OT: The 2026 World Cup Thread

brdmaverick · Jul 6, 2026

If anyone is curious to see some of the sights and sounds I captured at the Norway-Iraq game here they are......

Bill Lee · Jul 6, 2026

Tunescribe said:
Can you explain the specific criteria for giving a red card? It would seem reserved for a blatantly intentional foul, but the ones I've seen in this tournament appear incidental involving both players going for the ball. Referees relying on slow-motion replay before passing final judgment makes things even murkier, especially when freeze-framing things that appear completely innocuous real-time.

Elsewhere I read that IFAB Law 12 defines serious foul play as "A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality while challenging for the ball.". Note how intent is not mentioned, and that lack of mention is, uhm, intentional. It's what you do that matters, not why you did it.

Bill Lee · Jul 6, 2026

upstater1 said:
Agree, and I can't blame them.

Why is any politician impacting the games at all?

Come on people, if Obama had pressed to allow the Broncos to use a suspended player against the Patriots in AFCCG, and the NFL complied, we'd be livid!

Interestingly enough the 2018 World Cup was hosted by Russia.

Can you imagine how US fans would react if Putin pressured FIFA for a ruling that favored the Russian side?

Chances are they'd say he's a power hungry dictator who doesn't give a damn about fairness.

Therefore...

XLIX · Jul 6, 2026

raduray said:
The whole "city upon the hill" thing falls apart if the rest of the world doesn't care to look at us as a beacon.

They all look at us as a beacon when they need their asses saved.

XLIX · Jul 6, 2026

n1997y said:
Some exceptions, of course it’s in Texas where the police have to get involved to stop team members from taking photos with fans…

Viral video shows Egypt coach, team director in Dallas police confrontation

The police did exactly what they should have done: Challenged some people who didn't have credentials to be where they were.

Sorry not sorry if Dallas police don't recognize the Egyptian National Team on sight.

bormio · Jul 6, 2026

I could easily see Spain winning this whole thing. They are a “tournament” team - better every round. And they have had France’s number

XLIX · Jul 6, 2026

An atrocious call got effectively overturned. That's fine by me. Nothing that happened today is changing anyone's opinions.

The people who love Trump still love Trump.
The people who hate Trump still hate Trump.

borisman · Jul 6, 2026

I can’t wait until the World Cup Finale.
Nothing against soccer. Its only because it means training camp will be opening 6 days later. And betting on soccer games has been stressful. Case in point, I had Brazil/Norway over 2.5 goals. Talk about lucking out.

FreeTedWilliams · Jul 6, 2026

LFG USA!!!

Win the World Cup in a sport we don’t even give a ahit about!

Triumph · Jul 6, 2026

Today on local sports radio, a soccer aficionado said that Belgium has 2 quality Wings to watch out for.

Belgium beat the USA in March, but this current USA team is better. The Seahawks stadium will be packed to the brim and loud.

raduray · Jul 6, 2026

Do others find the sound mix to be too heavy on the crowd noise making it hard to understand the announcers, or is it just me?

n1997y · Jul 6, 2026

raduray said:
Do others find the sound mix to be too heavy on the crowd noise making it hard to understand the announcers, or is it just me?

You say that like it’s a problem.

Tunescribe · Jul 6, 2026

Bill Lee said:
Elsewhere I read that IFAB Law 12 defines serious foul play as "A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality while challenging for the ball.". Note how intent is not mentioned, and that lack of mention is, uhm, intentional. It's what you do that matters, not why you did it.

It might be construed that "excessive force or brutality," especially "brutality," implies intent. But when you have two guys going 100-percent for the ball, it's nearly impossible to avoid some pretty nasty incidental contact. Fouling in this sport has got to be the most subjectively judgmental of all officiated judgment calls. That's made worse by freeze-framing images on replay, IMO.

Tunescribe · Jul 6, 2026

brdmaverick said:
If anyone is curious to see some of the sights and sounds I captured at the Norway-Iraq game here they are......

Excellent video collage. What's your connection to Norway? Also curious what it cost you to get in.

XLIX · Jul 6, 2026

The American goalkeeper can be the NY Giants placekicker!

Guts · Jul 6, 2026

Damn we got clapped

patman12 · Jul 6, 2026

Everything he touches turns to ****.

farn · Jul 6, 2026

Belgium - though they hadn’t shown much - is a strong squad and they limited mistakes and took advantage of their opponents’ miscues.

ScottishPatriots · Jul 6, 2026

The lights were too bright for the USA, the gulf between those 2 teams should be nothing like it was tonight.

This is the worst Belgium team in 10 years and to beat the supposed best USA team ever on home soil in a World Cup game 4-1 after all the hype is a terrible look.

Belgium are a solid team nothing more if the USA want to advance to the level the media hyped them up to beat you have to beat teams like Belgium on home soil, The Belgians will get wiped out by Spain no problems.

Tunescribe · Jul 6, 2026

Guts said:
Damn we got clapped

Who do I call to get those two hours of my life back?

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OT: The 2026 World Cup Thread

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