World Cup 2026

[YorkshireBear]

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

Agreed, not going to be easy but certainly sat here thinking it is a winnable game.

Couldn't possibly bring myself to stay up knowing my 1 year old would wake me pre 6am. But a great thing to wake up to.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Glad I didn't stay up, today would've been impossible on two hours sleep.

Seems like it was a game that had everything. Just a shame watching the BBC highlights that Shearer still finds it impossible to be objective

 

[Cowley]

Wow. Managed to go radio silent, and not look at Mrs C’s face until I was in the car this morning and then listened to the game on 5 Live on my own at work. That last hour was unbelievably stressful.

Well done boys!

 

[Edders23]

got a couple of hours kip but the pub over the road was open so the noise of the chanting woke me up so I watched it and then got a couple more hours kip.

it was an exciting game but a lot of yellows (and a red) that I thought were quite harsh. As for the mexican penalty their player was lunging at Kane from behind how on earth could the slight contact have been deliberate ?


We are going to concede goals against Norway it's now a matter of can we score one more than them ?

 

[HSTEd]

Jordan Henderson manages to get booked and then injured in a game he didn't play in.

Mad game all around.

 

[swt_passenger]

Jordan Henderson manages to get booked and then injured in a game he didn't play in.

Mad game all around.

He might have just got one of these new Orange Cards though? They apparently get suspended for a year.

 

[DarloRich]

I have just watched the England game on replay as I just couldn't pull an all nighter and function today. To old these days

Firstly - what a game. Exciting and tense doesn't cover the half of it. Wonderful atmosphere and England played really well, even the much maligned Spence! The first time England have looked decent and they stood up well to everything the Mexicans, the crowd and the VAR could throw at them. Whole team: Superb. Bellingham and Kane - SUPERB

Secondly: I know that under the modern drafting of the laws of the game the referee got the sending off and the Mexican penalty right but: If you want a non contact sport go and watch tennis and if that is penalty the game is finished.

Thirdly: Why have these former officials commenting? They are so cooked from being inside the system they cant see that they are helping to kill the game by supporting ludicrous decisions. You aren't owned by FIFA anymore. Speak truth.

Finally: Fantastic for 2 former Darlo players to be playing at the world cup

PS: If you offered me: DR Congo, Mexico and Norway at the start of the tournament I would have snapped your hand off. Lets go for it.

 

[Cowley]

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

I’d love to see Pochettino do the correct thing and not select him for the team.

Unlikely, but you never know.

Presumably, now that the, what we’d assumed was a fixed rule about red cards, has been changed during the tournament, Quansah will be able to play in the Norway game?

As long as he agrees to be on probation obviously…

 

[DarloRich]

Presumably, now that the, what we’d assumed was a fixed rule about red cards, has been changed during the tournament, Quansah will be able to play in the Norway game?

As long as he agrees to be on probation obviously…

Assume King Prince Charles is on the phone now...................

 

[MboroFC]

This is our own fault. Wasn't inspired when I first saw Tuchel's full back selection. Two were made of glass, one is naturally a midfielder and one is Djed Spence. What did Lewis Hall have to do

 

[brad465]

UEFA of all entities have now come out and criticised FIFA over this red card suspension:

World Cup 2026: Folarin Balogun decision 'incomprehensible and unjustifiable' - Uefa

Uefa has strongly criticised Fifa's shock decision not to uphold Folarin Balogun's immediate suspension at the World Cup, calling it "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable".

www.bbc.co.uk

Uefa has strongly criticised Fifa's shock decision not to uphold Folarin Balogun's automatic ban at this World Cup, calling it "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable".

United States striker Balogun, who was sent off against Bosnia-Herzegovina, should have served a suspension for the last-16 tie against Belgium (Tuesday 01:00 BST).

But Fifa opted not to enforce an immediate sanction on the 25-year-old, meaning the co-hosts' leading goalscorer will be available to play.

Uefa said that intervening to effectively cancel a suspension at a tournament "crossed a red line".

Of the 188 other red cards at the World Cup, only one other player has escaped a suspension.

