FIFA World Rankings.. True Or False?

[Scotty Mac]

i remember the glory days when columbia used to hang around in 4th spot

good times

 

[Lewes' best seagull]

My opinion top 20
1.Italy
2.Argentina
3.Brazil
4.Germany
5.Spain
6.France
7.Portugal
8.Netherlands
9.Czech Republic
10.England
11.Greece
12.Croatia
13.Romania
14.Turkey
15.Eygpt
16.Mexico
17.Cameroon
18.Ghana
19.Scotland
20.Bulgaria

 

[El Presidente]

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a revised calculation procedure for the FIFA rankings was introduced; it is a significantly simplified procedure. The new rankings were compiled in response to criticism from the media.[2] Meetings were attended by FIFA staff and external experts and a large amount of research was conducted by this group, resulting in the new ranking system.[2] The new system was confirmed in Leipzig on 7 December 2005 by a committee of FIFA executives. Notable changes include the dropping of the home or away advantage and number of goals from the calculation, and the simplification of many aspects of the system.

The system, like the previous ones, is extremely similar to that of a league, though with changes made to ensure that it is still representative of the teams' performance despite playing differing numbers of matches per annum, and the differing strength of opposition that teams have to face. The factors taken into account are as follows:

* Match result
* Match status
* Opposition strength
* Regional strength

Teams' actual scores are a result of the average points gained over each calendar year; matches from the previous four years are considered, with more weight being given to recent ones. Teams must have played at least 5 matches within the last twelve months to gain ranking points.



In previous years a complicated system of points allocation was used, depending on how strong the opponent was, and how large the loss margin, which allowed weaker losing teams to gain points when playing a much stronger opposition, if they managed to put up a decent match. With the new system, the points allocation is simpler: three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss, in line with most league systems around the world.

In the event of a match being decided by a penalty shootout, the winning team receives two points, and the losing team one point.
Result Points
Win (no penalty shootout) 3
Draw 1
Loss (no penalty shootout) 0
Win (penalty shootout) 2
Loss (penalty shootout) 1

Match status

Different matches have different importance to teams, and FIFA has tried to respect this by using a weighting system, where the most significant matches are in the World Cup finals,[8] and the lowest weighted are friendly matches. FIFA states that it wishes to recognise that friendlies are still important, since they make up half of the competitive matches counted in the rankings.[9] FIFA also stated, however, that it did not plan to make any adjustment for teams that qualify directly for major tournaments.

The match status multipliers are as follows:
Match status Multiplier
Friendly match x 1.0
FIFA World Cup and Continental cup qualifiers x 2.5
Continental cup and Confederations Cup finals x 3.0
World Cup finals match x 4.0

Opponent strength

Obviously, a win against a very highly ranked opponent is a considerably greater achievement than a win against a low-rated opponent, so the strength of the opposing team is a factor.

The new system uses an opposition strength factor based on team rankings. The previous system was based on points difference.

The formula used is:

Opposition\ strength\ multiplier\ = \frac{200-ranking\ position}{100}

with the exceptions that the team ranked #1 is given a multiplier of 2.00, and teams ranked 150th and below are assigned the minimum multiplier of 0.50.

* Example 1: the opposition team is currently ranked 8th in the world:

\frac{200-8}{100}=1.92

so the opposition strength multiplier is 1.92

* Example 2: the opposition team is currently ranked 125th in the world:

\frac{200-125}{100}=0.75

so the opposition strength multiplier is 0.75

* Example 3: the opposition team is currently ranked 188th in the world:

Below 150th, so the opposition strength multiplier is the minimum 0.50

The rankings published before July 2006 are purely historical and are not used for the new ranking calculation. Instead, FIFA went back as far as 1996 to apply the new formula and is using those new rankings for the current calculations.[12]

Regional strength

In addition to the opposition strength multiplier, FIFA considers the relative strength of entire confederations in the calculation. Each confederation is assigned a weighting between 0.85 and 1.0, based on the relative performance of the confederations in qualifying for the last three World Cups. Their values are as follows:[14]
Confederation After 2006 World Cup Up to and including 2006 World Cup
UEFA (Europe) 1.00 1.00
CONMEBOL (South America) 0.98 0.99
CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean) 0.85 0.88
AFC (Asia) 0.85 0.85
CAF (Africa) 0.85 0.85
OFC (Oceania) 0.85 0.85

The multiplier used in the calculation is the average of the regional strength weighting of the two teams:

Regional\ strength\ multiplier\ = \frac{Team\ \mathit{1}\ regional\ weighting\ +\ Team\ \mathit{2}\ regional\ weighting}{2}

Assessment period

Matches played over the last four years (48 months) are included in the calculation, but there is a weighting to put more emphasis on recent results. Previously an eight year period was used. The date weighting is as follows:
Date of match Multiplier
Within the last 12 months x 1.0
12-24 months ago x 0.5
24-36 months ago x 0.3
36-48 months ago x 0.2

Sao Tome and Principe were eliminated from the rankings list in December 2007 having exceeded four years without playing a match.

Ranking formula

The final ranking points figure is multiplied by 100 and rounded to the nearest whole number.

Ranking\ points\ =\ 100(Result\ points\ \times\ Match\ status\ \times\ Opposition\ strength\ \times\ Regional\ strength\ \times\ Date Multiplier)

[

 

[dougdeep]

But weren't Brazil beaten at home yesterday?

