Now that US has qualified and groups will be released tomorrow, I guess this thread is appropriate.

Canada's in for the first time since 1986!

draw tomorrow at this time I think.

For anyone who wants to simulate the World Cup draw before it happens on Friday, click on the link below. Every time you refresh the page you get a different simulated draw.

https://stattosoftware.com/wc2022/

Wake up early on the day after Thanksgiving, not to go shopping, but to watch USMNT v. England.

England fans must be thrilled with this draw. They have a very winnable group, and if they win it, they play the runners-up in Group A and that's likely to be an even more winnable game.

Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Netherlands, Senegal

Group B: England, Iran, USA, Scotland/Wales/Ukraine

Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

Group D: France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia

Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan

Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

I like the USs chances of getting past the group stage, and making it to the QF.

(04-01-2022 12:26 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Wake up early on the day after Thanksgiving, not to go shopping, but to watch USMNT v. England.

As it turns out, don't have to wake up early. All three of the USMNT group stage games get the latest start, 10 pm Qatar time, 11 am PT, 2 pm ET.

USMNT v. Scotland or Ukraine or Wales -- Nov. 21
USMNT v. England -- Nov. 25
USMNT v. Iran -- Nov. 29

(04-01-2022 08:14 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(04-01-2022 12:26 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Wake up early on the day after Thanksgiving, not to go shopping, but to watch USMNT v. England.

As it turns out, don't have to wake up early. All three of the USMNT group stage games get the latest start, 10 pm Qatar time, 11 am PT, 2 pm ET.

USMNT v. Scotland or Ukraine or Wales -- Nov. 21
USMNT v. England -- Nov. 25
USMNT v. Iran -- Nov. 29

All the games will be the last time slot: 2PM Eastern/11AM Western. Perfect for me.

so how about this for if the US advances:
finish 1st Sun 12/4 10pm/3pm ET
finish 2nd Sat 12/3 6pm/11am ET

Fox is praying that we finish 2nd I think.

(04-01-2022 10:02 PM)stever20 Wrote:  so how about this for if the US advances:
finish 1st Sun 12/4 10pm/3pm ET
finish 2nd Sat 12/3 6pm/11am ET

Fox is praying that we finish 2nd I think.

Yea. Going head to head with the NFL isn't a good idea.

(04-01-2022 10:02 PM)stever20 Wrote:  so how about this for if the US advances:
finish 1st Sun 12/4 10pm/3pm ET
finish 2nd Sat 12/3 6pm/11am ET

Fox is praying that we finish 2nd I think.

Maybe in the short term, but the USMNT is much more likely to advance to a second knockout game if they finish first in the group. Second in the group is likely to face the Netherlands in the first knockout round.

will be interesting to see what the NFL schedule is that weekend. Still would have some byes in play that weekend.

If we finish 2nd it'll make the CCG Saturday really interesting as well- US game going up against the noon kickoff of Big 12

(04-01-2022 12:26 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Wake up early on the day after Thanksgiving, not to go shopping, but to watch USMNT v. England.

England fans must be thrilled with this draw. They have a very winnable group, and if they win it, they play the runners-up in Group A and that's likely to be an even more winnable game.

Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Netherlands, Senegal

Group B: England, Iran, USA, Scotland/Wales/Ukraine

Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

Group D: France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia

Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan

Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

Guesses (first, second):
A - Netherlands, Senegal
> Weak group; Senegal provides a difficult side
B - USA, England
> USA and England both play down to the level of their competition; USA edges England on goal differential
C - Argentina, Poland
> Mexico has looked poor in qualifying; Poland won’t be easy
D - France, Denmark
> Fairly cut-and-dry
E - Germany, Spain
> Could be flipped: I expect Japan to play both tough
F - Belgium, Canada
> Croatia is different than in 2018; Canada was the best in CONCACAF qualifying and looks good
G - Brazil, Switzerland
> Fairly cut-and-dry
H - Portugal, Uruguay
> “Group of Death” in the sense that any 2 of the 4 could advance in any order

(04-01-2022 10:26 PM)stever20 Wrote:  will be interesting to see what the NFL schedule is that weekend. Still would have some byes in play that weekend.

If we finish 2nd it'll make the CCG Saturday really interesting as well- US game going up against the noon kickoff of Big 12

Fox’s announced TV schedule has the round of 16 matches on Sunday 12/4 on FS1. USMNT would play at 11 am PT that Sunday if they win their group, and at 7 am PT Saturday 12/3 on Fox OTA if they finish 2nd in their group. I bet Fox would switch that Sunday game to the OTA network if USMNT is in it.

Here’s a link to the Fox World Cup TV schedule.

https://mcusercontent.com/4ef9e48118d623...r_2022.pdf

(04-14-2022 11:15 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(04-01-2022 10:26 PM)stever20 Wrote:  will be interesting to see what the NFL schedule is that weekend. Still would have some byes in play that weekend.

If we finish 2nd it'll make the CCG Saturday really interesting as well- US game going up against the noon kickoff of Big 12

Fox’s announced TV schedule has the round of 16 matches on Sunday 12/4 on FS1. USMNT would play at 11 am PT that Sunday if they win their group, and at 7 am PT Saturday 12/3 on Fox OTA if they finish 2nd in their group. I bet Fox would switch that Sunday game to the OTA network if USMNT is in it.

I don't think they would. the NFL is the absolute king of everything. They aren't going to piss off the NFL to air any soccer match. NFL Sundays early games draw about 15 million viewers. Pretty much nothing would change that. Also if the game goes to extra time, the game wouldn't end to about 5pm, which messes up everything for the day. In the US NFL > World Cup Soccer, even with the US team involved.

The last time the USMNT played a World Cup knockout match, in 2014, 16.5 million watched in the US on ESPN, for a weekday game that started at 9 am PT / noon ET.

For a knockout match on a Sunday on Fox OTA, the audience would be larger.

I wonder if Fox could work out a trade with NBC for that week - NBC gets the regional games, Fox gets Sunday Night Football.

(04-15-2022 01:08 AM)Wedge Wrote:  The last time the USMNT played a World Cup knockout match, in 2014, 16.5 million watched in the US on ESPN, for a weekday game that started at 9 am PT / noon ET.

For a knockout match on a Sunday on Fox OTA, the audience would be larger.

Fox isn't going to wreck their entire Sunday NFL schedule for that though. Their relationship with the NFL means far more to them than the World Cup. Especially if it's a DH Sunday- the 2nd games draw 25 million plus.