World cup 2026

[mr.bluesky]

good luck trying to use it in England 

May as well be printed on Monopoly money then 

[daviemac]

May as well be printed on Monopoly money then 

The further south you go the less likely Scottish notes are to be accepted even though they are legal currency, just not legal tender.

If I recall correctly there's no place for the £100 note on bank paying in slips in England though they do take them, well in the NE they do anyway.

[DastardlyDick]

Absolutely, think the World Cup in the US is using 11 stadiums. Euro 28 is using 9 stadiums I believe.

With plans already in the pipeline for a new Old Trafford and St James Park (not being used in Euro 2028) there’s your 11

The US World Cup is rapidly turning into a shit show, with US Hoteliers describing it as a "non event" and ticket sales plummeting according to the BBC External Link/Members Only

[mr.bluesky]

The US World Cup is rapidly turning into a shit show, with US Hoteliers describing it as a "non event" and ticket sales plummeting according to the BBC External Link/Members Only

No surprise considering the rip off ticket , travel and hotel prices 

[DastardlyDick]

No surprise considering the rip off ticket , travel and hotel prices 

The host Cities are engaging in some serious gouging - New Jersey has banned fans from walking or driving to the Meadowlands/MetLife Stadium while raising train tickets from $13 to $150 before reducing it to $98 and shuttle buses from $80 to $20 after a massive backlash.

[Iamforreal]

I don't understand the greed, they could have doubled only the transport cost as an example and still make so much profit.
Fuck them 

[mr.bluesky]

I don't understand the greed, they could have doubled only the transport cost as an example and still make so much profit.
Fuck them 

Whenever there is an opportunity for money to be made greed takes over .

[DastardlyDick]

According to the BBC, FIFA have been handed subpoena's by the State Attorney General of both New York and New Jersey demanding full disclosure about their ticketing system - there are numeous allegations, but one of the is that people who bought tickets for a "good" seat, only to be moved to "inferior" seats after FIFA brought in a new pricing tier.

[Jumping Jack Flash]

External Link/Members Only

Rule changes for the World Cup, some are good, others are a bit pointless.

[mr.bluesky]

External Link/Members Only

Rule changes for the World Cup, some are good, others are a bit pointless.

The goalkeeper " injury" timeout is a good rule to implement. This has crept into the sport a lot recently. It happened far too many times in the Championship last season. There are going to be water breaks after 25 minutes into each half anyway where coaches / managers talk to the players. If a goalkeeper feigns injury to get treatment an outfield player should go off the pitch for a couple of minutes when the game restarts. The biggest problem that still remains is all the jostling/ wrestling and holding that goes on in the penalty area at corner kicks. There needs to a clamp down on this.

[mr.bluesky]

I hope you've all got your World cup wall charts at the ready to fill in .    It all kicks off on June 11th with co host Mexico kicking the tournament off. With more matches than ever and strange kick off times ( some at 3 am our time ) you're going to need your wallchart to keep track of it all . Even better is to skip the group games as most of them will be meaningless anyway with up to three teams qualifying from most groups and just watch it from the knockout stages. In Englands case that will probably be just the one game, In Scotlands case you won't need to tune in for the knockout stages 

[Private Parts]

The US World Cup is rapidly turning into a shit show, with US Hoteliers describing it as a "non event" and ticket sales plummeting according to the BBC External Link/Members Only

Only the spray tanned megalomaniac in the White House could send an Aussie former Greek, Nick Adams (Nicholas Adamopoulos) to argue the toss for the US tourist industry.
Just listened to him on the Today programme this morning.
Scraping the barrel!

[WASA38]

Only the spray tanned megalomaniac in the White House could send an Aussie former Greek, Nick Adams (Nicholas Adamopoulos) to argue the toss for the US tourist industry.
Just listened to him on the Today programme this morning.
Scraping the barrel!

Couldn't agree more. Another DJT yes-man perfectly happy to deny inconvenient facts.

[bigden40]

Only the spray tanned megalomaniac in the White House could send an Aussie former Greek, Nick Adams (Nicholas Adamopoulos) to argue the toss for the US tourist industry.
Just listened to him on the Today programme this morning.
Scraping the barrel!

So what, he's to blame for FIFA's ticket pricing?

