FIFA World Cup 2018 (Russia) Thread

[Tender Branson]

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will be the 21st FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of the member associations of FIFA.

It is scheduled to take place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded the hosting rights on 2 December 2010.



This will be the first World Cup held in Europe since the 2006 tournament in Germany, the first ever to be held in Eastern Europe and the eleventh time that it was held in Europe. All of the stadium venues are in European Russia, to keep travel time manageable.

The final tournament will involve 32 national teams, which include 31 teams determined through qualifying competitions and the automatically qualified host team. Of the 32 teams, 20 will be making back-to-back appearances following the last tournament in 2014, including defending champions Germany, while Iceland and Panama will both be making their first appearances at a FIFA World Cup. A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.

The final will take place on 15 July at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

The winners of the World Cup will qualify for the 2021 FIFA Confederations Cup.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup

Qualified teams:



Notice how the US and Austria are missing for example.

[Tender Branson]

Today, Austria (not qualified for the WC) will host a friendly warm-up game for Germany here in Carinthia.

The last time Austria has beaten Germany was in 1986 !

2 days ago we already beat host Russia, also in a friendly game in Innsbruck.

My prediction: if we have a good day, we'd might beat Germany 2-1 tonight or something.

On a bad day, we'll lose 1-3 or something.

[RINO Tom]

So depressing that the US isn't in it.  Cheerin' for Germany and Sweden, though, and I'm excited for it to start!

[parochial boy]

Hop Suisse!

Drop useless Seferovic and play Embolo + Drmic up front and we may even score a goal!

The last time Austria has beaten Germany was in 1986 !

Isnt that basically the last time Austria beat anyone?

[Tender Branson]

Hop Suisse!

Drop useless Seferovic and play Embolo + Drmic up front and we may even score a goal!

The last time Austria has beaten Germany was in 1986 !

Isnt that basically the last time Austria beat anyone?

Haha, no. Under the new coach Franco Foda Austria has actually won all 6 games so far.

Anyway, there's a massive thunderstorm over Klagenfurt right now with hail, which is delaying the start of the Austria vs. Germany game.

[mvd10]

I'm cheering for Morocco and Poland. Can't wait for the PVV outrage when Morocco wins a match.

[Tender Branson]

Hop Suisse!

Drop useless Seferovic and play Embolo + Drmic up front and we may even score a goal!

The last time Austria has beaten Germany was in 1986 !

Isnt that basically the last time Austria beat anyone?

Haha, no. Under the new coach Franco Foda Austria has actually won all 6 games so far.

Anyway, there's a massive thunderstorm over Klagenfurt right now with hail, which is delaying the start of the Austria vs. Germany game.

Likely to be called off now, because it won't stop raining (the pitch is a floodzone) and Germany's plane is departing at 9pm ...

[mvd10]

Hop Suisse!

Drop useless Seferovic and play Embolo + Drmic up front and we may even score a goal!

The last time Austria has beaten Germany was in 1986 !

Isnt that basically the last time Austria beat anyone?

Haha, no. Under the new coach Franco Foda Austria has actually won all 6 games so far.

Anyway, there's a massive thunderstorm over Klagenfurt right now with hail, which is delaying the start of the Austria vs. Germany game.

Likely to be called off now, because it won't stop raining (the pitch is a floodzone) and Germany's plane is departing at 9pm ...

Hey, you didn't lose. Great result!

[NewYorkExpress]

Still think Brazil wins it all.

I'm more interested right now in if the North American bid or the Moroccan bid gets the 2026 World Cup.

Given Trump's unpopularity, I'd bet on Morocco, but... that North American bid is so much stronger.

[Tender Branson]

Hop Suisse!

Drop useless Seferovic and play Embolo + Drmic up front and we may even score a goal!

The last time Austria has beaten Germany was in 1986 !

Isnt that basically the last time Austria beat anyone?

Haha, no. Under the new coach Franco Foda Austria has actually won all 6 games so far.

Anyway, there's a massive thunderstorm over Klagenfurt right now with hail, which is delaying the start of the Austria vs. Germany game.

Likely to be called off now, because it won't stop raining (the pitch is a floodzone) and Germany's plane is departing at 9pm ...

