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FIFA Planning to NOBBLE the World Cup Draw?



Robot Chicken

Seriously?
Jul 5, 2003
13,154
Chicken World
Interesting news.
SEEDS OF DOUBT

21/10/05
The countdown to next year’s World Cup is well and truly under way, and there has been much talk in the past few days about the seeding arrangements for the finals draw in Leipzig in December 9.


The accepted wisdom has been that FIFA will use the same system that it used to determine the eight seeds for the 2002 World Cup draw. Last time around FIFA gave each of the 32 finalists a score based both on their performances at the past three World Cups – and combined it with their average world ranking over a three-year period.

However, I wonder how many people have come across an extraordinary clause tucked away on the FIFA World Cup website.

There, in the ‘Official Documents’ section is a file called ‘Regulations’. And Article 8, subsection 4, explains how FIFA will decide the seeding for the World Cup draw. It reads as follows: “The Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup shall form groups for the final competition by seeding and drawing lots whilst taking sports, geographic and economic factors into consideration.”

I’ll say that last bit again: “…taking sports, geographic and economic factors into consideration.”

Since when was the World Cup about “economic factors”? Forget world rankings and sporting performances, FIFA has as good as admitted that it will make up the seedings to suit FIFA and its TV partners.

It shouldn’t really be that much of a surprise. The World Cup is FIFA’s big money-spinner, its only source of income. So why jeopardise all that TV income by risking one of the big TV nations going out of the competitions early.

If FIFA used the current world rankings to decide the World Cup seeds – and let’s face it, what other use is there for the damned things? – the following teams would make up the top eight: Brazil, Holland, Argentina, France, Mexico, United States and, assuming they come through the play-offs, Czech Republic and Spain. So no place for England and hosts Germany, home to the two biggest TV markets in Europe.

However, it will be a huge surprise if England and Germany are not seeded in Leipzig, along with Brazil and Argentina, the two best teams in the world, France, Italy and Spain, the remaining members of Europe’s Big Five, and Mexico, the largest TV market outside of Europe.

They would be the eight seeds that FIFA’s TV partners will be happiest with. It is going to be fascinating whether FIFA can come up with a formula that delivers those eight, without having to resort to those “economic factors”.

http://www.worldsoccer.com/editor/
 

Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
61,647
Location Location
Interesting.
Of course, "economic factors" could also quite easily boil down to a straightforward BRIBE couldn't it ? Fancy BUYING a seeding ? Well, if the FA actually has anything left after the wheelbarrows of cash it has been dutifully delivering to dear old Uncle Sven for the last few years, perhaps we could slip Sepp a sneaky fifty and purchase our seeding for next year.

Stranger things have happened.
 

Robot Chicken

Seriously?
Jul 5, 2003
13,154
Chicken World
Kylies Stunt Arse said:
I thought the hosts were automatically seeded anyway?

Hardly a massive shock though is it?

Not really but forget the top level of seeds...if economic factors are taken into account then how will FIFA manage the second level etc.
 

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