I would have thought that the host nations' concerns here are perfectly valid.

[DastardlyDick]

So what, he's to blame for FIFA's ticket pricing?

I would have thought that the host nations' concerns here are perfectly valid.

We all know FIFA is as corrupt as you like - but as long as they stay in Switzerland, they'll be fine. I'm sure some will remember the previous FIFA President, Sepp Blatter caught with his hand in the till, but what was his "punishment" acquitted in Court because he was "too ill to plead" then "fined CHF1m - he was a multi millionaire and banned from FIFA activities for 6 years, which expires nexr year.

[bigden40]

We all know FIFA is as corrupt as you like - but as long as they stay in Switzerland, they'll be fine. I'm sure some will remember the previous FIFA President, Sepp Blatter caught with his hand in the till, but what was his "punishment" acquitted in Court because he was "too ill to plead" then "fined CHF1m - he was a multi millionaire and banned from FIFA activities for 6 years, which expires nexr year.

Absolutely.  FIFA is corrupt as fuck, they have selected host nations based on maximising the dollars earned rather than what’s best for the game.   And this shit show, if that’s how it turns out, is entirely their's.

[mr.bluesky]

We all know FIFA is as corrupt as you like - but as long as they stay in Switzerland, they'll be fine. I'm sure some will remember the previous FIFA President, Sepp Blatter caught with his hand in the till, but what was his "punishment" acquitted in Court because he was "too ill to plead" then "fined CHF1m - he was a multi millionaire and banned from FIFA activities for 6 years, which expires nexr year.

I think their headquarters are in the process of moving to America ( Miami) , no surprise there considering how Infantino is always stuck far up Trumps arse according to a recent story in World soccer magazine.Infantino is likely to remain Fifa president for some considerable time probably surpassing that other crook Sepp Blatters time in charge. Future World cups that are staged between multiple countries are likely to be expanded to 64 teams which is ridiculous. Perhaps this is to ensure that Italy will qualify for future tournaments.

[mills_and_bhuna]

I think their headquarters are in the process of moving to America ( Miami) , no surprise there considering how Infantino is always stuck far up Trumps arse according to a recent story in World soccer magazine.Infantino is likely to remain Fifa president for some considerable time probably surpassing that other crook Sepp Blatters time in charge. Future World cups that are staged between multiple countries are likely to be expanded to 64 teams which is ridiculous. Perhaps this is to ensure that Italy will qualify for future tournaments.

Moving the headquarters of the world's favourite sport to the US SHOULD make about as much sense as moving the Playboy mansion to Mecca but the fact that it's moving a corrupt organisation to just along the road from Mar-a-Lago seems just so perfect I'm surprised no one thought of it before.

[Private Parts]

The whole circus is beyond reason.
It makes a mockery of those on either side of the argument.
A waste of money and an indictment of those who appear to be in charge.
Those with a scintilla of conscience would do well to stand well back!
 

[mr.bluesky]

Moving the headquarters of the world's favourite sport to the US SHOULD make about as much sense as moving the Playboy mansion to Mecca but the fact that it's moving a corrupt organisation to just along the road from Mar-a-Lago seems just so perfect I'm surprised no one thought of it before.

Just found the aricle it says that a signifant core of Fifa's administration is moving to Coral Gables Florida also the the digital streaming and e sports is handled there, Zurich will still remain the official headquarters. The 2026 finals are expected to generate $ 11 billion dollars. Infantino thinks that only America can sustain such growth. It looks like Infantino would be happy for the USA to stage the World cup again as soon as 2038.

[Thephoenix]

Surprised to learn that England are currently 3rd favourites to win the tournament with odds of 13/2.

France and Spain 9/2.

Scotland 250/1.

[Paul9144]

"Surprised to learn that England are currently 3rd favourites to win the tournament with odds of 13/2".

France and Spain 9/2.

Scotland 250/1.

Me too - I suppose we can be ever optimistic, I guess.

[mr.bluesky]

Surprised to learn that England are currently 3rd favourites to win the tournament with odds of 13/2.

France and Spain 9/2.

Scotland 250/1.

