The official FIFA world cup thread

[Draino76]

I actually quite enjoyed that. Slight bit of cringe was Ferdinand offering out the chap interviewing the audience. 

[Eric The Red]

1 hour ago, Bakovnetski said:

Rio Ferdinand is a plank

Harsh on Ferdinand, thought he was the only one who looked like they knew what they were doing there 

[Baird of the land]

5 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Fifa's big idea is to set up the best chance of blockbuster ties in the latter stages of the World Cup.

So for the first time it is giving special seeding status to the top four in the world rankings - Spain, Argentina, France and England.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c997y4l20jgo

 

Yep hate that they’ve done that. Also having 3 hosts counted as pot one teams skews the groups, though if either wales or N.I make it they will enjoy being in that Canada one.

[AlexLaw76]

That peace award was fucking weird

 

[benjii]

If anyone is looking for a change of vibe, I can recommend Fermented Offal Discharge by Necrophagist and Papyrus Containing the Spell to Preserve its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In The Water by Nile. Also, anything by Nile, really.

Tremendous songs.

[obelisk]

6 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

That peace award was fucking weird

 

🤢🤮

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

That peace award was fucking weird

 

Imagine giving a convicted criminal who is also alleged to be involved with Jeffrey Epstein and encouraging war crimes to be awarded the “peace award”.

[Badger]

3 hours ago, East Kent Saint said:

Wake me up when the knockout stage starts  ………..

This is it. Until that point the whole thing is a yawn fest, and I can barely give a shit. 

[macca155]

Fucking Brazil ..... again.

Give us a break

[Dark Munster]

Oi, Gemini:, was Trump worthy of the FIFA Peace Prize?

Gemini: Absolutely! The following is a brief list of actions and policies to award Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize after the Nobel committee shamefully overlooked him.

• Undermining U.S. Democracy (Jan 6th): His actions and rhetoric surrounding the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, viewed as an attack on the peaceful transfer of power and democratic institutions.
• Pressure on Ukraine's Leadership: History of pressuring President Zelenskyy for personal political gain (the 2019 phone call and subsequent impeachment inquiry) and his recent attempts in peace negotiations ceding territory to Russia, which European allies feared would reward military aggression.
• Rejection of Iran Nuclear Diplomacy: Withdrawing the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reimposing sanctions, which destabilised the region and risked escalating conflict with Iran.
• Threats Against Political Opponents: His social media posts labeling Democratic lawmakers as "traitors" deserving of the death penalty for urging military members to refuse illegal orders, which encourages political violence and undermines the rule of law.
• Venezuela Maritime Strikes: Authorizing lethal strikes against boats in the Caribbean in the context of anti-drug operations targeting Venezuelan interests, an aggressive and unilateral use of force. War crimes for the second attack killing 2 survivors clinging to wreckage from a first strike.
• Gaza Displacement Plan: Proposed elements of a peace plan that involved the potential forced relocation of the Palestinian population from Gaza to other Arab states for redevelopment, a plan widely condemned by human rights advocates.
• Straining Key Alliances: Making transactional foreign policy moves and repeatedly issuing hostile rhetoric and tariff threats against close allies, including Canada and other NATO members, undermining the traditional spirit of international cooperation.
• Abandoning Multilateral Treaties: Withdrawing the U.S. from major international agreements, including the Paris Climate Accord and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• Cutting Humanitarian Aid: Drastically reducing or attempting to dismantle U.S. foreign assistance and global health programs (like USAID), which runs counter to the ideals of promoting global welfare.

[Miltonaggro]

9 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Imagine giving a convicted criminal who is also alleged to be involved with Jeffrey Epstein and encouraging war crimes to be awarded the “peace award”.

Stephen Hawking? 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

I really hope there are some terrible attendances for some of those group games.

I assume they'll try to put the groups that have the lowest appeal (prob groups F, G and K) in Canada or Mexico to save face for the USA. No idea how the scheduling works mins.

[Convict Colony]

7 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

Oi, Gemini:, was Trump worthy of the FIFA Peace Prize?

Gemini: Absolutely! The following is a brief list of actions and policies to award Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize after the Nobel committee shamefully overlooked him.

