West Ham Online

Exciting day so far in the PL

The World Cup finals allocation was obviously a scam for 2026 & 2030 to have multiple hosts so they could justify going from Qatar in 2022 to Saudi in 2034
Not sure what the attraction of Mexico is for them to host so often
Will see what America throws up with Trump threatening to shift games out of Democrat cities plus you know the horrendous temperatures won’t change the match times
It will all be about the tv demands
Given the widespread venues I’m not sure there will be any consideration of fans travel issues
Will groups be centred in particular areas or will England say play in Mexico, then Texas & then Canada?

After not qualifying between 1974 & 2006 Australia have now qualified for every tournament since
Some great clips of the 20th anniversary this week of the qualification for 2006 winning the Oceania group & then being forced into a play off with Uruguay 
Obviously Australia’s best ever team that destroyed England at Upton Park. So embarrassing that Sven had to take all his ‘stars’ off at half time to keep the score down 

Yanks, Canada and Mexico being in pot 1 makes the whole WC system even more absurd

Saw McLaren resigned from the Jamaican job, was hoping he’d have lurched into a full on Rastafaria accent but sadly he kept it to “ respect “ and “ one love “ for his cultural references !

WRT international football tournaments in the future the sticking point for most European nations is when the tournament is held. Qatar  in November 22 was quite the wrong time and hugely disruptive to our fixture programme.

It must be quite a shock, considering it was only decided almost 9 years ago.

There's only three countries in N America that can afford to host the thing. You haven't explained how those European countries that I posted have hosted it two times and yet England is still waiting and I haven't even mentioned Scotland, Wales and Norn Ireland and even the Republic of Ireland.

I'm giving you FIFA's reasoning.  Not mine.

2022 - Asia (Qatar)
2016 - Europe (Russia)
2014 - South America (Brazil)
2010 - Africa (South Africa)
2006 - Europe (Germany)
2002 - Asia (Japan & S Korea)
1998 - Europe (France)

It's been a while since North America has had one.

whenever they host it in "non-football" countries its shit.

Qatar - shit
South Africa - shit
Japan & SK - shit
USA - shit

But you said it was nothing to do with money?

You actually thought FIFA would be fair at deciding something?

Mexico 1970, 1986 & 2026

England 1966

Fair?

So the US had to wait a whole 32 years for another world cup, so help me here, my maths isn't that good, how long has it been since England has hosted one?

So if you're going by continent, how come Germany Spain Italy and France have hosted it twice and yet England only once?

Of course it's fucking money.

If you look at footballing continents (LOLstralia obviously doesn't count), then it's been 1994 since North America had one which it the longest compared to all the others.

That was their reasoning.  Nothing to do with money.



 

Also Mexico hosting it yet again.

and another thing, how come the US hosts another world cup I make that three now and it's not even their national sport and yet the country that invented the fucking game has just the one?

It's a rhetorical question, I fucking know why  

Will be the lowest quality WC in years with some of the teams that have qualified, and the conditions in North America in the height of summer.

WC 26 Tournament will not be worth watching until it’s down to sixteen teams, or maybe even eight.

Talking about smiles on their tiny faces I see that Australia managed to squeeze through qualifying but they did lose 0-1 to those mighty world cup giants, Bahrain.

Sven,

I could've sworn you are half sweaty.

To be honest if you can’t qualify in a 48 team World Cup you might as well give up
European teams have at least 2 chances in a group and often 3 if you’ve won some Nations League games
I dont mind small nations like Curucao and Scotland getting to go to see the smiles on their tiny faces

The S American group is a bit of a joke though with 5 or 6 qualifying out of 10
Should all get rolled up into an overall American group 

Imagine if that useless cսnt Potter gets to go...

As much as I'd love the Italians to miss out once again, sadly I just can't see it.

Some utter dross in the play-offs. Although last time they got dumped out by Macedonia 

Does that mean Rufus Lebonque be in goal for Haiti with his mask on?

goose wrote: ↑19 Nov 2025, 08:56 Qualifying is a bit of a joke. You've got a list of european teams, some of whom won't qualify despite finishing second in a group of much higher quality.
Meanwhile Qatar, Uzbekistan, Iran, Curacao, Haiti etc etc etc all get places.
Brazil qualified despite losing 6 of 18 games. Bolivia lost 10 and still have a play-off spot.

i'm deffo not bitter...................