2026 FIFA World Cup Thread

[thspfc]

I briefly considered going to the upcoming R32 in KC until I realized I could get lower bowl seats at 5 NFL games this fall for the same price, not including travel to KC.

[thspfc]

A great test of someone's soccer understanding is whether they think Iran was offside in stoppage time last night.

[NWI_Irish96]

A great test of someone's soccer understanding is whether they think Iran was offside in stoppage time last night.

A great test of someone's age is whether or not they were still awake when that happened.

[1995hoo]

Last night during the postgame show after the Uruguay game ended, Alexi Lalas said something in Spanish that had the rest of them laughing. Anyone catch what he said? I don't speak Spanish and didn't understand whatever it was.

[ModernDayWarrior]

Last night during the postgame show after the Uruguay game ended, Alexi Lalas said something in Spanish that had the rest of them laughing. Anyone catch what he said? I don't speak Spanish and didn't understand whatever it was.

He said fuera, which means "outside" or "out."

[thspfc]

Only the Disgrace of Kansas City left to play before the knockouts.

Group A
1. Mexico
2. South Korea
3. Czechia - advances
4. South Africa

Group B
1. Switzerland
2. Canada
3. BHG - advances
4. Qatar

Group C
1. Brazil
2. Morocco
3. Scotland
4. Haiti

Group D
1. United States
2. Turkey
3. Australia - advances
4. Paraguay

Group E
1. Germany
2. Ecuador
3. Ivory Coast
4. Curacao

Group F
1. Netherlands
2. Sweden
3. Tunisia - advances
4. Japan

Group G
1. Belgium
2. Egypt
3. Iran - advances
4. NZ

Group H
1. Spain
2. Uruguay
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Cape Verde

Group I
1. France
2. Norway
3. Senegal - advances
4. Iraq

Group J
1. Argentina
2. Austria
3. Algeria - advances
4. Jordan

Group K
1. Porutgal
2. Colombia
3. Congo
4. Uzbekistan

Group L
1. England
2. Ghana
3. Croatia - advances
4. Panama

26/32 knockout teams and 11/12 group winners correct.

South Korea defeats Canada
Brazil defeats Sweden
Germany defeats Czechia
Netherlands defeats Morocco (brutal round of 32 matchup)
Ecuador defeats Norway
France defeats Tunisia
Mexico defeats Senegal
England defeats Algeria
United States defeats BHG
Belgium defeats Croatia
Spain defeats Austria
Colombia defeats Ghana
Switzerland defeats Iran
Turkey defeats Egypt
Argentina defeats Uruguay
Portugal defeats Australia

My revised picks given the real bracket:

Germany defeats Paraguay
France defeats Sweden
Canada defeats South Africa
Netherlands defeats Morocco
Croatia defeats Portugal
Spain defeats ?
United States defeats BHG
Senegal defeats Belgium
Brazil defeats Japan
Ivory Coast defeats Norway
Mexico defeats Ecuador
England defeats Congo
Argentina defeats Cape Verde ( )
Egypt defeats Australia
Switzerland defeats ?
Colombia defeats Ghana

France defeats Germany
Netherlands defeats Canada
Spain defeats Croatia
United States defeats Senegal
Brazil defeats Ivory Coast
England defeats Mexico
Argentina defeats Egypt
Colombia defeats Switzerland

France defeats Netherlands
Spain defeats United States
England defeats Brazil
Argentina defeats Colombia

France defeats Spain
England defeats Argentina

France defeats England

[NWI_Irish96]

Confederation points per team through the first round of matches:

UEFA - 1.69
CONMEBOL - 1.33
CONCACAF - 1.17
AFC - 1.11
OFC - 1.00
CAF - 1.00

Confederation points per team through the second round of matches:

COMEBOL - 3.67
UEFA - 3.38
CONCACAF - 2.83
CAF - 2.11
AFC - 1.70
OFC - 1.00

Confederation points per team for the group stage:

CONMEBOL - 5.50
UEFA - 5.25
CAF - 3.78
CONCACAF - 3.33
AFC - 2.40
OFC - 1.00

[NWI_Irish96]

First round of group stage predictions:

A: Mexico, Draw
B: Canada, Switzerland
C: Morocco, Scotland
D: USA, Draw
E: Germany, Ecuador
F: Netherlands, Sweden
G: Belgium, Draw
H: Spain, Uruguay
I: France, Norway
J: Argentina, Austria
K: Portugal, Columbia
L: Draw, Draw

Only 11 for 24. Not very good.