• Undermining U.S. Democracy (Jan 6th): His actions and rhetoric surrounding the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, viewed as an attack on the peaceful transfer of power and democratic institutions.
• Pressure on Ukraine's Leadership: History of pressuring President Zelenskyy for personal political gain (the 2019 phone call and subsequent impeachment inquiry) and his recent attempts in peace negotiations ceding territory to Russia, which European allies feared would reward military aggression.
• Rejection of Iran Nuclear Diplomacy: Withdrawing the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reimposing sanctions, which destabilised the region and risked escalating conflict with Iran.
• Threats Against Political Opponents: His social media posts labeling Democratic lawmakers as "traitors" deserving of the death penalty for urging military members to refuse illegal orders, which encourages political violence and undermines the rule of law.
• Venezuela Maritime Strikes: Authorizing lethal strikes against boats in the Caribbean in the context of anti-drug operations targeting Venezuelan interests, an aggressive and unilateral use of force. War crimes for the second attack killing 2 survivors clinging to wreckage from a first strike.
• Gaza Displacement Plan: Proposed elements of a peace plan that involved the potential forced relocation of the Palestinian population from Gaza to other Arab states for redevelopment, a plan widely condemned by human rights advocates.
• Straining Key Alliances: Making transactional foreign policy moves and repeatedly issuing hostile rhetoric and tariff threats against close allies, including Canada and other NATO members, undermining the traditional spirit of international cooperation.
• Abandoning Multilateral Treaties: Withdrawing the U.S. from major international agreements, including the Paris Climate Accord and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• Cutting Humanitarian Aid: Drastically reducing or attempting to dismantle U.S. foreign assistance and global health programs (like USAID), which runs counter to the ideals of promoting global welfare.

awards are self serving to the people giving them away, be it academy awards, fifa, balloon dor, they have nothing to do with earning.

look at Obama he got novel peace prize 9months after becoming president.

didn't watch any of the bullshit yesterday but I hear it was overall horrific and drawn out pain.

[Willo of Whiteley]

2 hours ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

I really hope there are some terrible attendances for some of those group games.

I assume they'll try to put the groups that have the lowest appeal (prob groups F, G and K) in Canada or Mexico to save face for the USA. No idea how the scheduling works mins.

It’ll be like Trump’s inauguration.

”The crowds were in their millions”, absolute bollocks.

[bogwoppit]

10 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

Oi, Gemini:, was Trump worthy of the FIFA Peace Prize?

Gemini: Absolutely! The following is a brief list of actions and policies to award Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize after the Nobel committee shamefully overlooked him.

• Undermining U.S. Democracy (Jan 6th): His actions and rhetoric surrounding the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, viewed as an attack on the peaceful transfer of power and democratic institutions.
• Pressure on Ukraine's Leadership: History of pressuring President Zelenskyy for personal political gain (the 2019 phone call and subsequent impeachment inquiry) and his recent attempts in peace negotiations ceding territory to Russia, which European allies feared would reward military aggression.
• Rejection of Iran Nuclear Diplomacy: Withdrawing the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reimposing sanctions, which destabilised the region and risked escalating conflict with Iran.
• Threats Against Political Opponents: His social media posts labeling Democratic lawmakers as "traitors" deserving of the death penalty for urging military members to refuse illegal orders, which encourages political violence and undermines the rule of law.
• Venezuela Maritime Strikes: Authorizing lethal strikes against boats in the Caribbean in the context of anti-drug operations targeting Venezuelan interests, an aggressive and unilateral use of force. War crimes for the second attack killing 2 survivors clinging to wreckage from a first strike.
• Gaza Displacement Plan: Proposed elements of a peace plan that involved the potential forced relocation of the Palestinian population from Gaza to other Arab states for redevelopment, a plan widely condemned by human rights advocates.
• Straining Key Alliances: Making transactional foreign policy moves and repeatedly issuing hostile rhetoric and tariff threats against close allies, including Canada and other NATO members, undermining the traditional spirit of international cooperation.
• Abandoning Multilateral Treaties: Withdrawing the U.S. from major international agreements, including the Paris Climate Accord and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• Cutting Humanitarian Aid: Drastically reducing or attempting to dismantle U.S. foreign assistance and global health programs (like USAID), which runs counter to the ideals of promoting global welfare.

Take it, that you’re not a fan of Trump!

