FIFA World Cup 2026

[ChillVein]

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[Musings]

Egypt take an early lead against the Aussies

 

[ChillVein]

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[ChillVein]

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[Master Chief]

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But one must remember, they play LOADS MORE games per world cup than the heroes of yesteryear ever did. It is a flawed comparison.

 

[_Arabia_]

Egypt should advance against this Australia team. Last representatives of the Arab world along with Morocco. 2 Arab teams among the last 16 teams would be somewhat acceptable on paper.

A lot is about the luck of draw.

Egypt had the perfect group to advance from for the first in World Cup history (weakest World Cup group on paper) and Australia is also (on paper at least) one of the easiest opponents that you can face at this stage. However you need to do the job and they have done it so far.

They have a lot of good players as well such as Salah (even at his age), Marmoush and the rest.

Egypt could trouble Argentina if they stay compact and try to punish the Argentines on the counter.

 

[Aryan_B]

The Chinese excel at everything but football. Hard to believe that they can't find 11 good players among 1.3 billion people.

They even invested a lot of money in football for a while but it didn't work. I remember they hired Marcello Lippi and Fabio Cannavaro but they played the same football.

Population and faciities in time will deliver results

 

[Aziqbal]

Ghana please be the African team to go through

Morocco and so far Egypt look good

Hope Egypt can make it

Palestinian flag visible by supporters

 

[Master Chief]

Aus 1 - 1 Egypt.

Harry Soutar with the equaliser.

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

Aus 1 - 1 Egypt.

Harry Soutar with the equaliser.

Now watch the next Egypt goal or two be denied for some obscure reason.

 

[Master Chief]

No wait.

Own goal by Hany.

He also scored an own goal against Belgium.

 

[ghazi52]

GOAL - Australia 1-1 Egypt
​

Mohamed Hany own goal (54 mins)

Australia finally make a set piece count as a free kick swung in from the left is flicked in.

It looked initially as if Harry Souttar had scored, but the final touch was off Egypt defender Mohamed Hany.

That's Hany's second own goal of the tournament. He's had quite the start to the second half after that earlier blow to the head.

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

A heavily jeered $250m goldmine - are hydration break ads here to stay?​

World Cup hydration breaks are being treated as tactical timeouts by teams, and a money-making machine by some broadcasters

Daniel Austin
BBC Sport senior journalist
19 June 2026

Four minutes and 20 seconds per match. Or seven hours, 30 minutes and 40 seconds across the tournament.

That's how much extra TV advertising some football fans around the world are watching during mandatory hydration breaks at the World Cup.

While viewers in the UK watching on BBC and ITV are seeing players refuel and hearing extra tactical insight from pundits, spectators elsewhere are taken away from the football to see companies selling their products.

The ads are allowed to begin 20 seconds after the referee blows the whistle for the three-minute pause midway through each half, and must end 30 seconds before the action starts again.

That works out as a potential eight extra 30-second ad slots per match for each broadcaster in each country - 832 between the start and end of the competition.

Experts have told BBC Sport that an average 30-second World Cup ad slot on Fox Sports costs between $200,000 (£152,000) and $300,000 (£227,000), rising to $750,000 (£567,000) during USA matches and the final stages.

That means advertising during hydration breaks is likely to generate more than $250m (£189m) in the USA alone.

The breaks have disrupted the momentum of matches, brought heavy criticism from managers and players, and drawn loud jeers from supporters at almost every venue.

But, in which countries are the ads being shown, how do they work, and what could it mean for the future of football?

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

Would be interested to know that myself.