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

[Hawerchuk]

41 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Bad.  MISL bad.

Yeah, but you're talking about indoor soccer. That's totally different.

[Eleven]

4 minutes ago, Hawerchuk said:

Yeah, but you're talking about indoor soccer. That's totally different.

That's a league that tried to implement hockey-style offside.  It was disastrous.  There were almost no beautiful plays.  It was just brute force.

 

Same would happen outdoors.

[Ctaeth]

Canada vs bosnia at 3pm eastern time.   Rooting for Canada feels nice since I'm usually rooting against in hockey

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour 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?  

Never say never. FIFA's signaled an openness to changing to its "Laws of the Game" to increase scoring and scoring chances.

Let's first wait and see if Arsene Wenger's (sp?) "daylight" offside rule will be adopted worldwide.

[That Aud Smell]

24 minutes ago, Eleven said:

That's a league that tried to implement hockey-style offside.  It was disastrous.  There were almost no beautiful plays.  It was just brute force.

Same would happen outdoors.

I'm trying to envision what it would even look like.

They'd probably fiddle with a retaining line of some kind - 25 yards out?

Then it'd be Katy Bar the Door? Everyone push forward and flood the 6 yard box with impunity (so long as you don't disturb the keeper)?

Yeah. That's what would happen, at least in part. It would be unpleasant. Contrary to too many fundamental principles of the game.

[Porous Five Hole]

6 hours 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 ROC, I would try Boot Room Pub first. It’s the only soccer specific bar I know of. 

[Eleven]

@Sabres Fan in NS must be conflicted right now.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Soccer... Don't know how it became so popular and the world's top sport... Anyways, go US I suppose even tho they're always trash at the game. 

It's getting to the doldrums of the sports season, hockey ending, basketball is meh, baseball has far too many games and football is barely ramping up, I guess this will have to suffice.

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

In ROC, I would try Boot Room Pub first. It’s the only soccer specific bar I know of. 

Does Wambach's brothers still own that bar near Oak Hill?  Expect that would be a good spot to head to in the Ra-cha-cha area.

[Sabrejak]

20 hours ago, Sabres73 said:

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.

Agree.

I like the sport.  I like to watch. I'll watch a lot of the matches.

I don't like FIFA's heavy-handed rules and open greediness.  No on-site parking allowed at MetLife.  The nearest parking is $225/car.  They tell you to take the train from NYC (if you're coming from there).  A train ride from Peen Station to MetLife which is typically $12.90 on any other day will cost about $100 per ticket.  Scummy price-gouging.

 

[Sabrejak]

11 hours ago, Ctaeth said:

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

 

They made it pretty damn easy to get out of the group stage this time with 32/48 teams getting through.

 

[DarthEbriate]

What... they take breaks for hydration now?

[Ctaeth]

Looking good!!

[PromoTheRobot]

I've never seen the USA be that dominant against a real team. Paraguay is 41st in the world.

[RangerDave]

6 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Soccer... Don't know how it became so popular and the world's top sport... Anyways, go US I suppose even tho they're always trash at the game. 

It's getting to the doldrums of the sports season, hockey ending, basketball is meh, baseball has far too many games and football is barely ramping up, I guess this will have to suffice.

I think soccer is so popular in the world because it is cheap and easy for almost every kid to play.  All you need is a ball.  Can be played anywhere flat. Every kid from every neighborhood, poor or rich, can play.

[Pimlach]

USA - 3

Paraguay - 1

that was interesting futbol.   The USA team looked good.  

Lots of diving and acting in futbol. 

[repster]

I’ll be at the Germany/Ivory Coast game next Saturday in Toronto.

Saw the final sitting in exact top row of Azteca Stadium on the centre line back in 1986.  Craziness on another level.

Was also at the Hand of God game and I was sitting low in that end right in front of me when it happened.  Controversy on another level.  

Edited June 13 by repster

[Porous Five Hole]

5 hours ago, Taro T said:

Does Wambach's brothers still own that bar near Oak Hill?  Expect that would be a good spot to head to in the Ra-cha-cha area.

I don’t think so, but it’s worth investigating either way. 

[sabremike]

16 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

Never say never. FIFA's signaled an openness to changing to its "Laws of the Game" to increase scoring and scoring chances.

Let's first wait and see if Arsene Wenger's (sp?) "daylight" offside rule will be adopted worldwide.

This is actually being tried this season in the Canadian Premier League.

[sabremike]

8 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I've never seen the USA be that dominant against a real team. Paraguay is 41st in the world.

And they didn't just beat Paraguay, they absolutely dismantled them. The match wasn't even as competitive as the final 4-1 scoreline would indicate. 

[mjd1001]

On 6/11/2026 at 10:22 PM, Sabres73 said:

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.

Corruption of FIFA vs F1.  Which is worse?

[mjd1001]

14 hours ago, RangerDave said:

I think soccer is so popular in the world because it is cheap and easy for almost every kid to play.  All you need is a ball.  Can be played anywhere flat. Every kid from every neighborhood, poor or rich, can play.

I agree.

I"m not a soccer fan. Not at all. I kinda was way back when I was a kid and Buffalo had an indoor team, but that was when the scoring was higher.  I just don't like any sports/games where the scores are so low and goals are so rare.

Anyway, I have only 2 friends that are really into soccer and they are always telling me soccer is the best sport because it is the most popular one in the world.  To me, as you have said, it is the most popular because it is one of the easiest, if not the easiest, for anyone to play.

Haiti, the poorer areas of any south American country...anywhere where people don't have money....they really can't afford equipment for Football (American), or hockey...even Baseball takes some equipment and organization. But Soccer?  A ball, that is all you need. From there you can put 2 rocks as the boundrieds of a goal and have one person defend that goal and one person kick the ball and try to score past them. Basically anyone can do it anywhere, and young kids WANT to pretend to be the stars of the sport themselves.  Its a lot easier to pretend you are a soccer star than it is in many other sports effectively.

And, once you are hooked on it when you are younger...those sports tend to stick with people their entire lives as fans.

Edited June 13 by mjd1001

[steveoath]

21 hours 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?  

Interestingly the Scottish professional league tried something like this during preseason games about 30/40 years ago. They extended the 18 yard box to the touchlines and you could only be offside if you were goalside of the line. 
 

Problem with offside is that if you get rid, you end up with long ball and poaching, which is not fun. But with it offside you get teams likening up of the halfway line, which is also not fun. The preseason experiment was kinda of a good compromise, but never caught on. 

[Big Guava]

US just crushed Paraguay...very impressive.

Now they need to play like that against the better teams they are going to likely face in the next stage...usually they don't.

Hopefully that changes this time.

[Pimlach]

On 6/11/2026 at 9:22 PM, Sabres73 said:

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.

Good Lord this is just so negative.   Most cities are honored to host these things and they make a lot of money doing it.   Along with money comes the global spotlight and a whole bunch of operational challenges.   You manage the challenges or you can point fingers and complain.  

I stayed in Vancouver just 2 years ago and hotel prices, for nice hotels in a nice areas, rates were typically $350 to $400 per night.  That included an amazing breakfast for two and that was competitively priced at the time and in the area where we chose to stay.  Loved it there and hope to go back someday.  

Hotel prices always increase when the demand to attend these major events is there.  Complain to Hilton, Marriot, etc.   If a hotel can't book rooms as priced guess what?  The prices will actually go down.   

And the local people typically do not need hotels right?   

Edited June 13 by Pimlach