A: Czechia, Draw
B: Switzerland, Canada
C: Draw, Brazil
D: USA, Draw
E: Germany, Educador
F: Draw, Japan
G: Belgium, Draw
H: Spain, Uruguay
I: France, Norway
J: Argentina, Draw
K: Portugal, Draw
L: England, Croatia

14 for 24. Not much better

A: Draw, South Korea
B: Draw, Bosnia-Herzegovina
C: Brazil, Morocco
D: Draw, Draw
E: Cote d'Ivoire, Germany
F: Draw, Netherlands
G: Iran, Belgium
H: Draw, Spain
I: France, Senegal
J: Draw, Argentina
K: Draw, DR Congo
L: Draw, Ghana

15 for 24. 40 for 72 for the entire group stage.

On to the knockouts. Going pretty chalky for the round of 32:

Canada
Brazil
Germany
Netherlands
Norway
France
Mexico
England
Belgium
United States
Spain
Portugal
Switzerland
Egypt
Argentina
Colombia

[JayhawkCO]

Germany defeats Paraguay
France defeats Sweden
South Africa defeats Canada
Morocco defeats Netherlands
Portugal defeats Croatia
Spain defeats Austria
United States defeats B&H
Senegal defeats Belgium
Brazil defeats Japan
Norway defeats Ivory Coast
Mexico defeats Ecuador
England defeats Congo
Argentina defeats Cape Verde
Australia defeats Egypt
Algeria defeats Switzerland
Colombia defeats Ghana

France defeats Germany
Morocco defeats South Africa
Spain defeats Portugal
United States defeats Senegal
Norway defeats Brazil
Mexico defeats England
Argentina defeats Australia
Colombia defeats Algeria

France defeats Morocco
Spain defeats United States
Norway defeats Mexico
Argentina defeats Colombia

France defeats Spain
Argentina defeats Norway

France defeats Argentina

[JayhawkCO]

On to the knockouts. Going pretty chalky for the round of 32:

Canada
Brazil
Germany
Netherlands
Norway
France
Mexico
England
Belgium
United States
Spain
Portugal
Croatia
Switzerland
Egypt
Argentina
Colombia

Just FYI, a typo as those two play each other.

[NWI_Irish96]

On to the knockouts. Going pretty chalky for the round of 32:

Canada
Brazil
Germany
Netherlands
Norway
France
Mexico
England
Belgium
United States
Spain
Portugal
Croatia
Switzerland
Egypt
Argentina
Colombia

Just FYI, a typo as those two play each other.

Thanks. Just edited the post. I'm going with Portugal.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Paraguay upsets the heavily favored team from Germany after six penalties. Instant classic.

[NWI_Irish96]

Paraguay upsets the heavily favored team from Germany after six penalties. Instant classic.

Anybody who can beat them 4-1 must be pretty good.

[7/8]

South Africa defeats Canada

Luckily this turned out to be wrong.

If Canada can't win a Stanley Cup, the least we deserve is a World Cup trophy.

[NWI_Irish96]

South Africa defeats Canada

Luckily this turned out to be wrong.

If Canada can't win a Stanley Cup, the least we deserve is a World Cup trophy.

Now we have the US playing on July 1 and Canada playing on July 4.

[JayhawkCO]

South Africa defeats Canada

Luckily this turned out to be wrong.

If Canada can't win a Stanley Cup, the least we deserve is a World Cup trophy.

