OT: The 2026 World Cup Thread

[TheRainMaker]

USA is now 2-0. Just hand the cup to them already.

 

[TommyD4207]

Here are the things i would change.

Yellow card = 2 minute Power Play
If you 'flop' you need to be subbed out for 45 minutes. If you are in SO much pain.. clearly you need to sit out for a bit. (the only exception being head to head collisions)
Offsides needs to be changed to gaining zones vs not being allowed to be behind people. Do it like hockey... For instance... trying to cause an off sides in front in the net on a corner kick should not be possible. Maybe make it so you need possession or to touch the ball before stepping foot in the goalie box. But that's all.

A blue card has been more common at the lower levels, and may eventually find its way into higher level international soccer. It's between a yellow and red card, and carries a 2-5 minute penalty depending on where its used.

Purists hate it of course, but they hated the pitch clock in baseball too, so we'll see where that eventually goes.

 

[Bill Lee]

Yellow card = 2 minute Power Play
If you 'flop' you need to be subbed out for 45 minutes. If you are in SO much pain.. clearly you need to sit out for a bit. (the only exception being head to head collisions)

There are times teams do play a man short so I'd think that wouldn't be the end of the world, but IMO 45 min is way too long.

I think the objection would be the lineups are really structured around certain players/shapes and taking one man off is more disruptive than perhaps we'd think it would be.

I could certainly see a flop giving the other side the ball and that player sent off for something like 2-5 minutes.

Other posts suggest a flop gets the player suspended for the next game. In the pros, even better if they do that without pay.

It really undermines the game, IMO. They want to project that it's a manly sport, but IMO players crying like children gives it all away.

Late in the Morocco/Scotland match, the goalie made a routine save and went down like he was shot clutching his thigh muscle, and of course, the ball too. No "play on" for that dude. The officials compensated by adding on more time to the game, but the goalie did gain an advantage for his team by letting his players catch their wind and get some water while he flopped around.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Do you have any plans to watch Czechia vs New Spain?

Can Prussia win it all?

Meanwhile, the boys in Orange are called...