WC-related posts are popping up in a few places but I don't think we have a specific thread for it. If we do maybe a kind mod can move this post to it? Here's the latest IFAB decision. I get the intent but a red card seems over the top - many players on opposing teams know each other very well because they play for the same club! So leaving it up to the ref to decide if what's being said represents a "confrontation" seems like a recipe for nonsense. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c202rgdlqxqo Players at the World Cup could face a red card if they cover their mouths when speaking to opponents during confrontations. The decision was taken during a special meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) in Vancouver, Canada, on Tuesday, where two Fifa-proposed law amendments were approved. Players who leave the pitch in protest at a referee's decisions could also now face a red card, following ugly scenes at the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal. Both law changes have been approved as competition opt-ins by the Ifab. Fifa has confirmed they will be adopted at this summer's World Cup. The issue of players covering their mouths became high profile in February when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game. The Argentina international was accused of racist abuse and provisionally banned for one match. Following a Uefa investigation, Prestianni was found guilty of homophobic conduct and banned for six matches - three of which were suspended. The issue was discussed at the Ifab annual general meeting in Wales later that month where it was agreed members would reconvene ahead of this week's Fifa Council in Vancouver. The decision remains at the absolute discretion of the referee, who will consider all circumstances before issuing a red card. edit: LMAO there is already a thread for the WC. I started it.
So no Liverpool player in the England WC squad. First time since 1986(?). Spain have gone one better. No Real Madrid players in the Spanish WC squad for the first time ever. (Not even Trent, unbelievably ).
Here's the ludicrous schedule of the expanded and watered down WC (pun intended): Men's FIFA 2026 World Cup Schedule | FOX Sports
Agreed...... i'll prob tune in at the QF stage...... but without much more than a casual interest.....
With the end of the Prem season I finally got around to looking at the world cup schedule. In the past (2014 and before) would plan out days and places to watch the matches. Not this year, the group stage schedule is dire. Plus in 3/4's of the groups the 3rd place team advances so even if we see the odd upset it won't matter. Why do they have to make everything worse to make themselves more money?
Yeah I'm not expecting the Scotland-Haiti game to be an example of great football. But I know the Scots will put on a good atmosphere for my kids to remember.
Think it also has to do with seeing no value in the world other than "winning" with winning usually being measured by the amount of money you make. But to maximize the profit they have to strip out what lots of us like about it. But hey in our instagram world does that matter?
probably not. I spend about as much time on Instagram as i will be doing watching Cape Verde play Turkmenistan..... I don't normally mind when they change something sensibly. But when you arrive at the best solution - 32 teams, 8 groups - to keep looking past that point in essentially looking first for manna....