2026 WORLD CUP

[sabremike]

39 minutes ago, SirFozzie said:

Ok, they changed things starting with the round of 32. Now, the knockout stages will be seeded ike tennis, with the 12 group winners being seeded 1-12 based off their Fifa world rankings (with 1-2 being on the opposite sides of the bracket so they can't meet till the final, etcetera

So essentially FIFA is smarter than the NHL in designing a playoff format.

[AxB]

"Fans will be able to get World Cup tickets for $60!!!"

The Dark Green sections, Category 4, are the $60 tickets. The yellow ones, Category 1, the overwhelming majority of them. they're $600.

[RIPPA]

On 11/20/2025 at 11:30 AM, Cobra Commander said:

Iran is another nation which I figure is gonna run into some problems with getting into the US

They did indeed - Iran won't be at the Draw on Friday in protest of the allocation of visa to the delegations

Iran says that Gianni Infantino promised them their would be no issues 

Quote

“The last time the FIFA president was present in the national team’s dressing room was the 2025 AFC final against Uzbekistan, when he announced to the Iranian players that the Iranian convoy’s presence would be guaranteed from the beginning of the draw ceremony until the last day of the national team’s participation in the World Cup, including workshops,” spokesperson Alavi outlined.

“There is no guarantee that the five people who are scheduled to go to the draw ceremony will not face problems in holding the tournament. Even the president of the federation, who holds positions in the AFC [Asian soccer confederation] and FIFA, has been issued a ticket, but the security director and executive director, who must be present at the workshops, have not been issued a visa.”

FIFA claimed they would "look into the issue" but this is FIFA so who the fuck knows what that means

[RIPPA]

As a reminder - locations and schedule of games wont be released until 24 hours after the draw takes placed

FIFA will be "placing the games in the best location based on the time zones, of which there are four for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico."

[Pete]

Is he still talking?

[Mister TV]

This is so pathetic.

Edited December 5, 2025 by Mister TV

[Pete]

Color me shocked that Rio needs a bunch of schoolkids to explain the seeding format.

[Cobra Commander]

laughing that Iran's draw might put them in LA

[Mister TV]

37 minutes ago, Pete said:

Color me shocked that Rio needs a bunch of schoolkids to explain the seeding format.

No one seems like they want to be there, especially Rio. 

[Raziel]

So, Group L Group of Death?

[Cobra Commander]

games potentially at Arrowhead in KCMO

Argentina/Austria or Jordan/Algeria

Germany/Ivory Coast or Ecuador/Curacao

Tunisia/Netherlands or Japan/UEFA Path B

Jordan/Argentina or Algeria/Austria

I've already began joking that they're gonna put Ecuador/Curacao in KC

[sabremike]

51 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

laughing that Iran's draw might put them in LA

For those who don't get it this would be like if Cuba qualified and played in Miami.

[Cobra Commander]

9 minutes ago, sabremike said:

For those who don't get it this would be like if Cuba qualified and played in Miami.

in the case of Iranian-born populations in LA, they're heavily Armenians or Iranian Jews.. the potential Iran matches in Inglewood are Iran/New Zealand and Iran/Belgium

There's also a potential Italy/Canada opener in Toronto if Italy can escape UEFA Path A

[odessasteps]

Thank goodness I slept thru whatever happened. 

[The Natural]

New award, the Bellend D’or.

[Pete]

3 hours ago, The Natural said:

New award, the Bellend D’or.

You magnificent bastard.

[The Natural]

3 hours ago, Pete said:

You magnificent bastard.

Thank you.

Edited December 6, 2025 by The Natural

[Cobra Commander]

Kansas City: your World Cup home for North African teams!

The matches at Arrowhead: Argentina/Algeria, Ecuador/Curacao, Netherlands/Tunisia, and Algeria/Austria

[odessasteps]

Looks like UK teams were done no favors with start times, 

[ReiseReise]

If this guy gets an Award like that, I should technically be eligible for the Hip Hop Hall of Fame. (I'm a Sheamus-looking German Metal head)

I know this Board isn't too much into politics, but I hope it's okay to utter the Observation that this whole opening thing had Berlin 1936 vibes.

Germany got a group in which they should get seven points, but If they can't raise their Game, ROTL16 will BE where we exit.

[Cobra Commander]

the long list of teams playing multiple games in the same stadium/country in group stage

• Mexico/South Africa/South Korea/UEFA Mystery Team play their entire group stage in Mexico. 
• Canada plays their entire group stage in Canada
• Scotland plays two games in Foxboro
• USA plays two games in Inglewood
• Paraguay plays two games in Santa Clara
• Ivory Coast plays two games in Philadelphia
• Japan plays two games in Arlington
• Tunisia plays two games in Mexico
• Iran plays two games in Inglewood
• Egypt plays two games in Seattle
• New Zealand plays two games in Vancouver
• Spain plays two games in Atlanta
• Uruguay plays two games in Miami
• Senegal plays two games in East Rutherford ("in the shadow of New York City"/New York New Jersey)
• Norway plays two games in Foxboro
• Algeria plays two games in Kansas City
• Jordan plays two games in Santa Clara
• Argentina plays two games in Arlington
• Portugal plays two games in Houston
• Colombia plays two games in Mexico
• Panama plays two games in Toronto

 

Edited December 6, 2025 by Cobra Commander

[odessasteps]

I don’t think that’s a bad thing, since it would theoretically allow fans to base their travel in one place. 

[Cobra Commander]

yeah I think the nature of how the scheduling works is that 2/3 teams have two games in a place and the rest are traveling a bit more and the traveling reams are either teams that can support themselves anywhere or teams that are really small in the scheme of things

Haiti in Foxboro vs Scotland is a good site for Haitian fans. If Cape Verde had landed in a Foxboro group, that would have produced a crowd.

take your pick on which IC Path team has a more fun travel schedule

IC Path 1 (Jamaica/New Caledonia/DR Congo) going from Houston to Zapopan to Atlanta or IC Path 2 (Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq) going from Foxboro to Philly to Toronto.

Croatia getting a game in Toronto is also a fun consolation if Italy boofs it and doesn't make it to the World Cup

[DangerMark]

13 hours ago, ReiseReise said:

If this guy gets an Award like that, I should technically be eligible for the Hip Hop Hall of Fame. (I'm a Sheamus-looking German Metal head)

It's more like if I inducted you into my own Hip Hop Hall of Fame and frankly I know more about German Heavy Metal than I do hip hop.

[odessasteps]

My knowledge of German rap begins and ends with all the Timo Werner/Imo Erner songs.