2025 World Cup Draw

Is anyone else watching this load of crap that is billed as the draw for the World Cup?

Bill,

It is nauseating and tedious.

Bill, I couldn't stomach it.

Not with fat boy Trump on hand.

Mike

You're missing the Rio Ferdinand comedy hour. Incredible stuff amazed he never made it as a stand-up.

Now they're bringing out Wayne Gretzsky for some reason. It's like a more boring, longer version of the Eurovision Song Contest.

For fuck's sake, now they have to name the teams in Pot 1, then draw them out of a hat.

We already know who the seeds are, why drag it out as if Cape Verde are going to creep in there as a surprise package???

Only the Americans can make Comedy Hour for a draw for the World Cup.

Gretzky is Trump's boyfriend.

The weirdest thing about this corruptly run event is the fact they still haven't decided where some games will be played and will do so by an opaque process overnight.

So presently, people who've bought tickets (currently going for $500 at a minimum) in Kansas City are waiting to find out which of the 20 June fixtures they will see. On one hand, it could be Germany v Ivory Coast. One of the giants against a decent African side capable of an upset. The other option is the match-up of Ecuador v Curacao.

Likewise, on 27 June, we will either have Argentina playing in Kansas City or Austria v Jordan. Talk about variability in getting your money's worth!!

Only in America. That was embarrassing from start to finish. So many cringe moments.

It is a long while since I saw something so out of place as Lauryn Hill and the lads in front of all the suits. Hard-boiled egg Infantino might have well got down on his knees and unzipped the president.

I am dreading what the Yanks will do in June. I know it will be tacky. And they will, needless to say, combine the 250th anniversary with the World Cup.

Today was utterly crass. And what the fuck was Ferdinand doing there? Wonder if the President will gatecrash the winners' trophy celebrations again.

And, of course, there was pure politics of the worthless first FIFA peace prize, dreamed up by brown nose Infantino.

Does anyone know if it was openly competitively with multiple nominations that were all taken seriously by a panel of experts on global politics and war or was it Rio Ferdinand, Geoff Nulty, and Gazza?

Paul

Lauren Hill was bizarre but of all people, Rio Ferdinand? A guy who's most notable international moment came when Roy Hodgson controversially left him out of the World Cup squad after his brother was allegedly racially abused by John Terry.

Couldn't they have got someone from one of the hosts nations -- like Rio, they never won anything either. Or a World Cup winner who lives in the US, like Klinsmann?

They could even have got a Mexican, Kieran.

I never really rated Ferdinand as the complete central defender when he was playing but it's bizarre that people are questioning his stature for this sort of thing. He always was feted by the media and has had a significant media involvement since he stopped playing.

I actually applaud the antics being on display, because finally stuff that has been going on surreptitiously since forever is now there for everyone to see and be nauseated by.

If you are only decrying it now, then you weren't aware the world has been run by (and for) the high and mighty, egged on by their endless sycophants, for many decades at least and you really have no discernment whatsoever.

Si,

Ferdinand was never ever of the stature to do this, unless, of course, he was chosen to match the overall cringe factor of the event. What did he actually win in the international game?

I'm so grateful that you have opened my eyes in your last paragraph after years and years of blindness.

Kudos to Andrea Bocelli, he was amazing. I quit watching after him because it was so fucking horrible, but checked out the groups later.

Tough draw for Scotland. Morocco was the best team to watch in the previous World Cup by far, I would not take them lightly.

England should not take Ghana lightly either.

The World Cup. Who gives a shit?

Si

Strange post. No one is surprised at all the corruption. But moreso the weirdness of it.

As Paul said, Rio has zero stature in terms of World Cups. In his lifetime, there have been 11 World Cups. How many did he win? How many finals did he play in? How many semi finals? How many golden gloves? Golden boots? 0 0 0 0 and 0.

Gary Lineker has more credentials as a presenter and won the Golden Boot. So even if you limit yourself to English people for some reason, then he'd be a better pick. There's a fellow named Geoff Hurst who's still alive also. But hope about any other player or manager who's won a World Cup? Or someone from a host nation?

Imagine if there was a big celebration of football on Merseyside and as host we had Claus Thomsen or Westerveld? Wouldn't you find that weird? They'd be more obvious choices for that than Rio was today.

Rio may have been there because Fox Sports, which carried the draw here, is negotiating to hire him as a pundit for the World Cu[ broadcasts.

To our Yank viewers, Fox has already announced NBC pundits Rebecca Lowe and Thierry Henry as hosts for its World Cup studio segments. Their NBC colleagues Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher have been passed over in favor of former USMNT players Alexi Lalas (an obnoxious turd) and Stu Holden (actually quite good).

Good news on Micah Richards who is utterly embarrassing with his fake larger-than-life laugh.

