026-06-18T16:49:31Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > And that’s only for FIFA purposes - if you qualify as a citizen of a country by any other means, you’re in as well. The US’s Folarin Balogun, with parents and grandparents from Nigeria but who himself grew up in England, can claim US citizenship only (?!?) because he had been born here - his mother had come to the States for a conference and was not allowed to fly home due to her pregnancy, so he was born here and flew home a couple months later. And putting that together with **Pheonix’s** post above, that accident of being born in the USA instead of England singlehandedly made him eligible for _four_ national teams – the USA, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland! (I’m assuming he has British citizenship) ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1157 "2026-06-18T17:06:28Z")
His parents are both Nigerian, so he could have played for the Super Eagles too. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1158 "2026-06-18T17:10:43Z")
Did anyone see the red card? I didn’t know at what minute it occurred and they did not show it on replay (the Goal they showed) but not what led to the red. They are being quite aggressive on both sides. `//i\\` ---
**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 18, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1159 "2026-06-18T17:12:36Z")
Huh? You mean the current game? There hasn’t been a red card. ETA: excellent refereeing so far by Tori Penso. ---
**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 18, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1160 "2026-06-18T17:15:32Z")
BTW…the referee for this match is Tori Penso, who thus becomes the first American woman to referee at the men’s World Cup. Good for her! > [@icon](#): > > Did anyone see the red card? I’m looking at the stats on ESPN, and they are showing no red cards. 2 yellows against RSA, but no reds. Ninja’d on both counts by @EinsteinsHund! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=57) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=59)