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Poems tagged ‘World Cup 2026’

England’s Number One 2026

Denys E. W. Jones

Thursday, June 11th, 2026

He’s one of two named Jordan –
The other’s Henderson.
This one’s the guy between the sticks,
He’s England’s Number One.

He scares the opposition,
His own defenders too –
If anyone’s caught slacking,
Who knows what he might do?

To those up front he often sends
A nice, juicy long ball.
Latch on it, lads, head straight for goal,
You’ll have the chance to score.

You may recall Bonetti,
Lev Yashin, Zoff, Buffon.
Great keepers in their day, no doubt,
But Pickford’s Number One.

When not wearing his England Shirt,
Where does he earn his corn?
In Spain, or France or Italy,
Or some such foreign shore?

No, there you’re much mistaken
About our Jordan Picks.
He draws his pay on Merseyside,
He plays at Hilly Dicks!

11/6/26
Denys E. W. Jones

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My New Free World Cup Wall Chart 2026

Crispin Thomas

Sunday, June 7th, 2026

the George Cross flags mean something else
than all the times before
when they would fly at World Cup time
but not much any more
the local pubs are struggling now
away across this land
and FIFA’s made the tournament
beyond the faithful fan
while Trump and Infantino
have torn our game apart
they’ve ripped its’soul and made their goal
to fleece us from the start
but I won’t let their glaring greed
destroy my love at all
’cause I’ve got my free World Cup Chart
right here upon my wall

I nabbed it from some café
inside a Sunday Times
while on the front lay pictures
of yet more stark war crimes
from Tehran on to Gaza
from Moscow to Ukraine
where Donald’s stuck his oar in
and meddled once again
I used to get excited
my days were neatly planned
I’d watch and listen to it all
with my pen in hand

in ’58 I had one
I stayed up late at night
saw Pelé on our first TV
right there in black and white
it seems so strange and diff’rent now
I almost feel ashamed
to be beside my tv screen
and sit to watch a game
I feel like a hypocrite
I know I’m not alone
what happened to the magic
of tournaments we’ve known?
but all those days are gone now
they’re distant memories
when we’d repeat the games in streets
with lamp-posts coats and trees
but I’ll still follow England
and get behind Ukraine
and even shout for Scotland
well ev’ry now and then
and I guess I’ll get drawn in
no matter what I say
the colour and the spectacle
the shocks along the way
and though my heart is sad now
each time they kick the ball
right from the start I’ll fill my chart
once more upon my Wall

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World Cup year

joe morris

Monday, June 1st, 2026

So here we are
Four years henceforward
It’s World Cup year
That heady, dizzy
Global extravaganza
That footballing festival
Of fun, frolics and frivolity
An explosion of the sublime,
Skilful and the ridiculous
Art installations everywhere
Football on North American soil
And Central America
Thankfully this time
Free from human rights outrages
What a relief
Alcohol back on the menu
No forbidden, taboo beers
And lagers banned
From thirsty lips
That brief abstinence
In Qatar 2022
Now just a Saudi
Stringent law lifted
Like a disgraceful
Noose around the neck
Of football’s prettiest
Beauty pageant
The world in poetry
And motion
The most fluent outpouring
Of football’s
Greatest expressionists
No more political chicanery
Jiggery pokery
Certainly no evidence
Of doping scandals
Or devious drug taking
To enhance the profile
Of those exotic exhibitionists
Brazil, Spain, France
The World Cup holders Argentina
South America embracing the exquisite
It was always thus
Pampas and tango wearing the same
Colours of light blue and white
Stripes and earning them
And then England those
Passionate under achievers
Anti climax on their sleeves
Desperate disappointments
Quite regularly
Almost there but never quite
Denied and thwarted
Over and over again
Ever since Sir Alf from
Dagenham, ripped Ratin’s shirt
And demanded an apology
But never got one
So England won the World Cup
In 1966, it was always fated
To happen in dear Blighty
Nothing since so sadly and
Heartbreakingly
Shortly though
German thoroughness
And Teutonic efficiency
Will be spread out like
A carpet of ornate hopes
Thomas Tuchel for it was he
Who will speak on our behalf
A German in charge
Of the England football team
Surely the heaviest irony
Of them all
If Harry Kane can lift
The Jules Rimet trophy
In jovial July
But it’s time
To hold our breath
Closing millions of eyes
Hiding nervously
Behind ageless wardrobes
Mahogany cabinets
Perhaps drowning sorrows
In kitchens and gardens
Of boisterous booze
Vast rivers of alcohol
Flowing through whispering
Secretive streams
Of our fondest wishes
This time it’s Ghana,
Panama and Croatia
Panama again?
Surely not.
It has to be another half a dozen
For the road
Ghana, an unknown quantity
Africa still capable
Of surprises
And the greatest entertainers
Always never out of
Contention, true to
Enduring traditions
Theirs is the Beautiful Game
So be prepared for
The World Cup gathering of
Football’s most delicious
And delectable ball players
Treating a ball like
The dearest friend or
Member of your family
Passing with a pedigree
We have seen on countless occasions
Throughout the ages
Time honoured servants
Maybe this time
60 years later
Sir Geoff will pour
A brandy or two
In celebration of
Another World Cup
It’s been long overdue

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Stateside Campaign

Denys E. W. Jones

Sunday, May 31st, 2026

We raised White Flag at Yorktown
In Seventeen Eighty-One.
The Yanks gained Independence,
Our Colonies were gone.

Once more we’re heading ‘cross the Pond,
But this time there’s no war.
We do not plan reconquest,
Just want to play football.

First match is ‘gainst Croatia,
A tough one, I’ll confess.
But no choice, we must beat ’em,
If we want to progress.

And then we’ll head to Foxborough,
A tricky clash with Ghana.
Here’s hoping there a point or three
From that game we can garner.

Third match is in New Jersey,
Where we’ll face Panama –
If we don’t win, I’ll eat my hat,
And jump in their Canal!

Then if enough points we have gained,
We’ll be through the Group Stage.
If not, on Thomas Tuchel
We’ll vent a nation’s rage!

31/5/26
Denys E. W. Jones

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Are You Here To Be Part Of It All ? World Cup 26

Crispin Thomas

Friday, May 29th, 2026

it’s starting to get pretty close now
we’re right on the cusp of the start
but with all of the stuff goin’ on in this world
are we poets still up to take part?
we’ve been here before in Russia – Qatar
and we’ve moaned but we’ve penned stuff the same
do we turn a blind eye or just pass it all by
in spite of our love for the game?

there are so many reasons to boycott
but so much to miss if we do
and it feels like a common dilemna
for me and I’m sure for you too
but we’ve kept it a thing since we started
so this is a last minute call
we’d love you to send us your thoughts on the games
to be here and a part of it all

so I write as I wait in this classroom
where we help kids of nine and of ten
and we help with their reading through football
again and and again and again
and I look at their faces of wonder
that I felt when I was their age
for the game that I love and its still beating strong
in their heads on a pitch or some page

and I don’t hear no hint of a boycott
no mention of Trump or Iran
no mention of Gaza or Israel
and how all this killing began
no focus on Putin or Ukraine
though it’s hard to avoid when you’re young
but all that I hear is just how they can’t wait
til this World Cup has fin’lly begun

so whatever you feel in this moment
and whether we rise or we fall
let’s go on this journey together
and just write and be part of it all

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Source: https://footballpoets.org/news/poem-tags/world-cup-2026/page/3/