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World Cup 2026. General thread
There will be individual match threads as we go along but this thread is a catch-all for everying else.
The World Cup starts Thursday, 11 June, with the opening match, Mexico v South Africa, kicking off at 8:00pm (UK) at the Estadio Nacional, Mexico City.
The Azteca becomes the first stadium in history to host three World Cup opening matches (1970, 1986, and now 2026).
This is the largest World Cup ever, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Group games: All ko times UK
<p><strong>Thursday, June 11</strong><br>
Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 8pm - Mexico City, Mexico</p>
<p><strong>Friday, June 12</strong><br>
Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico<br>
Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada</p>
<p><strong>Saturday, June 13</strong><br>
Group D: USA vs Paraguay, kick-off 2am - Los Angeles, USA<br>
Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, kick-off 8pm - Santa Clara, USA<br>
Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - New Jersey, USA</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, June 14</strong><br>
Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, kick-off 2am - Foxborough, USA<br>
Group D: Australia vs Turkey, kick-off 5am - Vancouver, Canada<br>
Group E: Germany vs Curacao, kick-off 6pm - Houston, USA<br>
Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, USA</p>
<p><strong>Monday, June 15</strong><br>
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, kick-off 12am - Philadelphia, USA<br>
Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, kick-off 3am - Guadalupe, Mexico<br>
Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, USA<br>
Group G: Belgium vs Egypt, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, USA<br>
Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, kick-off 11pm - Miami, USA</p>
<p><strong>Tuesday, June 16</strong><br>
Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, kick-off 2am - Los Angeles, USA<br>
Group I: France vs Senegal, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, USA<br>
Group I: Iraq vs Norway, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, USA</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday, June 17</strong><br>
Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, kick-off 2am - Kansas City, USA<br>
Group J: Austria vs Jordan, kick-off 5am - Santa Clara, USA<br>
Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, kick-off 6pm - Houston, USA<br>
Group L: England vs Croatia, kick-off 9pm - Arlington, USA</p>
<p><strong>Thursday, June 18</strong><br>
Group L: Ghana vs Panama, kick-off 12am - Toronto, Canada<br>
Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, kick-off 3am - Mexico City, Mexico<br>
Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, USA<br>
Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, USA<br>
Group B: Canada vs Qatar, kick-off 11pm - Vancouver, Canada</p>
<p><strong>Friday, June 19</strong><br>
Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Zapopan, Mexico<br>
Group D: USA vs Australia, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, USA<br>
Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 11pm - Foxborough, USA</p>
<p><strong>Saturday, June 20</strong><br>
Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, kick-off 1.30am - Philadelphia, USA<br>
Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, USA<br>
Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden, kick-off 6pm - Houston, USA<br>
Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Toronto, Canada</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, June 21</strong><br>
Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao, kick-off 1am - Kansas City, USA<br>
Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, kick-off 5am - Guadalupe, Mexico<br>
Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 5pm - Atlanta, USA<br>
Group G: Belgium vs Iran, kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, USA<br>
Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, kick-off 11pm - Miami, USA</p>
<p><strong>Monday, June 22</strong><br>
Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, kick-off 2am - Vancouver, Canada<br>
Group J: Argentina vs Austria, kick-off 6pm - Arlington, USA<br>
Group I: France vs Iraq, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, USA</p>
<p><strong>Tuesday, June 23</strong><br>
Group I: Norway vs Senegal, kick-off 1am - Toronto, Canada<br>
Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, kick-off 4am - Santa Clara, USA<br>
Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 6pm - Houston, USA<br>
Group L: England vs Ghana, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, USA</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday, June 24</strong><br>
Group L: Panama vs Croatia, kick-off 12am - Foxborough, USA<br>
Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, kick-off 3am - Zapopan, Mexico<br>
Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, kick-off 8pm - Vancouver, Canada<br>
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, USA<br>
Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, kick-off 11pm - Atlanta, USA<br>
Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 11pm - Miami, USA</p>
<p><strong>Thursday, June 25</strong><br>
Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 2am - Guadalupe, Mexico<br>
Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 2am - Mexico City, Mexico<br>
Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 9pm - Philadelphia, USA<br>
Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, kick-off 9pm - New Jersey, USA</p>
<p><strong>Friday, June 26</strong><br>
Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, kick-off 12am - Kansas City, USA<br>
Group F: Japan vs Sweden, kick-off 12am - Arlington, USA<br>
Group D: Turkey vs USA, kick-off 3am - Los Angeles, USA<br>
Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, kick-off 3am - Santa Clara, USA<br>
Group I: Norway vs France, kick-off 8pm - Foxborough, USA<br>
Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, kick-off 8pm - Toronto, Canada</p>
<p><strong>Saturday, June 27</strong><br>
Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 1am - Houston, USA<br>
Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, kick-off 1am - Zapopan, Mexico<br>
Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, kick-off 4am - Vancouver, Canada<br>
Group G: Egypt vs Iran, kick-off 4am - Seattle, USA<br>
Group L: Panama vs England, kick-off 10pm - New Jersey, USA<br>
Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, kick-off 10pm - Philadelphia, USA</p>
<p><strong>Sunday, June 28</strong><br>
Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, kick-off 12.30am - Miami, USA<br>
Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 12.30am - Atlanta, USA<br>
Group J: Algeria vs Austria, kick-off 3am - Kansas City, USA<br>
Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, kick-off 3am - Arlington, USA</p>
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Have to say this WC is a farce
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yz3zdp3jqo
Right or wrong still a farce.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Welcome to the WC in Dumberica... See what i did
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
i cant wait for this world cup to finish:frown:
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
poc
i cant wait for this world cup to finish:frown:
It is a farce - and to think Infantino gave Trump a FIFA world peace prize! It is like they are openly mocking fans to their faces
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx212p8r28eo
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Don Corleone
Problem is, hundreds of thousands of fans world wide will still attend. As non Americans, we as individuals, can’t do much about the complete cu*t that Trump is, but as individuals we can boycott this WC and embarrass him and his lunatic nation, and FIFA all at once.Easy to say, when we didn’t qualify, but if we had, i’d still have the same approach.
As per usual though, that wont happen.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
William Treseder
Problem is, hundreds of thousands of fans world wide will still attend. As non Americans, we as individuals, can’t do much about the complete cu*t that Trump is, but as individuals we can boycott this WC and embarrass him and his lunatic nation, and FIFA all at once.Easy to say, when we didn’t qualify, but if we had, i’d still have the same approach.
As per usual though, that wont happen.
Just watch the world cup mate.
There's plenty more just, deserving and useful things for you to protest and spend your time on.
No he isn't going to notice every Welsh fan not watching a match on tele we aren't involved in. And if we were there would be plenty going over.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Trigger
Just watch the world cup mate.
There's plenty more just, deserving and useful things for you to protest and spend your time on.
No he isn't going to notice every Welsh fan not watching a match on tele we aren't involved in. And if we were there would be plenty going over.
So why don’t we all make a pact now and stop complaining on here about Fifa, Trump, America, ticket prices etc, and just get busy watching it, Deal?
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
iran fans tickets revoked
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
With Robertson not making the Aussie squad I've been trying to find any tenuous City links I can throw my support behind.
Aside from Bacuna playing for Curacao and Lamouchi managing Tunisia, are there any i've missed?
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Beanz1927
With Robertson not making the Aussie squad I've been trying to find any tenuous City links I can throw my support behind.
Aside from Bacuna playing for Curacao and Lamouchi managing Tunisia, are there any i've missed?
France play in Blue. That’s good enough for me.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Beanz1927
With Robertson not making the Aussie squad I've been trying to find any tenuous City links I can throw my support behind.
Aside from Bacuna playing for Curacao and Lamouchi managing Tunisia, are there any i've missed?
We had a number of people who used to chant "Argentina! Argentina!" at opposition fans.
Clearly, we are the UK branch of the Barra Bravas.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Guaranteed 3-4 pager. The amount of interest in WC26 is off the charts.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
72 games in the group stages to lose 16 teams. Seems like a warm-up stage before it really begins with the round of 32 (for crying out loud).
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bluebirdman Of Alcathays
72 games in the group stages to lose 16 teams. Seems like a warm-up stage before it really begins with the round of 32 (for crying out loud).
Can't help but think that the may as well just go to a 64 team world cup (there's been chatter FIFA want to in the future).
At least then they would revert to only two teams qualifying from groups for the round of 32 making the group stages more interesting, granted, you'd be letting even more shit in. Infantino has almost certainly ruined a good thing, they'll never go back now.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Will there be be any embarrassing 10-nillers ?
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Crisp White Lines
We had a number of people who used to chant "Argentina! Argentina!" at opposition fans.
Clearly, we are the UK branch of the Barra Bravas.
Roy Keane has tipped them or France.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bluebirdman Of Alcathays
72 games in the group stages to lose 16 teams. Seems like a warm-up stage before it really begins with the round of 32 (for crying out loud).
