The US Roster is out and I think it was pretty much what was already leaked? 2026 FIFA World Cup squads - Wikipedia
Personally I don’t see any use for Roldan over Tanner Tessman. Reyna over Luna is also controversial, but I can see it in the “15 minutes left in a knockout game, we’re down 1, have to make something happen” scenario that is inevitable.
So what is that “we are one down and 15 minutes from crashing out, we need someone with a bit of flair (and/or big guy who can put it up em’, cos we all know we don’t like it up em’) to make it happen” player for the different world cup squads? Or is it, like the obsession with owning homes, an anglophone thing? 
For England it’s Ivan Toney, obviously..
An Economist article suggests the cheapest ticket prices (<3% of tickets) are 2-4 as expensive as 2014, 2018 or 2022. For the final, cheapest ticket prices are over 4-5 times as expensive.
I love the World Cup. My problem is not that Canada applied. It is that estimates are 3-5 times higher, every other ripoff opportunity seems to have been maximized, politicians did not disclose agreements, and that FIFA seems completely corrupt. Given the games we got, it ain’t worth a billion dollars. And the final costs will be much higher than this - they say a billion dollars for BC alone is more accurate. The Olympics buys national exposure; having a dozen games won’t provide very much.
If you ask for the moon you sometimes get it. 
Interesting read.
And thanks for the gift article!
Here’s another one, but The Economist might only allow one person to read it!
In the first of 2 warmup games the US beat African champs Senegal 3-2. Really going to need Chris Richards back because they’re weak defensively, but good showing against a decent team.
Pretty sad for Marcelo Flores. Was named to the Canadian team on Friday, then tore his ACL in the last Tigres match on Saturday. I’m sure it’s happening to all teams to some extent, but the Canadians sure seem to be suffering a ton of injuries.
I watched bits & pieces of that match. Christian Pulisic had an assist and a goal. I could see the relief on his face after he scored that goal; after eight matches without one, he desperately needed that to get over his mental hump. Yes, it was just a friendly, but he needed that goal.
Can’t bring your own water bottles. But no worries…
“Inside the stadium footprint, pricing for water bottles for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will remain consistent with other events held at each stadium,” the soccer body said.
I read about that yesterday. Honestly some if the BS FIFA comes up with is breathtaking. Apparently it would be dangerous to allow someone to bring in a bottle they could fill up inside, because it could be used as a missile. But bottles purchased inside the stadium (for an extortionate sum, no doubt)? Nah, you’re ok. Because apparently they are unthrowable. Or something.
I understand it sounds silly, but despite all the press this is not some new thing FIFA came up with. When I saw Fulham some years back you couldn’t bring water in, and when you bought it they took the cap off when handingit to you. The intent was (reasonably) that if you threw it from the stands, it would lose water on the way and become less kinetic.
Also, a bunch of stadiums have already committed to selling water for the usual inflated price, not an even more absurd FIFA price.
I get that, FIFA are just copying the model from many other stadium operators, but temperatures in some US cities in summer are likely to be a lot hotter than the average day by the Thames. But yes loads of venues do this and it is extremely cynical.
Some concert venues are the same way. Savvy patrons keep old caps to take inside.
That didn’t last long.
Is anyone participating in a ‘predict the winner’-type game? I did a quick search for a free online version and built my prediction here after a minimum amount of thought.
Some of my match-ups look rather intriguing! USA v. Canada being just one (and I predict the USA will win that one).
I’d love to hear what others have picked for the winner.
I’m revising my expectations for Argentina in this World Cup, you see on Friday one of the (if not THE) greatest rock musicians in our history, Carlos “El Indio” Solari died, more info here and audio message he made for Messi surfaced:
Up until now there was a sensation in the air that this time the usual “Clima de Mundial” (World Cup Feeling) was somewhat lacking.
Perhaps because we won it last time and no longer feel that desperate need to win it again (and have Messi win it at last!).
Perhaps because the team is not what it was in 2022.
Perhaps because we intimately know who incredibly hard is to win two World Cups in a row.
Perhaps because the economic and social are disastrous.
In any case the usual mystical component to Argentinian football was lacking.
But now… now we have “El Indio”'s last message, all the things we love: Death, Prophecies, Rock, Football, Magic…
So we more than probably will not win again, but the World cup feeling? the World cup feeling is back baby.
This is a better thread than the one I originally posted this:
You know that winning the World Cup would be the absolute boost for Milei, right? Careful with what you wish, is all I say.
That (the boost to the ruling regime) is also the reason why it is so important that the USA are defeated in a humiliating fashion as soon as possible, repeated times if possible, but that is another thread. [no longer, now it is correct] And it will require judicious use of the VAR.
That’s my nightmare, specially because the players refused to visit the Pink House the last time to avoid “politicing” the sport, if they win again and decide to go there (like Messi went to see Trump after winning in the MLS), well it would be an extremely bitter draught to drink.
That said, I’m genetically incapable of not wishing to win the World Cup, and furthermore if the left is seen as wanting the team to lose (as some in the left with the same worries you mention have said) then the left is fucked for evermore.
I want my people to be happy, if Milei hijacks it, as the 1978 dicators did, it would be bitter but endurable.
You have to remember that in 1978, people who were being tortured in the dictatorship’s secret detention centers celebrated Argentina’s goals and wins like crazy.
Politics is temporary, Football is forever.
Don’t worry: you have thorougly jinxed it by now 