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indiana · Tennis legend

FIFA World Cup 2026 - Canada/Mexico/USA

JonH · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH wrote:
Austria and Algeria play last and both need a draw to progress. Lets see how that works out.
bet365 has a draw as 6/5 favourite which is nothing like the normal draw odds even for closely matched teams.
Blame FIFA for the ludicrous system. The first 2 rounds of group matches were pretty good and I hope the KO is great but some of these final group matches could be a farce

Dont know what the odds are but Ghana and Croatia will also happily end in a draw and get both through. WOuldn't surprise me if a draw is favourite there as well?

Rest of remaining matches look like teams cant afford to play a draw, perhaps France and Norway tonight might not be the free flowing goal fest we all hope for as neither team has much incentive to win. But that doesn't impact the 3rd place standings.

I think it is those two, Austria/Algeria and Ghana/Croatia where we should be wary of the scoreline being a convenient draw

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH wrote:
Austria and Algeria play last and both need a draw to progress. Lets see how that works out.
bet365 has a draw as 6/5 favourite which is nothing like the normal draw odds even for closely matched teams.
Blame FIFA for the ludicrous system. The first 2 rounds of group matches were pretty good and I hope the KO is great but some of these final group matches could be a farce
Dont know what the odds are but Ghana and Croatia will also happily end in a draw and get both through. WOuldn't surprise me if a draw is favourite there as well?
Rest of remaining matches look like teams cant afford to play a draw, perhaps France and Norway tonight might not be the free flowing goal fest we all hope for as neither team has much incentive to win. But that doesn't impact the 3rd place standings.
I think it is those two, Austria/Algeria and Ghana/Croatia where we should be wary of the scoreline being a convenient draw

Frankly I won't blame them if they do play out a draw. Probably no fix as such but both teams will know what the position is.

JonH · Tennis legend

Looking forward to France and Norway tonight - one that catches my eye the most off all the group games!

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH wrote:
Looking forward to France and Norway tonight - one that catches my eye the most off all the group games!

But, though France have a strong line-up, Norway have made 10 changes including Haaland. So prioriising resting players over going all out to win the group.

The group winners play a 3rd in the L32 ( with Germany or a 3rd awaiting in the L16 - could be a quite tasty L16 meeting even with the current German team ). 2nd in the group will play Ivory Coast in the L32 ( with Brazil or Japan awaiting in the L16 so perhaps similar potential L16 opposition ).

JonH · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH wrote:
Looking forward to France and Norway tonight - one that catches my eye the most off all the group games!
But, though France have a strong line-up, Norway have made 10 changes including Haaland. So prioriising resting players over going all out to win the group.
The group winners play a 3rd in the L32 ( with Germany or a 3rd awaiting in the L16 - could be a quite tasty L16 meeting even with the current German team ). 2nd in the group will play Ivory Coast in the L32 ( with Brazil or Japan awaiting in the L16 so perhaps similar potential L16 opposition ).

Disappointing to see but its their call. Oh well. Love Mbappe, best player in the world right now, but with him, Messi, Vinicius Jr, Haaland ( born in Leeds!) there are a few good players around !

JonH · Tennis legend

Scotland fall to 9th in the 3rd place list - basically out now, barring Algeria and Ghana having big losses in their last matches. Which wont happen as draws in those matches suit everyone

-- Edited by JonH on Friday 26th of June 2026 09:04:41 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

As well as Steve Clarke's inevitable resignation ( thanks for the qualifications mate but ... ), the super computer should also be resigning.

7 of the 8 top 3rds ended on 4 points, plus Senegal 3 points and plus 2 GD.

Iran didn't even get through on 3 draws ( they were though until Austria equalised in the last minute of added time of an interesting match vs Algeria ). So many hoops for Iran to go through and unlucky on the pitch as well.

Check out Argentina's quarter, it's quite amusing, with all due respect etc. Portugal being 2nd and clearing off into the European loaded half has helped.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

FIFA screws up - again! furious

JonH · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
FIFA screws up - again!

Not sure its a screw up? They cant control the weather? And the kick off time is better for us here in the Uk.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
FIFA screws up - again!

The FIFA clowns do a U-turn:

England's World Cup last-16 tie against Mexico will kick-off at 01:00 BST on Monday after a Fifa U-turn on plans to bring the game forward. Fifa held talks with the English and Mexican football associations on Friday after proposing the match be moved to 19:00 BST on Sunday (12:00 local time). Weather forecasts suggest there could be thunderstorms at that time, though Fifa has not provided any explanation for its proposed change.

Sources told BBC Sport that Fifa had been set to make the change, and confirm the rescheduling in a statement, but news of the proposal angered both English and Mexican officials. As a result, the game in Mexico City is now due to be played at its original kick-off time of 18:00 local time on Sunday.

indiana · Tennis legend

Hard luck Cape Verde but you leave this World Cup as heroes after your final epic match including a Goal of the Tournament so far that will be very hard to beat.

Argentina 3 Cape Verde 2 AET

JonH · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Hard luck Cape Verde but you leave this World Cup as heroes after your final epic match including a Goal of the Tournament so far that will be very hard to beat.

Argentina 3 Cape Verde 2 AET

That second was a great goal and the celebrations with the scorer going into the stands like pat cash at Wimbledon.
Shame they lost but a great match to watch - stayed up for that in practice for Sunday night !

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, nice of FIFA to effectively decide to bring the kick-off time forward by 6 hours to noon local without informing the Mexico or England camps or indeed apparently local Mexico authorities. Doesn't look as if they consulted much more than the weather folk.

Then to have hours of them telling FIFA why this was a very bad idea for clear logistical reasons. And those of the England fans, travelling thousands of miles to and around North America, and then due to take the 2 morning Atlanta to Mexico City flights and liable to miss the game, were clesrly not initially considered either. Clearly they are of much more importance than that it would actually have of course been a much better time for TV audiences at home.

Weather still looks very dodgy but it was nuts to unilaterally plan on having a 6 hour earlier kick off time just 2 days before the match.

JonH · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Yes, nice of FIFA to effectively decide to bring the kick-off time forward by 6 hours to noon local without informing the Mexico or England camps or indeed apparently local Mexico authorities. Diesn't look as if they consulted much more than the weather folk.

Then to have hours of them telling FIFA why this was a very bad idea for clear logistical reasons. And those of the England fans, travelling thousands of miles to and around North America, and then due to take the 2 morning Atlanta to Mexico City flights and liable to miss the game, were clesrly not initially considered either. Clearly they are of much more importance than that it would actually have of course been a much better time for TV audiences at home.

Weather still looks very dodgy but it was nuts to unilaterally plan on having a 6 hour earlier kick off time just 2 days before the match.

It would have meant moving the other match as well to avoid a clash. I thought Id posted a comment on it here last night (I know I did, I read it!) but its been removed for some reason? anyway, I had said why was it nuts, but reflecting on it, it was nuts!