FIFA World Cup

lawros left foot · Dec 3, 2015

They are voting today on whether to extend the Finals to 40 teams from 2026.
So, nearly a fifth of affiliated countries (209) will qualify for the finals

darkwolf666 · Dec 3, 2015

Looking forward to Gibraltar in the finals...

Herr Tubthumper · Dec 3, 2015

darkwolf666 said:
Looking forward to Gibraltar in the finals...

Might help England win a few games I guess.

Simster · Dec 3, 2015

I don't mind if they extend the tournament but with caveats:

* They will have to allow 2 countries host it at the same time (as in 2002), which means 2 competing host nations.
* 40 teams suggests 8 groups of 5. That really wouldn't be good, as it would mean one team sitting out each round. This issue is the real stumbling block in my view.

Eeyore · Dec 3, 2015

Simster said:
I don't mind if they extend the tournament but with caveats:

* They will have to allow 2 countries host it at the same time (as in 2002), which means 2 competing host nations.
* 40 teams suggests 8 groups of 5. That really wouldn't be good, as it would mean one team sitting out each round. This issue is the real stumbling block in my view.

That was my consideration, although a number of nations could comfortably cope with the increase in teams and extra grounds.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Dec 3, 2015

lawros left foot said:
They are voting today on whether to extend the Finals to 40 teams from 2026.
So, nearly a fifth of affiliated countries (209) will qualify for the finals

Reckon FIFA will have become so discredited long before 2026 that there will probably be an alternative world body in place by then. A bit like boxing has three or four or possibly more.

Paul Reids Sock · Dec 3, 2015

I guess that isn't actually too bad an idea. In my opinion it would have a far greater impact on spreading football around the globe than putting a world cup in the middle of a desert

GT49er · Dec 3, 2015

Tom Hark said:
Reckon FIFA will have become so discredited long before 2026 that there will probably be an alternative world body in place by then. A bit like boxing has three or four or possibly more.

Frankly it's got to the stage where I couldn't care less about what FIFA does or says, or where they stick the ******* world cup. Syria for the 2026 one please, and Splatter, Platini and all the other present (alleged) crooks in charge to take the chance to check out venues in Syria now..............

Czechmate · Dec 3, 2015

Tom Hark said:
Reckon FIFA will have become so discredited long before 2026 that there will probably be an alternative world body in place by then. A bit like boxing has three or four or possibly more.

Hopefully only one , boxing in my opinion has gone downhill badly since , all trying to make a buck .

Agree with starting a FIFA alternative from now , leave Russia with the world cup which will give the football community a chance to start a new organisation with a large say from supporters groups around the world , and not just the big clubs . I would not trust the professional people , I once respected Platini and Beckenbauer , but with a bit of power they succumb to the power of money allegedly . :tosser:

pasty · Dec 3, 2015

GT49er said:
Frankly it's got to the stage where I couldn't care less about what FIFA does or says, or where they stick the ******* world cup. Syria for the 2026 one please, and Splatter, Platini and all the other present (alleged) crooks in charge to take the chance to check out venues in Syria now..............

BIG. FAT. THIS.

No longer have any interest in what they say or do, as they have lost all credibility in my eyes now.

Postman Pat · Dec 3, 2015

Simster said:
* 40 teams suggests 8 groups of 5. That really wouldn't be good, as it would mean one team sitting out each round. This issue is the real stumbling block in my view.

Wouldn't surprise me if they went 10 groups of 4 with top 3 going through and 2 best 4th place teams......! That is pretty much the way the Euros has gone this time around.

BensGrandad · Dec 3, 2015

Would they not regain more credibillity if they were to debate changing the venues of the next 2 world cups at least it would appear that they are trying to put right some errors.

Pavilionaire · Dec 3, 2015

It is already a struggle to watch the volume of football played in a tournament with 32 teams. If you add 8 teams they will clearly be weaker sides and it will add 32 more matches in total to the group stages. The groups will also get harder to follow.

The 4-team group concept works well because it only takes one upset result to throw the group into chaos. This adds to the pressure and drama of the occasion. An extra match would give the bigger sides who do drop unexpected points another chance to get out of jail free. I can see these big sides thrashing the whipping boys and sneaking through on goal difference. We saw this in the Rugby World Cup where Japan were eliminated because of their failure to pick up bonus points, whereas South Africa who they defeated piled up 144 points in their other group games by thrashing the lesser nations.

Cadiz Seagull · Dec 3, 2015

A cynic might say this is a plan to help Scotland qualify

8ace · Dec 3, 2015

Even expanded to 40 teams it will still take less time to complete than the cricket world cup.

BensGrandad · Dec 3, 2015

Hopefully extending the groups will give us another international break during the season which means an extra short break to Spain for wife and I.

Nigella's Cream Pie · Dec 3, 2015

8ace said:
Even expanded to 40 teams it will still take less time to complete than the cricket world cup.

Rugby one too

Billy the Fish · Dec 3, 2015

Tom Hark said:
Reckon FIFA will have become so discredited long before 2026 that there will probably be an alternative world body in place by then. A bit like boxing has three or four or possibly more.

Agreed. More dawn raids this morning, the whole organisation is falling apart but the FIFA execs are clinging onto their gravy train trying to pretend like nothing is happening.

Colin Murray's show on Talksport always has brilliant analysis on the FIFA soap opera and he always says to ignore what FIFA are saying and doing, but pay attention to what governments and the FBI are doing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34991874

Gwylan · Dec 3, 2015

Pavilionaire said:
An extra match would give the bigger sides who do drop unexpected points another chance to get out of jail free. I can see these big sides thrashing the whipping boys and sneaking through on goal difference. We saw this in the Rugby World Cup where Japan were eliminated because of their failure to pick up bonus points, whereas South Africa who they defeated piled up 144 points in their other group games by thrashing the lesser nations.

One of the big problems with RWC format was the extra team in the group: it meant that some teams had to play two games in quick succession: it gives an advantage to the teams who had a rest. If you the FIFA WC does this, then we'll have a team with an in-built advantage. If there's sufficient space between the games, then it goes on and on and on.

Nigella's Cream Pie said:
Rugby one too

For reasons outlined above. And if we have a spare team per group, the WC will take ages too

Bob! · Dec 3, 2015

BensGrandad said:
Hopefully extending the groups will give us another international break during the season which means an extra short break to Spain for wife and I.

The world cup finals are (usually) played in the Summer months though?

The qualifiers aren't likely to change, just more teams qualifying.

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