# 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:** 7
**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:** [December 5, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/121 "2025-12-05T21:52:13Z")
Gah. Here is the draw - teams drawn from groups C, I and L are playing down the street from me at Gillette, so no Germany. BUT: the winner of Group E will go to the next round at Gillette. It can still happen! | Group | Teams | | --- | --- | | A | Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, UEFA Playoff D winner | | B | Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Playoff A winner | | C | Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland | | D | United States, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C winner | | E | Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao | | F | Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Playoff B winner | | G | Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New Zealand | | H | Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde | | I | France, Senegal, Norway, FIFA Playoff Tournament‑2 winner | | J | Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan | | K | Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA Playoff Tournament‑1 winner | | L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama | ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/122 "2025-12-05T22:12:24Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Yeah, on paper, Curacao seems to be a laughably weak opponent in a group, but who knows, maybe they could pull a 2016 Iceland. Iceland qualified for UEFA’s tournament, the championship of probably the toughest confederation in the world. They had to play some tough teams just to get there. Curacao is coming out of CONCACAF, having qualified without having to play any of the three regional giants. While anything is possible, Curacao hasn’t had the kind of toughening-up experience that Iceland had a decade ago, so I’m not expecting much from them. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2025, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/123 "2025-12-05T22:21:07Z")
I think they’re essentially just a Dutch B-team. I read that not a single player was actually born there; they all qualify due to having parent(s) or grandparent(s) who are from Curaçao. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/124 "2025-12-05T23:32:24Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > There will be a bunch of matches happening about three miles from my house You could make a killing renting out your house. [While more than 55,000 hotel rooms – a necessary component for Kansas City to be a host city are within a two-hour drive](https://www.kctv5.com/2025/12/03/kansas-city-makes-changes-short-term-rental-rules-make-world-cup-hosting-easier/) [Reservation for 650,000: Kansas City’s hospitality industry braces for World Cup workforce scramble](https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/09/10/kansas-citys-hospitality-industry-braces-for-world-cup/) ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/125 "2025-12-06T00:01:06Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > You could make a killing renting out your house. Absurdly, zoning in my town prohibits short-term rentals. This appears to be a holdover regulation from decades ago (no flophouses allowed here!), but they have announced that they are intent on enforcing it. Not sure how much the fine is, though. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/126 "2025-12-06T00:25:15Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Absurdly, zoning in my town prohibits short-term rentals. Sign a 1 year lease with a provision that you get full use of the house 364 days a year? Or sublease it back for 364 days. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/127 "2025-12-06T00:26:20Z")
I realize “Kansas City” encompasses several cities so I don’t know if this applies to you… But they seem to be relaxing the rules. > An updated ordinance in Kansas City aims to make it easier for residents to host visitors during next summer’s FIFA World Cup. > Applications for short-term rental major events will be available on Dec. 15 ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/128 "2025-12-06T01:40:29Z")
The FIFA ranking is not as good as the ELO, IMHO. Ecuador is a _very_ difficult opponent, It ended up second in the CONMEBOL even starting with negative points due to player-nationality-shenanigans in the previous qualifier. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/129 "2025-12-06T01:56:08Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama That’s a pretty damn tough group to me (esp given the new seeding changes). Not quite the group of death. But it says a lot for how much England have progressed in the last decade, that I do fancy their chances. Back in the day I would not, I would be dreading this group stage. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/130 "2025-12-06T02:21:08Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I was pleasantly surprised to see that Trump was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize. Two months ago, I would never have felt such a thing was possible Oh yeah that was a huge “Sunderland winning the FA Cup” level upset. Everyone expected Biden to win it at a canter. Plucky underdog FTW 😉 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/131 "2025-12-06T06:06:11Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > As someone who was a football mad teenager in the 1980s, and then missed the whole of the 1990s because I moved to a godforsaken football deser, Which one did you move to in the 1990’s, USA or Mongolia? ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/132 "2025-12-06T06:13:37Z")
Ghana’s not what there were 15 years ago either, England is going to be fine, probably 7 or 9 pts. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/133 "2025-12-06T07:38:55Z")
Have Panama improved since 2018? They were pretty dire when we beat them 6-1. Croatia worry me (we play them all the damn time, it seems). Ghana I assume will be tricky but England would be strong favourites still. I’ve been burnt too many times in the past to get my hopes up though. Crashing out on penalties (although we don’t do that so much any more) in the QFs or SFs is our thing. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/134 "2025-12-06T13:13:37Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Croatia worry me (we play them all the damn time, it seems). Ghana I assume will be tricky but England would be strong favourites still Yeah though that’s a testament to how much they’ve improved IMO. Not so long ago I’d totally say getting 1-2 points from those two matches was a likely outcome. Now I’d say getting 4-6 points is a fairly safe bet. Which sees us safely through in the current format. Still both Ghana and Croatia a far better than anyone we’ve played recently (or beaten at least we lost to Senegal). There is part of me that is concerned my confidence in England not being utterly rubbish is misplaced and based on the fact we’ve not played anyone remotely decent in ages. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/135 "2025-12-06T13:43:45Z")
Facing Modric AGAIN will be interesting for England… ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/136 "2025-12-06T13:50:54Z")
**Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde.** Hm. Concerning Uruguay, I’ll better not ask @Frodo. And Saudi Arabia did beat Argentina in Catar, so I’ll better not ask him on that one either. They won the World Cup in the end, but still. I hope we at least comfortably beat Cape Verde, everything else would be embarrasing for the favourite to win the title according to stupid AI. I can’t see Serbia or Israel on the board: [![](https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2250192150.jpg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1) ](https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2250192150.jpg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1) Are they still in some play-off? ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/137 "2025-12-06T13:55:54Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Are they still in some play-off? I just checked the four European groups, and both Israel and Serbia didn’t make it to the play-offs. (German link, including the embarrassing typo “Nordorland” 🤦‍♂️) > **[Auslosung der WM-Playoffs: Italien trifft auf Nordorland](https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/fifa-wm-2026/wm-playoffs-als-letzte-chance-italien-trifft-auf-nordirland,auslosung-playoffs-104.html)** > > Italien trifft in den Playoffs der WM-Qualifikation auf Nordirland und muss dann noch ein Endspiel überstehen, um das Turnier zu erreichen. Insgesamt werden in den Playoffs sechs WM-Teilnehmer ermittelt. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/138 "2025-12-06T14:02:42Z")
Thanks, good link for me. And some interesting pairings in the four European groups. I am going to start hoarding some Schadenfreude, but won’t reveal for which country so as not to jinx it. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/139 "2025-12-06T14:09:34Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I was pleasantly surprised to see that Trump was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize. Two months ago, I would never have felt such a thing was possible, or even extent. It was a bit in the balance after blowing up fishing vessels and strafing the survivors. But it’s like jazz; you have to look at the innocents he _isn’t_ killing or imprisoning. My money was on him though; given that there were no other candidates. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/140 "2025-12-06T14:36:23Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I was pleasantly surprised to see that Trump was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize. Who wouldn’t want a bronze trophy with three pairs of rotting zombie’s hands raising from underground to grab the Earth as a paperweight? [![](https://thesudantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Fifa-awards-Trump.webp) ](https://thesudantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Fifa-awards-Trump.webp) Not to mention the undated diploma with the five or six different fonts, gilded decor double border elements, fake red ribbons on every corner and the golden FIFA **[seal](https://schumanchu.eu/html/r1/r1_00126usseal.html)**. Great formatting! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=8)