2026 FIFA World Cup

[TSwizzle]

The 2026 World Cup will soon be upon us.

The draw is underway in DC. To kick off the proceedings, President Donald Trump has been awarded the FIFA Peace Prize. A magnificent achievement for the 47th US president to win the inaugural FIFA peace prize.

I am excited to see how the draw pans out.

 

[pood]

The 2026 World Cup will soon be upon us.

The draw is underway in DC. To kick off the proceedings, President Donald Trump has been awarded the FIFA Peace Prize. A magnificent achievement for the 47th US president to win the inaugural FIFA peace prize.

Lmfao

 

[TSwizzle]

Australia gets put into group D with hosts USA. I think the USA will be happy with that.

 

[pood]

Apparently the president of FIFA is sone kind of huge Trump suckup for some reason. All soccer players should refuse to play in the World Cup because of this. I know that will not happen, but perhaps at least substantial numbers will tell FIFA to fuck off.

 

[TSwizzle]

USA in with Australia and Paraguay. I think they are still waiting on playoffs to determine the last team.

Scotland get Brazil, Morocco and Haiti.

England practically getting a bye through to the next round with Croatia, Ghana and Panama ffs.

 

[bilby]

Australia gets put into group D with hosts USA. I think the USA will be happy with that.

Australia certainly are. Everyone was hoping to get USA or Canada as the "Top seed" in their group; Nobody wants to be in the same group as Mexico, Spain, Argentina or France.

I understand that Trump was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize for "Being a wealthy and powerful individual who is prepared to do almost anything to get international recognition as a peacemaker, other than actually contributing to world peace in any way".

Of course, FIFA are keen to give awards such individuals, as they are themselves otherwise at risk of losing their coveted position as "most corrupt international body" to their arch-rivals, the IOC.

 

[bilby]

England practically getting a bye through to the next round with Croatia, Ghana and Panama ffs.

Don't worry, England are top of the international ranking of teams most likely to choke at a World Cup. If they play true to form, they can manage to only get a single point out of those three matches.

 

[bilby]

perhaps at least substantial numbers will tell FIFA to fuck off

Nobody will ever do that, because FIFA have a stranglehold on the world's most popular and lucrative sport.

Sports governance is as noble and incorruptible as national governance was prior to the Magna Carta; A revolt is desperately needed, but those currently in power have all the money and all the power, and they have zero intention of permitting even the most mild of dissent.

Cuius iura televisualos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum

 

[TSwizzle]

The World Cup is ruined now. 48 teams qualified for this tournament and will be played across three countries and 16 venues. Of those 48 teams, only 16 are eliminated before the knockout stage. The prices to attend a game are incredibly expensive. What used to be a festival of soccer with the best national teams in the world is just a money making extravaganza littered with shite teams from the footballing backwaters. In 1982 there were 24 teams that qualified and half the teams were eliminated from the first group stage.

 

[TSwizzle]

Finally, the last of the qualifying rounds is complete. Italy, for the third time in a row has failed to qualify

 

[steve_bank]

The 2026 World Cup will soon be upon us.

The draw is underway in DC. To kick off the proceedings, President Donald Trump has been awarded the FIFA Peace Prize. A magnificent achievement for the 47th US president to win the inaugural FIFA peace prize.

I am excited to see how the draw pans out.

Let me put on my thinking cap ... hmmm... hmmmm .. I am thinking

Trump threaten to interfere with FIFA venues like Seattle. FIFA makes up an award that sounds like the Nobel Peace Prize which Trump thinks he deserves.

FIFA is a global corporation that make money, they are pragmatic if nothing else. They know how to play politics and 'grease the skids' as the old saying goes.

When you think FIFA think NFL.

No, FIFA is not as wealthy as the NFL. The NFL generates roughly 20 billion in annual revenue as of 2025, whereas FIFA’s revenue is cyclical, projecting about 1 to 13 billion over a four-year World Cup cycle. The NFL is the world's richest sports league, with much higher annual income than FIFA.

FIFA is an exceptionally wealthy non-profit organization, operating on a four-year cycle, with cash reserves over $3.9 billion and total assets reaching nearly $6.8 billion at the end of 2022. The 2019-2022 cycle generated $7.6 billion in revenue, with the 2026 cycle expected to reach $11 billion, largely driven by World Cup broadcasting and marketing.

