World Cup 2026

[spyinthesky]

And Belgium then completed the comeback by winning 3-2 (after extra time) with a late 120+5th minute Youri Tielemans' penalty.

Tbf the penalty infringement was prior to 120 mins

 

[scarby]

I’m trying to work out what to do with the Mexico game on Monday morning.

What’s everyone else doing?

This could of course be the route to a fairly bleak Monday morning…

I have a pretty tried and tested rule for these type of situations, where it’s a big game but not a cup final or game that determines promotion or not, etc.

Sleep through it and check the result in the morning.

If they have won, I am happy and the big thing is there is then an even bigger game to look forward to as a result.

If they have lost, well I dodged a bullet there.

 

[D1511]

Spain looked a quality outfit again tonight. There's (rightly) a focus on their mesmerising attacking players, but they've not conceded a goal in the tournament so far.

 

[brad465]

If England want to beat Mexico they need to bring Richard Hammond in as the team's mascot. The Mexican team will be too busy trying to beat him up to be defending their goal

 

[AlterEgo]

Spain looked a quality outfit again tonight. There's (rightly) a focus on their mesmerising attacking players, but they've not conceded a goal in the tournament so far.

They haven't played anyone good yet, to be fair! Portugal will be a different prospect.

 

[Purple Train]

If England want to beat Mexico they need to bring Richard Hammond in as the team's mascot. The Mexican team will be too busy trying to beat him up to be defending their goal

What happens if we play Argentina?

Obviously we did beat Congo, but to me it's a measure of how utterly atrocious this whole Trumped-up spectacle is that my blood pressure didn't rise even when we were 1-0 down with not much time left. I just cannot bring myself to have any degree of emotional investment at all - even were England to win, which they won't.

 

[DarloRich]

They haven't played anyone good yet, to be fair! Portugal will be a different prospect.

Spain will beat Portugal - they are not as good team as they were with peak Ronaldo.

 

[Peterthegreat]

What happens if we play Argentina?

Obviously we did beat Congo, but to me it's a measure of how utterly atrocious this whole Trumped-up spectacle is that my blood pressure didn't rise even when we were 1-0 down with not much time left. I just cannot bring myself to have any degree of emotional investment at all - even were England to win, which they won't.

I'm of the same view. Having watched and suffered every world cup since 1966 this one does nothing for me at all.

 

[brad465]

What happens if we play Argentina?

Obviously we did beat Congo, but to me it's a measure of how utterly atrocious this whole Trumped-up spectacle is that my blood pressure didn't rise even when we were 1-0 down with not much time left. I just cannot bring myself to have any degree of emotional investment at all - even were England to win, which they won't.

Yes I went shopping during the Congo game, and, while not bustling, the two stores I went into were busier than I thought they would be while an England game was ongoing. The rush hour traffic appeared to be a bit quieter but certainly not the deserted roads that I can recall in previous WCs. That might change if England were to somehow make the final (or even semi-final), but that's currently optimistic.

 

[scarby]

Yes I went shopping during the Congo game, and, while not bustling, the two stores I went into were busier than I thought they would be while an England game was ongoing. The rush hour traffic appeared to be a bit quieter but certainly not the deserted roads that I can recall in previous WCs. That might change if England were to somehow make the final (or even semi-final), but that's currently optimistic.

I don’t think the kick off times being all over the place helps at all. Games that like this one were too early for friends to gather in an evening and the next one is obviously a non-starter for most people.

 

[Darandio]

Mexico vs England kick off brought forward......

World Cup 2026: England v Mexico could move because of storm threat

England's World Cup last-16 tie with Mexico could be moved to earlier on Sunday because of the threat of storms.

www.bbc.co.uk

England's World Cup last-16 tie with Mexico is set to be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday.

Fifa is understood to be bringing forward the game at Azteca, Mexico City, which had been scheduled to kick off at 01:00 BST on Monday (18:00 local time on Sunday).

Forecasts suggest there could be thunderstorms and heavy rain around this time, although Fifa has not yet provided any explanation.

Fifa regulations for World Cup 2026 say they have the right to "cancel, reschedule or relocate" matches "at its sole discretion".

 

[Iskra]

Can the pubs still stay open until 5am?

…seems sensible though!

 

[DarloRich]

1900 here is 1200 in Mexico. Might be warm!

