# 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:** 95
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1881 "2026-06-25T13:56:36Z")
I just noticed that some articles are using Roman numerals to refer to the starting eleven players. Has that always been a thing, or is it new this year? Take this article, on the ESPN website, about South Africa defeating South Korea, which includes a reference to a controversy over the South Korea starting XI. > **[South Korea on brink of WC exit after 'wrong' Son gamble](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49172230/south-korea-brink-wc-exit-wrong-son-gamble)** > > South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo had jaws dropping when he chose to leave out captain Son Heung-Min from his first XI for Wednesday's Group A decider against South Africa -- the first time since 2010 Son had not started a World Cup game. That seems like an odd place to use Roman numerals, but maybe that’s how it’s always been and I just never noticed. ---
**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 25, 2026, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1882 "2026-06-25T13:58:30Z")
I’ve never seen that, neither in American, British nor German media. ---
**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 25, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1883 "2026-06-25T14:00:02Z")
Bayern sometimes uses the XI thing on their gameday social media posts. ---
**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 25, 2026, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1884 "2026-06-25T14:01:02Z")
I don’t read no steenking Bayern social media posts… 😉 ---
**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 25, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1885 "2026-06-25T14:11:55Z")
Don’t make me search through BMG posts! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Pheoinix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7993a0/32.png) [@Pheoinix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pheoinix)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1886 "2026-06-25T14:58:26Z")
It’s common in schools in the UK, or at least it used to be. The first XI in football or cricket, and the first XV in rugby. ---
**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 25, 2026, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1887 "2026-06-25T15:00:33Z")
In German, we usually write it out as “Erste Elf” or “Startelf”. Well, except for Bayern… 😄 ---
**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 25, 2026, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1888 "2026-06-25T15:15:21Z")
I was thinking earlier today that I didn’t like the pre-seeding of all teams in the Round of 32. For instance, Group E 2nd Place plays Group I 2nd Place on Tuesday the 30th. I thought that a better method would be to seed all teams after the Group stage, so that the best-performing team would be seeded #1 and would play the #32 team. But after further reflection, I realized that it would be impossible to do that, unless there were several days off between the Group stage and the Round of 32. Otherwise, you might have a team that’s had one day off playing a team which hasn’t played in a week. I still don’t think I like the way the seeding is structured for the knockout rounds, but I have no idea if there’s a better way to 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 25, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1889 "2026-06-25T16:55:15Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > In German, we usually write it out as “Erste Elf” or “Startelf”. Well, except for Bayern… 😄 [![](https://i.imgur.com/wiuPYcC.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/wiuPYcC.jpeg) ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1890 "2026-06-25T17:01:52Z")
Ah gosh, dammit, that’s why I don’t follow social media, not even BMG’s. 😄 ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1891 "2026-06-25T17:05:17Z")
I told you not to make me do 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 25, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1892 "2026-06-25T17:05:58Z")
But you first had to make the effort… 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1893 "2026-06-25T17:38:57Z")
The truth is oot there! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1894 "2026-06-25T17:41:06Z")
Ah, SA is only manageable because they banned all the zarzuelas. ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1895 "2026-06-25T17:41:53Z")
Vuvuzelas 😉 ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1896 "2026-06-25T17:42:32Z")
I’m sure I’ve seen ‘XI’ in a professional football lineup context many times in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1897 "2026-06-25T17:43:45Z")
I knew I had it wrong, but misGoogled it because it turns out zarzuela “sheet music” is a thing. ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1898 "2026-06-25T17:45:17Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > but misGoogled it because it turns out zarzuela “sheet music” is a thing. Now don’t let anyone get the idea to compose a symphony for vuvuzelas. 😣 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1899 "2026-06-25T17:47:12Z")
If you have never seen the amazing (but less well known now) comedian Dave Attell having an entire audience play “Hot Cross Buns” on recorders, (which anyone can do instinctively) it is well worth your time to Google it if available. Incredibly funny, sez I. ---
**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 25, 2026, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962/1900 "2026-06-25T17:48:08Z")
Seen in Bluesky: Scotland - Brazil: [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2qpdkfmc3lunapc2etviuwxi/bafkreiatb3yhclpz26y4sqjs2suec7hmpo4ysrncfy7evsgd2aeg5yez5y) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2qpdkfmc3lunapc2etviuwxi/bafkreiatb3yhclpz26y4sqjs2suec7hmpo4ysrncfy7evsgd2aeg5yez5y) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=94) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-world-cup-2026-discussion-etc/1023962.md?page=96)