World Cup 2026

blue_danube said:
I've never felt less excited for a world cup than this

Not sure what it is. Maybe the kick off times are at an awkward time for where I am. I think the extra amount of teams is part of it. I think 32 was about perfect with the right amount of games.

Might get more invested when it's underway but I can't really see myself tuning in until the last few stages of it.

I know I can't speak for everyone but it seems like there's less excitement in general. Nobody I know is really talking about it.
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Was saying this the other day, this will be the first WC that I don't watch every game live, and apart from being some real poor games in the groups (on paper) it's obviously the kick off times that spoil it, miles better when it's in Europe
 
Echoing what others have said but the group stage really feels almost pointless this time, which is such a shame as that's usually my favourite part of the tournament. I've always made sure to watch every group game I possibly can in the past, regardless of time differences and scheduling, but certainly won't be bothering this time.

There are maybe 2 groups or 3 at a push that look like they could go a few different ways, but many are more or less predictable, and with so many third place teams getting through, it won't even necessarily matter that much if there's some sort of 'upset' like Germany losing to Ecuador or whatever.

It's like the new CL format really where you can have a City or a Real lose 4 group games or whatever but still qualify no problem. Nothing means anything. The drama's been sapped right out of it all.

From a sporting perspective, the first 70 odd games of this tournament exist purely to eliminate the likes of Cape Verde and Curacao while pretty much everyone else progresses to the knockouts. Such an awful format change.
 
super_city_si said:
Saw a thing last night about all the new rule changes coming in for the World Cup. FIFA and the refs are killing the game. Death by a thousand cuts. Just too many small needless rules.
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Not sure if this is the correct list of changes but how can you argue with some of them?
Match-flow - First two are great as we've been moaning about time-wasting for years. The third not so much if it's a genuine injury.
VAR - The second yellow intervention isn't correct as it gives more weight to the second card but the other two aren't really a problem unless you're bothered about that goal we scored from an incorrectly awarded corner at Ipswich in the FA Cup about 25 years ago.
Disciplinary - No real issue with those but the fuss made about players covering their mouths is bloody stupid.

Match Flow & Time-Wasting Penalties
  • The 10-Second Substitution Rule: Players being subbed off have exactly 10 seconds to leave the pitch. If they take longer, their replacement must wait on the sideline for one minute, temporarily leaving the team with 10 players.
  • The 5-Second Restarts: Referees can initiate a visual five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks. If not taken in time, the throw-in is turned over to the opposition, and a delayed goal kick results in an opposition corner.
  • Off-field Medical Treatment: Players who require on-field medical assessment must leave the pitch and wait for one minute before returning to play. [1, 2]
Expanded VAR Capabilities
  • Second Yellow Cards: Video Assistant Referees (VAR) can now review and intervene on second yellow card decisions.
  • Corner Kicks: VARs can review clearly incorrect corner kick awards to prevent unfair advantages.
  • Mistaken Identity: VAR powers have been widened to fix situations where a yellow or red card is given to the wrong player. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Disciplinary & Administrative Changes
  • Yellow Card Amnesty: Due to the tournament expansion to 48 teams, player disciplinary records are reset twice. Single yellow cards are wiped out after the group stage and again after the quarter-finals.
  • Player Conduct: Referees now have the authority to send off players who deliberately cover their mouths while speaking with opponents to avoid disciplinary accountability. [1, 2, 3]
For a quick overview of how the new time-wasting rules—like the substitution timer and throw-in countdowns—will alter match pacing:
 
I've looked through the groups and the below are the games that "stand out" (ignoring England and Scotland games).

Germany v Ivory Coast
Netherlands v Sweden
Spain v Uruguay
France v Norway
France v Senegal
Argentina v Austria

72 games and if you include 3 of England's and 3 of Scotland's 12/72 are "interesting" on paper, and even then that's probably a stretch.

Here's a list of some other group games, which will probably be the most entertaining!

South Africa v Czech Republic
Qatar v Canada
Haiti v Morocco
Paraguay v Australia
Curacao v Ecuador
Iran v New Zealand
Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia
Algeria v Jordan
DR Congo v Uzbekistan

To cap it all off, the "best 3rd place team" rule that has been in place with the Euro's too will see teams potentially qualify with 3pts so you'll see playoff style games where teams don't take risks.
 
