# 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:** 85
**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 23, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1681 "2026-06-23T18:56:06Z")
Poor Uzbekistan got in the receiving end of all the tension and anger the Portugal team accumulated since the draw with D.R. Congo. ETA: Which speaks well of the Portugal team, for turning it against their rivals instead of each other. ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1682 "2026-06-23T19:00:43Z")
I think that’s the real downside of having so many teams in the tournament. You end up with matchups between powerhouse teams against squads who really don’t belong in the world cup. This might have really gone another way had they been matched up with a top 20 or 30 team. ---
**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 23, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1683 "2026-06-23T19:02:47Z")
But who doesn’t enjoy watching a good curb stomping every now and then? with the leveling up of former weak teams we risk not seeing them so often nowadays. A Hungary 10 - El Salvador 1 was no longer in the cards, but if we extend the championship to 64 teams… ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1684 "2026-06-23T19:05:05Z")
Don’t get me wrong, I love that Italy is sitting this one out, but seriously Curacao? Jordan? :ahem: Uzbekistan? ---
**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 23, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1685 "2026-06-23T19:21:12Z")
Confirmed that Trump’s going to present the trophy at the final. ---
**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 23, 2026, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1686 "2026-06-23T19:27:24Z")
Was there ever a doubt about that? Because unlike many other things in this WC, it has always been standard practice that the head of state of the hosting nation presents the cup. Or was the question if instead the Canadian or Mexican representative would probably do it? ---
**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 23, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1687 "2026-06-23T19:39:11Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Hahaha no. But I already got lucky once (we’re going to Germany next week), so it does pay to keep poking the bear, so to speak. Eh, we’ll be watching from home. I found two tickets under a thousand, but it was still much more than I was willing to pay for a game I’m not invested in. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1688 "2026-06-23T19:40:13Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Wait until they go to 64 teams! If they do, it would only be the top 2 from each group that advance to the round of 32, so that part of the tournament would be simpler again. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1689 "2026-06-23T20:12:14Z")
Hope I’m wrong but this England-Ghana match is shaping up to be a stinker. Ghana playing in a 5-5-0 formation by the looks of it ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1690 "2026-06-23T20:13:30Z")
Let’s see how creative England can get against such blocks. I’m quite sure they awaited something like this. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1691 "2026-06-23T20:17:02Z")
Yeah, favored team playing vs a low block isn’t anything new. I missed the first 10 minutes, but England look like they’re penetrating to me. They’ll get one and then we’ll see if Ghana opens up any. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1692 "2026-06-23T20:17:58Z")
Yes after I typed that we have started to get in behind but it’s not pretty. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1693 "2026-06-23T20:27:43Z")
Most farcical ‘hydration’ break yet? What a complete joke. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1694 "2026-06-23T20:28:34Z")
Every one has been exactly as needed as every other one. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1695 "2026-06-23T20:28:47Z")
England need to show a bit more quality with their crossing and speed of play. Need to play fast paced football to break through these low blocks. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1696 "2026-06-23T20:33:30Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Most farcical ‘hydration’ break yet? What a complete joke. QFT. They needed a hydration break badly…two minutes after they had an extended hydration break. 🤦‍♂️ ETA: I hope that we won’t also see a piss break in this half, after all that drinking. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1697 "2026-06-23T20:41:23Z")
When people say soccer is boring, they’re wrong, but all the same I’d like them to not come across matches like this. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1698 "2026-06-23T20:43:55Z")
So you’re glad that you didn’t buy tickets? 😉 ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1699 "2026-06-23T20:47:55Z")
Mixing it up a bit and going more direct might help a bit. The more intricate stuff has failed badly so far. Ghana have their gameplan, are executing it well, but god is it dull. ---
**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 23, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1700 "2026-06-23T20:51:34Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > So you’re glad that you didn’t buy tickets? 😉 Heck yeah! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=84) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=86)