2022 World Cup Thread

[Zeno]

I figured we need an official thread for the WC where we can discuss the whole tournament:

Group A schedule (all kick off times ET)​

November, 20: Qatar vs Ecuador – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – 12pm
November, 21: Senegal vs Netherlands – Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor – 5am
November, 25: Qatar vs Senegal – Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor – 8am
November, 25: Netherlands vs Ecuador – Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan – 11am
November, 29: Netherlands vs Qatar – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – 10am
November, 29: Ecuador vs Senegal – Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan – 10am

Group B schedule​

November, 21: England vs Iran – Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan – 8am
November, 21: USA vs Wales- Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – 2pm
November, 25: England vs USA – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – 2pm
November, 25: Wales vs Iran – Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – 5am
November, 29: Wales vs England – Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – 2pm
November, 29: Iran vs USA – Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor – 2pm

Group C schedule​

November, 22: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia – Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail – 5am
November, 22: Mexico vs Poland – Stadium 974, Doha – 11am
November, 26: Argentina vs Mexico – Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail – 2pm
November, 26: Poland vs Saudi Arabia – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan – 8am
November, 30: Poland vs Argentina – Stadium 974, Doha – 2pm
November, 30: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico – Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail – 2pm

Group D schedule​

November, 22: France vs Australia – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – 2pm
November, 22: Denmark vs Tunisia – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan – 8am
November, 26: France vs Denmark – Stadium 974, Doha – 11am
November, 26: Tunisia vs Australia – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – 5am
November, 30: Tunisia vs France – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan – 10am
November, 30: Australia vs Denmark – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – 10am

Group E schedule​

November, 23: Spain vs Costa Rica- Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor – 11am
November, 23: Germany vs Japan – Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan – 8am
November, 27: Spain vs Germany – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – 2pm
November, 27: Japan vs Costa Rica – Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – 5am
December, 1: Japan vs Spain – Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan – 2pm
December, 1: Costa Rica vs Germany – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – 2pm

Group F schedule​

November, 23: Belgium vs Canada – Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – 2pm
November, 23: Morocco vs Croatia – Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor – 5am
November, 27: Belgium vs Morocco – Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor – 8am
November, 27: Croatia vs Canada – Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan – 11am
December, 1: Croatia vs Belgium – Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan – 10am
December, 1: Canada vs Morocco – Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor – 10am

Group G schedule​

November, 24: Brazil vs Serbia – Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail – 2pm
November, 24: Switzerland vs Cameroon – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – 5am
November, 28: Brazil vs Switzerland – Stadium 974, Doha – 11am
November, 28: Cameroon vs Serbia – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – 5am
December, 2: Cameroon vs Brazil – Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail – 2pm
December, 2: Serbia vs Switzerland – Stadium 974, Doha – 2pm

Group H schedule​

November, 24: Portugal vs Ghana – Stadium 974, Doha – 11am
November, 24: Uruguay vs South Korea – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan – 8am
November, 28: Portugal vs Uruguay – Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail – 2pm
November, 28: South Korea vs Ghana – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan – 8am
December, 2: South Korea vs Portugal – Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan – 10am
December, 2: Ghana vs Uruguay – Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah – 10am

 

[Dback Jon]

Having a hard time getting interested in this version.


BUT...


USA! USA! USA!

 

[Zeno]

FiveThirtyEight’s 2022 World Cup forecast​

2022 World Cup teams by title odds, according to the FiveThirtyEight forecast model

	ODDS TO …
TEAM▲▼	GROUP▲▼	SPI RK▲▼	MAKE RD OF 16▲▼	WIN GROUP▲▼	MAKE FINAL▲▼	WIN FINAL ▲▼
Brazil	G	1	91%	72%	32%	22%
Spain	E	2	81	47	19	11
France	D	5	83	55	17	9
Argentina	C	6	84	60	16	8
Portugal	H	4	81	53	15	8
Germany	E	3	76	40	14	7
England	B	7	80	55	15	7
Netherlands	A	7	79	53	12	6
Denmark	D	11	65	29	7	3
Uruguay	H	10	65	30	7	3
Belgium	F	9	62	36	6	3
Croatia	F	12	54	28	4	2
Switzerland	G	13	48	13	4	1
United States	B	16	53	22	4	1
Mexico	C	17	54	21	3	1
Senegal	A	18	51	21	3	1
Ecuador	A	19	48	19	3	1
Morocco	F	15	46	21	3	1
Serbia	G	14	41	11	3	1
Japan	E	21	34	11	2	<1
Canada	F	20	37	15	2	<1
Poland	C	22	38	13	1	<1
South Korea	H	23	36	12	1	<1
Tunisia	D	24	31	10	1	<1
Iran	B	27	34	12	1	<1
Wales	B	25	32	11	1	<1
Cameroon	G	26	20	4	<1	<1
Saudi Arabia	C	30	24	7	<1	<1
Australia	D	28	22	6	<1	<1
Qatar	A	32	22	7	<1	<1
Ghana	H	29	18	5	<1	<1
Costa Rica	E	31	8	2	<1	<1

SOURCE: ESPN

 

[Zeno]

US Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Luton Town/ENG; 8/0; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 10/0; Lilburn, Ga.), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 20/0; Park Ridge, N.J.)

DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 11/0; Southend-on-Sea, England), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 19/2; Almere, Netherlands), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 29/3; Oak Hills, Calif.), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 15/1; Powder Springs, Ga.), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 46/1; St. Louis, Mo.), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 29/2; Liverpool, England), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 3/0; Lake Grove, N.Y.), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; 75/0; Seattle, Wash.), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 33/3; Lawrenceville, Ga.)