Complete mediocrity as a pundit. Dodged a bullet there.

What the fuck is this doing on ToffeeWeb?

As I said after the new betting site was launched; ToffeeWeb Mk 2 = Goodison News + the chance to loose loads of money.

It was taken down. Garbage.

Mike #20, there might just be some Everton players in some of those teams, hence of interest to some readers?

Also, on a wider football scale, there will be many Everton supporters watching the World Cup (not me).

So why not generate revenue for the site by catering to them rather than have them go somewhere else?

The moaning in here...

Never change, Evertonians.

Mike

If it was about Fox, why not have the other guy you mentioned — Thierry Henry, a World Cup winner, as host? Also someone who, as a second language English speaker, is more coherent than Rio?

Kieran #23,

I haven't a clue. It was just a wild guess.

I watched (endured) some of that last night -- mainly the draw which in itself was a pretty horrible half-hour.

I stuck with it really because I couldn't believe how an event like this could be staged so crassly. It was like one of those weird, slightly voyeuristic occasions that you have to see live just so you can say you witnessed it happening in real time.

I support Everton over any international football and will, I expect, be taking a casual interest in the World Cup but frankly, this football supporter is looking forward to it being over and done with.

Wow, some people are touchy!

The last paragraph was actually aimed at the (sort of) people who have phoned in to a national radio station to say they will be boycotting next year's World Cup because of the open pandering to the megalomaniacal ‘leader of the free world' at the event.

I didn't actually think I was pointing the finger at anyone on here, just fed up with how slow on the uptake the majority of the population appear to be when it comes to how much our society has been allowed to devolve.

Kieran,

I don't see the media exercising common sense or restraint very often when it comes to trying to find ‘consumers'. As far as I can tell, they just pick their favourites and promote them endlessly.

Whether Rio Ferdinand has won anything or not is immaterial to the suits who probably think he appeals to multiple groups. The Man Utd fans and the Londoners probably do relate to him more than the likes of Lineker, and there are more of them than there are of us.

Mike Keating,

I think your first question has been amply answered in the array of comments above.

If you don't like the World Cup (which appears in the title of the article), you are free to avoid clicking on the link, you don't have to read the article, and you are certainly not compelled to comment. Which begs the question... why did you?

And your scintillating observation was not 'taken down' (although it was, as you say, 'garbage'); it is still there @313 on the ToffeeWeb Team thread.

I reckon Ferdinand was picked as everybody else said "Piss Off" when they heard the Orange Turd Baby was attending and receiving a Peace award for bringing people together all over the World!!

Infantino must be replaced after this World Cup. What ever happened to jumpers for goal posts??

Mike @20,

The World Cup doesn't feature Everton but it does feature Everton players who may get injured during it or attract bids from other clubs, and players we may recruit as a consequence of their performances. So it's relevant.

Can we have a World Cup ticket price chat?

I'm astonished how the beautiful people's game has been sold down the river.

I'd boycot stadiums.

Tickets to Fifa's showpiece event are as much as seven times more expensive than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the lowest price ticket at that event costing £450.

Also, in a departure from recent tournaments, group stage games are priced based on the perceived popularity of the teams involved, rather than at a flat rate.

This means, for example, England fans face paying more than Scotland.

The England Supporters' Travel Club (ESTC) called the prices a "slap in the face" for supporters.

Fifa has not provided details yet on how this "popularity" has been determined.

In Qatar, group stage fixtures had set prices of £68.50, £164.50 and £219.

But for England's match against Croatia on 17 June, tickets cost £198, £373 or £523.

England v Ghana is £164, £320 and £447, with England v Panama £164, £346 and £462.

BBC Sport.

It might not be easy but let the fans of the world unite and just just boycott the World Cup games.

Regarding the World Cup ticket pricing.

Some fans will pay whatever it costs. But if enough say no, then let FIFA and the orange-headed one fill the grounds with corporate cronies. The matches will lack real atmosphere.

This always had the ring of a competition that would fall flat on its face. Too much hype and back-scratching. It will hopefully mark the beginning of the end for FIFA.

I was amazed that it didn't implode after the farce of the Qatar World Cup 'vote'. A major PR disaster could be just what the sport needs.

Paul Kossoff,

I just registered as a fan of Austria to improve my chances of getting tickets, lol. They are playing here in Kansas City.

But still even with corporations etc buying up tickets, I can't see a full house for games involving Uzbekistan etc so the scalpers are going to lose money on some of these tickets.

Kieran,

It's not scalpers, it's Fifa.

On the price of World Cup tickets. Simply don't go.

Let them play in empty stadiums. They won't overprice again.

But fans will pay the silly prices, that's why they get away with it.

Paul,

Which World Cup games are you going to in Kansas City?

I’ve applied for all available in the latest draw. May see you there, mate!