East Level 2 said:
Not sure if this is the correct list of changes but how can you argue with some of them?
Match-flow - First two are great as we've been moaning about time-wasting for years. The third not so much if it's a genuine injury.
VAR - The second yellow intervention isn't correct as it gives more weight to the second card but the other two aren't really a problem unless you're bothered about that goal we scored from an incorrectly awarded corner at Ipswich in the FA Cup about 25 years ago.
Disciplinary - No real issue with those but the fuss made about players covering their mouths is bloody stupid.

Match Flow & Time-Wasting Penalties
  • The 10-Second Substitution Rule: Players being subbed off have exactly 10 seconds to leave the pitch. If they take longer, their replacement must wait on the sideline for one minute, temporarily leaving the team with 10 players.
  • The 5-Second Restarts: Referees can initiate a visual five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks. If not taken in time, the throw-in is turned over to the opposition, and a delayed goal kick results in an opposition corner.
  • Off-field Medical Treatment: Players who require on-field medical assessment must leave the pitch and wait for one minute before returning to play. [1, 2]
Expanded VAR Capabilities
  • Second Yellow Cards: Video Assistant Referees (VAR) can now review and intervene on second yellow card decisions.
  • Corner Kicks: VARs can review clearly incorrect corner kick awards to prevent unfair advantages.
  • Mistaken Identity: VAR powers have been widened to fix situations where a yellow or red card is given to the wrong player. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Disciplinary & Administrative Changes
  • Yellow Card Amnesty: Due to the tournament expansion to 48 teams, player disciplinary records are reset twice. Single yellow cards are wiped out after the group stage and again after the quarter-finals.
  • Player Conduct: Referees now have the authority to send off players who deliberately cover their mouths while speaking with opponents to avoid disciplinary accountability. [1, 2, 3]
For a quick overview of how the new time-wasting rules—like the substitution timer and throw-in countdowns—will alter match pacing:
Click to expand...

Too many rules it's ridiculous.

The game is completely losing its way.

The refs are in charge of the games. They can already force players to get off the pitch when substituted, they can already tell players to get on with throw ins, goal kicks. They've got cards in their pocket - fucking use them!

All these silly time limits do is delay the game further. Keeper takes 12 seconds so corner awarded...you then wait for the team to slowly walk over to take it, their players huddle up and grapple, the ref give them all a warning and then the corner's finally taken and the ref gives a free kick. The goalkeeper takes his time before taking it. Then there's a substitution which delays it. The player doesn't see their number, ref tells them and starts the count. They take 12 seconds so are down to 10 for a minute. One of their players goes down injured which wastes that minute, they're up to 11 men. But the injured player goes off so they're back to 10. Luckily the opposition take too long over a throw in. But then, they take too long taking theirs...this continues for 20 minutes until there's a cooling break.
 
East Level 2 said:
Not sure if this is the correct list of changes but how can you argue with some of them?
Match-flow - First two are great as we've been moaning about time-wasting for years. The third not so much if it's a genuine injury.
VAR - The second yellow intervention isn't correct as it gives more weight to the second card but the other two aren't really a problem unless you're bothered about that goal we scored from an incorrectly awarded corner at Ipswich in the FA Cup about 25 years ago.
Disciplinary - No real issue with those but the fuss made about players covering their mouths is bloody stupid.

Match Flow & Time-Wasting Penalties
  • The 10-Second Substitution Rule: Players being subbed off have exactly 10 seconds to leave the pitch. If they take longer, their replacement must wait on the sideline for one minute, temporarily leaving the team with 10 players.
  • The 5-Second Restarts: Referees can initiate a visual five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks. If not taken in time, the throw-in is turned over to the opposition, and a delayed goal kick results in an opposition corner.
  • Off-field Medical Treatment: Players who require on-field medical assessment must leave the pitch and wait for one minute before returning to play. [1, 2]
Expanded VAR Capabilities
  • Second Yellow Cards: Video Assistant Referees (VAR) can now review and intervene on second yellow card decisions.
  • Corner Kicks: VARs can review clearly incorrect corner kick awards to prevent unfair advantages.
  • Mistaken Identity: VAR powers have been widened to fix situations where a yellow or red card is given to the wrong player. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Disciplinary & Administrative Changes
  • Yellow Card Amnesty: Due to the tournament expansion to 48 teams, player disciplinary records are reset twice. Single yellow cards are wiped out after the group stage and again after the quarter-finals.
  • Player Conduct: Referees now have the authority to send off players who deliberately cover their mouths while speaking with opponents to avoid disciplinary accountability. [1, 2, 3]
For a quick overview of how the new time-wasting rules—like the substitution timer and throw-in countdowns—will alter match pacing:
Click to expand...

