World Cup 2026

[brad465]

If Argentina, Portugal and/or the US don't progress to the semi-finals, I wouldn't put it past FIFA to find some way of overturning the outcome of the result that knocked them out and let them play.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Jul 2026 ==

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

The officiating of that game is going to be watched like a hawk by both Belgians and neutrals.

 

[81A]

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

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.

LOL… Seems the US government might be twisting FIFA’s arm a bit here (such a surprise ).

 

[AlterEgo]

Hope the USA get pumped. Pathetic favouritism.

 

[DarloRich]

LOL… Seems the US government might be twisting FIFA’s arm a bit here (such a surprise ).

there is no arm twisting here - Trump rang his mate Infantino and it was all sorted out.

 

[Ted633]

The irony that Balogun is only allowed to represent the USA due to birth right citizenship. The same birth right citizenship that Trump has been trying to remove!
(He was born to Nigerian Parents whilst visiting the USA and grew up in England)

 

[AlterEgo]

there is no arm twisting here - Trump rang his mate Infantino and it was all sorted out.

Never let anyone try to tell you the Yanks don't care about soccer.

 

[81A]

there is no arm twisting here - Trump rang his mate Infantino and it was all sorted out.

I will be a Belgium supporter on Tuesday . And that is despite me having far more links to the US than Belgium …

 

[DarloRich]

Never let anyone try to tell you the Yanks don't care about soccer.

Trump (and thus by extension the USA for he IS the nation) cares about being seen as the biggliest winner of all time. It also shows he is a man who can do a deal. It is, of course, bull.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

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

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.

Corruption in the World Cup is nothing new. The first World Cup I remember as a 10 year old in 1978 was just as bad, if not worse.

Argentina's 1978 World Cup win against Peru was fixed in a brutal political deal, former senator says

A curious 6-0 victory that sent eventual champion Argentina to the final long has raised suspicions.

sports.yahoo.com

This week former Peruvian senator Genaro Ledesma said a deal was struck between Peru's then-president Francisco Bermudez and Videla, whereby Argentina would be allowed to win the game by at least the four-goal margin it needed to avoid elimination.

In return, Videla's regime agreed to receive and imprison 13 Peruvian political dissidents who were vocally opposed to Bermudez and his methods. “Videla needed to win the World Cup to cleanse Argentina's bad image around the world,” Ledesma, 80, told a Buenos Aires court. “So he only accepted the group if Peru allowed the Argentina national team to triumph.”

 

[DarloRich]

The first World Cup I remember as a 10 year old in 1978 was just as bad, if not worse.

There is no actual evidence it was a fix though. The Peruvian players cant even agree if the Argentinian leader AND/OR Henry Kissinger visited them on the dressing room. I am fairly certain that I would recall meeting Henry Kissinger or the leader of the country i was playing coming in and threatening me! It is all he said/she said stuff and no smoking gun. What was dodgy was the timing of the game meaning the required result was known.

PS - I am fairly certain that after nearly 50 years I would be selling my story about how the game was fixed and I weas paid 50m peso to throw it. No one involved has. I have also watched the game and Peru aren't bad. it isn't comedy stuff. There are no dodgy penalties, no dodgy red cards or anything like that.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As may, or possibly may not, have been broadcast on Norwegian radio just now...

"We are the best in the world! We are the best in the world! We have beaten Brazil 2–1 in football!! It is completely unbelievable! We have beaten Brazil! Brazil, birthplace of giants. Pele, Jairzinho, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet, Gisele Bündchen, — we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all."

"Lula da Silva, can you hear me? President Lula, I have a message for you. I have a message for you: We have knocked Brazil out of the football World Cup. President Lula. Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"

 

[Kite159]

No doubt the team which knocks out the USA will find themselves getting deported the following day by Trump's Private Army on grounds of 'issues being found in the paperwork'

 

[brad465]

Kick-off delayed by an hour due to severe weather. If only someone thought about having the match earlier in the day...

Mexico vs England LIVE: Watch World Cup 2026 last 16 build-up, prediction, lineups & weather updates

Watch live BBC One coverage, listen on 5 Live and get analysis, predictions, fan reaction, score updates and match stats from Mexico v England in the World Cup last 16.

www.bbc.co.uk

Kick-off delayed until 02:00 BST
​

We're hearing that the match will not get under way until 7pm local time, which is 02:00 BST.

 

[JamesT]

Well, that kicked into gear. England taking their chances better. I think we’ll need at least one more in the second half as I’m not convinced Mexico will keep missing.

 

[johntea]

This is game of the tournament by a million miles!

 

[Ivor]

This is game of the tournament by a million miles!

Thought at one stage we were going to implode especially with the red but let’s keep it together, come on!

 

[JamesT]

Thought at one stage we were going to implode especially with the red but let’s keep it together, come on!

There’s still time…

 

[Ivor]

There’s still time…

Yes not shaping as we want now but fingers crossed we’ll get a Kane special.

 

[JamesT]

Phew!

 

[Peterthegreat]

Phew!

Agreed.

 

[Iskra]

Phenomenal performance, 4/5 players could be man of the match there!

 

[johntea]

Harry Kane substituted for Joe Pasquale

 

[MboroFC]

Jude is next level warrior. Get him his knighthood on the spot

 

[Ivor]

Well that lived up to the hype for sure…onwards & upwards….

 

[pr1]

I fell asleep so missed the entire match. Definitely sounds like I missed a classic. England can't possibly beat Haaland though so I suspect we're going to be torn apart by Norway.

 

[Trainguy34]

I planned on staying up to see it through despite having things on today and needing to be up by 6.45. Saw it got moved till 2 and gave up with that, I can run on 4 hours sleep but not 3! Then of course, couldn't get to sleep for some reason

 

[81A]

That was great to wake up to! Watching on catch up now...

England can't possibly beat Haaland though so I suspect we're going to be torn apart by Norway.

Although people did say the same about Mexico, so I live in hope!

 

[Spamcan81]

I fell asleep so missed the entire match. Definitely sounds like I missed a classic. England can't possibly beat Haaland though so I suspect we're going to be torn apart by Norway.

Just love how some England fans write off the team before every match. Well, they were proved wrong regarding Mexico and hopefully they’ll be proved wrong regarding Norway. Most of the team will have played against Haaland on a regular basis and should have a better idea of how to deal with him than the Brazilians did.

 

[styles]

Not normally a footy fan, but I'll support any of the nations if my own team isn't in the running! Was a good result to wake up to. I'm sure we can do a number of Norway.

I always enjoy the buzz when we get close to the finals in international football. Followed the women's team closely in 2015 when they came third. Remember our university putting the games on big screens, picnics in the park.

Will be tuning in on Saturday!

 

[AlterEgo]

I fell asleep so missed the entire match. Definitely sounds like I missed a classic. England can't possibly beat Haaland though so I suspect we're going to be torn apart by Norway.

Norway are an organised team who beat a poor Brazil side. They are certainly beatable.