Wasn't too far away from being right though. Nothing against Canada as a nation. Just not that impressed with their football club, especially with Davies hurt.

I had Morocco beating the winner anyway, and after last night's performance, I think that's a very good probability.

[7/8]

South Africa defeats Canada

Luckily this turned out to be wrong.

If Canada can't win a Stanley Cup, the least we deserve is a World Cup trophy.

Wasn't too far away from being right though. Nothing against Canada as a nation. Just not that impressed with their football club, especially with Davies hurt.

I had Morocco beating the winner anyway, and after last night's performance, I think that's a very good probability.

Yeah it was frustrating how often they lost the ball to South Africa. Felt like they were passing it right to them a lot of the time.

[mvak36]

I briefly considered going to the upcoming R32 in KC until I realized I could get lower bowl seats at 5 NFL games this fall for the same price, not including travel to KC.

Just bought tickets to the quarterfinal in KC. Was gritting my teeth at the prices but figure I might not get to go to a WC game again unless I travel to another country so I bought it. I wonder if the prices will go up even more if it turns out Argentina will be playing in the game.

[JayhawkCO]

I briefly considered going to the upcoming R32 in KC until I realized I could get lower bowl seats at 5 NFL games this fall for the same price, not including travel to KC.

Just bought tickets to the quarterfinal in KC. Was gritting my teeth at the prices but figure I might not get to go to a WC game again unless I travel to another country so I bought it. I wonder if the prices will go up even more if it turns out Argentina will be playing in the game.

I think it's a near guarantee that Argentina will be playing there and the price is already baked in as such. Had Portugal won their group and advanced, that might have been the most expensive ticket in the tournament outside of the final.

[mvak36]

I briefly considered going to the upcoming R32 in KC until I realized I could get lower bowl seats at 5 NFL games this fall for the same price, not including travel to KC.

Just bought tickets to the quarterfinal in KC. Was gritting my teeth at the prices but figure I might not get to go to a WC game again unless I travel to another country so I bought it. I wonder if the prices will go up even more if it turns out Argentina will be playing in the game.

I think it's a near guarantee that Argentina will be playing there and the price is already baked in as such. Had Portugal won their group and advanced, that might have been the most expensive ticket in the tournament outside of the final.

Yeah for sure. Hoping for Argentina vs. Colombia for that match. As far as the final, it might be a rematch of the 2022 Final at this point. I have been really impressed with the French attack. Those forwards are crazy good.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm not exactly surprised by this but the amount of interest in the Mexican national team here in California is several times more prevalent than that of the U.S. team.  I've been to three parties so far when the Mexican team has been playing.  Pretty much nobody I know aside my wife has cared when the U.S. has played.   

[JayhawkCO]

I'm not exactly surprised by this but the amount of interest in the Mexican national team here in California is several times more prevalent than that of the U.S. team.  I've been to three parties so far when the Mexican team has been playing.  Pretty much nobody I know aside my wife has cared when the U.S. has played.   

I went to a watch party for the first game that was packed. I'm a big soccer fan so obviously have some soccer loving friends. We're all watching.

[thspfc]

I'm not exactly surprised by this but the amount of interest in the Mexican national team here in California is several times more prevalent than that of the U.S. team.  I've been to three parties so far when the Mexican team has been playing.  Pretty much nobody I know aside my wife has cared when the U.S. has played.   

Minneapolis, which isn't hosting and doesn't have a huge Hispanic population, was popping yesterday for Mexico/Ecuador. I'm interested to see how tonight compares.

[kphoger]

It would be hard not to root for Mexico.  It's the first time they've hosted the World Cup since 40 years ago, and they've never lost a World Cup match in the Azteca:  two draws, and everything else has been a win.

[JayhawkCO]

It would be hard not to root for Mexico.  It's the first time they've hosted the World Cup since 40 years ago, and they've never lost a World Cup match in the Azteca:  two draws, and everything else has been a win.

Not hard for someone that has religiously followed the USMNT since 1994 since Mexico is our main rival.