OT: 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 15 - SPA v. CPC / BEL v. EGY / KSA v. URU / IRN v. NZL)

[TRG]

Figured a lot of posters will watch, especially as it's partly in Canada and Canada is playing.

Who you got?

Canada playing Friday at 3PM vs Bosnia, live from Toronto.

 

[JianYang]

The groups are such ass now with the dilution to 48 teams. No real group of death anymore.

 

[TRG]

The groups are such ass now with the dilution to 48 teams. No real group of death anymore.

Totally agree, I started the thread because I love the sport but this particular edition, even more than the others, just feels like a cash grab. And I won't even get in every thing else surrounding it, Infantino and company.

 

[JianYang]

Totally agree, I started the thread because I love the sport but this particular edition, even more than the others, just feels like a cash grab. And I won't even get in every thing else surrounding it, Infantino and company.

I was looking at thr vancouver matches since thats my backyard.

The most intriguing matchup is swiss/canada.... meh.

From a star standpoint, you could focus on Salah or debruyne, i guess. The knockout forecast in vancouver is kinda meh too.

Ill definitely be watching as always but I suspect ill be alot more lukewarm than usual until the knockouts

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Go Portugal and Canada

 

[ExpatHabs]

48 teams makes it very hard to care about group stage games.

Most interested to see how England play for tactical reasons.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

So excited about it!

 

[TRG]

Go Portugal and Canada

Portugal has such a good team, hopefully the bald fraud of a coach is able to reign in Cristiano's ego.

 

[JianYang]

Portugal has such a good team, hopefully the bald fraud of a coach is able to reign in Cristiano's ego.

As a balding man, I can only laugh and then immediately get sad from your comment

 

[TRG]

As a balding man, I can only laugh and then immediately get sad from your comment

I'm also balding

It's common to call bald managers "bald frauds" in soccer, Guardiola is a prime example.

 

[Adriatic]

The groups are such ass now with the dilution to 48 teams. No real group of death anymore.

Group L will be tough, no easy opponent in that one. Group I too will be competitive. The rest are a walk in the park.

 

[TRG]

Group L will be tough, no easy opponent in that one. Group I too will be competitive. The rest are a walk in the park.

Canada's group should also be quite tight, although Bosnia and Switzerland should go through.

 

[JianYang]

I'm also balding

It's common to call bald managers "bald frauds" in soccer, Guardiola is a prime example.

Lol heard this term on here before too for John heinze

 

[Adriatic]

Canada's group should also be quite tight, although Bosnia and Switzerland should go through.

Ya top to bottom Switzerland is probably the most complete. Tough one to predict, every team lacks skill in that group.

 

[DobeCH]

The most intriguing matchup is swiss/canada....

I really hope they both get through their group but let's not forget that it's the Bosnia and Herzegovina team that eliminated Italy in the qualifying round.

 

[TRG]

Tomorrow, rematch of 2010 Opening game:

 

[Adriatic]

Tomorrow, rematch of 2010 Opening game:

I had forgotten how annoying that world cup sounded

 

[OnTheRun]

12 days to play 3 games?
They should rename the whole thing to FIFA Vacation Camp.

 

[Paddyjack]

Totally agree, I started the thread because I love the sport but this particular edition, even more than the others, just feels like a cash grab. And I won't even get in every thing else surrounding it, Infantino and company.

Agreed. Im usually very much into that tournament, but this year everything around it gives me a sour taste. I don't know, maybe it will improve as the tournament advance.

 

[Team_Spirit]

12 days to play 3 games?
They should rename the whole thing to FIFA Vacation Camp.

1 per week wow

Unreal I just looked it up it's the same in England and France

MLS is capped at 5 weeks with 2 games...

Is soccer that demanding? I get it for rugby/us football...

Sorry soccer newb here

 

[pepperMonkey]

The groups are such ass now with the dilution to 48 teams. No real group of death anymore.

And yet. Italy couldn't make it... Again...

 

[David Suzuki]

48 teams is fine

the heat and the stadiums are going to be pathetic tho

oh well drink through the stupidity

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I may go downtown Toronto to partake in the vibes. Don't have tickets or anything.

Yankees are in town on Friday too. They always bring in fans from Upper New York State: Buffalo, Rochester & Syracuse. Some from New York city itself as well. That game starts at 7:30 PM.

Canada game should be done by 5 PM.

 

[TRG]

1 per week wow

Unreal I just looked it up it's the same in England and France

MLS is capped at 5 weeks with 2 games...

Is soccer that demanding? I get it for rugby/us football...

Sorry soccer newb here

Usually it's 2 games a week max, but schedules have been increasingly busy with extra competitions being added for clubs. It's demanding for cardio, even if there's less contact than some other sports. Too many games has a negative impact on quality of play.

For tournaments like these, they do space out the games so there's not too many during the same day, to maximize viewership. It's just that, with 48 teams, it's very long. I checked quickly, Euros back then had 3 days in between games during group stage, back when it was 16 teams. And World Cups had 4 days in between games.

 

[Paddyjack]

1 per week wow

Unreal I just looked it up it's the same in England and France

MLS is capped at 5 weeks with 2 games...

Is soccer that demanding? I get it for rugby/us football...

Sorry soccer newb here

Well, you know the reputation of soccer players, so....