That was Brazil's Garrincha in 1962, which was before automatic bans were in place and it was shrouded in allegations of political interference., external

The BBC's US media partner CBS News has confirmed that Balogun's reinstatement came after US president Donald Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday and spoke about the suspension.

On Sunday, President Trump thanked Fifa for "reversing a great injustice".

Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter, who was replaced by Infantino in 2016 after a corruption scandal, wrote on X that "football must never become a playground for political power".

Uefa said that an automatic suspension of one match "is not a discretionary option" and it is "a principle embedded in regulations".

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined," Uefa said in a statement.

"Equally, such a decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

 

[Northumbriana]

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 ==


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

I fully expect if the US gets knocked out in a close match with any controversial decisions Trump will be trying to overturn the result.

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

Likewise, got to 30 minutes in the game and eyes were too heavy and I couldn't see myself coping with that match. Watching the highlights I think injury time might have traumatised me and given me nightmares of being stuck in injury time purgatory fending off Mexicans.

Anyhoo, fantastic match for England. I think it can be argued this is our greatest World Cup match of all time. The way players were throwing themselves infront of everything in front of goal made me very proud. Cringing at saying that as I think people claiming to be proud is so overdone and cringeworthy a lot of the time. But I can't think of any better words to describe how it felt.

Jordan Henderson manages to get booked and then injured in a game he didn't play in.

Mad game all around.

He's just such a professional athlete that even when he's not playing he's exposing himself to the dangers of the game.

 

[brad465]

I fully expect if the US gets knocked out in a close match with any controversial decisions Trump will be trying to overturn the result.

Trump: "I just need you to find two goals."

 

[dosxuk]

A couple of quotes from Trump on the BBC's live page - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cvg402g8eyqt

Trump says Balogun is USA's best player, or one of their best players, adding: "He [Balogun] didn't do anything wrong. He's our best player, or one of our best players, and the referee gave him a red card. I didn't know what that meant. I didn't think it meant much.

"Then I started hearing that means he can't play in the next game - at least the next game. If it happened to another player that would have been unfair but when they take your best player or just about - they have some great players - and they say you can't play, that is very unfair."

Donald Trump: "It's one thing to penalise somebody for the game, but how do you penalise them for a game that hasn't been played yet? It's very unfair, you can't do that.

"Yes, I asked for a review by Fifa. I spoke to a man who is highly respected, who's level of respect has gone up tenfold, and he was good before this started but he really pushed it in this country. I'm the one who got them to do it [bring the World Cup to America]. It was not [Joe] Biden. I got the Olympics and I got the World Cup. We gave a little piece to Canada, a little piece to Mexico, but I got that myself."

Trump continues: "All I did was I asked for a review because I didn't think it was a foul. Again, I'm good at this stuff. I didn't think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled. That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that would be different.

"If they wouldn't allow a top player, maybe among the best players on the team, to play, I think it would have had a big stain and I related just that feeling. I didn't tell them what to do. I can't tell them what to do. I don't believe he [Infantino] made the decision, I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision because number one it wasn't a foul, and you want to see a game with your best players. How would you feel if you took [Lionel] Messi, or [Cristiano] Ronaldo or Harry Kane out? You can't do that. We gotta have our best players and Belgium's got a great team by the way. We gotta have our best and they gotta have their best. And if we win or we lose, it's fair."

 

[SuspectUsual]

Absolutely sickening. Now we need a journalist with a pair of balls to ask Infantino why he allows political interference in footballing decisions

 

[RichJF]

Every other team in the WC now needs to launch appeals for red cards they received, not because they were incorrect, but because it will highlight the stain that is Infantino's corruption. Then if the others are rejected it provides evidence the tournament is being influenced.

What's the orange dementia going to do next? Deport teams that beat the USA?

I hope Belgium absolutely thrash the USA as a result.

 

[SuspectUsual]

What's the orange dementia going to do next? Deport teams that beat the USA?

See post #283 for the answer

 

[YorkshireBear]

A couple of quotes from Trump on the BBC's live page - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cvg402g8eyqt

Embarrassing.

 

[olddriver]

Belgium should seriously consider boycotting the rest of the tournament, regardless of possible sanctions.

