This is the Football Daily podcast with Mark Chapman.

So we're 246 days away from the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, which takes place at Estadio, Asteca, in Mexico City.

So we'll find out how Mexico's preparations are going this evening as one of the co-host.

Effinacoku will join us after 8 o'clock.

We'll get the latest from Africa, where this evening Egypt have become the 19th team to qualify for next summer.

So what's that?

Just another 29 to go, Rory?

Your math is better than mine, yeah,

29, but it feels there's a few that are very close already. I think Nagana are almost certain,

so we are reaching the stage where you kind of get a sense of the shape of the field, I think.

Okay, so Rory is with us for the next 90 minutes. Mexican sports journalist for TNT Sports Mexico. Marion Rimas joins us. Evening, Marian. Hi, how are you? Nice to meet you guys. Thank you for

having me. Thank you for being here. And this is genuinely astonishing. In Nico Cantor from CBS Sport,

who is currently where he is in the world, it's half past one in the morning.

So that is dedication.

And on top of that, you're on your honeymoon.

Chapters, Rory, Marion, it's nice to be on with you guys.

Well, when you get the call from the BBC, you can't say no, right?

Well, I am.

I can't think of anybody else, Nico, that I work with regularly who would have interrupted their honeymoon to come and do a show with us.

So I am very honored. And you're in Cambodia,

are you? Correct. It's actually extraordinary. It's an extraordinary country. Highly recommend

for whoever would love to explore Southeast Asia. But yes, it's football's my life, you know.

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