It is happening again

Together, you and I, we did it. At time of writing, there are 45 participants in the 2026 Beautiful Pool, easily surpassing the 2024 level. I think that is splendid news.

I’m still waiting for entries from several folks who told me they would participate. At this point, they fall into one of two categories:

  • They might be hard core World Cup enthusiasts, who are absorbing all the latest info to refine their picks. Or…
  • They might be hard core procrastinators.

Whichever group they belong to, I hope they make their choices soon.

Burn, baby, burn

Dominik Z sent me this graphic, which makes the outcome of some matches even more unpredictable because they will probably be played in dangerously hot conditions. Do what you will with this scrap of data.

Cute

This is… interesting? The Belgian team released photos of their uniforms, with patterns inspired by Magritte.