# 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:** 75
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1481 "2026-06-21T23:28:35Z")
Bad pass from the defender but the goalkeeper… oh my. ---
**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 21, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1482 "2026-06-21T23:52:19Z")
These corners are like Sisyphus for CPV. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1483 "2026-06-22T00:00:47Z")
What a game this is. Uruguay need to win this as they have Spain next ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1484 "2026-06-22T00:05:15Z")
That was like the fight at the end of Rocky. ---
**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 22, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1485 "2026-06-22T00:07:47Z")
Uruguay-Spain will be a match the Uruguay team will play with an ear on the radio to see what’s happening in Cape Verde - Saudi. And if both end up in a draw… I guess It will end up going to Fifa Ranking and then Uruguay? Cape Verde with a good chance to qualify anyway as one of the best 3rds. ---
**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 22, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1486 "2026-06-22T00:20:48Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > if both end un in a draw Right now Uruguay has 3 GF (goals for) and 3 GA. Cape Verde has 2 GF and 2 GA. If both games end up in a draw on Friday, then Cape Verde will have to score 1 more goal than Uruguay to pull even, because tiebreaker #5 is most goals scored in all group games. If that happens, it will then go to FIFA rankings, which favor Uruguay. But if CV can beat Saudi Arabia, then Uruguay will have to beat Spain to automatically qualify. Likewise, if Spain beats Uruguay, then CV just needs a draw to qualify. ---
**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 22, 2026, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1487 "2026-06-22T00:21:20Z")
I like Spain to win outright. Cape Verde has gotta be favored to finish second. Amazing. ---
**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 22, 2026, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1488 "2026-06-22T00:34:57Z")
May be, but Uruguay will fight for their lives, if it looks like the result is favorable in the other game Spain will not risk tiring their players. ---
**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 22, 2026, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1489 "2026-06-22T00:46:24Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > if it looks like the result is favorable in the other game Spain will not risk tiring their players. Spain hasn’t clinched anything yet. If they lose to Uruguay, and CV beats SA, Spain would finish third in the group. They would probably advance, but would have to play a first-place finisher. They would be able to rest their players only if SA is convincingly beating CV. ---
**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 22, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1490 "2026-06-22T00:51:54Z")
Or it looks like a tie. But it’s true that it’s too close for comfort, Spain will start the game trying to win, what happens next depends on what’s happening on the other game. ---
**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 22, 2026, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1491 "2026-06-22T01:01:35Z")
Given the final group matches are at the same time I don’t think you assume anything and rest people. ---
**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 22, 2026, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1492 "2026-06-22T01:03:00Z")
Yeah you are right, I was wrong, may be if everything goes well in the second half, but not from the start. ---
**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 22, 2026, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1493 "2026-06-22T01:26:03Z")
Any chance New Zealand faces Australia in the knockout round? Or for that matter, the Netherlands…where “OG” Zealand is? ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1494 "2026-06-22T01:53:47Z")
By the time of the Spain-Uruguay match, there will be 7 other groups completed. Spain should have a pretty decent idea of how much 1st/2nd/3rd will matter. You could even imagine a scenario where they prefer third, but that’s more of an issue with the last groups to finish. ---
**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 22, 2026, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1495 "2026-06-22T01:53:58Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Any chance New Zealand faces Australia in the knockout round? Don’t think so. If NZ wins Group G, they will play a 3rd place finisher from one of these groups: A/E/H/I/J. Australia is in Group D. And if NZ finishes second, they will play a first place finisher, which Australia cannot be. ---
**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 22, 2026, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1496 "2026-06-22T01:59:56Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > And if NZ finishes second, they will play a first place finisher, which Australia cannot be. Whoops, I was wrong. Group G second place plays…Group D second place. So if could be NZ vs the Aussies! ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1497 "2026-06-22T02:26:01Z")
Unless I’m very much mistaken, any two teams in the knockout round could end up facing each other, as long as they both keep winning. ---
**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 22, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1498 "2026-06-22T02:43:08Z")
Looks like Egypt is going to win their match against New Zealand. ---
**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 22, 2026, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1499 "2026-06-22T02:51:46Z")
Happy for Salah. ---
**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 22, 2026, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1500 "2026-06-22T02:55:36Z")
Agreed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=74) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=76)