We are are usually one of the favourites to win every tournament we enter as long as I can remember but as always we fail to deliver so I wouldn't read too much into it. I certainly won't be rushing down to the bookies to place a bet on us.
Let me explain for those that don't understand odds like 13/2 , if you place £10 on England to win at odds of 13/2 then basically you are kissing goodbye to a tenner 

[timsussex]

As I posted before bookmakers dont set odds to reflect the chance of England winning
They set odds to ensure that Bookmakers win !

So if 1000 people place £1 bets and 300 of them bet on England then the odds will be around 2:1 so in the unlikely event of an England win they would pay out £900 - and trouser £100 themselves

Similarly if 600 people bet on England then the odds become 1:2 (or 2:1 on)

The 5 idiots that bet on Scotland will be offered 175:1

all three scenarios generate the same income for the bookie

[Blackpool Rock]

We are are usually one of the favourites to win every tournament we enter as long as I can remember but as always we fail to deliver so I wouldn't read too much into it. I certainly won't be rushing down to the bookies to place a bet on us.
Let me explain for those that don't understand odds like 13/2 , if you place £10 on England to win at odds of 13/2 then basically you are kissing goodbye to a tenner 

[/color]
Ah yes the old ones are the best 

[chuck_88]

What's the first WC everyone remembers?  Italia 90 for me.

Used to love the WC and Euros back then because we weren't bombarded with football the way we are now, only 4 tv channels back then, no satellite TV, so the international tournaments were brilliant as it was wall to wall football for a few weeks.

There was always a few players that stuck out in each tournament that I had never heard of before and who were complete unknows to me.  That doesn't happen now due to the internet, I kind of miss they simpler days of watching a game at the WC and coming across a maverick player who you had no idea even existed.  Loads stick out in my mind from Italia 90 and USA 94.  They are both probably my favourite WC's ever

Italia 90 - Toto Schillachi, Jurgen Klinsmann, Roger Milla, Dragon Stojkovic, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthaus

USA 94 - Oleg Salenko, Alexei Lalas, Jorge Campos, Yordan Letchkov, Taffarel, Tomas Brolin, Bebeto, Hristo Stoitchkov, Gheorge Hagi, Mauro Silva, Daniel Amokachi, Martin Dahlin

Halcyon Days for sure

[scouting]

I'm old enough for 1966 

Best WC in my memory though was Mexico 1970. England had a better side than in 66 and threw away a sure win against West Germany. The Brazilian team were just fantastic - Pele, Rivelino, Jairzinho et al

[chuck_88]

I'm old enough for 1966 

Best WC in my memory though was Mexico 1970. England had a better side than in 66 and threw away a sure win against West Germany. The Brazilian team were just fantastic - Pele, Rivelino, Jairzinho et al

Yeh I remember my dad talking about that team and then later on the Brazil team that Socrates led - he was his favourite Brazilian player 

[chuck_88]

Haiti have just thumped New Zealand 4-0.

I fear for Scotland in our first game against them

[mr.bluesky]

What's the first WC everyone remembers?  Italia 90 for me.

Used to love the WC and Euros back then because we weren't bombarded with football the way we are now, only 4 tv channels back then, no satellite TV, so the international tournaments were brilliant as it was wall to wall football for a few weeks.

There was always a few players that stuck out in each tournament that I had never heard of before and who were complete unknows to me.  That doesn't happen now due to the internet, I kind of miss they simpler days of watching a game at the WC and coming across a maverick player who you had no idea even existed.  Loads stick out in my mind from Italia 90 and USA 94.  They are both probably my favourite WC's ever

Italia 90 - Toto Schillachi, Jurgen Klinsmann, Roger Milla, Dragon Stojkovic, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthaus

USA 94 - Oleg Salenko,⁵ Alexei Lalas, Jorge Campos, Yordan Letchkov, Taffarel, Tomas Brolin, Bebeto, Hristo Stoitchkov, Gheorge Hagi, Mauro Silva, Daniel Amokachi, Martin Dahlin

Halcyon Days for sure

1970  for me , even as a young boy watching that Brazil team with Pele , Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, Rivellino in my mind the greatest team ever. Always remember the game against England and the Gordon Banks save, and probably Bobby Moore's finest game but more so how they destroyed a very good Italy team 4-1 in the final.