And despite an easy group and playoffs we couldn't even qualify for that
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
North Cardiff Blue
And despite an easy group and playoffs we couldn't even qualify for that
Wales have only really qualified for one World Cup.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
I'm looking forward to it, there are England and Scotland games, and then Argentina, Spain, and France it will be good and keep the football buzzing through the summer. As long as England doesn't win, it will be good.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
North Cardiff Blue
I'm looking forward to it, there are England and Scotland games, and then Argentina, Spain, and France it will be good and keep the football buzzing through the summer. As long as England doesn't win, it will be good.
I'm the opposite. Zero interest in international football.
I hope England get smashed though.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Harry Paget Flashman
I'm the opposite. Zero interest in international football.
I hope England get smashed though.
Oh yes please!
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
My tip is France, although if I'm honest I've very little interest in this World Cup.
And yeah, anyone but Ingerland
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
I have no idea who's going to win the tournament. If I had to choose, I'd prefer England to win.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
I haven't been enthusiastic about a world cup for many years now.
As a kid I would watch every match I could. See very little now.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
North Cardiff Blue
I'm looking forward to it, there are England and Scotland games, and then Argentina, Spain, and France it will be good and keep the football buzzing through the summer. As long as England doesn't win, it will be good.
On the other hand
https://youtu.be/w9xB27WeiQ8?si=mL8tndvxdcgJwqLY
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
The USA flag was booed before the mics were quickly quietened.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Have Fox poached Rebecca Lowe from NBC?
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ToTaL ITK
I was listening to a discussion on Nicky Campbell’s phone in on 5 Live about the World Cup this morning and there was an Englishman joining in the discussion saying he had tickets for games in the USA which he was trying to sell because his visa application was taking so long to come through that he was thinking he was going to be denied entry. He then said that he’d just had an e-Mail message to say he would not be granted a visa because he’d gone on a cruise to Cuba in 2025. As it turned out, someone else in the discussion said he was granted a USA visa in 2023 and he’s gone to Cuba in 2006.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
I was listening to a discussion on Nicky Campbell’s phone in on 5 Live about the World Cup this morning and there was an Englishman joining in the discussion saying he had tickets for games in the USA which he was trying to sell because his visa application was taking so long to come through that he was thinking he was going to be denied entry. He then said that he’d just had an e-Mail message to say he would not be granted a visa because he’d gone on a cruise to Cuba in 2025. As it turned out, someone else in the discussion said he was granted a USA visa in 2023 and he’s gone to Cuba in 2006.
That's why I'm holding off going to Cuba until I've completed the last few USA locations I want to go to, once Trump has shuffled off of course. I think it was under Obama restrictions were increased which is why the 2006 visit didn't prevent a visa being issued.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
I wonder if having a USA stamp on your passport will one day make you a pariah?
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
splott parker
I wonder if having a USA stamp on your passport will one day make you a pariah?
Getting into Iran could be problematic.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
This is a very hard World Cup to get enthusiastic about.
Indeed. For a variety of reasons. The fact that 48 teams are competing is farcical. The fact that only 16 of them get eliminated at the group stage is even more ridiculous. And then there's the Trump factor combined with lots of unappealing kick-off times.
I've been through all of the group fixtures and there's only five games I intend to try to watch: England v Croatia, England v Ghana (although I'll be out at a quiz), Brazil v Scotland, France v Norway and England v Panama (although I'll be out at a party). I've got no interest in the rest, at least until we get to the knock-out stages.
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
I was listening to a discussion on Nicky Campbell’s phone in on 5 Live about the World Cup this morning and there was an Englishman joining in the discussion saying he had tickets for games in the USA which he was trying to sell because his visa application was taking so long to come through that he was thinking he was going to be denied entry. He then said that he’d just had an e-Mail message to say he would not be granted a visa because he’d gone on a cruise to Cuba in 2025. As it turned out, someone else in the discussion said he was granted a USA visa in 2023 and he’s gone to Cuba in 2006.
I believe the Cuba / ESTA ban is only if you have Visited Cuba since Jan 21, so 2006 was ok, 2025 not
you can still apply for a Visa, just not use the ESTA program
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Re: World Cup 2026. General thread
This World Cup is already proving a disaster for 'football crazy' China. I would normally head to packed out bars to watch the games, but not this time.
This tournament will have zero primetime slots for the Chinese audience. To put it in perspective, the previous World Cup in Qatar had 31 matches kickoff during China's prime evening viewing hours (6 PM to midnight). The North American tournament has zero prime-time slots for Chinese audiences.
All the games here kick off between midnight and midday.