 

[Cowley]

Belgium should seriously consider boycotting the rest of the tournament, regardless of possible sanctions.

I can’t see that happening. It would give USA a free pass to the semis!

I think I’ve just adopted Belgium as my second team.

 

[Purple Train]

A couple of quotes from Trump on the BBC's live page - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cvg402g8eyqt

That is beyond parody.

I wish Belgium (excuse my language) every success on Tuesday; if the USA go deep in this tournament, they will require the asterisk to end all asterisks against their standing.

 

[OuterDistant]

[Captain Renault voice] I'm shocked,  shocked to see FIFA make such a decision like this!

 

[AlterEgo]

I hope the USA are crushed by Belgium and they cry very much.

 

[davetheguard]

Belgium should seriously consider boycotting the rest of the tournament, regardless of possible sanctions.

No, but I think countries should seriously consider pulling out of FIFA if such a thing is possible en masse.

I think I’ve just adopted Belgium as my second team.

Seconded!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Is there anything this bloody man cannot sully?

 

[Northumbriana]

Every other team in the WC now needs to launch appeals for red cards they received, not because they were incorrect, but because it will highlight the stain that is Infantino's corruption. Then if the others are rejected it provides evidence the tournament is being influenced.

I think some are now launching appeals. Or at least someone is appealing a red card and France are appealing a yellow card.

 

[gg1]

No, but I think countries should seriously consider pulling out of FIFA if such a thing is possible en masse.

Unless FIFA start to roll back their blatant corruption, I can see that happening within the next few years. FIFA have been dodgy for years but Infantino has taken it to a whole new level.

 

[juspassingby]

It'll be a stinker of a tournament just like the last one they ruined.

You think Qatar World cup wasn't great? If so, what's you're reason for that opinion?

I personally believe it was by far one of the best tournaments. Qatar controlled the problematic drunks very well with their strict rules compared to the disastrous crowd control in the UK during events.

The USA world cup has been the worse one in the history of the world cups especially the way they treated Iran, you don't treat your guests that way! It's clear as to why Trump treated Iran that way but Fifa should have intervened as the football team had nothing to do with anything that's going on in that region.

 

[Darandio]

You think Qatar World cup wasn't great? If so, what's you're reason for that opinion?

I believe @AlterEgo was talking about the 1994 World Cup.

 

[brad465]

This is the can of worms Infantino has opened:

World Cup 2026: FA could appeal after Jarell Quansah red card v Mexico

The Football Association is considering whether to appeal after England defender Jarell Quansah's red card against Mexico.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Football Association is considering whether to appeal against England defender Jarell Quansah's red card during the World Cup victory over Mexico.

Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of Sunday's 3-2 win following a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo.

As it was classed as serious foul play, the Bayer Leverkusen defender could face a two-game ban.

The FA is considering its options after United States star striker Folarin Balogun had a red card overturned following intervention from US President Donald Trump.

Trump asked Fifa to review Balogun's one-match suspension after he was sent off for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the last 32.

The 25-year-old was set to miss his side's last-16 tie against Belgium on Tuesday, but Fifa made the shock decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months.

That led to widespread criticism within the game, including from European football's governing body, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel.

The World Cup does not allow appeals for red cards but Fifa officials invoked the article 27 clause in their rules to suspend Balogun's ban.

That clause had never been used before at the World Cup.

It effectively allows Fifa to make whatever decision it wants without having to meet any other criteria.

It could spark a host of appeals, with the Athletic reporting, external France are challenging Michael Olise's yellow card during their victory over Paraguay.

BBC Sport has approached the French Football Federation for comment.

The US authorities claimed Balogun's red card was unfair because there was no intent.

But intent was taken out of football's laws many years ago, and only the result of a challenge is meant to be considered.

Balogun's red card itself was not rescinded - Fifa rules do not allow that. Effectively, the US striker, who has scored three goals for the co-hosts this tournament, received a sin-bin against Bosnia.

While the red card could be viewed as harsh as it was clearly accidentally, usually that type of studs-down-the-back-of-the-ankle challenge would result in a sending off.

Quansah's was different as he was sliding in, but similar in that the aspect for which he was sent off was an accidental studs-up challenge.