The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal was a massive, US-led investigation revealing a 24-year pattern of $150 million+ in bribes, racketeering, and money laundering involving high-ranking officials and sports marketing executives . The scandal caused a major crisis, forcing president Sepp Blatter’s resignation and plunging the 2018/2022 World Cup bids into scrutiny.

2015 FIFA corruption case - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Finally, the last of the qualifying rounds is complete. Italy, for the third time in a row has failed to qualify

Well, I look forward to the round of 16 when the actual games that matter start. FIFA has turned the World Cup Final into the European "Champions" League. Thankfully tickets are so ridiculously expensive I didn't have to worry about attending the World Cup Final tournament.

The US face Australia, Paraguay, and Turkey. So a collection of mid-card to lower mid-card nations. The US has been doing well in friendlies as reached the local tournament cup final. Hard to tell how that will transition in to the World Cup Final. Especially with the ridiculously diluted field of teams.

 

[steve_bank]

World Cup 2026: England superfan Andy Milne set to sell house to fund trip

England superfan Andy Milne says he is selling a house to fund his trip to watch the Three Lions at the World Cup this summer.

www.bbc.com

England superfan Andy Milne says he is selling his house to fund a trip to watch the Three Lions at the World Cup this summer.

The 62-year-old gained recognition after a photo of him wearing an England shirt while gleefully holding a replica World Cup trophy went viral during the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Milne, a retired teacher who lives in Thailand, became a cult figure among fans and attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2024 as a guest.

I have been to the Mariners and Seahawks games, but I'll never pay money for that again.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

FIFA creates new World Cup ticket category, deepening suspicions of deception

Yet another twist in the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticketing saga has soured fans who feel duped about the process

www.nytimes.com

FIFA should be sued for all out fraud. Looking at the sections, I'd never have bought into the scam but FIFA clearly committed fraud suggesting what tickets were being sold.

Heck, you shouldn't even be allowed to sell tickets like that.

Fuck FIFA!

 

[TSwizzle]

Tickets to the World Cup matches were expensive on their own, but soccer fans still have to get to the games. Now that will cost an arm and a leg, too. New Jersey Transit announced Friday that rail tickets to MetLife Stadium for the World Cup matches this summer will cost $150 each.

News

Similar big prices in other US cities.

I have very little interest in this tournament now.

Fuck FIFA!!

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Tickets to the World Cup matches were expensive on their own, but soccer fans still have to get to the games. Now that will cost an arm and a leg, too. New Jersey Transit announced Friday that rail tickets to MetLife Stadium for the World Cup matches this summer will cost $150 each.

News

Similar big prices in other US cities.

I have very little interest in this tournament now.

Fuck FIFA!!

MBTA is $80, usually the event transit is around $20. I feel two ways about this. Public transit is never making money so this taking advantage of a situation to lose less money.

That said... ouch!

 

[bilby]

All major events at stadia here have free public transport to and from the venue.

In Brisbane, all regular bus and rail services are free to event ticket holders on event days, and four additional event day services are run for two hours before the event and until the venue is empty afterwards; These services go to/from the City Centre, and three major Park and Ride locations around the city.

This appies to stadium concerts, etc., as well as to sporting events.

The venues are legally obliged to pay for this public transport provision.

There is a flat fare of 50¢ for non-event travel by bus or train in South East Queensland. The only exception is the Airtrain to or from the airport terminals, which costs $22.30, due to lobbying by the taxi drivers.

 

[Tharmas]

In North Texas, the major FIFA games are taking place at so-called Dallas Stadium, which is in Arlington, an exurb half way between Dallas and Fort Worth. Arlington has the distinction of being the largest city in the U.S. without any sort of public transportation. The various City Fathers involved have devised groupings of shuttle busses that will use the major freeways in the area. Residents are requested to stay off the freeways during games. There is also a light rail connection between Dallas and Fort Worth, but the stop in Arlington is miles from the stadium. So, more shuttle busses are called for. I have no idea what the passenger charges will be.

It has all the makings of a gigantic cluster fuck.

 

[steve_bank]

As usual in Seattle for these kinds of events homeless and trash are temporarily being swept up.

Transportation id ok, light rail and bus.

 

[Elixir]

As usual in Seattle for these kinds of events homeless and trash are temporarily being swept up.

Transportation id ok, light rail and bus.

Gee. You should have these events 24/7/365, Steve.