Barstool Sports owner and founder Dave Portnoy wants a big rule in soccer changed after watching the 2026 World Cup.
It will be fascinating to see what legacy co-hosting the World Cup leaves for the United States and their soccer landscape.
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Major League Soccer (MLS), of course, was founded in 1993 as part of the arrangement when the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994.
Initial doubts as to just how much the American audience would take to the World Cup have proven ill-founded, although Portnoy would like to see those across the pond be handed the power to change the offside rule, as well as what is deemed a foul.
Portnoy wants FIFA to change the offside rule and fouls in soccer
Speaking on Wake Up Barstool, Portnoy believes match officials are far too quick for fouls.
Spain had a goal disallowed in the World Cup final on Sunday for a perceived foul on a defender, although it looked as if there was minimal contact.
Justice was served, however, when Spain found a way to win the World Cup in extra-time in New Jersey.
He said: “That goal that they called back against Spain was an awful call. That was just a brutal call, that was a goal.
“I know they’re going to show the super replay of the guy stepping on the other guy’s foot. I love the tournament but we have to fix a lot of things. If you let us get our hands on this game and really Americanize it…
“If you accidentally step on a guy’s foot, that’s not a flag. It’s not a penalty. It’s not a flag in the NFL if you accidentally bump into each other.
“You got to pick that up, that should have been a goal. Thankfully, we didn’t have to worry about it.”
Portnoy also believes that American influence could also help the sport fix the offside.
“It’s got to be like your entire body has to be ahead, not like one tiny body part,” he added.
The offside rule in soccer was created to prevent an attacker from merely standing next to the opposition goal. If the player from the attacking team is stood behind the last defensive player on the opposition team when the ball is kicked to them, they would be deemed offside.
However, the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has seen offside calls get increasingly tight.
Given that a player can be offside even if their toe or shoulder is ahead of their opponent’s because they could feasibly score a goal using those body parts, VAR calls for offsides can take an age to reach a conclusion.
Read more:
When Gianni Infantino presented Spain with new World Cup winners’ rings
Why the USA will likely host the 2038 World Cup after President Donald Trump’s request
Why Las Vegas’ $2 billion Allegiant Stadium was ruled out of hosting the FIFA World Cup final
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