OT: Men's Soccer World Cup 2026--no need to enter if you don't like it.

[Eleven]

In just a few hours, some network will dust off Alexi Lalas and put him in front of a camera again.  Fans in Mexico City are already partying in the streets.  Every four years we are treated to this amazing festival of sport.  Here is our space to discuss it.

Edited June 11 by Eleven

[SabreFinn]

The world cup -94 is one of the best experiences I've ever had as a sports fan, if not the best, mostly due to the swedish success in the tournament, and of course me being a young easy affected kid. I have high expectations for the coming month. 

[JoeSchmoe]

[Rico7]

I'm just not a fan. Wish i was but im not. Tell me why I should change my attitude. Have multiple friends into it but I just can't get into it. 

[Taro T]

Normally am really into the WC.  This year, not feeling it.  Maybe that'll change once the tourney actually gets rolling.

[pastajoe]

Make it make sense why they don’t stop the clock for timeouts, instead of adding time at the end. 🤷‍♂️

[JoeSchmoe]

9 minutes ago, Rico7 said:

I'm just not a fan. Wish i was but im not. Tell me why I should change my attitude. Have multiple friends into it but I just can't get into it. 

Here's why I'm not a fan of soccer and why hockey is so much of a better sport:

#1- The diving. Hockey gets this right by penalizing it. They could easily fix this by reviewing dives either during the game or afterwards and issuing penalties and/or suspensions.

#2- The running scoreboard. It's infuriating watching teams waste time when they're up. Soccer fans will tell you there's Time Added On, but it's SO arbitrary and it's very obvious when teams are gaming the clock. Why not just go to a stop clock? Hockey of course gets this right.

#3- Purposely kicking it out of bounds when in trouble. It's a buzzkill. Hockey got it right by calling delay of game for a player shooting it over the glass. Not sure the best way to fix it, but it inherently impairs my enjoyment of the game.

#4- The fans. Here in Canada, you see people sporting the flags of their home countries even though Canada is in the tournament. Of course, you don't see this in hockey.

[Eleven]

38 minutes ago, Rico7 said:

I'm just not a fan. Wish i was but im not. Tell me why I should change my attitude. Have multiple friends into it but I just can't get into it. 

 

1 minute ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Here's why I'm not a fan of soccer and why hockey is so much of a better sport:

#1- The diving. Hockey gets this right by penalizing it. They could easily fix this by reviewing dives either during the game or afterwards and issuing penalties and/or suspensions.

#2- The running scoreboard. It's infuriating watching teams waste time when they're up. Soccer fans will tell you there's Time Added On, but it's SO arbitrary and it's very obvious when teams are gaming the clock. Why not just go to a stop clock? Hockey of course gets this right.

#3- Purposely kicking it out of bounds when in trouble. It's a buzzkill. Hockey got it right by calling delay of game for a player shooting it over the glass. Not sure the best way to fix it, but it inherently impairs my enjoyment of the game.

#4- The fans. Here in Canada, you see people sporting the flags of their home countries even though Canada is in the tournament. Of course, you don't see this in hockey.

You don't have to be.  But maybe this thread isn't for you.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, pastajoe said:

Make it make sense why they don’t stop the clock for timeouts, instead of adding time at the end. 🤷‍♂️

Always presumed it was an artifact from when the technology was less advanced.  The ref is the official time keeper and MOST plays don't result in the clock stopping.  Rather than having to coordinate with a time keeper running an analog clock for the few stoppages there are and worrying about getting they precisely aligned, expect it was easier to just have a clock ticking off how much time had passed from when they started with the ref doing his own thing.

Plus, they weren't all that concerned about just how long a game would take back in the day.  If an elimination game was still tied when all the extra time had expired, they just replayed it.  None of this silly penalty kick garbage.

[Jorcus]

38 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

Make it make sense why they don’t stop the clock for timeouts, instead of adding time at the end. 🤷‍♂️

I like the running clock. Matches seldom drag on endlessly. The clock ticks on they add a few at the end and it's over. In way its a test of endurance as there are limited substitutions. 

[JoeSchmoe]

47 minutes ago, Eleven said:

You don't have to be.  But maybe this thread isn't for you.

I saw my big chance to vent to other hockey fans and I went for it. 😁

I feel like I'd get into it more if my 4 points could be addressed. Thankfully we're all lucky to have been in an environment where we could be exposed to hockey... which is the best spectator sport of all!

But as you rightly pointed out... I don't have to be a fan so I'll tap out of here. Good luck to whatever teams everyone is rooting for!!!

[Night Train]

I wish good health and no violence. ..yet I never caught the soccer bug.  Yet I watch AFL Aussie football, which I find far superior. 

[Rico7]

3 hours ago, Night Train said:

I wish good health and no violence. ..yet I never caught the soccer bug.  Yet I watch AFL Aussie football, which I find far superior. 