Hey, you didn't lose. Great result!

The Austria vs. Germany game was actually started after a 1.5 hour delay after the thunderstorm passed.

And remember the date: 2 June 2018

Today, Austria beat Germany again for the first time in 32 years in a football game.



Thanks, Chancellor Kurz. Uhm ... Franco Foda + Team.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/germany/result/result-germany-fall-to-shock-defeat-in-austria_327432.html

[Tender Branson]

I also liked how the Austrian fans always booed the fascist Erdogan-supporters Özil and Gündogan every time they got the ball and when they left the pitch after being exchanged ...

[Tender Branson]

Austria 2 - Germany 1



Beautiful.

[Tender Branson]

After beating Russia 1-0 and Germany 2-1 yesterday, the final stage of Austria's "Mini-World Cup" will be the game against Brazil next Sunday.

Other interesting statistics: We have now won 7 games in a row. That ties the longest winning streak of the team, accomplished in 1933-34.

Hopefully this continues in the games that matter and we qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

[bartoli]

I also liked how the Austrian fans always booed the fascist Erdogan-supporters Özil and Gündogan every time they got the ball and when they left the pitch after being exchanged ...

yeah,
Ozil is amazing player, I'm a big fan of him,  but he is lazy and supports that douche, like most turks from Germany. that's weird.

I think WC winner will be some underdog team.
will track results here www.livesoccer.com

[NewYorkExpress]

The US didn’t even make it this year. Who am I suppose to cheer for? My eagle senses are not tingling.

Mexico?

[Leinad]

The US didn’t even make it this year. Who am I suppose to cheer for? My eagle senses are not tingling.

Lots of people are going with Iceland due to the fact they're a very small country and people generally like Iceland. Panama's a bit awkward since they're one of the countries that advanced instead of the US but they're another of the "minnows" and theoretically North American countries doing well is good for the US in seeding. Peru is another of these countries that rarely make it but have that Americans are sometimes supporting. Australia is like America but upside-down.

You could also go by players, although that's not much help if you don't follow European club soccer

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Germany, since the USA isn't in it.....

(speaking of which, Fox's big thing since the USA isn't in it is "cheer for your roots!" lol)

[Leinad]

(speaking of which, Fox's big thing since the USA isn't in it is "cheer for your roots!" lol)

Is that their big thing? I've also seen ads involving Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Spain, England, France, Messi, and Ronaldo. It probably depends on the programming--i.e. an ad on a soccer game with Real Madrid is probably more likely to show the Spain or Ronaldo ad than general programming would.

[Tender Branson]

Very important sports day today:

* 3pm: Nadal vs. Thiem (French Open Final)

* 4pm: Austria vs. Brazil (football, final test game for Brazil)

* 8pm: F1 race in Montreal, Canada

---

Under normal circumstances, Nadal should beat Thiem in 4 sets and Brazil should beat Austria by 3-1. I also expect Bottas to win the Canadian F1 GP.

But who knows ?

[parochial boy]

Hey Tender, a week today, we'll be playing Brazil in the real thing. Jealous?

[Bacon King]

I'll be cheering for:
all CONCACAF teams (though I only really care about Costa Rica, the best ever WC underdogs)
Iceland, the best Euro underdogs ever
Morocco, America's longest and most steadfast ally, the first to recognize our independence
Australia, as a Georgian I feel kinship with my fellow prison colony



as for teams with an actual chance of winning, I like Germany and Belgium too I guess

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

The first match will be Russia-Saudi Arabia this Thursday at 11:00 ET

I'll be cheering for Argentina (duh), but my hopes aren't particularly high

[Tender Branson]

Thiem not playing bad, but Nadal is literally a machine.

And in the football game it's 1-0 for Brazil, with Jesus scoring the goal (but what can you have against Jesus scoring) ?

[Landslide Lyndon]

Me thinks that a South American team wins the cup. If a European team wins again, for a fourth straight time, we might as well rename the competition Euro No 2.
I think FIFA understands too that's bad for business and will try to subtly help Brazil, Argentina, and possibly the other CONMEBOL teams.

[mvd10]

Hey Tender, a week today, we'll be playing Brazil in the real thing. Jealous?

Switzerland? Isn't 40 year old Federer your star player?