[bigden40]

What's the first WC everyone remembers?  Italia 90 for me.

Used to love the WC and Euros back then because we weren't bombarded with football the way we are now, only 4 tv channels back then, no satellite TV, so the international tournaments were brilliant as it was wall to wall football for a few weeks.

There was always a few players that stuck out in each tournament that I had never heard of before and who were complete unknows to me.  That doesn't happen now due to the internet, I kind of miss they simpler days of watching a game at the WC and coming across a maverick player who you had no idea even existed.  Loads stick out in my mind from Italia 90 and USA 94.  They are both probably my favourite WC's ever

Italia 90 - Toto Schillachi, Jurgen Klinsmann, Roger Milla, Dragon Stojkovic, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthaus

USA 94 - Oleg Salenko, Alexei Lalas, Jorge Campos, Yordan Letchkov, Taffarel, Tomas Brolin, Bebeto, Hristo Stoitchkov, Gheorge Hagi, Mauro Silva, Daniel Amokachi, Martin Dahlin

Halcyon Days for sure

1974. 

Billy Bremner side footing past the post from 2 yards against Brazil, Scotland becoming the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup without losing a match. 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

1974 for me, I was transfixed by the Dutch team, particularly Johan Cruyff.

I missed out on the 66 World Cup by a few months and was too young for 1970. It’s incredible to think that my first time seeing England in the finals was 1982 in Spain. Italy 1990 is my favourite mainly because I was at every game except the semi final, I quit my job and sold my car to fund a trip around Italy with my mates. Oh to have that carefree attitude again!

[Private Parts]

1966. I was in the UK but in France to see the final on TV in monochrome.
I had all the grounds listed.
Imagine Roker Park, White City et al!

[myothernameis]

El nino 2026, has been making the news, increased temperatures,, increase of heavier rain fall


Wonder how this will affect the world cup, and will we set a repeat of the club world cup, where games were postponed for hours, or cancelled

[WARSZAWA16]

These are the UK kick-off times for England and Scotland’s World Cup group stage matches:

• England vs Croatia: Wednesday 17 June, 9pm BST (Dallas/Arlington)

• England vs Ghana: Tuesday 23 June, 9pm BST (Boston/Foxborough)

• Panama vs England: Saturday 27 June, 10pm BST (New York/New Jersey)

• Haiti vs Scotland: Sunday 14 June, 2am BST (Boston/Foxborough)

• Scotland vs Morocco: Friday 19 June, 11pm BST (Boston/Foxborough)

• Scotland vs Brazil: Wednesday 24 June, 11pm BST (Miami)

[Jerboa]

Anyone doing a world cup punt? Doing a bird from every nationality England & Scotland play? Any tidy Croat or Ghanaian WG's about? Sure I could find a Brazilian, would think a Haitian is as rare as rocking horse poop.

[Bangman]

Some are the times??? 12am 2am 3am
Should never of been hosted in the USA.
Gonna be a dull world cup

Hidden Image/Members Only

[bigden40]

Anyone doing a world cup punt? Doing a bird from every nationality England & Scotland play? Any tidy Croat or Ghanaian WG's about? Sure I could find a Brazilian, would think a Haitian is as rare as rocking horse poop.

Good idea, but according to AW search there are zero Haitian providers in the UK.  Maybe the compromise option is a Dominican. 

[Thephoenix]

I remember many of the 1950s stars like Pele, Puskas, Di Stefano etc, and likewise in the 60s with Eusebio and Bobbie Moore, but I only remember watching them on newsreels.

The first full  final was of course 1966, but unfortunately I was living in Australia at the time so missed all the celebrations.

[Jerboa]

Good idea, but according to AW search there are zero Haitian providers in the UK.  Maybe the compromise option is a Dominican.

Believe it or not there are more Panamanian hookers in the country than Croats.

[DastardlyDick]

Good idea, but according to AW search there are zero Haitian providers in the UK.  Maybe the compromise option is a Dominican.

Given that Haiti has one of the highest incidences of STIs in the Caribbean, with the Dominican Republic not far behind, that's probably a good thing.

[bigden40]

Absolutely.  FIFA is corrupt as fuck, they have selected host nations based on maximising the dollars earned rather than what’s best for the game.   And this shit show, if that’s how it turns out, is entirely their's.

