FIFA World Cup '26: News & Analysis

If CBV had opened up, that match probably finishes 2 or 3 -nil to Spain, and nobody talks or remembers that match. More importantly, we almost certainly don't get the knockout match we just got.

 

Simple reason: human nature likes Nash Equilibrium outcomes.

Just like those WC teams welcomed the opportunity to advance by arranging a farcical 1-0 result, you will have WC teams arranging farcical 1-1 scorelines under your proposed scheme.

Human nature is simple like that: teams A+B will quickly set up a point-gaining scoreline, if it ensures advancement for both. No game fatigue, no suspended players, no injured players, guaranteed prize money for advancing to KO phase. No brainer.

Your proposed scheme will just help casinos pad the spread. WC teams will keep gravitating towards mutually-beneficial draws despite your scheme.

If you want to eliminate *mutually-beneficial* draws, then perhaps you should advocate for one team advancing per group. Watch Kumbaya draws being replaced by bloodbaths and blowouts. How about that?

 

Top underrated comment right here.

Also, ENG delayed its flight to MEX due to spying concerns at MEX training facilities.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cx2x1gwwjego

On June 16, MEX army shot down a drone as KOR was setting up for training. KOR faced MEX in June 18:
https://www.proceso.com.mx/deportes...ca-de-campamento-de-corea-del-sur-374231.html

 

To be fair, I didn’t see the game; I think I was working.

I’m not seeing how if 0-0 ties are arranged, 1-1 arranged ties would be more common; but at least you’d get to see a couple of goals. I don’t think teams would trust each other, however.

And let me be clear, I’d trial this in a few leagues (namely MLS where an away point is valued and almost half the teams make the playoffs) before doing it in World Cups.

 

Infantino's head is shining dark orange.

 

Did you see the Dallas cop shoving Egypt's coach? Between what happened with Iran's team, Trump red card intervention, and the Dallas cop, it is truly embarrassing for the US as a host in an unprecedented manner, and FIFA's corruption to allow all this is also unprecedented.

 

Kane sounds like he smoked 20 packs of cigarettes in a row.

 

LOL!!!!!

 

FULL timeline of the campaign to bring Balogun back, according to a half dozen U.S. government & soccer officials:
- Wednesday after U.S.-Bosnia match: Andrew Giuliani alerted Trump to the red card (Trump & Giuliani had been talking multiple times/week since start of World Cup…

— Sophia Cai (@SophiaCai99) July 6, 2026

TRUMP claims credit: "I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who's highly respected [Gianni Infantino]...I'm the one who got them to do it. It was not Biden, Biden was asleep!"

— Sophia Cai (@SophiaCai99) July 6, 2026

Jesus, man.

 

Yup. FIFA has had a spotless resume over the decades that is for darn sure.

 

Relatively speaking.

 

argentina game yesterday was amazing, that will be the one that will always be remembered from this world cup. honestly, there is not much more to remember, football was very defensive, very ugly and mostly boring. defensive tactics developed so far in last few years that everyone who is not top-notch plays defensive as soon as they meet the team they consider better than them

paraguay was huge disgrace, and there are quite a few others that didn't really belong to this world cup. qatar and tunisia in the first place, but not only them. 48 teams WC is a sad thing!

we've got 7 games left, let's hope it gets better from now on

 

Noteworthy is that only two of the five UEFA teams which reached the quarterfinals in 2022 - England and France - are among the six UEFA teams which have reached the quarterfinals this year, so nine different UEFA teams have reached the quarterfinals in 2022 and 2026!

 

Why do you consider that noteworthy? The list of top ten teams in the world traditionally consists of a bunch of UEFA teams plus Brazil and Argentina. The list of top twenty teams is also quite stacked with UEFA teams. The real issue with UEFA's allocation and allocation for other confederations is whether the next tier teams in UEFA are so much better (if at all) to prevent giving more opportunity and experience for teams from other confederations the chance to compete at the World Cup? I don't think people want to watch too many second and third tier UEFA sides battle it out at the World Cup. We can see that in the Euros and don't need the World Cup to replicate it.

There are plenty of teams from other confederations that over time can show as good as most of these second tier sides from UEFA. That is already the case with many CAF teams and even though this World Cup didn't prove fruitful for the AFC second tier sides, over time you will see with a bit more experience those sides be able to do much better as well. How can I be confident that is the case? Because the first tier AFC teams (even Japan, but especially Iran, S. Korea or Australia) are no longer guaranteed to beat these other traditionally lesser sides in the AFC. Yet all those first tier AFC sides have quite regularly defeated second tier UEFA sides in the past few World Cups.

 

Because among those nine UEFA teams we can say several - Croatia, Belgium, Norway and Switzerland - are not considered tier one, so compared to other confederations more non-tier one UEFA teams go further at the WC.

Non-tier one UEFA teams are superior to their counterparts in the other confederations.

 

So, who is the Golden Ball leader entering the quarterfinals? I think we can narrow it down to 8 candidates:
Brahim Diaz
Messi
Rodri
Bellingham
Haaland
Mbappe
Dembele
Kane

Did I forget someone?

Can the eventual Golden Ball winner come from outside this list? Possibly if Spain or Morocco win. But if its France, England, Norway I don't think so. And if its the Swiss or Belgium the award will probably default to Messi or Mbappe, depending on whose team went further.

 

Yeah this is just not true.

Croatia did not make it any further than DRC, South Africa, Ghana, CIV, Senegal, Cape Verde, Algeria, Ecuador, Japan, Australia,

Egypt, Morocco, Colombia, Paraguay, Mexico, USA, Canada all made it further.

I mean DRC did better against 2 direct opponents than Croatia did at this world cup (Portugal and England)

Belgium was completely outclassed by Senegal, despite their late implosion (also factoring internal issues) Same Belgium also couldnt beat Iran or Egypt, and were also outplayed by Egypt.

Switzerland drew against Colombia. They are a good side, but to say they are better than other teams from other confederations, I see nothing conclusive. They certainly aren't better than Morocco. I doubt they are better than Japan or even Senegal.

Norway is a very good team, they also beat Brazil who is considered 1st tear (maybe shouldn't be)

But the question may soon have to be asked if Norway is not indeed first tier. Especially if they can knock off England.

I haven't seen any solid evidence that UEFA 2nd tier is better overall than the top nations of other confederations.

Argentina beat Austria (and Algeria) pretty easily yet struggled against Cape Verde and Egypt.

Spain also beat Austria easily yet couldnt beat Cape Verde.

France beat Sweden easily and struggled more against Senegal and Paraguay.

I mean do you consider Netherlands 1st or 2nd tier, because they were outclassed by Morocco and couldnt beat Japan. If they are 2nd tier, they're literally the best 2nd tier UEFA has to offer.

 

Really though, How many tier 1 teams are there anymore ?

France, England, Spain

Is that it anymore ? Really the question needs to be asked.

 

No. Messi is carrying them on his back. How much longer can that really last ?

 

Aren't we talking about right now?

Can add Portugal too. Just because a team lost to a tier 1 team; doesn't mean they aren't tier 1. IMO, at least.

Roughly speaking, I'd say any team with around a 10% shot or better of winning the WC is tier 1. That means you have a realistic shot.

 

Portugal has an elite squad I guess, but have seriously disappointed in the last 3 world cups.

Argentina with Messi I guess should also be considered tier 1.

My point is more that the truly top tier elite teams seem to be diminishing from the last few World Cups.

There seems to be a larger sub tier in between tier 1 and tier 2.

The top tier may end up being 2 or 3 teams when it was 5 or 6 previously.

 

Or, blushing (red) with shame??