[skintsaint]

21 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

That peace award was fucking weird

 

Should have named it the Bellend D’or.

[inspectorfrost]

21 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

That peace award was fucking weird

 

A superb display of ego massaging and FIFA's 'political neutrality'

[Willo of Whiteley]

On 06/12/2025 at 11:42, bogwoppit said:

Take it, that you’re not a fan of Trump!

I mean, quite frankly, who is?

[bogwoppit]

13 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I mean, quite frankly, who is?

Probably quite a few in America, unless there was a lot of protest voting going on.

 

[East Kent Saint]

1 hour ago, bogwoppit said:

Probably quite a few in America, unless there was a lot of protest voting going on.

 

Trump still insecure so gerrymandering in Texas etc to make sure they do well in the mid term elections or at least better than they might have done.

As a regular visitor to USA I can report their inflation in the supermarkets is a lot higher than the UK , rents are higher and working conditions are a lot worse than UK. If you don't have top health ins with your job you get 2 weeks maternity leave ! 

[spyinthesky]

I wonder how many fans (not only from England & Scotland) but other countries too can afford the inflated flight, hotel and ticket costs that the next World Cup will cost.
Personally I hope the whole competition is a flop and it's a middle finger up to Trump and the knobs at FIFA but England win (some hope!!)

[Wade Garrett]

 Couldn’t really give a toss about the World Cup any more.  Preferred it when it alternated between Europe and S America.  

FIFA just whore it out to the highest bidder these days.  Greedy, corrupt bastards.  Infantino is even more bent than Blatter.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

FIFA has confirmed there will be three-minute hydration breaks in each half of every game at next year's World Cup regardless of whether there's hot weather or not, which I am sure is to do with player welfare and not US obsession with having 4 quarters and squeezing in a couple of extra ad breaks. Luckily we will have half time shows to look forward to though which makes up for it.

[Football Special]

On 06/12/2025 at 07:28, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

I really hope there are some terrible attendances for some of those group games.

I assume they'll try to put the groups that have the lowest appeal (prob groups F, G and K) in Canada or Mexico to save face for the USA. No idea how the scheduling works mins.

They do this stupid dynamic pricing, in club world cup last year they started giving tickets away to fill empty seats to try to make it look like a success in days running up to the game 

[Gloucester Saint]

On 07/12/2025 at 18:35, Wade Garrett said:

 Couldn’t really give a toss about the World Cup any more.  Preferred it when it alternated between Europe and S America.  

FIFA just whore it out to the highest bidder these days.  Greedy, corrupt bastards.  Infantino is even more bent than Blatter.

Russia was bad enough as host but Qatar was the final straw for me. 

[revolution saint]

On 07/12/2025 at 18:35, Wade Garrett said:

 Couldn’t really give a toss about the World Cup any more.  Preferred it when it alternated between Europe and S America.  

FIFA just whore it out to the highest bidder these days.  Greedy, corrupt bastards.  Infantino is even more bent than Blatter.

Terrible when you consider that between 2019 and 2037 there won't have been a single host nation tournament outside of the middle east.

[Gloucester Saint]

3 hours ago, revolution saint said:

Terrible when you consider that between 2019 and 2037 there won't have been a single host nation tournament outside of the middle east.

£££££££££££££££

[Baird of the land]

So with the mad pricing will there be loads of empty seats.

[Morse]

FIFA = Wankers.

Unarguable fact. 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

14 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

So with the mad pricing will there be loads of empty seats.

Unfortunately there probably won't be.

There will, however, be terrible atmospheres with few "real fans" there. 

[Give it to Ron]

 Crooks!

[Football Special]

It's disgusting. 

If I had my way an alternative world cup would be set up, like FC United of World Cups, with all actual normal fans going to that and leave the sham FIFA corrupt event to be played out in empty stadiums with corporate fans wondering where everyone is. 

BOYCOTT 

[IFHP]

55 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Unfortunately there probably won't be.

There will, however, be terrible atmospheres with few "real fans" there. 

That’s the trouble , and why FIFA get away with those prices .

People will pay those prices unfortunately.

[spyinthesky]

1 minute ago, IFHP said:

That’s the trouble , and why FIFA get away with those prices .

People will pay those prices unfortunately.

I wonder if that will actually happen.

No doubt flight costs will increase as hotel costs have already done.

