World Cup 2026

[square_ball]

It's not so much a dire World Cup as a dire sport.

Soccer is great fun to play and occasionally can be so entertaining to watch.

But

1. some 40 years on from diving / simulation started to become a thing, football hasn't worked out how to solve the underlying problem that their game actively rewards cheating. This really shouldn't  be difficult to solve.

2. there is an intrinsic culture within the sport that a) a draw is a good result, b) playing for penalties is a tactically astute approach. Given the scoring parameters, this is a difficult problem to solve.

And yet it's the most popular sport on the planet and it's only getting more and more popular.

Americans will be sticking to their football, basketball, ice hockey and baseball after that World Cup.

[DaleCooper]

Who told old men wearing white shoes was acceptable never mind with a suit?! Yikes

[Wildweasel74]

Can they digital erase Trump from the winning photos. After all he said about Spain.

[AustinPowers]

The Trump show

[gallsman]

Gianni needs to get Trump back to the care home in time for his pre dinner meds. Just ambling about the place

[From the Bunker]

That's the last major arse licking Gianni has to do with the Donald. There may be other times, but with less public scrutiny.

[Captain Obvious]

Can they digital erase Trump from the winning photos. After all he said about Spain.

A quick edit like this will do.

[imtommygunn]

Watching back what happened at the final whistle. That number 5 for argentina should get a lengthy ban.

[Milltown Row2]

Watching back what happened at the final whistle. That number 5 for argentina should get a lengthy ban.

They be a dogged Tyrone Club team they way the get on in games and afters.....


I step away from this for a bit lol

[JoG2]

Watching back what happened at the final whistle. That number 5 for argentina should get a lengthy ban.

Couple of the backroom team laying hands too

[toby47]

Watching back what happened at the final whistle. That number 5 for argentina should get a lengthy ban.

I'd say he will get a lengthy enough ban. Was more pushing and shoving though wasn't it, rather than haymakers. Still doesn't look great,

[imtommygunn]

I read he got a red card but didn't see it at the time.

[DaleCooper]

FIFA exceeded revenue target by $4billion. A record.


The doom mongers emphatically wrong.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/18/fifa-record-15bn-world-cup-revenue?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Final was by far worst game I saw.

[Captain Scarlet]

Watching back what happened at the final whistle. That number 5 for argentina should get a lengthy ban.

I'd say he will get a lengthy enough ban. Was more pushing and shoving though wasn't it, rather than haymakers. Still doesn't look great,

The same man had just picked up his deserved yellow and went in pushing Spanish players on top of Olmo. Then he was arguing with the ref for the rest of the game.

I CANNOT understand how Argentina were allowed intimidate refs in all the games. They were talking back and jumping in their faces all tournament.

Romero ran 25 yards after Laporte dared to foul Messi. The same St Leo was trying to get Cucurella sent off too.

[imtommygunn]

I thought there was a lot of pressure being applied to refs in a lot of games in that WC. I don't remember it being that bad. The England Argentina game seemed to have a lot of Harry Kane and Messi trying to influence the ref then when Spain got the penalty against France (for a clear penalty) Mbappe wouldn't leave him alone. Fernandez yesterday looked like he wasn't going to go off too.

Bad WC for respect referees campaigns...

(Argentina were definitely by far the worst but weren't alone)