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

We'd play a 3rd place team if we win the group, as I understand it group B is the likeliest matchup but not guaranteed. And my guess is Canada won't finish 3rd, they're likelier than Bosnia IMO both to get a result against Switzerland and to beat up on Qatar

 

The most likely scenario is both beat Qatar and both lose to the Swiss.

2nd and 3rd place could come down to who beats Qatar by more.................................

 

By the way, guys, now that I have you all here, any suggestions for a podcast to listen to before the big game this evening? I've already watched the latest Call It What You Want, Unfiltered, and American Soccer Insider.

 

Ok, I once saw a chart that genuinely confused me, but I thought I remember seeing "our" San Francisco R32 match being D1 vs B2, and it struck me as unfair that we don't get a 1st v 3rd match, but I could've been misremembering it. Obviously, there will be more 1st place teams than 3rd place teams in the R32, so it's not straightforward like it was in the 32-team format.

 

Judging someone's patriotism by whether they sing the national anthem is like pretending that someone's patriotism can be judged by how many US Flag bumper stickers are on their car.

 

Time for analysis is over, just get in the zone

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xX0oLTavXbZq5maIqFSQI?si=-Gr5eZWmRRSjsFO-w9A1EQ&pi=emeaeMTCQ6eHv

 

I was at a match in Germany in 2006 where two Americans got into a fight over whether it was disrespectful for one of them to leave his hat on during the national anthem. One of the most absurd things I've ever seen.

 

Also probably one of the most American.

 

Hehe!

By the way, I'm insanely jealous of your Levi's stadium ticket. I'm going to be in the Bay Area for the next month-plus. Enjoy it.

 

Sadly, sadly, sadly... Rome was a mighty empire...

 

The first we fvck him over and then use "douche bug" as an excuse.

 

Just bought this morning for ~$875 each, nosebleeds but decent seats (looks like it would be around the 35-40 if it was a football game). If you can swing it get the ticket now before we kick off tonight, if we win the price will skyrocket.

I'm in NC but have lots of family in the Bay Area (lived in Monterey for a while too, was out there for the 2014 WC and saw a Quakes game at Levi's around that time). Thought about trying to get to one of the group stage games but I've got 3 kids and just couldn't justify paying close to 3k all in for that, decided to bet on the R32 game instead. Free place to stay and was able to find a reasonably priced ticket with airline miles (which I couldn't for LA or Seattle) which changes the equation entirely, plus a knockout game is easier to justify for the bucket list.

If we don't win the group we'll sell the tickets, probably at a loss of a few hundred each but worth the risk IMO.

 

How'd we fxck him over? He doesn't have a right to the US national team coaching job

 

Like an actual fistfight? Hell yeah

 

He accepted the offer, and then it's been withdrawn.

 

He was never offered the job, he was a leading candidate, passed up other opportunities (so he says), and didn't get it. That's on him.

 

Rare dub for Fox Sports:

Highlight videos for WC games come pretty quickly and are 20+ minutes - in previous editions it has been hard for networks to get the rights to show extended highlights (2022 had five minute highlights)

 

You can call it what you want he was screwd up. Between our disfunctional federation and March I'll take him every single time. https://en.as.com/soccer/world-cup/...een-offered-the-usmnt-coaching-job-f202606-n/

 

1D vs 3 B/E/F/I/J on 7/1.
2D vs 2G on 7/3 (BEL, IRN, EGY, NZL)
3 possibilities for 3rd:
3D v 1E on 6/29 (GER, ECU, CIV)
3D v 1I on 6/30 (FRA, SEN, NOR)
3D v 1K on 7/3 (POR, COL)

I have no earthly idea how they choose which of the 3rd place teams goes where.

But 2nd likely gets us Iran or Egypt and then, most likely, Argentina.

3rd most likely gets us Germany + France or France + Germany or Portugal/Colombia + Switzerland. The first two are awful but the last one isn't too bad.

First would mean whomever 3rd and then Belgium.

 

Not sure why everyone sees Swiss as favourites.

 

IIRC there are hundreds of thousands of possible permutations. 3rd from group B is most likely if we win our group but it's only something like 30% chance

 

I'm wavering over buying one at this very instant...

Edit: Hell with it. Yolo moment for me. I've spent more stupidly, and it's probably the last time in my life I'd get a chance to see a World Cup game in the Bay Area. I'm going.

 

FIFA released an addendum to the tournament bylaws that details the 495 possible combinations of third place finisher placements.

This is where the understanding that the Group D winner is most likely (but not guaranteed) to face a 3rd place team from Group B comes from.

 

Do it

Downside risk is if we don't make it sell it for say a 50% loss (assuming something crazy doesn't happen like Argentina ending up as the opponent, which is highly unlikely but possible)

If we win tonight prices for that game will skyrocket