GENERAL World Cup Thread

I understand that, which is why I suggested only 4th official (perhaps even 5th official) duties for this ref.

I wouldn't get too hung up on this Miami workshop - the tournament starts in 2 days time so the first appointed referees will start travelling to venues early tomorrow. Therefore presumably most of the ground-work on new rules/regs has been done already via videos and Zoom.

I do understand that they would want to avoid a situation where the 4th/5th official makes a mistake re some new regulation, so maybe what I'm suggesting is impossible. Guess I just feel sad for some random Somalian !

I want my son to enjoy watching his 1st World Cup, but at the same time I want it to be an utter sh1tshow, and so far in the week leading up to the tournament, it is so far a shitshow…

I genuinely believe someone going to support their team will end up dead, and not the usual American way, but actually be killed by law enforcement.. Can easily see it happening… someone with a few beers on board takes exception to the authorities heavy handedness and pushes back, and is then shot dead for 'threatening the cop'

American law enforcement kill a total of about 30-60 unarmed people a year so I’d take evens this won’t happen.

The only other bidding candidate for this renewal was Morocco, who weren't really ready for a solo hosting (even at the expected 32 teams).

And when the decision was made in 2018, it would have been difficult to predict the absolute clusterfcuk that USA has turned into. Either Trump would have finished his second and final term if he won in 2020, or if he lost in 2020 there was surely no way back for him as regaining the presidency had only happened once and was regarded as very implausible.

So the expectation would have been that there would be a normal government in the USA, perhaps objectionable to those of us on the left but socially no worse than say Bush I or Bush II. But here we are.

Jesus lads take the visa discussion to CA forum. We get it, one of ye loves Trump and the other hates Trump. Discussion over

Yeah not blind to why the racist policies of the Trump administration has its defenders.

The Trump administration is openly corrupt.

The policy against Somlia is driven by racism. Nothing to do with their corruption.

Any history of FIFA goes into great detail on their corruption over the preceding decades.
If the US was being strict on corruption Trump would be in jail along with half of FIFA.
Definitive proof the policy has nothing to do with corruption, that's just distraction from its racism.

There is absolutely no suggestion of any corruption or wrongdoing on the part of this referee. He would be allowed entry into the EU, Mexico, Canada etc

It’s a respected referee coming to do his job at the biggest sporting event in the world.

Not some fraudster coming to get up to no good.

Define unarmed. Is someone. Who just carries a gun but not use it unarmed

what’s the easiest way to contact the mods and request two seperate trends? One for football, one for Americans treatment of fans etc and general political climate?

There was plenty of Irish people who thought Colombia and Sweden would turn England over in 2018, it was just bias. No different to this. There could be upsets all over the place but it doesn't mean they will easily happen lol

I think it’s better if it’s enforced by mods but maybe I’m overthinking it

The expansion of the World cup to 48 teams and 104 games will mean it will be incredibly difficult for "normal" countries to host it in the future. It will only go to countries will to blow an absolute fortune on it. I really don't see many European, African, South American or far Asian nations having the appetite to host after Saudi in 2034.

There's nothing really new about focussing on non-football issues in the days before a tournament.

2010 - Most of the discussion 2 days beforehand was about fan safety in deadly South Africa, particularly Joburg - and the general lack of preparation of the local organising committee, how the whole thing would be a disaster.

2014 - The Sao Paulo stadium was predicted to fall down, as the contractors were still working on building one of the stands 3 days before the opening game. Players would die in the heat of Recife and Manuas etc due to KO times being suited for Europeans.

2018 - The Russian police will kill everyone. If they don't do it hordes of skinheaded thugs will.

2022 - Take your pick here. Human rights, gay fans to be arrested, construction worker deaths, grounds will be empty unless they fill them with locals masquerading unconvincingly as travelling fans (this one was so confidently predicted), fans who booked hotels are being put up in unfinished aluminium portacabins.

We are at the time when there is little football to actually talk about. It'll change in 48 hours.

Get some reading comprehension classes. The poster said that Trump's act dwarfs whatever corruption has taken place in Somalia. I responded to that.

Why not go over to Somalia and tell the people there suffering from corruption that Trump keeping out a well paid referee from no doubt a well to do family in Somalia is so much worse than being oppressed in your own country.

Have any Irish referees travelled using a visa obtained under false pretences?