There's going to be a halftime show 💅

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cge1q41np7go

Village People. Goodness me.

Some countries there with populations the size of Bolton.

If ever proof were needed it needs to revert to 32 teams (well, tbh I'd take 16) this was it.

47 minutes ago, Dr Faustus said:

Kinda gutted I’m missing this… like when you keep your focus rather than rubber necking a car crash

You didn’t miss much pal.😊

Win group England will play a 3rd place from group E,H,I,J,K

Finish 2nd and we'll play 2nd place in group K, Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia or pathway 1 (New Caledonia, Jamaica or DR Congo)

 

It's the Greatest draw ever drawn, such greatness, and those who said it wasn't great aren't nice people. We have great things on our side to be a great host to a great competition 

Bit meh really, Mbappe vs Haaland (potential rest game for one or both if they win their first 2) in the last match of that group, Senegal decent too.

Edited December 5, 2025Dec 5 by Didledee

4 minutes ago, Didledee said:

Bit meh really, Mbappe vs Haaland (potential rest game for one or both if they win their first 2) in the last match of that group, Senegal decent too.

Like this new format of the Champions League, some teams could phone it in for the first load of games and find themselves in the last 16 without breaking a sweat.

Well, a sweat from being challenged that is, not sweat from being made to play in bath water heat to suit a European TV kick off time

1 hour ago, RONNIE PHILLIPS said:

They will be halfway through the first group stage before they finish the draw!! Has Rio explained pots one,two, free and four yet?

He should have explained why it's important to pee in a pot if selected for a drugs test

1 hour ago, jmjhb said:

When you think it can't get worse Rio Ferdinand appears

Wobbly gobbed tosser!

1 hour ago, Didledee said:

England get Panama again

theyll have players with proper english names (british?)  like when we played costa rica in japan (or korea). 

made me laugh at the time, but iirc its due to the building of the railways and stuff. 

i dunno if roque santa cruz is still playing, but he were still tying his boots up over there at 39ish .. 

[edit]

dudes 44 now, and still at it. 

cool

Edited December 5, 2025Dec 5 by e2e4
looked it up for laughs, came away impressed

On the one hand

Why not have so many teams 

It is the world cup after all 

I always thought it was unfair the winner of Oceania had to then play off against a loser from South America to get in

On the other hand 

Group L 

Just doesn't seem right

I'm surprised so many are watching this.

Gluttons for punishment. 

Another reason why any kind of interest or passion in England results is just not a thing for me.

Football at the highest level is getting shitter and shitter.

I want Bolton to win every game to get promoted to the championship. I want us to get there so we can play games that feel like they have more importance because they are either local (Blackburn, Preston, Burnley assuming they’re relegated) or just bigger (West Brom, Boro etc).

The issue then comes that id want us to win enough to get promoted… but i now hate everything to do with either the premier league, international football or the top level of the game. It’s wank, its corrupt, its full of VAR and other shit that is so far away from the fundamentals that make you love football that I don’t know why you’d even brother.

Give me a winner at Mansfield away than a “World Cup” win any day of the week

If it wasn't for my lads I wouldn't want us anywhere near the premier league.

2 hours ago, Steejay said:

Can’t believe folks are watching.

So predictable, all of this bollocks.

‘Pointless’ is miles better.

I gave up at 6 as it was really doing my bonce in. Logged into BBC an hour later to see how it had gone and it was still going! I know you expect things like this to be dragged out, but this was something else.

54 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I'm surprised so many are watching this.

Gluttons for punishment. 

Folk love to hate. Probably the highlight of the week for some.

Didn't get home till 7 so watched it on YouTube. Forwarded it to each pot draw ... Job done.

Anyway...

If we don't get a result vs Croatia the game vs Ghana could be interesting given they'll probably win their first game vs Panama. 

Victoria Coren-Mitchell's Only Connect quiz is less complicated than a tournament draw.

35 minutes ago, Traf said:

Victoria Coren-Mitchell's Only Connect quiz is less complicated than a tournament draw.

Ferdinand is a bigger tit though.

9 hours ago, Sweep said:

Add Italy into that of they qualify, they're a great tournament team. Naturally, well be hoping they fail miserably and don't qualify for a third consecutive WC

You're right though, I'd be fairly surprised if the two finalists aren't in that list. I don't see an African team winning it for a long time. 

Obviously the Italian issue is a fraught one for me. If they don't qualify I'll probably need to purloin some Rohypnol. If they do and get a great result or two, a point of shooting salt might be reached.

We all know the continent of Africa has produced and continues to produce great players. The African GOAT played for us. It is my firm belief that their national teams neither have the temperament nor the mental fortitude required to win a World Cup (yet). Happy to be proved wrong as I would imagine that the celebrations would be tumultuous. Don't see it happening any time soon.

2 minutes ago, Jol_BWFC said:

Ferdinand is a bigger tit though.

Rules

Just now, Jol_BWFC said:

Rules

9 hours ago, jmjhb said:

Brazil are shite these days

They certainly haven't been at their imperious best but it would be foolhardy to write them off at a tournament in the Americas. I'll concede however that Argentina are a far more menacing proposition. Likely winners again. Arguably the greatest football nation on Earth.

4 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Thought I'd give it a go ... I lasted less than a minute as Heidi Klum stood a foot taller than Kevin Hart, he tried to 'Hollywood' it and then Infantino came on like he's a showbiz personality.

I haven't even given it a minute.

Just after I signed for the Bolton Braves a term was used to describe some of the things I would experience was "all the razzamatazz". A feeling of foreboding washed over me and I considered not turning up for training.

That same feeling emerged as I considered this flight of fancy farce. Fuck them. Fuck virtue signalling. Just football (please).

4 hours ago, frank_spencer said:

It's worth him fucking shit up because it upsets lefties when they point out he's an absolute bellend

You do have a point. Listen to them venting already.

It was always going to be a wankfest yet you were compelled to watch weren't you? Not me. Other than cringeworthy news snippets which I have found to be unavoidable, I wouldn't waste my time.

3 hours ago, Steejay said:

Can’t believe folks are watching.

So predictable, all of this bollocks.

‘Pointless’ is miles better.

Still amongst the wise ones I see.