Other Games 2025-26

[Dogtanian]

Awful game against Slovenia in the U21s.

[DeKuip]

Going to be a long game for Auckland. 4-0 20 minutes gone

To be fair to West Auckland they did qualify as World champions 1909 and 1911 - the ones who are still alive are in their 130s!

[Toronto Villa]

Finished 10-0 to Bayern. No goals in 61 for England’s hero captain.

[Dogtanian]

Netherlands 1-0 up against Denmark in the U21s. Maatsen is back at leftback

[tomd2103]

This is just a preseason friendly in the US with 100 million at the end of it. Boring watch and listen to on 5.

It's not preseason though, it's an extension of the last season.  Wonder if we'll hear managers who have spent the last months complaining about fixture congestion in domestic competitions complaining about this one? 

[OCD]

The World Club Cup is just FIFA trying to milk the game and it's too eliteist. Man City and Chelsea make enough money. I hope it's a huge flop.

[Toronto Villa]

Chances are it won’t be a huge flop. And even less chance it will be canceled. In fact it’s moving to 48 teams. The early games are like all early games in major international competitions. There can be some odd or one sided results. Back in the day, at the 82 WC, Hungary were beating El Salvador 10-0 and over time we haven’t really seen those kinds of results. I’ve no allegiance. I’m only watching as it’s better than baseball here in North America where I have very little interest. And I get to see sides like Boca or River Plate that I wouldn’t otherwise. It’s really just a bridge to the next season much like the WC or European Championships is.

[Dave]

Chances are it won’t be a huge flop. And even less chance it will be canceled. In fact it’s moving to 48 teams

As long as the prize money always lots of zeroes on it, it'll eventually become huge. Give it twenty years and people will consider it just as important part of the domestic calendar as the Champions League.

[Toronto Villa]

Yep they will keep throwing money at it. And when you see PIF being advertised and promoted then you know where much of the motivation and financing will come from and be influenced by. This event will inevitably end up in Qatar or Saudi at some point.

[Dave]

Yep they will keep throwing money at it. And when you see PIF being advertised and promoted then you know where much of the motivation and financing will come from and be influenced by. This event will inevitably end up in Qatar or Saudi at some point.

Presumably it'll be in Saudi Arabia in 2033 as a dress rehearsal for the 2034 World Cup.

[cdbearsfan]

It's too hot. I can imagine them messing about with one season to accommodate a winter World Cup, as they did when it was in Qatar, but not two.

[johnc]

Yep they will keep throwing money at it. And when you see PIF being advertised and promoted then you know where much of the motivation and financing will come from and be influenced by. This event will inevitably end up in Qatar or Saudi at some point.

Presumably it'll be in Saudi Arabia in 2033 as a dress rehearsal for the 2034 World Cup.

And I see Saudi are competing the Concacaf. The North American Euros.
Maybe Ireland should look for a move to Oceania. We might qualify

[Toronto Villa]

It's too hot. I can imagine them messing about with one season to accommodate a winter World Cup, as they did when it was in Qatar, but not two.

yeh this competition will definitely move to the winter at some point based on where it is held.

[john e]

The biggest problem is that it’s an invitational
There’s no merit system really as to who competes

At least with the champions league every single team that play in Europe Technically have a chance of winning it
Same with the domestic FA cup for all English teams professional and amateur

[cdbearsfan]

It isn't an invitational, and there is merit to who qualifies (even allowing for the deliberately manipulated criteria to ensure Messi would be in it).