World Cup: World Cup 2026 - Pre Tournament Thread

[awfulwaffle]

Same with NYC tbh

What? There's a train station right next to MetLife Stadium.

 

[bluesfan94]

What? There's a train station right next to MetLife Stadium.

Yeah, that doesn't have any direct connections to NYC. MetLife has public transit connections but it's definitely not well connected.

 

[KJS14]

R16 game in Philly on July 4th (250 year celebration no less) is going to be wild.

People underestimate how shitty it is to travel to MetLife, and tbh it's a pretty crappy stadium. SoFi or Atlanta would have been better choices for the final.

 

[HajdukSplit]

I read though during the WC public transportation will be free? I assume only ticket holders only

 

[Jack Straw]

R16 game in Philly on July 4th (250 year celebration no less) is going to be wild.

People underestimate how shitty it is to travel to MetLife, and tbh it's a pretty crappy stadium. SoFi or Atlanta would have been better choices for the final.

Philadelphia is also going to host the MLB all-star game in 2026. Presumably not on the same day as the WC Final. But probably not too far off.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Just realized Edmonton aren't actually hosting games. Only Vancouver and Toronto. Gotta apologize to the city of Edmonton for that stray bullet.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Yeah, that doesn't have any direct connections to NYC. MetLife has public transit connections but it's definitely not well connected.

Bus would work too no? Again, that's a better option than everyone HAVING to drive into Arlington. There is 0 connections whatsoever to Arlington from Dallas.

 

[bluesfan94]

Bus would work too no? Again, that's a better option than everyone HAVING to drive into Arlington. There is 0 connections whatsoever to Arlington from Dallas.

Sure, but the bus system is even worse. When I went to arsenal/united, I got there after halftime despite getting to the bus station well in advance of a bus that was to arrive 15 minutes before kickoff.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Sure, but the bus system is even worse. When I went to arsenal/united, I got there after halftime despite getting to the bus station well in advance of a bus that was to arrive 15 minutes before kickoff.

Well that sounds like a planning issue to me.

 

[Basement Cat]

Sure, but the bus system is even worse. When I went to arsenal/united, I got there after halftime despite getting to the bus station well in advance of a bus that was to arrive 15 minutes before kickoff.

That was a one-off cash grab preseason friendly. NJ, NYC, FIFA will be on their A game for this one.

 

[bluesfan94]

That was a one-off cash grab preseason friendly. NJ, NYC, FIFA will be on their A game for this one.

I heard similar issues from security at MetLife occurred at the Taylor Swift concert, except it was worse for that game. Maybe they'll radically fix that Port Authority in time for the game, but I'm skeptical. Especially given how few folks will be from America, let alone NYC.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Philadelphia is also going to host the MLB all-star game in 2026. Presumably not on the same day as the WC Final. But probably not too far off.

July 4th is a Saturday, All Star Game is always a Tuesday.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

It's not all about the big boys

 

[Imgoingtowork]

A revised qualification format was confirmed by the UEFA Executive Committee during their meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, on 25 January 2023. As the number of final tournament slots for UEFA has increased from 13 to 16, the qualification format was modified from the previous cycle. The qualifying group stage will feature twelve groups of four or five teams. The winner of each group will qualify for the World Cup, while the second-placed teams will advance to the play-offs, along with the four best-ranked group winners from the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League which finished outside the top two of their qualifying group. On 28 June 2023, the UEFA Executive Committee formally recommended the qualification format to FIFA, which was later approved.

Qualifying countries:

• Albania
• Andorra
• Armenia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• Estonia
• Faroe Islands
• Finland
• France
• Georgia
• Germany
• Gibraltar
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Israel
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Kosovo
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Netherlands
• North Macedonia
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Republic of Ireland
• Romania
• San Marino
• Scotland
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• Wales
• Russia (suspended)

 

[Imgoingtowork]

First fave:

• Belgium
• Croatia
• England
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Portugal
• Spain
• Sweden

Second:

• Austria
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Israel
• Serbia
• Scotland
• Switzerland
• Turkey

Third:

• Albania
• Armenia
• Bulgaria
• Poland
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Republic of Ireland
• Ukraine
• Wales

Fourth:

• Estonia
• Finland
• Georgia
• Kazakhstan
• Norway
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia

Last:

• Andorra
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Cyprus
• Faroe Islands
• Gibraltar
• Latvia
• Kosovo
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Northern Ireland
• San Marino

 

[Uncle Rotter]

The winner of each group will qualify for the World Cup, while the second-placed teams will advance to the play-offs, along with the four best-ranked group winners from the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League which finished outside the top two of their qualifying group.

I hate that

 

[Imgoingtowork]

Final being held in Dallas:

Big arena. Final game right there. With crowd very good vibe.

 

[robertmac43]

Big arena. Final game right there. With crowd very good vibe.

Hopefully it's a smoother entrance into the game then the COPA was.

 

[Imgoingtowork]

Hopefully it's a smoother entrance into the game then the COPA was.

Large arena certainly have good pressure of crowd.

 

[cgf]

Ugh I don't want to have to wear a bullet proof vest to see Germany lift another world cup.

 

[Imgoingtowork]

Predict:

Portugal
Greece
Ireland
Albania
Poland
Israel
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Scotland
England
France
Croatia
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
Sweden

 

[al secord]

Hopefully it's a smoother entrance into the game then the COPA was.

You can't hold it against the Americans, Argentina's slow walk in was due to De Paul regaling to the rest of the team about his hair stylist.

 

[Imgoingtowork]

Six teams from South America in the next World Cup.

One more than previous from South America.

 

[Imgoingtowork]

1	Argentina	6	5	0	1	8	2	+6	15

2	Uruguay	6	4	1	1	13	5	+8	13
3	Colombia	6	3	3	0	6	3	+3	12
4	Venezuela	6	2	3	1	6	3	+3	9
5	Ecuador[a]	6	3	2	1	5	3	+2	8
6	Brazil	6	2	1	3	8	7	+1	7
7	Paraguay	6	1	2	3	1	3	−2	5
8	Chile	6	1	2	3	3	7	−4	5
9	Bolivia	6	1	0	5	4	14	−10	3
10	Peru	6	0	2	4	1	8	−7	2

South America qualifying. Brazil's weak performance.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Someone needs to go to work