Can’t believe there isn’t a World Cup thread. Or if there is I haven’t seen one. Getting interesting now. Anyone stay up for the England match? What a game! I watched Brazil v Norway earlier too. Norway looking a bit tasty… and we’ve got them Saturday… eeek
Not impressed with the decsion to 'suspend' Balogun's red card suspension. Very dodgy if you ask me. Wouldn't be at all surprised if it came out that Infantino's been taking backhanders from Trump, even before the tournament began.
Fantastic game. Despite everything that was thrown at them England did really well. I didn’t think they’d be able to hold out at the end. The fact that the ref played to 112 minutes was telling although by and large his decisions were correct. The penalty against Harry Kane was a bit soft and the foul for their free kick leading to the 1st goal was definitely nothing. Something that occurred to me afterwards. Their goalkeeper brought down Gordon with a definite goal scoring opportunity. How come he wasn’t sent off and it wasn’t even debated?
What a game.... made me quite proud to be an Englishman. They were all immense and can't really think of a weak link in the side. Although Henderson didn't play he still managed to get booked and stretchered off after failing to negotiate a tricky advertising hoarding Not sure if it was the beer or the euphoria but Kelly Cates was looking hot....
If Trump can get Balogun’s ban suspended then maybe Starmer can do the same for Quansah? Actually, scratch that idea, because knowing what Starmer’s like, he’d probably finish the call to Infantino with Bellingham banned for the rest of the tournament, Kane’s penalty overturned and the result declared a nullity.
Absolutely amazing. I’m glad I made the effort to stay up to watch that. People are saying that Kane and Bellingham deserve to be knighted, but I reckon we should just acclaim them as joint kings, like the Spartans had, which would also be apt as that performance was like the Battle of Thermopylae. Pickford was as incredible too - not just the saves but the number of crosses and corners he came for and cleared.
That's up there with Sid Waddells' - "When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer … Bristow's only 27."
If you love football (even if you do not love football). Copy the below, complete in your own details and post to the shown person/address. [Your Name] [Your Address] [Your Postcode] [Your Email Address] [Your Phone Number] [Date] For the Attention of: The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Department for Culture, Media and Sport 100 Parliament Street London, SW1A 2BQ URGENT RE: Formal Request to Investigate FIFA for Anti-Competitive Practices, Rule Manipulation, and Abuse of Market Dominance Dear Secretary of State, I am writing to you as a constituent and a football supporter to formally request that His Majesty’s Government, in coordination with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), launches a comprehensive antitrust and anti-competitive investigation into the global football governing body, FIFA. Recent structural changes, commercial manoeuvres, and governance failures surrounding the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup have made it clear that FIFA is operating as an unchecked corporate cartel. The organisation is systematically abusing its dominant market position to manipulate the core rules of the sport, exploit consumers, and override sporting integrity solely to maximise corporate revenues and secure political patronage. I urge the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to scrutinise FIFA across four primary areas of concern: 1. Structural Manipulation of the Game’s Rules for Commercial Gain Under Law 7 of the IFAB Laws of the Game, a football match consists of two continuous 45-minute halves. However, during the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has instituted mandatory, blanket three-minute "hydration breaks" in each half of every match. While marketed under the guise of player welfare, these breaks are being enforced indiscriminately, even inside climate-controlled, air-conditioned indoor stadiums where no medical justification exists. These breaks function strictly as American-style "media timeouts" designed to artificially segment the sport into a four-quarter broadcast structure. This manoeuvre serves to unlock millions of pounds in in-game television advertising slots for specific broadcasting networks, fundamentally degrading the continuous, physical attrition that defines the sport. 2. Interference in Disciplinary Integrity and Geopolitical Patronage The integrity of international competition has been severely compromised by unprecedented political interference at the highest levels of FIFA. Following the recent red card and automatic suspension of United States player Folarin Balogun, investigative reporting has revealed that direct political lobbying from the US Executive Branch led to FIFA arbitrarily bypassing its own established disciplinary regulations to clear the player for a crucial knockout match against Belgium. This sets a dangerous precedent where sporting rules are discarded to appease host nations and political allies. This behaviour is further evidenced by FIFA leadership using its platform to award politically motivated prizes to foreign heads of state, shattering the mandatory political neutrality required of a global sports governing body. 3. Exploitative, Algorithmic Ticketing Monopolies UK and European football supporters travelling to North America are being subjected to predatory consumer practices. Consumer protection bodies, including Football Supporters Europe (FSE), have already filed formal antitrust complaints with the European Commission regarding FIFA’s absolute monopoly over 2026 World Cup ticketing. By utilising a closed, proprietary platform and algorithmic dynamic-pricing models, FIFA is artificially inflating ticket prices, restricting consumer choice, and exploiting the loyalty of match-going fans. 4. Abuse of Dominance via an Untouchable Democratic Facade FIFA shields its multi-billion-pound commercial operation from accountability through a "one member, one vote" governance structure. By distributing massive financial grants via the FIFA Forward Programme, FIFA has built a dependency model where dozens of small micro-nations and overseas territories are entirely reliant on FIFA handouts to exist. This creates an unshakeable, compromised internal voting bloc that ensures incumbent leadership remains completely immune to reform, challenges, or dissent from traditional footballing nations like the United Kingdom. Conclusion and Call to Action The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has already established in landmark rulings—such as the European Super League and Lassana Diarra cases—that FIFA is a commercial enterprise fully subject to antitrust, labour, and competition laws. FIFA does not possess a legal blank cheque to operate above the law. As the home of the world's most successful domestic football infrastructure, the UK has a duty to protect the sport from predatory corporate overreach. I respectfully request that you: Refer FIFA’s commercial practices, specifically regarding the 2026 World Cup's ticketing structures and television-mandated rule changes, to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for an official antitrust review. Coordinate with UEFA and our continental partners to challenge FIFA's arbitrary disciplinary overrides and preserve the independent integrity of international tournaments. Utilise the incoming powers of the Independent Football Regulator to ensure that international governing bodies cannot bully UK clubs, players, or fans into anti-competitive formats. Thank you for your time, your consideration, and your continued dedication to preserving the integrity of our national game. I look forward to hearing your position on this urgent matter. Yours sincerely, [Your Signature] [Your Printed Name]
Shame what happened to Henderson at the end, stepped over the advertising boards and slipped snapped his arm clean in half not good to watch.
He must be the only player in history to get booked and get stretchered off without even stepping foot on the pitch
Best match i ever saw well worth staying up for. If we bring some balance to things and sort the back out its through to the semis
