2026 FIFA World Cup Thread

[NWI_Irish96]

The final draw is coming up, right after the propaganda portion of the program.

[NWI_Irish96]

If the US wins their group and their R32 game, Belgium is the most likely R16 opponent.

If the US finishes second in their group and wins their $32 game, Argentina is the most likely R16 opponent.

[NWI_Irish96]

US gets Australia from Pot 2 in their group, the worst ranked team in Pot 2. Very fortunate draw for the US.

[NWI_Irish96]

US gets Paraguay from Pot 3, middle of the pack among the Pot 3 teams

[NWI_Irish96]

Pot 4 team in the US group is the UEFA playoff winner of Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo. Turkey is the highest ranked at 25.

[NWI_Irish96]

Sucks to be England in Group L. They drew Croatia, Panama and Ghana.

US Schedule:

June 12 vs Paraguay at Inglewood
June 19 vs Autralia at Seattle
June 25 vs UEFA C at Inglewood

If they win the group:
Jul 1 R32 vs a 3rd place team at Santa Clara
Jul 6 R16 vs Group G (Belgium/Egypt/Iran/New Zealand) winner or a 3rd place team at Seattle
Jul 10 QF vs Group H (Spain/Uruguay/Iran/Cabo Verde) or Group J/K/L 2nd place at Inglewood
Jul 14 Semifinal at Arlington

If they finish 2nd in the group:
Jul 3 R32 vs Group G 2nd place at Arlington
Jul 7 R16 vs Group J (Argentina/Algeria/Austria/Jordan) winner or Group H 2nd place at Atlanta
Jul 11 QF vs Group B (Canada/Switzerland/Qatar/UEFA A) winner, Group K (Portugal/Columbia/Uzbekistan/IC 1) at Kansas City
Jul 15 SF at Altanta

3rd place game is Jul 18 at Miami Gardens
Final is Jul 19 at East Rutherford

[JayhawkCO]

If we don't win our group, heads should roll. We got the easiest UEFA group for our Pot 4.

[CoreySamson]

To me, Group H looks like the group of death this year. Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay are all good. Poor Cape Verde. Groups I and L also look pretty tough.

[NWI_Irish96]

If we don't win our group, heads should roll. We got the easiest UEFA group for our Pot 4.

The only thing better would have been getting Scotland from Pot 3 and New Zealand from Pot 4.

[JayhawkCO]

If we don't win our group, heads should roll. We got the easiest UEFA group for our Pot 4.

The only thing better would have been getting Scotland from Pot 3 and New Zealand from Pot 4.

Scotland isn't the easy out some people think they are. They won against a pretty darn good Denmark side to get in.

[jeffandnicole]

I've applied to volunteer at the Philadelphia games.  I volunteered during this summer's FIFA Club World Cup and to be honest wasn't the most exciting volunteer gig I've done.  I switched up my preferred roles to things I may find more exciting. 2 of the 3 options are indoors, which I figure will keep me out of the June heat when the games are underway.

[NWI_Irish96]

If we don't win our group, heads should roll. We got the easiest UEFA group for our Pot 4.

The only thing better would have been getting Scotland from Pot 3 and New Zealand from Pot 4.

Scotland isn't the easy out some people think they are. They won against a pretty darn good Denmark side to get in.

No, but getting Scotland as your UEFA team allows you to get New Zealand or Cabo Verde from Pot 4.

[JayhawkCO]

If we don't win our group, heads should roll. We got the easiest UEFA group for our Pot 4.

The only thing better would have been getting Scotland from Pot 3 and New Zealand from Pot 4.

Scotland isn't the easy out some people think they are. They won against a pretty darn good Denmark side to get in.

No, but getting Scotland as your UEFA team allows you to get New Zealand or Cabo Verde from Pot 4.

Yeah, for sure. Turkiye is obviously the hardest European team we could get though, and I don't think they're much better than Scotland, if at all. Paraguay is better than NZ and CV, but not by much either.

[thspfc]

Last time I was correct on Argentina over France in the final, 2/4 semifinal teams, 4/8 quarterfinal teams, 12/16 knockout teams, and 6/8 group winners. Let's see if I beat that.

I'm mostly okay with letting 48 teams in, but all these third place teams advancing is silly. If we're doing 48 let's do 24 advance and give the top 8 group winners a bye into the round of 16. Alas,

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

I'm not spending the time to get the bracket perfectly accurate, but close enough:

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

Brazil defeats South Korea
Netherlands defeats Germany
France defeats Ecuador
England defeats Mexico
United States defeats Belgium
Spain defeats Colombia
Turkey defeats Switzerland
Argentina defeats Portugal

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

France defeats Netherlands
Spain defeats Argentina

Spain defeats France

This format kinda sucks from a fairness standpoint, but it'll sure be entertaining.

[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

[Ted$8roadFan]

I love that "Sirius", the Alan Parsons Project instrumental most famously used by the Chicago Bulls during their 1990s championship run, is being used before each match.

[thspfc]

I was told Turkey was good.

[NWI_Irish96]

I was told Turkey was good.

To qualify for the World Cup, Turkey beat Georgia (72) twice, Bulgaria (87) twice, Romania (55) and Kosovo (78)

That's the equivalent of the US or Mexico beating Costa Rica, Jamaica, Curacao and Haiti.

[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

[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

[kphoger]

I was told Turkey was good.

I heard the roast beef was even better.

[JayhawkCO]

Saw an amazing stat that the only European team to win a game with a clean sheet in the first round was Scotland.

[JayhawkCO]

Saw an amazing stat that the only European team to win a game with a clean sheet in the first round was Scotland.

Finally got another one with Switzerland shutting out 10-man Bosnia (assuming nothing weird happens here in the next few minutes).

[NWI_Irish96]

Saw an amazing stat that the only European team to win a game with a clean sheet in the first round was Scotland.

Finally got another one with Switzerland shutting out 10-man Bosnia (assuming nothing weird happens here in the next few minutes).

Which of course is against another European team.

[JayhawkCO]

Saw an amazing stat that the only European team to win a game with a clean sheet in the first round was Scotland.

Finally got another one with Switzerland shutting out 10-man Bosnia (assuming nothing weird happens here in the next few minutes).

Which of course is against another European team.

And of course, Bosnia gets a consolation, short-handed goal. Ha.