The World Cup is here! Whether you like it or not. So, just like we look up all the rules to curling every four years, it’s time to learn just enough about the Seattle World Cup matches to have a good time watching them.
Belgium vs. Egypt
June 15, noon
What to know: Egypt’s Mo Salah is the player to watch in this match. He’s arguably been one of the best soccer players in the world for the last decade, and when he’s not playing in the World Cup, he plays for reigning champion Liverpool of the English Premier League. Egypt didn’t make it into the World Cup in 2022, so they’ve got something to prove this year. (Fun fact: The team has been camping out in Spokane, using the Gonzaga fields to practice in the lead-up to this game.) Belgium, on the other hand, hasn’t lost a qualifying match for a major tournament in 16 years, but they had a harder time getting into the games than usual this year. The Athletic described them as a “dark horse,” even though they’re usually one of the favorites. If you like rooting for an underdog, Belgium might be your team in this one.
USA vs. Australia
June 19, noon
What to know: So, in 2026, are we rooting for Team USA? If the Winter Olympics are any indication, we still are. But allow me to offer a counterpoint: The Australian team’s official nickname is the Socceroos. No matter whom you decide to cheer for, Australian fans definitely bring the energy: A Women’s World Cup viewing party at Melbourne’s Federation Square got so rowdy that they temporarily banned the party this year (it’s since been unbanned, but Australian officials had to acknowledge the risk of “a few dickheads”). It’s also been a weird couple of years for the team. In 2024, in the middle of their World Cup qualifying process, their head coach resigned, saying it was a “gut decision.” (It was after a couple rough losses in a row.) Unrelated to any of this, this game will also officially be the Juneteenth game.
Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar
June 24, noon
What to know: This is only the second time that either of these teams has qualified for the World Cup. (To be fair, Bosnia-Herzegovina didn’t exist until 1992). When Italy found out their qualifying game would be against Bosnia, they literally cheered. So for Bosnians (and anyone who doesn’t like smug Italians) beating them and making it to the World Cup is a big fucking deal. During the game, pay attention to 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegović, he’s the team’s “one to watch.” Not to be outshone, this is a big one for Qatar, too. It’s the first World Cup they’ve qualified for through the traditional route (in 2022, they got in because they were the host country). For this one, we suggest a drinking game: Take a shot every time an announcer finds another way to pronounce “Qatar.”
Egypt vs. IR Iran
June 26, 8 pm
What to know: This is a fun one because, as of presstime, we aren’t confident that Iran will actually show up to play. The absurdity started in December when, by absolute luck of the draw, Egypt and Iran, two countries that criminalize homosexuality, were selected to play Seattle’s Pride game. The Egyptian Football Association sent a formal letter to FIFA asking that no gay stuff happen at their game. And then, the US and Israeli governments decided to start a war with Iran, and the Pride game became the least of their issues. So now, they aren’t just trying to decide if they can ignore all the Pride flags; they’re trying to decide if they’re willing to play in a country that is consistently either bombing or threatening to bomb them. In May, the Iranian soccer federation gave FIFA a list of demands, including visas for players and staff who were former members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the US considers a terrorist organization. They then had a meeting that FIFA described as “excellent” and Iran’s football federation described as “positive and constructive.” As of May, it’s looking promising, but dear reader, if you’re reading this in June, only you know if they stayed the course.
Round of 32
July 1, 1 pm
This is Seattle’s only game in the Round of 32. We don’t know who’s playing in this game yet, because we don’t know who’s going to win the earlier games in the tournament. The Round of 32 is the beginning of the knockout stage of the tournament. Every game is “sudden death” (which just means that whichever team loses is out of the tournament for good). And they can’t end in a tie—if they do, it goes to 30 minutes of overtime, and if it’s still tied, a penalty shootout.
Round of 16
July 6, 5 pm
You guessed it: just like the Round of 32, this is Seattle’s only Round of 16 game. The same knockout rules apply, with slightly higher stakes. The winners of this round go onto the quarterfinals. But this is Seattle’s last game. The quarterfinals will be in Foxborough, Massachusetts; Inglewood, California; Miami Gardens; and Kansas City, Missouri. The semis are in Arlington, Texas and Atlanta, and the finals are in East Rutherford, New Jersey. HANNAH MURPHY WINTER
How to Enjoy the World Cup by Winning Money Off Your Friends
The World Cup is fun in general because soccer is cool and international competition is exciting. But sometimes, as an American, it’s hard to really get excited about all the teams because the US Men’s National Team is dogshit. The best they’ve ever done was nearly 100 years ago, when they won third place during a tournament that only had 13 other teams. These days, it’s a victory if the US men make it to the Round of 16. So, unless you’re a diehard soccer fan rooting for individual players on their national teams, it’s hard to get balls-to-the-wall excited about a random match.
I have a solution. It is gambling.
But I’m not talking DraftKings or FanDuel bullshit. I’m talking Calcutta auction.
The Calcutta auction is a beautiful thing because it’s social. You and a group of friends will bid on each team. The teams you win will be your precious little teams. If they do well in the tournament, then you could win money. There are typically payouts for the winner, second place, third place, and the team that experienced the biggest blowout.
Step 1: Hold an Auction
Gather a group of friends. You probably want between 10 and 12, so everyone can really get in on the action. You can have more, too. Or fewer. I don’t know your life.
After you’ve found your friends, get together to auction off all the teams. This year’s World Cup is the biggest ever, with 48 teams participating. Everyone in the auction bids on teams with real money that will go into a prize pot.
Go through each team and bid on them until one person wins that team. The bidding starts at $1. Worse teams will go for less money, better teams for more. It can get competitive. (I won Argentina last World Cup, and that was sweet for me. Though it cost me $25. Brazil went for $45! And they lost.)
The teams you end up with are your horses in this race. Their performance is your performance. You now have a rooting interest in this tournament.
Step 2: Enjoy
When you and your friends have teams playing each other, get together to watch. Suddenly, you are Curaçao’s biggest fan, and you wish death upon those fucking New Zealanders. It is good fun!
Step 3: How to Divide Up the Cash
My friends are a stingy bunch, so our prize pot rarely gets to $200. No matter how small, the sum is divided among the winners at the end.
The way my group does it is the champion wins 22.2 percent of the pot, the runner-up wins 15 percent, third place gets 10 percent, fourth place gets 5 percent, and you get 2.5 percent if your team loses in the Round of 16. You’ll get payouts for every team you own that reaches one of those stages. You’ll also earn 2.5 percent of the pot if you have the team that loses the worst. The biggest blowout. This part is easiest if you have a spreadsheet-inclined person in your group. That person is not me.
And those numbers can change depending on what you want to do. Again, it’s your life.
If you win, maybe you just want to treat everyone to a night out. Or, lord your winnings over everyone by buying a new pair of sandals. That’s what I will do if I win again. Lightning can strike twice. NATHALIE GRAHAM
