2026 WC USA (et al): Worldwide Opponents Watch [all R's]

Yes but they’ll be based there for camp so they’ll be very well adjusted whereas England will be based in KC.

 

Though in my experience even in the summer time the altitude means it doesn’t particular hot in Mexico City.

Where the English will melt in the heat would be the next round in Miami.

 

That is very true for the occasional FIFA date friendly and qualifier.

The difference in this case though, specifically for that R16 match, is that we have a team that will have already been acclimated for more than a month time and playing a team whose most likely coming after 4 games at sea level. Mexico would not have had that level of advantage since like the 90s when 100% of the team was Liga MX based.

Even the most mediocre of teams would have a huge advantage in those conditions.

 

Julio Enciso stretchered off for Paraguay. Would be a brutal loss for them

 

Would be a very big loss for Paraguay

 

Paraguay trounce Nicaragua 4-0. That's their allotment of goals for the summer.

 

Portugal vs Chile on Tubi right now, one hour before USA vs Germany

 

Australia drew Switzerland 1-1

Turkey currently drawing Venezuela 1-1 as well

 

Make it 2-1 Turkey now

 

A bit unnerving since we got boat-raced by the Swiss.

 

Moise Bombito out for Canada.

Big loss for Canada. Their best and most important defender.

 

Keyrol Figueroa debuted for the Honduran senior team last night against Argentina. It was a relatively young squad for Los Catrachos as they plan for the future. Their roster also included an American born player, David Ruiz of Inter Miami.


Argentina won 2-0.

 

Yeah - Australia will get a set piece goal and defend very well.

 

The only players who will start from the Switzerland debacle is maybe Mark McKenzie and Berhalter.. and a good chance not even them..

So, imo, not much to take away from a B side getting boat raced.

 

Though apparently they are giving him till the last possible minute before they replace him on the roster.

 

All the MLSers

 

Things are going pretty good so far...

A diferença do recebimento da Seleção de Senegal nos Estados Unidos em relação ao recebimento da Seleção da Espanha no México.

pic.twitter.com/PUs7820HgX

— DataFut (@DataFutebol) June 8, 2026

Africa's top referee will not be allowed to officiate at the World Cup after he was refused entry to the USA, FIFA has confirmed 🚨 pic.twitter.com/GUsUyLcMlM

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 9, 2026

So far at the 2026 FIFA Epstein Cup before a ball kicked:
- Senegal & Uzbekistan squads treated like criminals upon arrival given full cavity searches;
- Africa’s best referee sent back to Somalia despite having a diplomatic passport;
- Iraq team photographer sent back despite… https://t.co/1V0cKKAnAQ

— Nima Tavallaey Roodsari (@NimaTavRood) June 8, 2026

He is only 33 years old. This is the biggest moment of his career. He’s probably been waiting for it for months.

But who will talk about it? There are 48 teams, hundreds of players, and representatives from all over the world. Who will finally speak up? https://t.co/MzzkP2jmwp

— failed (@unnamedbutalone) June 8, 2026

Morocco, in 1777, was the first county in the world to recognize the United States as a sovereign nation. https://t.co/1kNZiq9d4W

— Matthew Chayes (@chayesmatthew) June 9, 2026

 

The Somali referee denied entry is a farce.

 

If it were a farce, I'd be laughing.

 

The Senegal thing is fine. Lots of security for the team, so it's natural for them to go through a security check. It's no different from what we go through.

The Somali referee story is so ridiculous and makes me want to punch a hole in the wall. I really hate that this is the backdrop before our most important sporting event in 36 years. Our country looks like a joke.

 

Argentina are.

 

It isn't just a looks-like thing.

 

It’s a terrible look, especially given he would have never have traveled in the first place if he didn’t have a visa in advance. My guess is someone made a mistake not admitting him when he arrived and now they don’t want to admit the mistake and seem like they are backing down.

 

I 5ink the entry issue is more complicated. News reports are that he arrived with a diplomatic passport, which is a no-no for non-diplomatic activities. Other reports indicate he had an issue getting the visa, which may be why he tried to use a diplomatic visa. I think the real question is what was going on with the visa issue, but I don’t know if there is any info about that. While it easy to jump to the conclusion that there was nefarious or incompetent action, I don’t know there is enough info public for that to be more than a guess. (As an aside, while there are news articles trumpeting him as Africa’s best referee, that is based on him winning a bite, not based on what the confederation or FIFA thought of his skills. Those that track such things thought he was unlikely to get a whistle at the WC—but of course best referee makes the story juicier. That doesn’t make it better if there was improper conduct, but just an aside.)