You talking Australian Rules Football? Love that game. Got into it years ago when ESPN had it on a lot

[Sabres73]

FIFA is one of the most corrupt organizations on the planet. They've taken over my city (Vancouver) and completely pissed off all the locals. Hotel prices have gone from $200 to $750, and they're half empty because people have had enough. They tried to ban people taking water bottles and were forced to retract that because of the negative media coverage. It's just completely about greed, corruption and a fake peace "award". No thanks, can't wait until they get out of here.

Edited June 12 by Sabres73

[steveoath]

This World Cup is already a joke.
 

Scotland fans have had visas/estas revoked without warning.

Then we descend into the absolute shambles certain teams/players/officials being held for hours on arrival or denied entry altogether. 
 

I thought you couldn’t get anymore corrupt than Sepp Blatter…. Infantino is out for his crown. 

[Night Train]

8 hours ago, Rico7 said:

You talking Australian Rules Football? Love that game. Got into it years ago when ESPN had it on a lot

It's on FS1 and FS2 every week. 4-5 games. 

[Ctaeth]

Love the world cup.  Let's go usa, i think we got a good draw and can get out of the group stage

[That Aud Smell]

this game is (or at least can be) the purest sport to watch. the beautiful game, as it’s called.

and this tournament is the biggest sporting spectacle in the world.

i’ll be tuning in, f’sho.

and hey - 3 red cards to get us started yesterday. oooh - muy caliente.

[Weave]

So, where are the best bars to watch these in Buffalo/Rochester?

Not a fan of soccer generally, but the atmosphere in a pub full of rabid fans is fantastic.  I’m looking for that vibe.

[Pimlach]

It’s a game I never played as a kid.  There was no soccer league that I can recall ever seeing.  I had zero exposure to it.  

In my high school days soccer was a sport for smaller guys that couldn’t make the football team.  

Then I noticed the conditioning and skills required, and the International appeal.  I respect futboll a lot, but not a fan of it.   I'll watch a bit here and there. 

[Eleven]

44 minutes ago, Weave said:

So, where are the best bars to watch these in Buffalo/Rochester?

Not a fan of soccer generally, but the atmosphere in a pub full of rabid fans is fantastic.  I’m looking for that vibe.

In Buffalo, Banshee (Franklin St.) is a major soccer bar, in North Buffalo, Mes Que on Hertel but it is small and gets packed.

[Big Guava]

So maddening the US games are all starting at 9pm or later on the East Coast since they chose to open at West Coast venues.

Edited June 12 by Big Guava

[DarthEbriate]

I'll watch (parts of) several games and will watch the final. It's the best of the best so it has potential for great sports drama. And as a game itself: soccer is fantastic -- archetypal. Get this ball across that line. And unlike the other sports, you barely have any equipment (you could draw and outline on a building or just have two cones, shin pads if you're serious). No sticks, full pads, helmets, elevated hoops, play clocks, buzzers, penalty boxes, nothing. And there are only about 5 rules for the entire game. The catch? Oh yeah, the whole thing that makes humanity go -- hands -- can't use 'em. All that said, give me hockey, baseball, and NFL a million times over.

 

Counterpoint! Diving is the best. It's celebrated, time-honored, and well-rewarded. The athletic flops and faceplants, the writhing, the gaggle of guys chasing around after the referee (while the clock is running!). The histrionics. The magic spray! The "I got better!" return after being stretchered off. It's all beautiful theater.
If you aren't diving, you aren't trying to win. You like winning, don't you?

Countercounterpoint: The issue is how well diving is rewarded. Really, the failing with soccer at the highest levels is that the goalie is guessing. You can kick a penalty shot right down the middle and the goalie will dive out of the way because they have to guess (read on your setup) to have any chance of stopping a kick to the side. Move that penalty kick location out near the top of the box and it's good. Or give a red for a dive. And to end any tournament on penalty kicks is absurd: someone go make a play. Or allow additional substitutions at the start of each OT period so you have fresh bodies.

[Hawerchuk]

I wonder what the game would look like if they changed the off sides rule to mimic the hockey off sides. So instead of the last defender creating the off sides line, they could make the Penalty Area Box like a "Blue Line" in hockey and once the ball crosses in first the attacking players can go anywhere without worrying who's behind the last defender. I wonder if it would lead to more goals / excitement? Obviously this is hypothetical because no way they would ever change it, but its interesting to wonder what if. 

What do you guys think? Good, bad, stupid?  

[Eleven]

15 minutes ago, Hawerchuk said:

I wonder what the game would look like if they changed the off sides rule to mimic the hockey off sides. So instead of the last defender creating the off sides line, they could make the Penalty Area Box like a "Blue Line" in hockey and once the ball crosses in first the attacking players can go anywhere without worrying who's behind the last defender. I wonder if it would lead to more goals / excitement? Obviously this is hypothetical because no way they would ever change it, but its interesting to wonder what if. 

What do you guys think? Good, bad, stupid?  

Bad.  MISL bad.