Having seen some of the ticketing practices that are being uncovered eg using secondary ticketing sites to sell big blocks of unsold and discounted tickets instead of dropping prices on the official site, I think FIFA are exposed to some potentially huge litigation.  There’s a lot of money to be generated in the US but one shouldn’t forget that they’re quite litigious in the absence of strong regulation.

[mills_and_bhuna]

Having seen some of the ticketing practices that are being uncovered eg using secondary ticketing sites to sell big blocks of unsold and discounted tickets instead of dropping prices on the official site, I think FIFA are exposed to some potentially huge litigation.  There’s a lot of money to be generated in the US but one shouldn’t forget that they’re quite litigious in the absence of strong regulation.

I'm just astounded that a well respected, upstanding organisation like FIFA would sink so low.
What is this world coming to ?
And in the United States of all places....who could have foreseen this?

[myothernameis]

On Scottish news, a kind of breaking story, with fans who would be traveling to the USA

So fans who applied for an ESTA to enter USA, and approved, are now finding these ESTA have been cancelled, and immigration not revealing why the ESTA's were cancelled

If these fans want to travel to the games, they now need to apply for a visa, but it kind of to late to do this

But this makes you think, how many more fans are in the same boat, and there ESTA has been cancelled

So much for FIFA picking the USA to host the world cup, but now looks like America might be closed to fans

[bigden40]

On Scottish news, a kind of breaking story, with fans who would be traveling to the USA

So fans who applied for an ESTA to enter USA, and approved, are now finding these ESTA have been cancelled, and immigration not revealing why the ESTA's were cancelled

If these fans want to travel to the games, they now need to apply for a visa, but it kind of to late to do this

But this makes you think, how many more fans are in the same boat, and there ESTA has been cancelled

So much for FIFA picking the USA to host the world cup, but now looks like America might be closed to fans

I’m sceptical of the stories here, they’re anecdotal and thinly sourced and make no attempt to check whether there are valid reasons for an ESTA status changing as a result of vetting e.g. a criminal record. 

Anyone with match tickets and/or a confirmed flight gets an expedited consular appointment

[Davey Dykes]

What's the first WC everyone remembers?  Italia 90 for me.

Used to love the WC and Euros back then because we weren't bombarded with football the way we are now, only 4 tv channels back then, no satellite TV, so the international tournaments were brilliant as it was wall to wall football for a few weeks.

There was always a few players that stuck out in each tournament that I had never heard of before and who were complete unknows to me.  That doesn't happen now due to the internet, I kind of miss they simpler days of watching a game at the WC and coming across a maverick player who you had no idea even existed.  Loads stick out in my mind from Italia 90 and USA 94.  They are both probably my favourite WC's ever

Italia 90 - Toto Schillachi, Jurgen Klinsmann, Roger Milla, Dragon Stojkovic, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthaus

USA 94 - Oleg Salenko, Alexei Lalas, Jorge Campos, Yordan Letchkov, Taffarel, Tomas Brolin, Bebeto, Hristo Stoitchkov, Gheorge Hagi, Mauro Silva, Daniel Amokachi, Martin Dahlin

Halcyon Days for sure

Argentina 78.
We're on the march from Allys Army ffs!
Still, there's Archie Gemmil and without doubt the most scrappy and glorious anticlimax of all time.
Learn 'em young.

Was still a bit too young to absorb it all then, Italian 90 still my stand out tournament although I expect it was more the time than the actual football itself.

Oh aye, how the fuck can you forget Bobby Badger, the divine ponytail?

That's Roberto Baggio for those a bit slow on the uptake.

[WARSZAWA16]

Channel 4 are showing the 1966 World Cup Final in colour at 16.45 tomorrow.

[chuck_88]

Channel 4 are showing the 1966 World Cup Final in colour at 16.45 tomorrow.

The ball was never over the line 

[Blackpool Rock]

The ball was never over the line 

Well I very much doubt that a Russian lineman would give it in 2026 

Anyway i've seen a digitally remastered copy of that goal and you can even see the back of the net bulge 

[Private Parts]

The ball was never over the line 

Chuck... Ever the optimist!
You amuse me - and many others i suspect.