It’s mad how many little rules they’ll invent to avoid using this new fangled invention called a fucking clock.

Can people name any other sport where the timer stays live while the game/ball is dead? No. Because it’s ridiculous.

They’ve engineered the world’s most complex solution to the world’s simplest problem.
 
All about money sponsers etc all about pushing the spotlightnon at best average players ...........the fact that it goes to nations who regard it as at best a 3rd choice sport says it all.

As for England there will be players pulled to bits while a sub standard Bellingham will get away with being shite yet again a plucky knockout yet again and yet another enquiry into why the nation that invented soccerball is still not able to win a trophy.
 
SkyBlueFlux said:
It’s mad how many little rules they’ll invent to avoid using this new fangled invention called a fucking clock.

Can people name any other sport where the timer stays live while the game/ball is dead? No. Because it’s ridiculous.

They’ve engineered the world’s most complex solution to the world’s simplest problem.
Click to expand...
Exactly, ball in play for 30 minutes each half; end of story. And there would still be opportunities to punish deliberate additional time-wasting.
 
supercity88 said:
I've looked through the groups and the below are the games that "stand out" (ignoring England and Scotland games).

Germany v Ivory Coast
Netherlands v Sweden
Spain v Uruguay
France v Norway
France v Senegal
Argentina v Austria

72 games and if you include 3 of England's and 3 of Scotland's 12/72 are "interesting" on paper, and even then that's probably a stretch.

Here's a list of some other group games, which will probably be the most entertaining!

South Africa v Czech Republic
Qatar v Canada
Haiti v Morocco
Paraguay v Australia
Curacao v Ecuador
Iran v New Zealand
Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia
Algeria v Jordan
DR Congo v Uzbekistan

To cap it all off, the "best 3rd place team" rule that has been in place with the Euro's too will see teams potentially qualify with 3pts so you'll see playoff style games where teams don't take risks.
Click to expand...
Brazil v Morrocco is the best game based on fifa rankings!
Portugal v Colombia is the 4th best game.
Japan v Netherlands is the 6th best game.
 
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It will get exciting after the group stages ,but i will still watch all France games if i can and some other ones. What else there is to do after work anyway :D
 
madloaf said:
Brazil v Morrocco is the best game based on fifa rankings!
Portugal v Colombia is the 4th best game.
Japan v Netherlands is the 6th best game.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'll allow those to be added to the list. I'm interested to see whether Brazil are any good...squad looks light in midfield but with Ancelotti you would expect them to go far still.

Japan v Netherlands if the football is shite we can at least enjoy the swathes of orange and Japanese fans cleaning the stadium.
 
supercity88 said:
Too many rules it's ridiculous.

The game is completely losing its way.

The refs are in charge of the games. They can already force players to get off the pitch when substituted, they can already tell players to get on with throw ins, goal kicks. They've got cards in their pocket - fucking use them!

All these silly time limits do is delay the game further. Keeper takes 12 seconds so corner awarded...you then wait for the team to slowly walk over to take it, their players huddle up and grapple, the ref give them all a warning and then the corner's finally taken and the ref gives a free kick. The goalkeeper takes his time before taking it. Then there's a substitution which delays it. The player doesn't see their number, ref tells them and starts the count. They take 12 seconds so are down to 10 for a minute. One of their players goes down injured which wastes that minute, they're up to 11 men. But the injured player goes off so they're back to 10. Luckily the opposition take too long over a throw in. But then, they take too long taking theirs...this continues for 20 minutes until there's a cooling break.
Click to expand...
That’s my view hence the death by a thousand cuts comment. Just far too many infractions and different time values. It’s just getting way too convoluted.
 
crooky said:
I've just seen Brazil are hoping to have Neymar in their World Cup squad???

Wasn't he last semi relevant around the early days of when him and Messi were both at PSG? I.e yonks ago
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I was having an argument the other day with someone who insisted that Neymar would 'obviously start' in the 2002 World Cup squad. Just a reminder to anyone who doesn't remember, that's the front three with Ballon d'Or winner Rivaldo, Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo, and future Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldinho.
 
Watching the corruption unfold before me eyes I lost interest in this disgraceful shit show.

For that reason I might buy an Iran shirt. What better way to show your contempt ?
 
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