 

[JamesT]

1900 here is 1200 in Mexico. Might be warm!

Current forecast from the BBC for Mexico City is 21c at midday on Sunday. Lovely temperature to play in.

I’m wondering if the TV companies might push back on this as it risks clashing with the Brazil v. Norway match at 9pm UK, should the England match go to extra time.

 

[AlterEgo]

Current forecast from the BBC for Mexico City is 21c at midday on Sunday. Lovely temperature to play in.

I’m wondering if the TV companies might push back on this as it risks clashing with the Brazil v. Norway match at 9pm UK, should the England match go to extra time.

It's an even bigger nightmare for a game to take six hours due to lightning strikes, it won't be in their interests to risk that.

 

[Darandio]

I’m wondering if the TV companies might push back on this as it risks clashing with the Brazil v. Norway match at 9pm UK, should the England match go to extra time.

It was already suggested somewhere that game will be adjusted slightly to compensate.

 

[DarloRich]

Current forecast from the BBC for Mexico City is 21c at midday on Sunday. Lovely temperature to play in.

excellent - now if FIFA can just move the game to another venue at a lower altitude, say Wembley

 

[JamesT]

Australia going Dutch, subbing the keeper just before the penalty shootout. Let’s see if it works…

 

[brad465]

Australia going Dutch, subbing the keeper just before the penalty shootout. Let’s see if it works…

It didn't, mainly because two of their own penalty takers couldn't even hit the target.

 

[Darandio]

Great to see it backfire though. Young keeper plays all through the group stage, produces a worldie save in the 93rd minute to keep them in it and gets binned off for penalties. Deserved.

 

[JamesT]

Radio 5 Live now reporting the kickoff for Mexico vs. England will not be moved and remain at 1am UK time.

 

[Trackman]

Radio 5 Live now reporting the kickoff for Mexico vs. England will not be moved and remain at 1am UK time.

Just seen it on a Sky News notification.

A good game going on at the moment!

 

[JD2168]

Canada has become the first of the co-hosts to be knocked out, losing 3-0 to Morocco is the last 16

 

[SuspectUsual]

Canada has become the first of the co-hosts to be knocked out, losing 3-0 to Morocco is the last 16

The way FIFA seed the group stages massively favours countries like Canada and it’s debatable whether they’d have got as far as they did without it

 

[DarloRich]

Really enjoying seeing Paraguay kick lumps out of the French. The pearl clutching from the BBC commentators is hilarious. Paraguay didn't get the memo about allowing the better side just to roll you over. Wonderfully old school. Proper football. Also terrible ref. So soft!

HOWEVER - there is a Paraguay fan whistling all the blooming time next to the effects mike so I would eliminate them on that basis. It is so annoying and is really undermining my enjoyment and admiration of the the Paraguayan , erm, "housing" tactics. it is spoiling it for me.

 

[brad465]

Are they even trying to hide corruption anymore:

World Cup 2026: US striker Folarin Balogun's one-game red card ban suspended by Fifa

Folarin Balogun is available to play for the United States in their World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium after his one-game ban is suspended by Fifa.

www.bbc.co.uk

Folarin Balogun is available to play for the United States in their World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium after his one-game ban was suspended by Fifa.

The 25-year-old striker was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic as the co-hosts won their last-32 tie 2-0.

Fifa said that the automatic one-match ban will be suspended for a year.

"In line with article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year," it said in a statement.

"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

US President Donald Trump thanked Fifa for "reversing a great injustice" in a post on Truth Social.

Trump, a friend of Fifa president Gianni Infantino, wrote: "Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

Regardless of the decision to red card him, and I don't think the stud contact was intentional, the manner of interference by FIFA and the US government looks very suspicious.

 

[DarloRich]

Bent as chuff.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Disgraceful, but almost to be expected from FIFA cosying up to the orange one. There's all sorts of precedent for suspensions being rescinded or overturned, but a probationary period?!? They're just making it up as they go along

Oh, and the Qatari guy who got a one match ban for being sent off against Canada has had his ban increased to five games, seemingly because the Canadian unluckily broke his leg.

Utterly, utterly corrupt

 

[Peterthegreat]

And we thought Blatter was bad!

 

[JD2168]

If I was the Belgian manager I’d be pretty furious about this