 

[cjwoolven]

yes, these rankings really don't have a reason to exist.

despite a mass calculation to provide accruate readings, i still think it's a loads of bollocks.

i was just getting opinions of others.

one which i really found annoying is England still up in the top 20 after we cannot get into the finals of the Euro.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, a revised calculation procedure for the FIFA rankings was introduced; it is a significantly simplified procedure. The new rankings were compiled in response to criticism from the media.[2] Meetings were attended by FIFA staff and external experts and a large amount of research was conducted by this group, resulting in the new ranking system.[2] The new system was confirmed in Leipzig on 7 December 2005 by a committee of FIFA executives. Notable changes include the dropping of the home or away advantage and number of goals from the calculation, and the simplification of many aspects of the system.

The system, like the previous ones, is extremely similar to that of a league, though with changes made to ensure that it is still representative of the teams' performance despite playing differing numbers of matches per annum, and the differing strength of opposition that teams have to face. The factors taken into account are as follows:

* Match result
* Match status
* Opposition strength
* Regional strength

Teams' actual scores are a result of the average points gained over each calendar year; matches from the previous four years are considered, with more weight being given to recent ones. Teams must have played at least 5 matches within the last twelve months to gain ranking points.



In previous years a complicated system of points allocation was used, depending on how strong the opponent was, and how large the loss margin, which allowed weaker losing teams to gain points when playing a much stronger opposition, if they managed to put up a decent match. With the new system, the points allocation is simpler: three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss, in line with most league systems around the world.

In the event of a match being decided by a penalty shootout, the winning team receives two points, and the losing team one point.
Result Points
Win (no penalty shootout) 3
Draw 1
Loss (no penalty shootout) 0
Win (penalty shootout) 2
Loss (penalty shootout) 1

Match status

Different matches have different importance to teams, and FIFA has tried to respect this by using a weighting system, where the most significant matches are in the World Cup finals,[8] and the lowest weighted are friendly matches. FIFA states that it wishes to recognise that friendlies are still important, since they make up half of the competitive matches counted in the rankings.[9] FIFA also stated, however, that it did not plan to make any adjustment for teams that qualify directly for major tournaments.

The match status multipliers are as follows:
Match status Multiplier
Friendly match x 1.0
FIFA World Cup and Continental cup qualifiers x 2.5
Continental cup and Confederations Cup finals x 3.0
World Cup finals match x 4.0

Opponent strength

Obviously, a win against a very highly ranked opponent is a considerably greater achievement than a win against a low-rated opponent, so the strength of the opposing team is a factor.

The new system uses an opposition strength factor based on team rankings. The previous system was based on points difference.

The formula used is:

Opposition\ strength\ multiplier\ = \frac{200-ranking\ position}{100}

with the exceptions that the team ranked #1 is given a multiplier of 2.00, and teams ranked 150th and below are assigned the minimum multiplier of 0.50.

* Example 1: the opposition team is currently ranked 8th in the world:

\frac{200-8}{100}=1.92

so the opposition strength multiplier is 1.92

* Example 2: the opposition team is currently ranked 125th in the world:

\frac{200-125}{100}=0.75

so the opposition strength multiplier is 0.75

* Example 3: the opposition team is currently ranked 188th in the world:

Below 150th, so the opposition strength multiplier is the minimum 0.50

The rankings published before July 2006 are purely historical and are not used for the new ranking calculation. Instead, FIFA went back as far as 1996 to apply the new formula and is using those new rankings for the current calculations.[12]

Regional strength

In addition to the opposition strength multiplier, FIFA considers the relative strength of entire confederations in the calculation. Each confederation is assigned a weighting between 0.85 and 1.0, based on the relative performance of the confederations in qualifying for the last three World Cups. Their values are as follows:[14]
Confederation After 2006 World Cup Up to and including 2006 World Cup
UEFA (Europe) 1.00 1.00
CONMEBOL (South America) 0.98 0.99
CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean) 0.85 0.88
AFC (Asia) 0.85 0.85
CAF (Africa) 0.85 0.85
OFC (Oceania) 0.85 0.85

The multiplier used in the calculation is the average of the regional strength weighting of the two teams:

Regional\ strength\ multiplier\ = \frac{Team\ \mathit{1}\ regional\ weighting\ +\ Team\ \mathit{2}\ regional\ weighting}{2}

Assessment period

Matches played over the last four years (48 months) are included in the calculation, but there is a weighting to put more emphasis on recent results. Previously an eight year period was used. The date weighting is as follows:
Date of match Multiplier
Within the last 12 months x 1.0
12-24 months ago x 0.5
24-36 months ago x 0.3
36-48 months ago x 0.2

Sao Tome and Principe were eliminated from the rankings list in December 2007 having exceeded four years without playing a match.

Ranking formula

The final ranking points figure is multiplied by 100 and rounded to the nearest whole number.

Ranking\ points\ =\ 100(Result\ points\ \times\ Match\ status\ \times\ Opposition\ strength\ \times\ Regional\ strength\ \times\ Date Multiplier)

[

So this would mean that a relatively poor team could end up in a false higher position simply because they play far more games that other 'better' sides, Hence the USA were 4th a couple of years ago.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Ghana and Bulgaria?

 

[Zesh Rehman]

i remember the glory days when columbia used to hang around in 4th spot

good times

yeh they were actually there for YEARS

and USA always 7th

 

[steward 433]

Why do people love to hate England so much

I don't hate England!!!

I just think that everytime most of the players pull on the England jersey they just expect to win.

From before we have even kicked a ball you can tell most of the players aren't up for it. Watch the players during the national anthem, most of them can't even be bothered to sing it.

Go back to the Gazza, Linekar, Pearce era, They sang their hearts out and showed from before the ball was kicked they meant business.

The current squad have the ability but not the passion or pride to wear an England shirt

We need a real no nonsense manager who will NOT be afraid to drop the whole team if they play that badly