World Cup 2026 - Who is going and where?

[Tyrath]

The boos happen in every watch party I've been to as well. You really don't get that the boos are about the whole concept of the mandated breaks?? People are against the overall idea and how it's been implemented. People are booing FIFA and it's 100% warranted.

[Obsidian]

So your solution is to give a break in some games, but not others.

It's a very Fifa take.

It's about safety and soccer fans are being bitches about it because...water?

FIFA says its about safety but the reason a lot of fans don't like it is because it is nakedly just an ad break.

Edit: missed the next page, woops.

[Tyche]

So is it about the ads, or the implementation, or the mandate, or the overall idea? Are you acknowledging that they're booing because the breaks are mandated, and that's the problem?;I know it seems snarky but comments like that make me pretty cynical it's about the ads when you just complained about every other aspect.

Basketball literally has a mandated ad break, 8 times a game, and they don't hide it lol. They're just nice enough to call it the under 16, under 12, under 8, and under 4 breaks. Have 0 problem mandating a 3 minute break once every 50 minutes, rain, shine, 60° or 80°.

[Alvinho]

I guess global warming must be real because peeps have been doing this for over 100 years without issue.

[Tyche]

Maybe there was an issue that was never identified because you never had the breaks. What if scoring averages doubled and you just never knew that was possible (I don't think that, I just hate the argument you're making). You have no baseline comparison to identify said issues.

I mean, if you told me injuries were reduced by 3% between the 25th and 45th minute and the 70th and 90th minutes in games with hydration breaks, I don't think it would be overly shocking

[Tyrath]

So is it about the ads, or the implementation, or the mandate, or the overall idea? Are you acknowledging that they're booing because the breaks are mandated, and that's the problem?;I know it seems snarky but comments like that make me pretty cynical it's about the ads when you just complained about every other aspect.

Hydration breaks are fine when the weather warrants it. They have been implemented on an as needed basis in the past. Mandating it twice and designating the 3 min period for it every single match for the world cup is just pure FIFA greed. Honestly don't know which part of this you're confused about.

Basketball literally has a mandated ad break, 8 times a game, and they don't hide it lol.

And this is somehow a good thing? We don't want football to become the corporate hellscape that American sports are. I know Americans have been brainwashed into it because they've never seen it done differently so they think it's fine.

[Roranora]

the boos are there because of a whole lot of inertia against the mandated breaks, what are you even on about Tyche? looking for disingenuity?

you've covered it all here already. Fifa's happy (and can feign fairness), broadcasters are happy, powerade is happy, what's not to like

[synistar]

I like how this wasn't a big deal in Rio in 2014. But those breaks weren't mandated and at the ref's discretion if the wet-bulb temperature broke a chosen threshold.

Now it's a fair bit silly BC Place, Mercedes-Benz, NRG, and AT&T stadiums to have those breaks in a climate controlled indoor venue. I'll add So-Fi and Levi's Stadiums because it has been such a mild June for California.

[Tyrath]

When I saw the game in Kansas city, the breaks happened while it was raining in 70ish degree weather lol

[Rhyis.]

the fact that they are now mandatory regardless of temp tells you all you need to know about their real purpose. one thousand new commercial slots isn't a small amount of revenue

it is what it is

[Tyche]

I'm not a fan selectively applying these kinds of breaks and could see a fanbase getting up in arms over competitive advantages, real or perceived.

Do I believe it's about ads, sure.. Do I believe soccer fans are mad about just the ads? Absolutely fucking not. Am I even the slightest tiny bit annoyed by it. Absolutely not. I don't see a downside for the athletes. I'll take the piss break. I've missed 2 goals, including the first US goal last night, taking a piss.

[Tyrath]

Do I believe soccer fans are mad about just the ads? Absolutely fucking not.

Agree to agree that you're just wrong on this one.

[Rhyis.]

booing an intrusive stop in the game for a scheduled commercial break sponsored by coca cola sounds pretty justified and logical

[Obsidian]

He has to just be advertiser-pilled because American Football is more ads than game. I can't imagine someone being told "yeah the fans hate this mandatory ad break cash grab" and thinking "no, the fans must actually just hate player safety" otherwise.

[Tymon]

Idk what the surprise is about any of this. Sports fans mad about a perceived unnecessary change? Sounds like finding a fork in a kitchen. When's the last time any major sport made a big change and fans didn't raise hell about it?

Waxing poetic about how Americans are used to this or something? People call for Goodell, Silver, Manfred, and Bettman's heads on a daily basis for the same kind of stuff.

[Tymon]

Anyway, they can't appeal Balogun because FIFA said so apparently. He may also have his ban extended.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/...up-ban-sources

[Obsidian]

There's zero chance in my mind he will face additional punishment beyond the mandatory 1 game suspension.

[Tyrath]

Giving him additional ban would be ridiculous. Messi did the same challenge and didn't even get a yellow.

To clarify, I think Messi should've gotten a red not that Balogun shouldn't have gotten one.

[Obsidian]

I personally think they were both between a yellow and red. Messi avoided a card only because he's Messi IMO, but he definitely deserved one. They could both have been yellows, but I'm really not surprised they gave Balogun a red (which means Messi's was also worth a red).

[Roranora]

just heard the most recent round of boos and thought of you all lovingly