OT: World Cup (2018 and 2026)

**I Touchdown There** · 06-07-2018, 05:42 PM

well considering Italy missed out too (usually my second team due to my paternal heritage)... I'm gonna root for Croatia (have a little Balkan heritage plus I like their uniforms!) and Poland (part Polish as well).

anyone doing any sort of pool/game? I find those things help hold my attention/interest longer...

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**The Excellector** · 06-07-2018, 06:17 PM

I've never had much of a connection to the U.S. Men's National Team, because the soccer I came to enjoy was European.

Brazil is the most loaded team, from front to back to the bench. Germany isn't far behind. France is talented, but young and there's a question about where the leadership is going to come from. Argentina will be fine going forward, but they have issues at the back. Spain just has clutch veterans.

**Kyle Cactus** · 06-08-2018, 08:11 AM

The NY Times started a bid tracker for 2026.

2026 Bid Tracker

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 06-08-2018, 08:17 AM

Morocco over NA? Like are you kidding me

**BigPlayReceiver** · 06-08-2018, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteNorthRaven

What's up Hope Solo's ass?

From what I've read over the years, she's a petty, troubled and violent woman.

**arnie_uk** · 06-08-2018, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

I've never had much of a connection to the U.S. Men's National Team, because the soccer I came to enjoy was European.

Brazil is the most loaded team, from front to back to the bench. Germany isn't far behind. France is talented, but young and there's a question about where the leadership is going to come from. Argentina will be fine going forward, but they have issues at the back. Spain just has clutch veterans.

Brazil are far from the most loaded team. On paper France Belgium and Germany are all better.

**GreatWhiteNorthRaven** · 06-08-2018, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by arnie_uk

Brazil are far from the most loaded team. On paper France Belgium and Germany are all better.

Belgium probably has one of the best D groups. Alberwiereld and Vertonghen are great CB's

**Kyle Cactus** · 06-08-2018, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteNorthRaven

Morocco over NA? Like are you kidding me

There's a heavy influence of politics, whether soccer politics or world politics. And FIFA votes have a long history of bribes. So anything can happen.

Geography is another factor. The African federation will mostly vote for one of their own, and Africa carries basically as many votes as North and South America combined due to the number of countries. Games in Morocco would be on at better times for European countries in similar time zones too.

Of course, the North American bid will make FIFA much more money and we already have the stadium infrastructure in place. But it will also force fans to have to travel longer distances if they want to attend a large number of games.

**BigPlayReceiver** · 06-13-2018, 07:46 AM

North America it is.

I'll be dropping major coin for this.

The kid will be at a good traveling age...maybe even playing youth league.

On assumptions...Vancouver, Montreal and the northern Cali location will be (at the least) our destinations. No interest in metropolitan Mexico.

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**Kyle Cactus** · 06-13-2018, 07:49 AM

USA/Mexico/Canada won the 2026 bid!! It wasn't close in the end. 134-65 with 1 country voting for "Neither" and some US Territories recusing themselves.

This will possibly be the first World Cup with 48 teams instead of 32. There's a chance 2022 in Qatar will have 48 teams, but that was originally planned for 32 teams. Either way, 2026 will have 48 teams and plenty of games. The 1994 World Cup in the US still holds the record for total attendance, even though that was a 24 team tournament, and per match attendance. For the locals, Baltimore, DC, and Philly are all in the running for host cities. I think there will be something like 10 host cities in the US.