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So the World Cup is more diluted this year right?
Posted on 6/21/26 at 10:21 pm
Posted on 6/21/26 at 10:21 pm
Feels like there’s no compelling early matchups. Every power team so far I haven’t seen them scheduled for a game that shouldn’t be a cakewalk on paper. I think there’s been a few games that were good that shouldn’t have been but damn it felt like group play mattered more in previous world cups. Felt like there used to be at least one big matchup per group when more of the better teams were forced together.
Not a huge soccer guy but does anyone else feel this way?
Not a huge soccer guy but does anyone else feel this way?
This post was edited on 6/21/26 at 10:23 pm
16
Posted on 6/21/26 at 10:23 pm to jlovel7
There's several impactful group matches coming up soon and knockout rounds are always great. It's a larger pool than ever but it's going to get wild soon.
Posted on 6/21/26 at 10:24 pm to jlovel7
48>32>24
This post was edited on 6/21/26 at 10:26 pm
Posted on 6/21/26 at 10:58 pm to jlovel7
quote:
Not a huge soccer guy but does anyone else feel this way?
While there hasn’t been a “Goliath vs Goliath” matchup, there have been several “David vs Goliath” matchups where David came out with a result. Several late match winners as well.
World Cup thus far is a huge success, for fans and non fans alike.
Posted on 6/21/26 at 11:09 pm to jlovel7
Group play doesn’t matter as much since you’re advancing to the knockouts with any pulse, but there really haven’t been the constant slaughters we feared. The rest of the world has gotten a lot more competitive. Even Curacao who has the worst loss (7-1) rebounded with a draw vs the 2nd place team in South American qualifying
The group stage has always only been an appetizer though and you only get so many competitive games during it. We have a few less now but the main course never really started until the knockouts. And it’s only really until the quarters where you see genuine equals tee off. An extended group stage won’t impact that quality
4 matches a day is also awesome
The US being good this run makes it easier but I’m not sure I’ve ever been this satiated halfway through a group stage
The group stage has always only been an appetizer though and you only get so many competitive games during it. We have a few less now but the main course never really started until the knockouts. And it’s only really until the quarters where you see genuine equals tee off. An extended group stage won’t impact that quality
4 matches a day is also awesome
The US being good this run makes it easier but I’m not sure I’ve ever been this satiated halfway through a group stage
This post was edited on 6/22/26 at 1:29 am
Posted on 6/21/26 at 11:23 pm to jlovel7
Extremely more diluted.
Added teams mean every group is easy. There’s one shitty team in every group. Plus almost all 3rd place teams go through to the round of 32 which didn’t used to exist.
So the round of 32 is probably where we pickup with decent matchups since the group stages don’t have them
Added teams mean every group is easy. There’s one shitty team in every group. Plus almost all 3rd place teams go through to the round of 32 which didn’t used to exist.
So the round of 32 is probably where we pickup with decent matchups since the group stages don’t have them
Posted on 6/22/26 at 6:34 am to jlovel7
Brazil v Morocco was number 5 v 6 in the world. Not sure what more you could ask for in group play.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 6:42 am to RemouladeSawce
These 6 matches a day we are about to get are going to be awesome.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 6:47 am to Zzyzx
48 teams ........and the Azzuri still could not find a way in. World Cup is better when the Italians are relevant.
This is the third straight they have missed.
This is the third straight they have missed.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 6:54 am to funnystuff
quote:
Brazil v Morocco was number 5 v 6 in the world. Not sure what more you could ask for in group play.
Also England-Croatia
Posted on 6/22/26 at 7:40 am to jlovel7
Sure, you're going to have some blah type games, but the WC has been great so far and it's only going to get better.
Who had Cape Verde tying both Spain & Uruguay on their bingo cards?
Who had Cape Verde tying both Spain & Uruguay on their bingo cards?
Posted on 6/22/26 at 8:01 am to jlovel7
do you even Cape Verde bro?
Posted on 6/22/26 at 8:31 am to jlovel7
quote:
Every power team so far I haven’t seen them scheduled for a game that shouldn’t be a cakewalk on paper
First of all, teams are put in pools during the he draw so you're not going to get the top top teams playing the ach other in the group stage. Think seeding.
With that out of the way here are the rankings and
#1Argentina, you're right
#2 France vs #17 Senegal
#3 Spain, you're right but one of their games gave one of the best storylines yet
#4 England vs #15 Croatia
#5 Brazil vs #6 Morocco
#7 Netherlands vs #16 Japan
#8 Germany, Cote D'Ivoire game was no cakewalk but I'll give you this one.
Basically your sentence above is just plain wrong
Posted on 6/22/26 at 9:28 am to castorinho
It was Saturday or Sunday night late that the broadcast game was from Guadalahara. The video was terrible, shot from much father from the field, and the clarity wasn't there. Weren't all the broadcasts supposed to be 4K.
The next night, some of the US footwork was fun to watch, showing what a good broadcast can do.
The next night, some of the US footwork was fun to watch, showing what a good broadcast can do.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 10:00 am to jlovel7
quote:
So the World Cup is more diluted this year right?
They went from 32 to 48.. so yes more dilluted but so far it has been a huge success.
There are 211 recognized national associations so 48 making the world cup isn't egregious.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 10:07 am to BamaCoaster
quote:
While there hasn’t been a “Goliath vs Goliath” matchup, there have been several “David vs Goliath” matchups where David came out with a result. Several late match winners as well.
World Cup thus far is a huge success, for fans and non fans alike.
Agreed. I have found the matches entertaining. Seems other countries are also speaking highly of how much fun it has been in each city so far, too.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 10:13 am to jlovel7
Must have missed the Cabo Verde match 
Posted on 6/22/26 at 10:42 am to SabiDojo
17 days of group stage games just to eliminate 16 out of 48 teams.
It's the worst regular season on the planet.
It's the worst regular season on the planet.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 10:46 am to Diseasefreeforall
quote:
17 days of group stage games just to eliminate 16 out of 48 teams.
It's the worst regular season on the planet.
College football after they inevitably expand the CFP to 24 teams says hi
Posted on 6/22/26 at 10:58 am to Diseasefreeforall
quote:
17 days of group stage games just to eliminate 16 out of 48 teams.
It's the worst regular season on the planet.
The "regular" season are the years of qualifying to get into the WC. Yes, that is very uneventful. But if you're inferring that group play is the regular season then that's just inaccurate. That would be like calling NCAA baseball regionals the regular season.
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