# World Cup 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615 "2018-06-07T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/81 "2018-06-13T10:39:52Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > In a bold and innovative move Spain have sacked their manager on the eve of the tournament starting! For taking the RM job. I guess that’s frowned upon? ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/82 "2018-06-13T10:44:55Z")
Apparently the negotiations between Madrid and the coach were done without knowledge of the Spanish FA - who clearly feel butthurt. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/83 "2018-06-13T12:51:55Z")
If Spain does poorly, the rest of Spain will hate Real Madrid even more (if that’s even possible). Perhaps this was Zidane’s master plan by exiting Real right after the CL: Eliminate one of France’s competitors. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/84 "2018-06-13T13:58:33Z")
The North American bid for the 2026 World Cup won the FIFA vote today. Sixty games in the U.S., 10 each in Canada and Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/85 "2018-06-13T14:00:37Z")
As a Canadian I’m not very happy about this. Hosting the World Cup is going to be an enormous waste of money for us and I’d rather we just sit it out entirely. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/86 "2018-06-13T14:32:31Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > As a Canadian I’m not very happy about this. Hosting the World Cup is going to be an enormous waste of money for us and I’d rather we just sit it out entirely. Please see USA 1994 and rethink this. The stadiums are already built and thousands of tourists descend upon the cities. Its amazing and a big party. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/87 "2018-06-13T16:38:50Z")
Wow! Woke up to the good news that North America is hosting the World Cup, so I can finally attend a match. With the chaos in Spain, that solidifies my prediction: Germany will win this tournament ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/88 "2018-06-13T16:41:33Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > As a Canadian I’m not very happy about this. Hosting the World Cup is going to be an enormous waste of money for us and I’d rather we just sit it out entirely. But Canada already is a fully developed nation and has the infrastructure. The expense is utterly minimal and there is a lot of income brought in by traveling fans. Wouldn’t it also be a plus to see Canada’s team back in the World Cup after 40+ years of absence? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/89 "2018-06-13T16:49:50Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > But Canada already is a fully developed nation and has the infrastructure. The expense is utterly minimal and there is a lot of income brought in by traveling fans. Wouldn’t it also be a plus to see Canada’s team back in the World Cup after 40+ years of absence? Wait. All 3 nations get automatically qualified? I realize the field will be 48 but that doesn’t seem right and distorts CONCACAF qualifying. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/90 "2018-06-13T16:51:23Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Wow! Woke up to the good news that North America is hosting the World Cup, so I can finally attend a match. > > With the chaos in Spain, that solidifies my prediction: Germany will win this tournament I agree but I think the field is wide open. I know this is a minority opinion but I truly believe England are strong contenders and Southgate is the right man and temperament for the job. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/91 "2018-06-13T17:43:13Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Wait. All 3 nations get automatically qualified? I realize the field will be 48 but that doesn’t seem right and distorts CONCACAF qualifying. I’m not 100% certain but that would likely be how it is - that when multiple nations host, all hosts qualify. When Japan and South Korea co-hosted in 2002, both nations automatically were in by virtue of being hosts. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/92 "2018-06-13T17:44:20Z")
Not sure how much that loophole could be exploited, though - i.e., if 12 nations all decided to co-host together and their bid were approved, that all 12 would automatically qualify? Yeah that would be rigging it. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/93 "2018-06-13T18:30:26Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Wait. All 3 nations get automatically qualified? I realize the field will be 48 but that doesn’t seem right and distorts CONCACAF qualifying. We’re talking 6 teams from CONCACAF though. A three-team autoqualify leaves plenty of room for the rest of the federation without really distorting the makeup. ---
**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 13, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/94 "2018-06-13T19:10:30Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > We’re talking 6 teams from CONCACAF though. A three-team autoqualify leaves plenty of room for the rest of the federation without really distorting the makeup. so 5 teams from the CONCACAF in the tournament? (3 automatic, 2 from qualifiers)? I think more than one is too much. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/95 "2018-06-13T19:19:26Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > so 5 teams from the CONCACAF in the tournament? (3 automatic, 2 from qualifiers)? I think more than one is too much. Really? There’s a decent chance that both Mexico and the USA would qualify for a Morocco World Cup in 2026, so only Canada might be getting a free pass. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/96 "2018-06-13T19:25:27Z")
Mexico and the USA are usually pretty safe bets to qualify, this year notwithstanding, so it would really amount to just giving Canada a bid. Even in a 48-team tournament we’d probably get wiped out, but who knows. Maybe in 8 years Alphonso Davies will be a superstar. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/97 "2018-06-13T19:33:22Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > so 5 teams from the CONCACAF in the tournament? (3 automatic, 2 from qualifiers)? I think more than one is too much. CONCACAF has 6 slots starting in 2026, right? So essentially it’s just removing the last “Hex” round of the current qualification system. For 2018 this was: Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, USA, Trinidad & Tobago. Swapping in Canada for T&T doesn’t seem like too much of a change. ---
**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 13, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/98 "2018-06-13T19:39:27Z")
6 Slots for CONCACAF? CONMEBOL should send 2 of every team then, Brasil A, Brasil B, Argentina A, Argentina B, Uruguay A and Uruguay B would all probably end up higher than all 6 CONCACAF teams ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/99 "2018-06-13T19:53:57Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > …With the chaos in Spain, that solidifies my prediction: Germany will win this tournament The Goldman modeling actually has Germany as 3rd favorite to win it all, behind Brazil and France. It’s just that France has a bad draw by having to play Brazil in the semis. I didn’t know any of this before I made my bets in Vegas, but now I feel slightly better about them. Also, in terms of the average player rating of the predicted starting 11’s, they have Spain as the highest. Any predictions on the first game tomorrow? If Putin has any way to “help” Russia, they should win handily. Unless FIFA has changed, it should be a lock that Russia beats Saudi Arabia. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/100 "2018-06-13T19:56:36Z")
I’ve got Saudi Arabia but I’m glad I don’t have money on it. It’s funny that there’s no way I’d wake up early to watch a Russia vs Saudi Arabia friendly, but I’m eager to get up to see this start to the World Cup [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615.md?page=6)