World Cup 2026

[Slim]

I occasionally do modest Internet media work, free of charge of course, for the great Wavis O'Shave.

Wavis, whom you might remember as The Hard from Channel 4's The Tube is of Scottish heritage. Apparently. And he's composed a ditty for Scotland's World Cup campaign with compositional assistance from Suno (AI). So I thought - what better way to start a World Cup thread?

[EDIT Jun 28th 2026 Following Scotland's failure to qualify for the knockout stage, Wavis has requested that Knockouts Here We Come should be deleted from YouTube]

[Thenop]

As per normal, if we compete we have around 18 million team managers in this country and each of them (myself included) has the winning strategy and selection in mind.

Yesterdays 2-1 win over Norway only strenghtens that belief.

I feel sorry for all of you, and all of the other countries, but the 2026 cup will be lifted first by Virgil.

[Slim]

I always root for Holland (as we perhaps shouldn't call the team now) after England go out, or when we didn't qualify. Except for the 2010 final when I swapped sides after the first ten minutes.

[Thenop]

I always root for Holland (as we perhaps shouldn't call the team now) after England go out, or when we didn't qualify. Except for the 2010 final when I swapped sides after the first ten minutes.

You know Nigel de Jong is now president of the Dutch version of the FA, the KNVB?
Highslide Image Viewer

[Fishy]

Always loved Holland ..WC final 1974 in West Germany was the first one I can remember  watching..

Back to present.. Scotland loss to Japan in a friendly today doesn't bode well

[David L]

I always root for Holland (as we perhaps shouldn't call the team now) after England go out, or when we didn't qualify. Except for the 2010 final when I swapped sides after the first ten minutes.

You know Nigel de Jong is now president of the Dutch version of the FA, the KNVB?
Highslide Image Viewer

"Looks like he got the ball there" - Lee Dixon

[Thenop]

Always loved Holland ..WC final 1974 in West Germany was the first one I can remember  watching..

Back to present.. Scotland loss to Japan in a friendly today doesn't bode well

Japan is very strong though, we are in with them.

[Fishy]

No Fifa plan for Italy to replace Iran at World Cup https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy813gy08v2o

[Fishy]

The World Cup was supposed to provide a tourism boom for the US, but now the fear is it may never materialise.
A report, external produced by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has found that bookings are well below expectations in almost every host city.
The AHLA said this does not align with Fifa's statement that more than five million tickets have been sold,, external and it creates a risk that "the anticipated economic lift may fall short".
The AHLA is the largest hotel association in the US, representing more than 32,000 properties and over 80% of all franchised hotels.
Its report partially puts the blame at the door of Fifa, accusing world football's governing body of block-booking far too many rooms for its own use and creating false demand.


Good .,fuck you donald .,fuck you all you hotels etc by hiking up your prices..then wonder why demand isn't there .. this WC is going to be awful

[Thenop]

really wish we did something like this...

[Fishy]

really wish we did something like this...

Romantic twaddle.. we'll get stuffed😀🙄

[Fishy]

Players at the 2026 World Cup will be stopped from going to the technical area to talk to coaches when goalkeepers are injured, Fifa referees' chief Pierluigi Collina has revealed.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has also approved a request to change video assistant referee (VAR) protocol to allow reviews of attacking fouls that happen before the ball is in play.
The 'goalkeeper tactical timeout' has become a hot topic in recent years. It is used by a manager to get new instructions to his players, or to impact the momentum of the opposition.


Good.. now stop the rest of the cheating nonsense that goes on in a football game

[Matt2112]

Goalkeepers who collect the ball in a stable, upright position should be banned from flopping to the ground.  Does my noggin in, that.

[Slim]

Highslide Image Viewer

The Italy squad, waiting to board their flight to the finals.

[Thenop]

Italy also presented the official outfit for the worlds

Highslide Image Viewer