# 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:** 90
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1781 "2026-06-24T13:49:56Z")
If you’re talking about the current group of Canadian players, this is the level they’ve been at for the past few years. They get a favourable draw as a host, so their group has gone about as predicted so far. If you look a bit more historically it’s a different story. Their FIFA ranking ten years ago was #120. ---
**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 24, 2026, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1782 "2026-06-24T14:14:22Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > 8 of the 12 3rd place teams advance. Just to add to this statement: From a graphic in _The Athletic_ today, which is paywalled: The chance of advancing to the Round of 32 as a third place team with 4 or more points is \>99%. With 3 points, the chance ranges from 32% to \>99%, depending on goal differential. A -8 GD is 32%, while a +3 GD is \>99%. With 2 points, the chance is 4%. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1783 "2026-06-24T15:20:46Z")
Details: [![](https://theanalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/how-many-points-do-the-third-placed-teams-need-world-cup-2026-1024x774.png) ](https://theanalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/how-many-points-do-the-third-placed-teams-need-world-cup-2026-1024x774.png) [![](https://theanalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/what-goal-difference-do-the-third-placed-teams-need-at-the-2026-world-cup-1024x766.png) ](https://theanalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/what-goal-difference-do-the-third-placed-teams-need-at-the-2026-world-cup-1024x766.png) ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1784 "2026-06-24T18:10:43Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > That the English goalie did not receive a red card for a possible foul against Prince Adu as last man is one thing. Jordan Pickford was deserving of a card for taking out Prince Adu, but since he wasn’t the last defender - there were two England defenders in play - it should have been yellow, not red. There was no attempt to play the ball. There wasn’t even an attempt at _pretending_ to attempt to play the ball. He just wanted to clear out the attacker, and that he did. Very much deserving of a caution. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1785 "2026-06-24T18:28:28Z")
Possibly the worst case of whining I’ve seen in a while. Almiron was not red carded because he was too fair skinned. He was red carded because he covered his mouth during an altercation to prevent the cameras from seeing him say something that brings the game into disrepute. Bellingham’s case was quite different. There was no altercation or confrontation. Just two friends talking privately. Is there a reason why racial and homophobic abuse should remain a part of football? Or should the players all be miked up so we can hear everything including their conversations deciding on how the free kick or corner is to be taken? ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1786 "2026-06-24T18:49:40Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Is there a reason why racial and homophobic abuse should remain a part of football? Or should the players all be miked up so we can hear everything including their conversations deciding on how the free kick or corner is to be taken? It’s been a decade or so since I hung up my whistle, but I used to work a lot of amateur and youth matches about 20 weekends a year. I got in the habit of checking in the teams that had a lot of Hispanic players in Spanish. Early in my refereeing career (if you could call it that), I’m sure they’d look at me and feel pretty confident that I couldn’t understand their chatter on the field. That was their mistake, and I sent off a number of players for foul and abusive language they didn’t think I understood. My mentor, however, always said that a good referee should have two objectives in mind. First, keep the play flowing as much as possible. Second, try to keep the players on the field, and only send off players who really demonstrate they need to be sent off. By checking them in and chatting with them in Spanish - or more accurately, Spanglish - they were on notice to keep it clean. ---
**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 24, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1787 "2026-06-24T18:56:19Z")
Should have been a penalty, the other two incidents show your bias. The goalie missed the ball but so did the attacker and the attacker had his studs raised. Bad goalkeeping though, and lucky the attacker missed the ball. The covering the mouth thing is only for confrontations. Might have been interesting had Ayew run to referee to complain however. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1788 "2026-06-24T19:01:01Z")
Apparently Juan Soto is the VAR ref for CAN/SUI. Wonder how the Mets feel about that. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1789 "2026-06-24T19:06:07Z")
Right on. All showered up, Stella Artois and dabs at the ready. Did the ole call-in-sick thing with two of my clients. Game on. I hope I’m not seeing a lot of empty seats. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1790 "2026-06-24T19:13:40Z")
post deleted ---
**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 24, 2026, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1791 "2026-06-24T19:14:31Z")
Both sides just missed golden opportunities. ETA: Canada/Switzerland ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1792 "2026-06-24T19:15:25Z")
Yeah, it has been eventful so far. ---
**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 24, 2026, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1793 "2026-06-24T19:19:52Z")
Surely players will learn that stumbling to the ground and flinging your arms up is far less likely to succeed in this particular tournament… ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1794 "2026-06-24T19:20:04Z")
A couple neat turns Canada has pulled off - one of them might have looked like a foul. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1795 "2026-06-24T19:24:20Z")
Are hydration breaks frowned upon, here? I myself am ok with them in this summer heat. EDIT: BC Place _is_ covered, though, so, maybe not a screamingly necessary hydration break, here. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1796 "2026-06-24T19:32:21Z")
I’m glad the ref yellow carded both of them - at the outset that’s what I thought too. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1797 "2026-06-24T19:32:41Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Are hydration breaks frowned upon, here? I myself am ok with them in this summer heat. Not sure…I don’t think anyone’s commented on them in this thread. ---
**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 24, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1798 "2026-06-24T19:40:54Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Are hydration breaks frowned upon, here? I myself am ok with them in this summer heat. Everybody hates them, they’re just another money grab for FIFA. ---
**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 24, 2026, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1799 "2026-06-24T19:43:20Z")
Bosnia and Herzegovina out there killing it. Two goals in the first 40 minutes or so. Oh, as I type this, Qatar has just scored 1 back. If you have to choose, this it the better of the games happening now. Wow. ---
**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 24, 2026, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1800 "2026-06-24T19:56:14Z")
If I could construct, in my imagination, the most vanilla football team possible, it would not be as vanilla as this Canada team. And I’m saying this while they are playing Switzerland - the second most vanilla team in the world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=89) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=91)