MIDFIELDERS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 24/6; Medford, N.J.), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC; 53/2; Plano, Texas), Tyler Adams (Leeds United/ENG; 32/1; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 12/0; San Diego, Calif.), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 37/9; Little Elm, Texas), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 19/0; London, England), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 32/0; Pico Rivera, Calif.)


FORWARDS (7): Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 15/7; McKinney, Texas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 49/11; Mercer Island, Wash.), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 52/21; Hershey, Pa.), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 14/4; Bedford, N.Y.), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 20/5; O’Fallon, Mo.), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 25/3; Rosedale, N.Y.), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor/TUR; 3/1; Los Angeles, Calif.)


The 26-player squad is the USMNT’s second-youngest World Cup roster with an average age of 25 years, 175 days when the USA takes the field on Nov. 21 against Wales.

 

[Zeno]

Weird having a WC during the Holiday season but here we are. I am still looking forward to it.

I will be on a cruise from the 26th - Dec 3rd so I will just have to watch the match against Iran while I am onboard. I was on a cruise the last time we were in a WC and they broadcast the match against Ghana on the big screen by the pool, that was pretty cool.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I'm looking forward to lots of sleep lost and watching as much of the games as I can.

 

[Stout]

It kind of helps me having it this time of the year, as I have some time off to watch.

Also, the first match is 11am Eastern, if that makes a difference to anyone.

 

[Lorenzo]

Having a hard time getting interested in this version.


BUT...


USA! USA! USA!

I've kind of been the same way. this is so weird with it being in November and in Qatar, but within the last couple days I'm starting to get excited. mostly because I am excited about the USA team again.

 

[Lorenzo]

well I'm in Korea, I have to figure out the schedule. I might be watching some live and some replays. If I can on the weekends, I'll try to get out of the room and watch some of them with the locals.

 

[Zeno]

Already starting off wonderfully for the fans attending the games...

Qatar is banning all beer sales at and around its World Cup stadiums, in a dramatic U-turn just two days before the massive soccer tournament begins, world soccer governing body FIFA confirmed on Friday.

Qatar to ban beer at World Cup stadiums in dramatic reversal two days before tournament starts

The conservative, gas-rich Muslim nation does not fully ban alcohol for visitors, but its sale and consumption is strictly controlled.

www.cnbc.com

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Already starting off wonderfully for the fans attending the games...

Qatar is banning all beer sales at and around its World Cup stadiums, in a dramatic U-turn just two days before the massive soccer tournament begins, world soccer governing body FIFA confirmed on Friday.

Qatar to ban beer at World Cup stadiums in dramatic reversal two days before tournament starts

The conservative, gas-rich Muslim nation does not fully ban alcohol for visitors, but its sale and consumption is strictly controlled.

www.cnbc.com

Is anyone really shocked?

 

[Lorenzo]

not shocked, some were hoping that there would be beer at the stadium in designated areas so that they can get there early and pregame. I guess the biggest concern will be if people break the law there and get arrested for basic things we do everyday in the west. they are very strict.

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

Sounds like almost everything is banned in Qatar. Beer? Holding hands? LGBT? Freedom of speech? Sounds like an awesome place to hold the biggest international event... lol.

 

[Stout]

Sounds like almost everything is banned in Qatar. Beer? Holding hands? LGBT? Freedom of speech? Sounds like an awesome place to hold the biggest international event... lol.

And the head of FIFA just went on an over an hour-long rant about how awesome Qatar was, how welcoming and innovative and blah blah blah, all while spewing a ton of whataboutism. Oh yeah--he's been living in Qatar for about a year and there's just no way his pocket's been lined. No way!

 

[Zeno]

And the head of FIFA just went on an over an hour-long rant about how awesome Qatar was, how welcoming and innovative and blah blah blah, all while spewing a ton of whataboutism. Oh yeah--he's been living in Qatar for about a year and there's just no way his pocket's been lined. No way!

He went so far as insinuating that anyone who criticized the WC being in Qatar was racist.

 

[Stout]

He went so far as insinuating that anyone who criticized the WC being in Qatar was racist.

Bought hook, line, and sinker.

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

And the head of FIFA just went on an over an hour-long rant about how awesome Qatar was, how welcoming and innovative and blah blah blah, all while spewing a ton of whataboutism. Oh yeah--he's been living in Qatar for about a year and there's just no way his pocket's been lined. No way!

I'm sure it's awesome if you're a rich straight male! Gotta admire fifa and how openly corrupt they are.

 

[Stout]

Well, it starts in just under an hour. I'll be rooting against Qatar for any number of reasons. I put in some silly bets for the WC, and some I expect to pay off. As I'm new to Draft Kings, I got a lot of free bets and such, so I should come out making money even with some silly bets. Benzema getting injured really sucks, though.

 

[Stout]

Qatar goes down with a whimper. Easily could have been by more. And one of my silly prop bets is alive! Valencia scored and Ecuador won! Now if Kane scores and England win, I'll already bank $210 bucks. Seeing as I'll also win money if England make the knockout stages but immediately get knocked out, go England!

 

[Dback Jon]

Hope Qatar doesn’t score a goal all tournament

 

[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[Stout]

Well, yeah.

 

[Chaplin]

Iran no match for England. We better blow them out when we play them.

 

[Chaplin]

6-1 and they are adding 10 minutes of extra time. 14 minutes added at the end of the first half.

That's ridiculous -- they are doing it simply because they are afraid the games are going to be too short. In a 6-1 game, that feels especially cruel to the losers.