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Sat 13 Jun, 2026 07:20 am
Thought I'd start a new thread on this because it's about a lot more than football this time.
This is supposed to be the biggest one ever, and as it coincides with America's 250th birthday it should be incredible.
Yet there are two hurdles, the first, (and smallest) is the prennial issue of a country that doesn't really care about football. They don't even call it football. Americans appear more interested in the NBA playoffs between Spurs, and Knicks.
That isn't insurmountable, and following the US 4-1 trouncing of Panama support will probably build up as the team progresses.
The other hurdle is Trump. America isn't very welcoming right now, especially to fans from Africa. A FIFA accredited Somali referee has been denied entry, and hotels which should be fully booked are empty. New visa requirements and social media checks are keeping people away.
Then there's Iran. The team are not allowed any back room staff and have to fly in and out of the US from their base in Mexico for each match. They have complained to FIFA about the atrocious treatment.
Trump was booed at the NBA game in NY, the international crowd at the World Cup may be even more hostile.
On a personal level, living in Wales, I'm quite happy not seeing the bloody cross of St George everywhere. It's a lot more civilised.
England are one of the last teams to play so I don't feel anything right now, but I'll probably feel different come Wednesday, and I'm not staying up to 2am to see Scotland playing.
So, any thoughts. Will this World Cup be a resounding success and get Americans really engaged, or will a mixture of American apathy and global anti Trump sentiment cast too long a shadow?
I don't watch the sport.
Our politicians are ******* it up in the USA.
Many fans are afraid to come here.
But I wish devoted fans well.
@cmturner,
Fair enough.
If America makes it all the way to the final would you watch then?
@izzythepush,
Never have. Likely never will.
@cmturner,
Fair enough. I don't watch Rugby World Cup or four nations at all.
@izzythepush,
The only sport I watch consistently is the American version of football.
@cmturner,
I get it, following more than one sport can be bloody exhausting.
I only follow one as well.
@izzythepush,
Each sport ropes you into between games articles and activities, robbing us of time better spent.
@izzythepush,
as a kid i was a huge sports fan, so with nothing better to do i watched everything, consuming stats and player trivia.
these days i follow the local teams in the four major team sports, but i rarely watch an entire game of anything.
and yeah, the orange turd will try his damnedest to ruin the world cup, make it about himself in some idiotic way...
The Australian referee who officiated the Germany Curacao match has been accused of making a white supremacist hand gesture.
I doubt this would have happened under any other president.
@izzythepush,
Now we're through go the semis I'm happy.
I've seen all the England games except Mexico because it was on too late for me.
Although I'd rather we were playing Switzerland on Wednesday.
@hightor,
Thanks.
There are terrible 1966/2026 AI generated T shirts all over the internet.
I won't be buying one
@izzythepush,
I watched the 1966 match in England on the telly.
Surprisingly, I was the only one who noticed the stolen goal.
@Walter Hinteler,
I was 3. Completely unfazed when England won, assuming it was the way of things.
3 year old naivete.
We've been watching football/soccer games and are enjoying it. I was so pissed at Lady Butt Trump decided he needed to 'fix things', the glow was certainly off the rose. I think most of the Americans were ok with the US loss and felt great for the other team. Trump just sticking his filthy paw into the regs was a selfish and greedy thing to do. Ultimately, the US players were playing under a cloud of dishonesty (Trump cheating)......I'm sure the other team was greatly inspired to win, and I'm so glad they did. If the US won we would have looked like the recipients of the jealous cheating clown from the White House. Nobody wants that stain on their honesty.
@glitterbag,
Up until Trump's intervention the US team had done very well, and improved their profile.
Trump ruined that.
@izzythepush,
Their loss, however, meant that Trump stopped paying attention to the World Cup and that improved all the matches that followed.
@hightor,
True, but I'm still having trouble digesting the fact that England captain Harry Kane has played a round of golf with Trump.
It feels like when the England squad gave the nazi salute in 1938 in Berlin.
@izzythepush,
So, as a result, there should be a Kane Mutiny by his followers and concerned citizens.
In a slightly different direction, I am glued to following the results of the World Cup.
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