# World Cup Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2006, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275 "2006-06-19T11:21:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/1 "2006-06-19T11:21:51Z")
Why is the “grass” brown? I mean, I know it is Germany and I lived there and the weather sucks, but on my television screen, the grass is brown and not green. Why? Also, assume you are a Brit…you pay for tickets to see the Brits in the first round and hope they will go on to round 2 and then go all the way. How do you buy tickets if they win/lose? Do you HAVE TO buy tickets through the finals, or are tickets to the finals sold separately, regardless of who wins? In other words, is there a return policy if your country loses and you don’t want to watch Ghana vs Iran in the final rounds? Or do you buy tickets regardless who wins, just to see those games? I know these are probably stupid questions, but hey, I’m an American…cut me some slack. ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/2 "2006-06-19T11:35:13Z")
The grass looks pretty green to me. That said, it is pretty hot in Germany at the moment, and there is a limit to how much watering of pitches can be done while still maintaining a good playing surface, so the pitches may look a little parched as the tournament wears on. Those who want to see England (not Britain) play in later rounds have to take a chance. For each round, there’s only two possible fixtures for any given team, so it’s not like it’s a long shot. If your team gets eliminated, then you’re out of luck; however, you can always sell your ticket to someone else. I’m not sure what you mean about buying tickets ‘through to the finals’. You’re not obligated to buy tickets for subsequent rounds. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/3 "2006-06-19T11:43:05Z")
Grass looks green to me. You may have to get a TV not in sepia. I went to the World Cup in 1990. Ticketing was a nightmare. I was forced to choose a package centred on one team. I chose Brazil. But then they got knocked out. I had to choose another team. I chose Spain. They got knocked out. Had to choose another team. Everyone on the package tour had to spend at least 4 hours in the ticketing to get your ticket for the next day. That was for each match. Then the transportation hassles folllowing your team from venue to venue. I cannot imagine it has got better. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/4 "2006-06-19T11:48:04Z")
> [@hammos1](#): > > I’m not sure what you mean about buying tickets ‘through to the finals’. You’re not obligated to buy tickets for subsequent rounds. I bought a package deal for 1990 that included 2 1/8th final matches, one 1/4 final, one semi final and the final. I suppose there are package deals for this world cup. And there may be people who have tickets for subsequent matches they do not want to see. That is one reason there are gaps in the stands to ‘sold-out’ matches ---
**Author:** ![hammos1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/5 "2006-06-19T12:01:46Z")
I see what you mean about the package deals. The allocation of tickets at this World Cup has been criticised (too many tickets for FIFA bigwigs/ corporate junkets, not enough for the national FAs of the competing countries). However, from what I’ve read, I get the impression that if you want to see a particular game, tickets can be had for not much over the face value through unofficial channels. The exception to this would be any game featuring England (and, probably, Germany); tickets for those games go for several times face value. By the way, [here](http://www.nigelcooke.com/images/skyhd10.jpg) and [here](http://www.nigelcooke.com/images/skyhd9.jpg) are some screenshots from BBC’s high-definition World Cup coverage, to show the colour of the pitch (which I would describe as green). ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/6 "2006-06-19T15:46:18Z")
[hijack] I saw there is a “Korea” team. North, south, or unified? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/7 "2006-06-19T18:59:44Z")
> [@hammos1](#): > > By the way, [here](http://www.nigelcooke.com/images/skyhd10.jpg) and [here](http://www.nigelcooke.com/images/skyhd9.jpg) are some screenshots from BBC’s high-definition World Cup coverage, to show the colour of the pitch (which I would describe as green). Wow! That is very odd…I have a flat screen, plasma television and every other sporting event shows a wonderful green grass, except the games during the World Cup! On the same day I was flipping through the channels and saw golf and baseball games, all with lush green grass. But the World Cup - I swear, the grass is brown! Hmm…will have to try to adjust screen next time and see what is going on… ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/8 "2006-06-19T20:00:29Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > [hijack] I saw there is a “Korea” team. North, south, or unified? [/hijack] South Korea. North Korea does enter the qualification stages, but IIRC has only reached the finals once, in 1966. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/9 "2006-06-19T20:06:46Z")
Thanks, **GorillaMan**. I would think that North Korea would get pissy about SK being called “Korea”. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/10 "2006-06-19T21:00:11Z")
Aha…just looked at Fifa’s own rankings, which we can presume uses a name for countries which has been mutually agreed. It lists ‘Korea Republic’ and ‘Korea DPR’. I’m sure Pyong Yang officials would hate the S Korea team being called ‘Korea’ - but what are they gonna do about it? :: duck & cover :: ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/11 "2006-06-19T22:12:48Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > South Korea. …but IIRC has only reached the finals once, in 1966. There’s a joke in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/12 "2006-06-20T16:05:23Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I’m sure Pyong Yang officials would hate the S Korea team being called ‘Korea’ - but what are they gonna do about it? > > :: duck & cover :: Having seen the documentary film _Team America_, I can only guess. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/13 "2006-06-20T16:06:15Z")
Wasn’t there a joint Korean team at the last Olympics? It’s not all that unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/14 "2006-06-20T18:36:27Z")
Yes, there was a single Korean team at the last Olympics, under a generic flag. Koreans (at least South Koreans, I don’t have contact with the other side) tend to think of themselves as a single nation, divided between two states. “South Korean” and “North Korea” are only used when it’s important to distinguish between the two. ---
**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 20, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/15 "2006-06-20T18:53:23Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Yes, there was a single Korean team at the last Olympics, under a generic flag. > > Koreans (at least South Koreans, I don’t have contact with the other side) tend to think of themselves as a single nation, divided between two states. “South Korean” and “North Korea” are only used when it’s important to distinguish between the two. Absolutely. I’ve never really seen a Korean person in Asia who says South or North. I believe both North and South have a reunification minister, even if its just a pointless position. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/16 "2006-06-20T19:51:37Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > There’s a joke in there somewhere. What, about 1966-style death rays? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/17 "2006-06-20T19:54:31Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > What, about 1966-style death rays? They think it’s all over. _ **ZZZZZAP!** _ It is now. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-questions/361275/18 "2006-06-20T20:43:10Z")
North Korea managed a famous 1-0 victory in the 1966 World Cup over Italy and actually qualified for the quarter-finals, where they were beaten 5-3 by Portugal.