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Message
Third place advancement has improved the product
Posted on 6/22/26 at 11:54 pm
Posted on 6/22/26 at 11:54 pm
Giving minnows a chance has given them a fight.
Which has provided us with more interesting matches.
Am I wrong?
Which has provided us with more interesting matches.
Am I wrong?
12
Posted on 6/22/26 at 11:56 pm to magildachunks
I have practically no complaints on the group stage.
Love to see teams like Cabo Verde compete.
Love to see teams like Cabo Verde compete.
Posted on 6/22/26 at 11:57 pm to magildachunks
Meh, I don't like that we play three weeks of matches to only bring the field from 48 to 32.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 12:00 am to magildachunks
I think that’s right. Smaller teams are playing to win more than they are not to lose/be embarrassed knowing that three points has a good chance of being enough to get through.
Conversely I think the switch to head to head versus goal difference will have a bigger negative impact on the third round of games. That plus I think there would be more juice if the top 8 first place teams got a bye into the round of 16. That would strike the right balance to me of making the group stage games matter on both ends of the spectrum.
Conversely I think the switch to head to head versus goal difference will have a bigger negative impact on the third round of games. That plus I think there would be more juice if the top 8 first place teams got a bye into the round of 16. That would strike the right balance to me of making the group stage games matter on both ends of the spectrum.
This post was edited on 6/23/26 at 12:01 am
Posted on 6/23/26 at 12:02 am to magildachunks
Jordan and Algeria will be playing for advancement next match.
Expect entertainment
Expect entertainment
Posted on 6/23/26 at 12:15 am to magildachunks
Third week is gonna be absolute chaos for all these 3rd place teams on the bubble
Posted on 6/23/26 at 6:46 am to magildachunks
Jordan is mathematically eliminated
Posted on 6/23/26 at 7:23 am to Broski
I know right, how awful that we have all this extra soccer we have to watch...
Posted on 6/23/26 at 7:26 am to magildachunks
Majority of the games have been awesome so that’s a huge plus. But I do miss in the old format how getting out of the group still felt like a big accomplishment. Now a majority of the teams advance, including some pretty bad ones.
All in all I’m fine with the change though. Just hope they don’t try to expand further.
All in all I’m fine with the change though. Just hope they don’t try to expand further.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 7:57 am to magildachunks
The games have been surprisingly interesting even with the expanded format. However, I miss the do or die aspect of every game that the old 32 & 2 advance format had.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 8:00 am to magildachunks
I think the hydration breaks have allowed for a bit of coaching and change.
Like Sweden still lost but the 2nd quarter was much better from them and you had a bit of a match at least.
Like Sweden still lost but the 2nd quarter was much better from them and you had a bit of a match at least.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 8:12 am to AUin02
quote:
I know right, how awful that we have all this extra soccer we have to watch...
Imagine if you had more soccer that was meaningful with 64 teams where only the top 2 in each group advance to the Round of 32?
Posted on 6/23/26 at 10:01 am to Broski
That's a fine argument for potentially even more soccer. It sounded like you were just complaining about a longer group play time period which seemed silly.
WC play is so different from other sports that I'm all for whatever pulls in more teams and more games.
WC play is so different from other sports that I'm all for whatever pulls in more teams and more games.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 10:09 am to AUin02
quote:
all for whatever pulls in more teams and more games.
Not to pick on you but I’m just tired of expanding every single good thing we have in sports. World Cup, CFP, March Madness, NBA playoffs, NFL playoffs have all expanded recently (or are about to in March Madness’ case) in the name of inclusion but it’s always truly due to greed and tv money.
Thankfully the group stage games have been mostly awesome.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 10:15 am to magildachunks
I hated the thought of it but it has made group stage more exciting. Zero complaints
Posted on 6/23/26 at 10:45 am to unctiger4
I think the easy argument here is expanded NBA/CFB playoffs etc cheapen the regular season.
But WC is so different from the "regular season" of soccer (your various leagues etc) that it is a unique and special thing. Players playing for their nation with players they normally would not (or even play against most weekends) is super unique and different.
But WC is so different from the "regular season" of soccer (your various leagues etc) that it is a unique and special thing. Players playing for their nation with players they normally would not (or even play against most weekends) is super unique and different.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 10:54 am to AUin02
quote:
WC play is so different from other sports that I'm all for whatever pulls in more teams and more games.
Same, which is why I think 64 teams (16 groups of 4) would've been a much better format than what we have right now with 48.
You still get the round of 32, but instead of playing three weeks to only eliminate 16 teams with a wonky 3rd place hierarchy, you go back to the "top 2 advance" format with half the field getting eliminated after three weeks.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 11:02 am to Broski
That’s too long imo. World Cup traditionally lasted about a month. Now we’re at 39 days.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 11:06 am to AUin02
quote:
But WC is so different from the "regular season" of soccer (your various leagues etc) that it is a unique and special thing. Players playing for their nation with players they normally would not (or even play against most weekends) is super unique and different.
Reasonable take and I don’t disagree. The WC expansion doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the others, especially seeing how it has played out.
Posted on 6/23/26 at 11:11 am to unctiger4
quote:
The WC expansion doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the others, especially seeing how it has played out.
My main complaint is that it has sort of killed my interest in the USMNT in between World Cups. It will be practically impossible for us not to qualify (it was very difficult before, but there was still enough reason to be glued to qualifiers). I know we have the Gold Cup, but the WC Qualifiers were way more interesting than the Gold Cup has ever ben.
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