FIFA World Cup 2026

[bremsstrahlung]

Yeah, you’re right 48 to 32. Really not sure where I got the 4 teams eliminated thing from. Must have been a comment on a podcast that reinforced my blind hatred of the modern day FIFA organisation!

Good round up of the teams there. I reckon Japan will be dark horses to go far in the tournament.

In terms of “getting World Cups” then surely Germany are Queensland? Even when they turn up with a dodgy team and look terrible in the groups they always find a way to make it through to the latter stages. With Wirtz, Musiala, Havertz and Kimkich they have some quality in their team.

Haha! I did the “maths” more times than I care to admit and got 4 a few times as well. But it didn’t make sense

I was thinking - 12 groups, 8 best 3rd place go through : 12-8 =4. But 48-4 =44. *googles how many teams. *googled knockout to confirm round of 32.

The realised I was forgetting the 12 last placed teams haha.

Good point re: Germany. I’d forgotten about them.

This best 3rd place thing will help a few of the bigger nations that may “start slow”.

I think there’s a lot of pressure on France to win this. I think a lot of the other “big dogs” are underrated and low expectations - or at least I haven’t been subjected to much hype about your Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Netherlands, England and even Spain.