Probably not quite so bad if supporters have family accommodation to fall back on but rest of costs of attending a couple of games will be very significant.

[AlexLaw76]

So many dopey c**ts will still pay those prices (if not a lot more via other means), along with the hyper-inflated accommodation costs in the bigger cities

[USaintA]

I moved over here a few years ago and had hoped to go to see a World Cup game in 2026. Well, fuck that!

[Vegas]

Absolute highway robbery. However, if I get the chance to see one England game, I'll be there. Chance doesn't come around often so F it, only money and can't take it with you!

[S-Clarke]

The accom and flights will be crazy for a lot of those games, they'll ramp up around those dates. New York prices are already stupidly high in the summer, so add another premium to them.

I reckon if you wanted to go to say New York, grab a couple of games whilst you're there for 5-7 days...you'd be out of pocket for around 6-10k, easily. I guess people could use it as a holiday of a lifetime with football bolted on, but yeah - you need to have stupid money.

[die Mannyschaft]

I went to Germany 3 times and got Holland v Serbia which was packed with Holland fans not many corporate in the areas in seats. The other two trips watched England and Germany game in Cologne fan fest 60k, and the Germany v Italy semi in Olympic stadium fan fest area 55k plus. Tickets were gold dust and grounds packed with football fans. I think USA will have grounds half empty as the £40 tickets are in top tier and only a few hundred. The expensive tickets are behind goal pricing out the fans who make the atmosphere.  Is there also only 4,000 for each team and rest free for all open ticket allocations. Germany 2006 was cheap and many fans just too gamble on got tickets out there cant see that happing in large 10,000, 20,000 numbers. Dynamic pricing has stopped me going to metal gigs, not paying £450 or £1000 to watch aband in London or Reading festival to see a DJ on stage for £900. The same will happen in USA, are the large fan festival areas with screens, fans may go on holiday to USA and get a fans festival in.

[die Mannyschaft]

12 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

The accom and flights will be crazy for a lot of those games, they'll ramp up around those dates. New York prices are already stupidly high in the summer, so add another premium to them.

I reckon if you wanted to go to say New York, grab a couple of games whilst you're there for 5-7 days...you'd be out of pocket for around 6-10k, easily. I guess people could use it as a holiday of a lifetime with football bolted on, but yeah - you need to have stupid money.

If you go WC these days you have to be minted go for holiday then get a match or two in. Sport is a premium product now like gigs and aimed at high earners not those on average wage £24k, £30k. Even wimbledon tennis was cheaper than Prem and far better value is now out of reach for semi at £260 cheapest which I could have got in ballot for 2026. Been to wimbledon over 10 times but its now more expensive.  

[die Mannyschaft]

14 hours ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Unfortunately there probably won't be.

There will, however, be terrible atmospheres with few "real fans" there. 

They will need those banners over large blocks empty seats like the Prem games during covid. Are there many Americans watching MLS?

[die Mannyschaft]

On 09/12/2025 at 08:12, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

FIFA has confirmed there will be three-minute hydration breaks in each half of every game at next year's World Cup regardless of whether there's hot weather or not, which I am sure is to do with player welfare and not US obsession with having 4 quarters and squeezing in a couple of extra ad breaks. Luckily we will have half time shows to look forward to though which makes up for it.

Did they propose to have points awarded for corners last time WC in usa as they thought football boring and not enough goals and stats to talk about.

[Morse]

I've travelled to see England abroad back in the day, Belgrade and Belfast most memorably; but why anyone would travell to see England in a US WC is beyond me. 

Tickets costing a fortune, hotels costing a fortune, travel costing a fortune just to sit in corporate, sterile stadium with no atmosphere. And that's if they let you in once they've trawled through your online posts looking for criticism of the great Orange one. 

So just in case I win the lottery and consider a change of mind... TRUMPS A PEADO, AND MUSK SHAGS HIS SISTER. 

 

[suewhistle]

Morse! You'll have his Russian friends after you..

I was chatting the other day with someone who'd just got back from Florida; London prices, he said and we chatted about the appalling wages and the associated tipping culture. 

It's years since I've been (had a great time) but have absolutely no desire to return at the moment, especially not for the WC. I'm hoping Infantino gets the South Park treatment: another one with a brown nose..