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World Cup 48 teams for the 2026 World Cup
- Thread starter Mr_Bojangles
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Means those countries in Asia, that make the 2nd round of qualifying but come 3rd - such as UAE or Qatar makes it. No wonder they expanded, coz the cash from the Arab countries just too easy to refuse 
- Jan 13, 2015
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That right there is honestly the surprising factor. 6 would've been about right. You have the usual suspects(Australia, Japan, S Korea, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, plus Uzbekistan most likely) 8 seems a bit much.
- Apr 8, 2015
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It's not improbable that we see a breakaway body formed. Hell it happened in darts! I'd be for it - FIFA is too corrupt and self-serving
Basically FIFA virtually guaranteeing China a spot for the $$$.
Asia and Africa will be sending some bad, bad teams. Watching a top nation pull apart a Burkina Faso or a UAE isn't overly interesting.
Obviously a few delegates in the AFC committee had a few words with FIFA. It's not surprising given it's the region where Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain come from. $$$
Jeremias
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- Sep 26, 2004
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I must admit I do not have a major issue with the tournament expanding to 48 nations, but I am aware I will be in the clear minority.
Perhaps this was done for all the wrong reasons ($$$) but I do think long-term we will see a great deal of improvement from the 'smaller' footballing nations as a result, and that can only be a good thing surely.
I have two issues with this:
1. Format - not a fan of the new proposed format. Surely they would be far better going with 12 groups of 4.
2. Allocation of extra spots - Europe does not benefit as much from this as they perhaps should, there is too big a jump in the allocation for African and Asian nations and on no planet should Concacaf have more spots than South America.
Perhaps this was done for all the wrong reasons ($$$) but I do think long-term we will see a great deal of improvement from the 'smaller' footballing nations as a result, and that can only be a good thing surely.
I have two issues with this:
1. Format - not a fan of the new proposed format. Surely they would be far better going with 12 groups of 4.
2. Allocation of extra spots - Europe does not benefit as much from this as they perhaps should, there is too big a jump in the allocation for African and Asian nations and on no planet should Concacaf have more spots than South America.
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Wait... Burkina Faso? So wait, you're OK with Nigeria and Ghana, yet Burkina Faso is a bridge too far? Nigeria kept Argentina honest with a 2-3 loss... yet apparently Argentina is going to pull apart a nation that is currently A. Ranked Higher than Nigeria, and B. Actually in AFCON as a Group Winner and is one of the favourites to progress from their group? and C. Could've easily been the team we saw at Brazil 2014 instead of Algeria (who is the best African nation) had they won on penalties... remembering that Algeria went to the 2nd round as well, and again kept Argentina honest? (Really should've been an Algerian win).
And that UAE team, that defeated Japan at home, and is actually in close contention with the 'big' 3 in its group (only a point behind leaders Saudi Arabia), and would legitimately qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
And that China team, who is dead last in the group, and fully aware that even with 8 places, or heck, 10 places, they still wouldn't get in?
I mean, Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany at home for god's sake. What a horrible excuse of a team. Why should be be subjected to such crap? I thought these World Cups were for the good teams, not for losers that get tonked because they lost their best player. What a farce...
Ah yes... good old 'West Asia.' The East provides the talent, the West provides the money. But to be fair, at least those oil nations are getting better quality wise. Much rather Qatar than Canada to be honest.
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Blatter was a corrupt little troll but he kept the warring factions under control much like Saddam in Iraq. Once Saddam went it was a bedlam. Same is happening here.
- Jan 13, 2015
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I think someone noted Africa and Asia being reluctant, since it benefits them... but the chances are, not that many outside of that.
As far as I know, UEFA is just Europe's body, and is recognised by FIFA, rather than being a branch of FIFA... Though with how closely intertwined UEFA and FIFA are, a nation would need to denounce UEFA, and that in itself is going to be very dangerous. If you blink and do that, and the other majors don't, well... you're in big trouble.
You've also got national politics that are going to play a role.
I can tell you right now, Europe is not going to be happening because, A. England and the other home nations benefit far more being under UEFA than being a rebel, and B. If Scotland is in this rebel league, chances are Spain won't be, because then you open another can of worms.
That's not even getting into the issue of the Euros and the Champions League.
Also... define major nation. How do we know that some certain nations wouldn't mind taking over the 'big boy' tag? Like a certain humongous powerhouse to the East that will slice up on that cake? That's also including Mr Asia Minor as part of that. That's two nations that will certainly go against the grain, making Europe more focused about them, and well, the riches of elsewhere.
It's not like cricket where there's so few of the big boys, everyone plays the World Game, and its going to be far harder to coordinate one's effort into making a breakaway. It's an extremely risky proposition to even think about it.
Why? because he chose to play for Croatia?
TheGreatBarryB
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16 groups of 3?! Does that mean we only see Australia play twice instead of three times? Unless of course they qualify for next round. Becomes more of a knockout tournament than it already is. Dilutes qualification, will encourage more negative/defensive play by the weaker teams. Shocking decision but not surprising.
I was merely pointing them out as an example from the tweet that shepp quoted. They're a team who's ELO is currently sitting between North Korea and China, and their the FIFA ranking is behind many teams who haven't made the World Cup in decades and even a few who haven't been to the World Cup before at all. Now the World Cup will have many teams of that standard from Asia and Africa rather than just a handful and that's not a good thing.
When Australia, Japan, S.Korea and Iran couldn't get a win between them how does opening the door to the UAE, Uzbekistan, North Korea, China etc. so that a majority of that group will probably qualify as well add anything to the World Cup in terms of playing standards or prestige? It'll also make qualifying in Asia stupidly easy for the stronger teams, we'd be at more risk of being toppled by the Kiwi's for Oceania's spot if we stayed there.
And guarantee wasn't the right word, but potentially opening up the tournament for what will then be the worlds largest economy certainly would've been in FIFA's minds since China is so far away from making a tournament of 32 but a slight improvement would see them on the bubble of a 48 team tournament where Asian qualification is easier.
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Probably something do with the pro-nazi chants.
Bojan KantKick
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that makes it ok yeah
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Watered down format will kill it off...
48 team world cup for Qatar in crazy heat!
gonna be a farce that will tarnish the cup forever.
48 team world cup for Qatar in crazy heat!
gonna be a farce that will tarnish the cup forever.
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48 team idea isn't coming in until 2026. Qatar to stay the same
1) The reducing of quality argument is pretty stupid when you see the potential sides from Asia and Africa who'd get a better chance of making it. The UAE creamed Bulgaria 3-0 away in a friendly at the end of last year and would do the same to a few sides who made the Euros and the last WC. Abdulrahman, Mabkhout and Khalil are some of the best players in Asia. Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia would all be sides from Africa highly likely to make an expanded WC and none of them are s**t either.
2) Thinking of all the likely sides to make an expanded WC, it's becoming pretty obvious who this was made to benefit the most. I won't name names but I'll give you a clue:
2) Thinking of all the likely sides to make an expanded WC, it's becoming pretty obvious who this was made to benefit the most. I won't name names but I'll give you a clue:
moomba
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Groups of 3 means that the last game will take place with both teams knowing exactly what scorelines are required to qualify past the 3rd team in the group.
Plenty of collusion tainted results ahead I reckon.
Plenty of collusion tainted results ahead I reckon.
Wow, thought you were at least 23 or so.
hawkman
Hall of Famer
I did read they were going to have penalty shootouts for all draws to stop that happening. Just to make it even worse
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