2026 FIFA World Cup

[FCBarça]

Good to see Graham Potter got Sweden to the tournament. Hope he does well with them

One way to look at it but Sweden never looked very competitive throughout qualification, does beg the obvious question...was the expansion of WC from 32 to 48 teams good for anyone?

 

[Thomasc]

Congrats to the Congo

Rumour has it they were fuelled entirely by Um Bongo

 

[daza_1973]

One way to look at it but Sweden never looked very competitive throughout qualification, does beg the obvious question...was the expansion of WC from 32 to 48 teams good for anyone?

Expanding to 48 has just created a load of non event games - see champions league group stage.
Its even more embarrassing for the likes of Italy and Wales - remember when there was only 16/24 teams
that qualified.

 

[FCBarça]

Quantity over quality - watered down competition with more matches that equates to more injuries for nada

 

[Nymzee]

48 teams in the World Cup and Italy still couldn't make it.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Expanding to 48 has just created a load of non event games - see champions league group stage.
Its even more embarrassing for the likes of Italy and Wales - remember when there was only 16/24 teams
that qualified.

Italy okay, but why is it embarrassing for Wales? It's not like they're any good historically or anything?

 

[Eggs]

 

[wandyr79]

How will the tournament work? Hopefully it doesn't. 39 days!!! only the saddest football nerds out there will be happy with this. Although, before I realised it is just a game that was me.

I have never wanted something to fail so miserably as this tournament.

 

[Tonymckinn1878]

Fair play to Italy for making a stand and boycotting the last 3 corrupt World Cups!

 

[GoldenToffee]

Can't wait for the casual racist #lads to attack them and Iran to point score.

I personally hope they win the World Cup.

 

[Billy Dean]

One way to look at it but Sweden never looked very competitive throughout qualification, does beg the obvious question...was the expansion of WC from 32 to 48 teams good for anyone?

I think for Sweden particularly they have a decent squad but their previous manager wasn’t getting the best out of it. But yeah I take your point generally

 

[gonetomorrow]

I'm not sure the WC is going to take place at this rate.

 

[FCBarça]

I think for Sweden particularly they have a decent squad but their previous manager wasn’t getting the best out of it. But yeah I take your point generally

Definitely a decent squad and perhaps a change that came far too late but this is not uncommon in Intl football - they had passages of play in the earlier rounds of qualification where they looked very sharp & had a clear strategy but it didn't come off. I think they are stronger than Italy in terms of their play and tactics, but perhaps similar in terms of talent

 

[Swartzy]

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Why have they still got Iran named in it ?

Trying to keep it looking sweet, and hope people forget what is going on in the world..

 

[Drico]

One way to look at it but Sweden never looked very competitive throughout qualification, does beg the obvious question...was the expansion of WC from 32 to 48 teams good for anyone?

I consider the entire group phase in June the qualifiers. And no amount of FIFA sentimentality and head-patting will convince me otherwise. "Ah, isn't it great for Curacao, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, Jordan, and Scotland."

Nah, not when Curacao face Germany in their first match and Cape Verde play Spain. Can you imagine the scores in those games? Honestly, I can see the Germans racking up about 14 goals. They'll love that. They'll still concede one, mind. And what Spain could do to Cape Verde doesn't bear thinking about.

I hope to see some almighty beatings to prove to FIFA and the world that letting all-comers through to this bloated mess does nothing for quality - or "growing the game." The only thing Infantino is growing is his bank balance and those of the kleptocrats in the "developing countries" whose votes keep him in power.

This tournament starts at the end of June with the knockouts. That's when the meaningful stuff starts. Everything else is mere foreplay. In a funny way, the format might actually work from that point. A 32-team knockout has loads of jeopardy and the element of surprise will always lurk in the shadows. I'll skip the first fortnight or so. That's what highlights are for.