World Cup 2026 - USA/Canada/Mexico

killerandflash said:

The problem is the unofficial rule that fouls in the penalty box need to be stronger to be given, than anywhere else on the pitch. That slight nudge on the half way line is given as a foul, whereas you wouldn't award a penalty for it if the same offence was in the box, or else you'd have 10 penalties a game.

There were 2 very minor fouls on Egyptian players before the 3rd goal. If they had been done elsewhere on the pitch they might have been given, but no way were the 2 enough to give a penalty.

The ideal scenario would have been to disallow the 3rd goal, but also not award a penalty, but that's not allowed!

The reason for that is the punishment for a foul in the penalty area is a free shot at goal with only the goalkeeper to beat, giving the attacking team an extremely high chance of scoring. Because the reward is so significant, the threshold for awarding a penalty should be much higher than it is for giving a free kick anywhere else on the pitch.

England fan who blew life savings taking grandad to World Cup is given money back

se9addick said:

fenaddick said:

DamoNorthStand said:

fenaddick said:

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

That is pretty crazy, i mean how far do you go back before deciding it doesn't really matter? Oliver probably wasn't even alive when the Falklands war took place.

I suspect these two stories contribute

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/07/08/watch-argentina-players-taunt-england-with-falklands-chant/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28498909

In my lifetime, it is probably by far the most emotive of football rivalries but then again I was alive for the Falklands, Hand of God, Simeone etc...... ask my 18 year old son and he doesnt get the Argie hate.

I'm 27 and I don't really get it either but for me international football doesn't really need rivalries anyway. That said, I understand why Côte d'Ivoire might have extra motivation to beat France etc. 

I don’t really get it either (but I wasn’t born when the Falklands took place). I understand it’s a waaaaaay bigger thing in Argentina than it is here though. 

indeed it is .. though when we play them at rugby (union) there never seems to be any fuss .. could be that only in the Buenos Aires boondocks do passions run high ..  (England play them in Argentina the Saturday after next, it's on ITV)

FIFA, Trump, and their “World Cup” should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Stir up the Falklands War again. The “Russian Linesman”. Israel being Europe for football (and singing!) Homophobes staging the last event in an oven, at great human cost and suffering.

The Somali referee. Iran so sportingly welcomed by their “hosts”. Mexico ensuring their guests got a good nights sleep. Political intervention encapsulating the worst of American “values”. Stage management and match “fixing” via VAR to suit. Lost all credibility.

One of the three Olympic Core Values is FRIENDSHIP. Using sport as a tool to build mutual understanding, solidarity, and peace, encouraging people to set rivalries aside. Football, a once decent game now poisoned into a cesspit of filth. Decent people and nations must distance themselves from FIFA and it’s corruption.

There is a perception with some that FIFA favours Argentina. They see UEFA as an enemy so won't be happy that 6 of the 8 teams left are Europeans. Now of course there is no clear evidence this is the case but after the red card nonsense, you can't rule it out. It will be interesting to see how Argentina's remaining games are reffed!

Laddick01 said:

Saw this one earlier. Haven’t checked the authenticity and obviously different fouls lead to different outcomes, however it still seems like kind of a mad stat.

I'm ok with that graphic now having done some research. Google tells me that
"The official international standard, ISO 80000-1:2013, permits either a point or a comma, but requires it to be used consistently across a single document."

The Red Robin said:

DamoNorthStand said:

Listen to Wrighty's analysis on the pen shout on Salah. He has it spot on. There was contact. You pull it back for Egypts goal then you pull it back for that.

Classic Argie double standards. FIFA would HATE for us to beat them. They wont let it happen.

Salah dives. For the Egypt disallowed second goal (they scored after that to make it 2-0 anyway), the  Argentina player is pushed and stamped on. Like it or not, both the right decisions. 

I could not agree more, it is always the right decision to stamp on an Argentinian.

CAFCTrev said:

killerandflash said:

The problem is the unofficial rule that fouls in the penalty box need to be stronger to be given, than anywhere else on the pitch. That slight nudge on the half way line is given as a foul, whereas you wouldn't award a penalty for it if the same offence was in the box, or else you'd have 10 penalties a game.

There were 2 very minor fouls on Egyptian players before the 3rd goal. If they had been done elsewhere on the pitch they might have been given, but no way were the 2 enough to give a penalty.

The ideal scenario would have been to disallow the 3rd goal, but also not award a penalty, but that's not allowed!

The reason for that is the punishment for a foul in the penalty area is a free shot at goal with only the goalkeeper to beat, giving the attacking team an extremely high chance of scoring. Because the reward is so significant, the threshold for awarding a penalty should be much higher than it is for giving a free kick anywhere else on the pitch.

Well as @killerandflash  says above, it's an "unofficial rule", whatever that is, but I have certainly heard it confirmed by several journalists who have been talking to VAR officials.  As far as I'm concerned, and I'm in very good company in this among the commentariat, a foul is a foul. So what if a sly tug on the shirt results in a penalty kick? If the players know perfectly well that that's going to be the punishment, then you won't get the tug on the shirt any more (as also said earlier).

If we've got "unofficial rules", we're in big trouble. it means that the game's administrators are trying to run things surreptitiously without us noticing or telling us. If this is what is happening, higher thresholds for fouls in the penalty area, then I certainly wouldn't be surprised if unofficially refs are allowed or even encouraged to play a few seconds more than the allotted time just to see what happens at that corner, or whatever. That's not on either. 

Croydon said:

Lincsaddick said:

England fan who blew life savings taking grandad to World Cup is given money back

I’ll never forgive fifa for taking the latter stage knockout experience away from so many of the proper England fans for this tournament. 

Even in the supporters group the category 2 tickets for the quarters and onwards were completely unaffordable for most. A disgrace 

Can @bobmunro give examples on the costs of refreshments and souvenirs inside the ground?

bobmunro said:

ElfsborgAddick said:

Croydon said:

Lincsaddick said:

England fan who blew life savings taking grandad to World Cup is given money back

I’ll never forgive fifa for taking the latter stage knockout experience away from so many of the proper England fans for this tournament. 

Even in the supporters group the category 2 tickets for the quarters and onwards were completely unaffordable for most. A disgrace 

Can @bobmunro give examples on the costs of refreshments and souvenirs inside the ground?

Three bottles (each just over half a pint) of Michelob (weak piss water) £45! That's in the stadiums. The only souvenirs I got were presents for the Mrs from Macy's in thanks for the two week pass! And a thank you in advance for the return trip to the final (if England get there).

We went to the darts at MSG the night before the Panama game - bet365 main sponsor so lovely table next to the stage - all drinks included. It's who you know of course!! My eldest decided to get a drink at the auditorium bar before we took our seats - three double Jack & cokes - £140! He wasn't too impressed!

Found bars in Dallas, Boston and New York - happy hour all day! $4 a pint for Modelo (lovely stuff!).

We are in Miami currently for the game on Saturday and Modelo is great and was drinking it last week in Dallas as well.
$6 a pint in North Beach Miami and heading out for a few soon.

IdleHans said:

BigRedEvil said:

I would absolutely love it if we could beat Argentina in a semi final should we get there. Messi is the only likeable player they have. The rest all come across as snidy whinging twats 

Disagree. He's very good but he's a diving prick when it suits him

'Very good', f*** me, you're hard to please