Deschamps was asked in his presser just now and there is a quiet concern that the Western countries are going to boycott the world cup at the last minute.

Would be a shame imo... but it's happened before notably with the Olympics. So I wouldn't necessarily say it's impossible. Not sure what it would accomplish.

I hope they do. Edit: I mean the Qatar world cup, not Russia.

Political suicide for any president/pm/chancellor that tries this. Never going to happen.

More chance of me going out with Miriam Leone than this
Absolutely impossible .
FIFA sanctions, sponsors, football player who dream WC more than everything and imagine if they don't go it for a political matter
Football overcomes these things, otherwise Argentina' 78 would have not been played.

wait, what? why ?

To be honest it would kind of make sense if England did so.

What Russia did releasing a nerve agent in their capital, to kill a former agent living there as a resident, is kind of a big deal.

Russia is the last nation on Earth that should be hosting a world cup this year.

I mean, the USA has already decided to boycott, so I do think other nations should follow suit

I wonder what would happen if the UK announces sanctions and Russia in response bans UK players from the world cup?

If you're a KGB agent and defect to British Secret Services, being poisoned is fair game IMO. Haven't you seen any movies?
Absolutely no need for all of us innocent and perfectly harmless world citizens to be deprived of our football main event.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I would de what would happen if the UK announces sanctions and Russia in response bans UK players from the world cup?

Prove what we already know that nobody is ready for England imo.

I think the main issue is that there were a lot of bystanders who were affected but not killed by the nerve agent, iirc. That's not fair game.

CBarca wrote:I mean, the USA has already decided to boycott, so I do think other nations should follow suit

Italy and the Netherlands will join the U.S. in solidarity as allies!

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I think the main  issue is that there were a lot of bystanders who were affected but not killed by the nerve agent, iirc. That's not fair game.

Right. It's common knowledge that basically every government on earth targets defected spies. But Russia showed a complete lack of concern for innocent bystanders.

frankly it's a disgrace that more of an uproar isn't happening over this, football is the least of concerns. Everyone allied with the UK should be boycotting the World Cup though..however doing so doesn't really change anything and I do like my football especially with the regular season over IMO. Plus I think this is the year that football is coming home and we win it tbh.

Absolutely delusional

Everyone said the same thing about the Olympics.... it comes down to how hostile things get between now and May.

Can other countries take their place? You know, like mine?!

Ffs Russia if you're going to whack somebody do it with something more controlled.


I'd have done it for free tickets to the later stages of the WC.

Doc wrote:Can other countries take their place? You know, like mine?!

I wouldn't be against that I'm down for a month long party tbh.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

Doc wrote:Can other countries take their place? You know, like mine?!

I wouldn't be against that I'm down for a month long party tbh.

Not sure if I'll be in Russia but I definitely would be intoxicated for like a whole month on this forum. Or at least the group stages...since we won't be going any further.

Show some proof first imo

Not gonna happen

Shouldn't have chosen Russia in the first place. Now it's too late

Also, Putin is a dictator with a license to kill both home and abroad.

There is footage of Ballot stuffing from their election yesterday:


The royal family boycotting the games is a sign of political soft power, but also one of common sense. Would anybody of importance risk going over there when they can poison an old pensioner and his daughter in the middle of the UK?

The one good thing about the US not making the world cup this year is we wont have to sit back, hold our nose, and listen to analysts on Fox try to wax lyrical about what Russia is today. We know what it is. A poor nation with broken elections headed by a KGB thug.

Hopefully in 2026 we can finally have a world cup again people will actually want to go to.

Typical american propaganda.

spot the american imperialist talking trash about their old arch rivals, once again with 0 proof about russian involvement in the killing of a ex-spy, just like they did with Iraq WMD. stfu

Except it's the UK and it's been proven... but carry on lol.