2026 World Cup Preview

Our preview and prediction ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. How will the host nations of Canada, the USA, and Mexico fare? And will England, Portugal, Spain, and France live up to expectations? We could be on course for a last Ronaldo versus Messi match-up, but can Brazil and Argentina bring further success to South America? Plus, Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States, meaning that he won't be able to referee at this World Cup. And Eddie asks what Gianni Infantino was doing sucking up to Donald Trump if it can't even guarantee entry for key officials. 

Alexander Zverev won the 2026 French Open to claim his first Grand Slam title, but Eddie is disappointed that his controversies overshadowed the tournament. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is nearly upon us, although there are serious concerns over the quality of pitches and playing conditions in the United States. And Christian Eriksen's collapse during Denmark's recent friendly should bring a sad end to an excellent playing career.  Speaking of controversies, England Cricket once again finds itself in hot water after Ben Stokes and Gut Atkinson got into a scuffle in a club in Chelsea. Frank speaks about his recent hockey tournament in Nashville, and Eddie's Fiat Topolino continues to be a target for road rage. 

PSG put themselves into an elite group by winning back-to-back Champions Leagues, but the big takeaway for Eddie was how disappointing and defensive Arsenal were throughout the final. Myles Garrett and AJ Brown were both part of blockbuster trades in the NFL, and Frank and Eddie think that the Garrett trade might be a rare example of both sides making a good deal.  Plus, a Roland Garros full of upsets is going to provide some new Grand Slam champions. Still, Eddie is getting tired of Naomi Osaka making it about everything other than tennis, but he has even stronger thoughts on Jaxson Dart's handling of his Trump backlash. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and Thomas Tuchel has finalized his England squad for the tournament. Frank and Eddie analyze some of his selections. Eddie explains that he understands that the inclusion of Henderson, Madueke, and Gordon shows that Tuchel wants a squad that fits his system, but will it work?  The Premier League season wrapped up with Arsenal as champions, Manchester City slipping up again, and Spurs narrowly avoiding relegation at the expense of West Ham. Roland Garros is underway in Paris, with some of the world's top players on both the ATP and WTA tours protesting prize money, but Eddie thinks they're being tone-deaf with some of their complaints.  Plus, Hull beat Middlesbrough in the Championship playoff final following the controversy of 'spygate'. The Enhanced Games failed to deliver many world records, and would you go out of your way to attend a championship parade? 

Manchester City slipped up again and handed Arsenal their first Premier League title in 22 years, but Eddie is still adamant that they are not the best team in England. The relegation battle goes down to the final day of the season, and will Spurs do enough to stay ahead of West Ham and maintain their Premier League status? And the 'Spygate' punishment is in, should Middlesbrough feel very lucky to find themselves back in the Championship playoffs at the expense of Southampton?  Pep Guardiola's time at Manchester City has come to an end, with Enzo Maresca set to take charge at the Etihad, and Frank and Eddie look ahead to the next couple of seasons to predict who might be challenging for silverware over the next 5 years. Plus, Bevel tells Eddie his biological age, and Frank prepares for his biggest pickleball competition of the season.   

Eddie had a disappointing padel outing, but will Frank be able to cheer him up with the Fox Sports list of the 25 players that will define the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The EFL Championship playoffs have been thrown into disarray as Southampton find themselves in a very British Spygate scandal. Should Middlesbrough be reinstated? Will Hull win in a walkover? Or can Southampton survive the scandal? Plus, the NFL schedule has lined up some good holiday matchups, and more sports teams are following the example of Surrey County Cricket Club by encouraging remote work at their stadiums. 

Arsenal moved one step closer to their first Premier League title in 20 years, but Eddie explains why he didn't like West Ham's equaliser being disallowed, even though it was a foul on David Raya. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, but with hotel occupancy levels well below normal, will things go smoothly in the US, Canada, and Mexico?  Plus, the Diana Rossini and Mike Vrabel scandal continues to escalate, should you swap seats on an airplane, and Eddie's latest YouTube rabbit hole. 

Arsenal and PSG advanced to the Champions League final, although both Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich may feel they were on the wrong side of some controversial refereeing decisions. Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Everton has handed the advantage back to Arsenal in the Premier League title race, but Eddie thinks that there's a good chance that there will be more slip-ups in the final couple of weeks.  Frank decides to ragebait Eddie by bringing up Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt's addition to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And Eddie asks Frank about some complicated family dynamics and whether one should tip after receiving gambling winnings. Plus, early reactions to 'Widows Bay' and why Eddie is enjoying 'Rooster' more than he thought he would. 

Eddie managed to embarrass himself in Barcelona, but should Arsenal and Atletico Madrid feel as if they were exposed by the football played by Bayern Munich and PSG? Eddie rarely comes to the defense of Mikel Arteta, but he does feel as if VAR made a mistake by overturning a late penalty for Arsenal. In the Premier League, the fixtures have allowed Arsenal to rebuild their lead at the top, and that could prove crucial. And Hull managed to pip Wrexham to the final playoff spot on a thrilling last day of the Championship season.  Both Frank and Eddie agree that it is pointless to analyze NFL draft picks before a snap has been played, but the Arizona Cardinals did make a slightly head-scratching move. And 'The Rewatchables' podcast is great, but that doesn't make it perfect. 

In this episode of the Big Chill Podcast, Eddie got his haircut, but he wasn't happy with the experience and wondered what Frank would have done in the same situation. Manchester City won their game in hand, and their 1-0 win over Burnley has put them top of the table, but should Arsenal be favorites due to their easier run-in? Liam Rosenior's time at Chelsea has ended, but just how bad were his 107 days at Stamford Bridge? And Leicester City's back-to-back relegations mean that the recent Premier League and FA Cup Champions are now facing life in League One. And how impressive have Wrexham been as they find themselves challenging for the playoffs in the Championship?  Plus, Eddie is worried that Paul Seixas might be about to change French luck in the Tour de France, and he really thinks that Frank should be watching 'From'.