World Cup The World Cup Thread

[Carpy]

World Cup 2026 ▾

Live Match

Fixtures

Results

Tables

Predictions

Prediction League

Squads

 

[unification]

Patrick Vieira in the crowd.

Divided loyalties for him.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

I must admit I’m getting a bit fed up with the BBC commentary team’s gushy love-in with France.

Might want to brace yourself for when England start their tournament.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Oh for sure.

In blazing heat, he still looks fantastic. Not a bead of sweat on him.

Rudi Garcia of Belgium, meanwhile, looked a f*****g state in a tie, shirt and baseball cap.

Brilliant. I've worked with several Belgians and that nation has a wide streak of men who dress funny

 

[holdsteady]

A very rare ref who sticks with his decision after being sent over to the screen, glad he did it just to hear the outrage from Shearer and the commentator.

 

[smiler106]

Can you please stop shouting at me Alan?

 

[holdsteady]

Mbappe gives them the lead and then a lovely finish by Jackson is unfortunately offside, shame, was hoping this ref just hated France and overruled it.

 

[Belgium Yellow]

Brilliant. I've worked with several Belgians and that nation has a wide streak of men who dress funny

Im sure you’re right, but Rudi Garcia is French.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Wow. Has he lived there long?

 

[tonyw]

First half, France were thoroughly lethargic, Senegal were the better side and I was getting excited that maybe none of the favorites in the competition were any good.

Second half, after moving Olise inside, they’ve been freaking terrifying. Definitely the team to beat.

Penalty decision was baffling. Bet this ref doesn’t get another big game.

 

[holdsteady]

Not certain about this French goalie, he might be the weak link in what is a very strong side.

And then Mbappe does that.

 

[Essexyellows]

Livened up at the death................ 3-1 2 minutes left

 

[unification]

The media wankfest will be on Mbappe for a few hours.

Messi up at 2am and the media will be shaking hands with the milkman over him instead.

 

[holdsteady]

That’s a strong message against a very good Senegal, they just went up the gears second half.

But even with that team and a player in Mbappe who will be a genuine World Cup legend you can’t guarantee they will win it, they will up against crafty Argentines, cunning Portuguese, Spaniards who bore you to death with 62 million passes and the greatest force in the world not that Hulkmania is dead, it’s coming home.

So to paraphrase, f**k the frogs, it’s coming home.

 

[McXal]

France’s second half, keeper aside, was the biggest statement performance of the tournament so far for me. Far more impressive than Germany walloping Curacao.

Agree with a couple of posters above, the media will be all over Mbappe now (thought his first half was appalling btw). But Olise was MOTM for me. Absolutely unplayable in the second half.

I’d agree, the team to beat based on current displays. Albeit every team is going to be pinging shots in at their shaky keeper from everywhere now. He looks Sam Slocombe-levels of dragging down a great team…

 

[chuckbert]

b****r. Thought Algeria had done it there, but offside like the Argentina attempt just before. Algeria played the ball through Arg very nicely though.

 

[m]

Depsite all the horseshit around it, I've been really enjoying it so far.

Plenty of attacking football, very little pragmatism or cynicism.

Shame France looked so decent but you can't have everything I suppose.

Lookong forward to seeing the Italians.

 

[Under The Cuckoo Lane]

Did E Just score 2 for NZ?
Didn't E Just.

 

[holdsteady]

Mbappe, Haaland and Messi bringing a bit of star player glamour to the tournament. Fair play to Messi, a hat trick at his age in his final World Cup.

Iraq will be fighting Curacao for the wooden spoon, not going to get any easier for them in the next two games.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Not even a yellow card?

 

[Common Villager]

Not even a yellow card?

View attachment 35825

No, and correctly so. You can see in real time it was clearly accidental and there was no force at all. This still image is completely misleading.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

BBC News - Oxfordshire venues prepare for England's world cup kick-off - BBC News

Oxfordshire venues prepare for England's world cup kick-off

Football clubs and pubs prepare for late-night viewing as England face Croatia in the 2026 World Cup.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MarkG]

Didcot Three Lions fan's 'unfathomable dream' World Cup trip

Football fan Andy Taylor heads to the USA to follow England's hunt to end 60 years of hurt.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Eric Blair]

Modric is the Croatian Josh McEachran

This deserved a better response from all of you. Concentrate, you'll enjoy it more.

 

[Marked Ox]

This deserved a better response from all of you. Concentrate, you'll enjoy it more.

I couldn't take it seriously, nobody could match JMc's teeth.

 

[unification]

I’m quite happy that there is no 11pm KO today. They lure you in by allowing you to happily watch a half and consider going to bed but you then feel compelled to watch it all anyway.

Basically if it starts or is scheduled to finish after 1am, it’s a write off. After the England game, I’m not hanging about for Ghana v Panama.

 

[holdsteady]

I watched the first half of Norway v Iraq and then got up to watch second half of Austria v Jordan, which felt quite strange. You forget how surreal getting up and watching a game first thing is, bought back memories of 2002 in Japan and Korea. Still enjoying the mix of live and highlights, been a good tournament so far and I find I enjoy it more once the first set of group games are out of the way and sides need to start picking up points.

 

[Sarge]

I’m quite happy that there is no 11pm KO today. They lure you in by allowing you to happily watch a half and consider going to bed but you then feel compelled to watch it all anyway.

Basically if it starts or is scheduled to finish after 1am, it’s a write off. After the England game, I’m not hanging about for Ghana v Panama.

me neither

 

[Basham Wonderland]

It certainly is a crash down to earth when you're used to ITV's glitz and glamour, switching back to the BBC's Salford basement coverage for a game.

 

[Sarge]

Shame that none of the pubs in Oxford city Centre will be showing England's game this evening, apparently they are all closing ( on police/ city council advice- along with many other hospitality and retail outlets) due to an Oxford Union debate taking place , which will also see a number of city centre roads closed from 3.30pm too

 

[chuckbert]

The game times here are a bit mental. Last night was 3am 6am 9am 12pm. Others have been 12 3 6 9.
England are on at 4am tonight which sucks (other games 1am, 7am 10am). Friday night's USA:Straya game is at 3am and my boy's heading down to a fanzone in town with his mates, but I'm going to struggle getting to the coach.