Yup. And they usually select themselves in situations like this but still yet to be determined. My bad.
I think it would be too preferential treatment for Concacaf. They already have two playoff places while UEFA doesn't have any!
It is an Inter-confederation playoff. So it only makes sense to me to have teams face each other from different confederations. But I am not opposed to them facing each other.
Apparently, 305 at group stages. Crazy if it is: "As reported by Adam Crafton of The Athletic, the united bid for the World Cup estimated that the average cost of a group stage ticket would be around $305." https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.da...2026-world-cup-ticket-prices-group-stage.html
As it says, that’s taken from the bid book that was published 7 years ago. Nevertheless, the numbers in there still look like a reasonable guess (Cat 3 group stage at $175). Cat 3 in Russia was $110, so factoring in inflation over time and the people of North America having 10x the purchasing power of local Russians, and $175 fits. That would be considered expensive but not outrageously so for a major sporting event in the US.
The more interesting relationship is the one he has with Rodrygo. Subbed him off at halftime of el clasico Cup final, and he was an unused bench player in the most recent league clasico (even though Vinny Jr needed to be subbed out due to injury, he still didn't bring Rodrygo on). Vinny Jr currently has a sprained ankle, so we'll see. Doesn't sound serious enough to keep him out of games next month though.
Uruguay lose Copa brawl appeal, Darwin Núñez 5-match ban upheld https://www.espn.co.uk/football/sto...-brawl-appeal-darwin-nunez-5-match-ban-upheld
And as the article states Betancur will miss four games, Gimenez, Olivera and Araujo will miss three matches each for Uruguay.
I'm confused. Uruguay has already played way more than 3, 4 or 5 games since the incident. Araujo, for e.g., has already sat out at least 3 URU matches and returned to action for the games in March. Was this just about trying not to pay the fine?
Yes, you are right it focuses on fines. Darwin will miss three matches because he has only served a two match suspension before appealing.
FIFA has shown mercy on Congo and have lifted their ban. They will be allowed to play matches and participate in qualifying.
wow, that turns the fate in CAF qualifiers a lot. So we do not have a group of 4 teams, which means, we will not have only the matches vs. the top 4 teams, but top 5 teams compared in the runner-up table for the intercontinental playoff spot.
Lets take another look at Africa qualifiers now. With dropping results for the last place team the very likely way to decide the playoffs, it really will change only 2 groups... C and D. Standings left with 3 matches to play vs non-last place teams. Gabon-12 Cameroon-11 Senegal-9 Tanzania-9 Mozambique-9 Namibia-9 Burkina Faso-8 Rwanda-7 Comoros-6* (has game in hand as 2 wins are against bottom team) Gabon is still strong but Cameroon shoots up the table as they dropped points to the last place team in their group. The other team that really benefits from this is Nigeria. 2nd place is a very real possibility. They drew with the bottom team in their group (Zimbabwe) twice. Lesotho is likely going to get awarded 3 points over South Africa to bring them to 8 and if they stay above Zimbabwe, Nigeria will be in great shape with just 9 points from 5 matches. Tanzania is another big winner. Like Mozambique, they are done with the top team in their group, giving them an advantage in remaining matches.
yepp, definitely step forward. though, it looked a bit better in the first b/w leaks just imagine how good it would be if they made it round ... but they would do anything to stop CR7 winning it
Delegates including European members of the Fifa Council – and Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin – walked out after Gianni Infantino had arrived hours late for the governing body’s annual congress. The Fifa president had been accompanying Donald Trump on a tour of Gulf states and despite making numerous apologies after his eventual arrival, members opted to leave at the scheduled time. A particularly strong statement from Uefa said: “To have the timetable changed at the last minute for what appears to be simply to accommodate private political interests, does the game no service and appears to put its interests second. “We are all in post to serve football; from the streets to the podium, and Uefa members of the Fifa council felt the need on this occasion to make a point that the game comes first and to leave as originally scheduled.”
Oh yes. WWE, College football and UFC fighting all get horrible ratings and no attendance figures. For shame.
He blamed it on "flight issues". lol Odd that the other 210 attendees didn't have any issues getting there on time.
On the one hand I'd love it is UEFA and CONMEBOL seized the opportunity to break from FIFA. On the other hand that would probably lead to more money for UEFA and CONMEBOL and less for development elsewhere.