World Cup 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup (Quarter Finals) - On SBS

[giggler99]

Infantino looking to get elected. Lotsa votes in expanding concacaf anf caf spots.

Yeah I know it’s all politics. Nobody at FIFA actually cares about the football just greedy lobbying.

 

[TommyD13]

The other option is for a knockout game to get into groups. But for me this is almost another 'qualifier' rather than actual World Cup match, so that's probably out.

 

[giggler99]

I reckon 32 is optimal personally

But if you’re going to squeeze 103 games into say 6 weeks cohosting is the way to ensure stadium infrastructure is adequate.

Theres probs only England, Spain, Germany, Italy and maybe the US that could host on their own And the logistics would have to absolutely perfect.

but even then I reckon cohosting is the way forward (Eng/Scot or Spain/Por).

Anyway you look at it expanding the size of the groups from 4 to 5 or even 6 potentially means more dead rubbers or semi-meaningless group games. Reducing to three has the same effect but increases the chances of collusion etc.

I think FIFA have already announced that all future World Cup bids need to be co-host between two or more countries for any chance of winning.

 

[giggler99]

Yep, don’t expect this 48 team World Cup thing to make it any easier for an India or Malta or Latvia etc to make the World Cup. From Europe, it will be nations like Turkey, Finland, Slovakia, Romania and countries of that tier with much more of chance to make the World Cup moving forward.

New Zealand will always be in the World Cup now. So from this region, no one else will make it. Making it a 48 team World Cup won’t suddenly improve most countries chances.

It all depends how qualifying is setup. The AFC tend to favour certain countries doesn’t make it guarantee but I’m sure India and the Middle East countries will lobby for an easy path.

 

[kickazz]

But if you’re going to squeeze 103 games

How dare you get rid of the ever-popular third place play-off...

 

[Magruder]

How dare you get rid of the ever-popular third place play-off...

104 games (geez my maths is bad)

 

[Zidane98]

Spot on, remember when they expanded the Cricket World Cup (One Dayers) with a lot more teams and games, and it just dragged on way too long ?

Also would Euro Clubs (especially the big ones involved in the Champions league) support an extended world cup which puts more miles and less rest in the non domestic season for their star players/multi million dollar assets ?

There is too many logistical reasons not to expand it to 48 teams.

There definitely wouldn't be a mid season world cup again to appease a sportswashing oil nation state. That's for sure.


In all reality there would only be one extra match round with 16 groups of 4 into 32 and so on. When played in the accepted World Cup timeslot of June / July that won't pose an issue at all to European club seasons. It would lengthen the tournament from 32 to 37 days. Easily accommodated in the off season.

 

[RPCB]

There definitely wouldn't be a mid season world cup again to appease a sportswashing oil nation state. That's for sure.


In all reality there would only be one extra match round with 16 groups of 4 into 32 and so on. When played in the accepted World Cup timeslot of June / July that won't pose an issue at all to European club seasons. It would lengthen the tournament from 32 to 37 days. Easily accommodated in the off season.

Have you seen when German football comes back? They have a traditional winter break every year and that is still happening of course, it’s basically like stopping football for the length of two World Cup‘s. Final league games were on November 12th and the league returns on January 20th.

Bayern, for example, have matches on January 21st, 25th, 29th, February 2nd and February 6th. Crazy.

 

[Magruder]

There definitely wouldn't be a mid season world cup again to appease a sportswashing oil nation state. That's for sure.


In all reality there would only be one extra match round with 16 groups of 4 into 32 and so on. When played in the accepted World Cup timeslot of June / July that won't pose an issue at all to European club seasons. It would lengthen the tournament from 32 to 37 days. Easily accommodated in the off season.

add FIFA’s historical “indifference“ to UEFA and the concerns of big clubs.

but I still think the logistics are enormous problem. 40 additional matches 50% more players, entourage, training facilities, not to mention 50% more officials of varying types. Potential travel Etc.

 

[Magruder]

Have you seen when German football comes back? They have a traditional winter break every year and that is still happening of course, it’s basically like stopping football for the length of two World Cup‘s. Final league games were on November 12th and the league returns on January 20th.

Bayern, for example, have matches on January 21st, 25th, 29th, February 2nd and February 6th. Crazy.

Bit like Fifa expects international teams to play every 3-4 days

Munchen probably have the squad depth…

 

[RPCB]

Bit like Fifa expects international teams to play every 3-4 days

Munchen probably have the squad depth…

That’s just one German club. They would all be on the same schedule.

 

[Magruder]

That’s just one German club. They would all be on the same schedule.

Just accentuates the difference between the big and small clubs…

 

[peetoo]

I think FIFA have already announced that all future World Cup bids need to be co-host between two or more countries for any chance of winning.

ANZind

 

[TommyD13]

Ran a simulation of 16 groups of 3. Basically the highest ranked sides form each confederation made it, with highest ranked teams in inter-confederation playoffs being in as well. In terms of pots, I found it appropriate, as there are 16 European teams, they make up one pot. Pot 2 is made up of the three hosts plus next 13 best ranked sides. The remaining sides go into Pot 3. Got some interesting and quite equitable groups, and some not so equitable (see F and N). Australia copped a good, but manageable group, which goes to show even with expanded cup we are no certainties of progression. Here's what I got as a test run:

Group​	Pot 1​	Pot 2​	Europe​
A​	USA​	CAMEROON​	ITALY​
B​	MEXICO​	NEW ZEALAND​	SERBIA​
C​	CANADA​	IVORY COAST​	WALES​
D​	SOUTH KOREA​	ECUADOR​	SWEDEN​
E​	COLOMBIA​	JAMAICA​	UKRAINE​
F​	ARGENTINA​	MALI​	PORTUGAL​
G​	URUGUAY​	EGYPT​	FRANCE​
H​	MOROCCO​	UAE​	GERMANY​
I​	PERU​	QATAR​	POLAND​
J​	IRAN​	PANAMA​	NETHERLANDS​
K​	CHILE​	SAUDI ARABIA​	ENGLAND​
L​	AUSTRALIA​	NIGERIA​	SPAIN​
M​	JAPAN​	ALGERIA​	DENMARK​
N​	BRAZIL​	BURKINA FASO​	CROATIA​
O​	SENEGAL​	COSTA RICA​	BELGIUM​
P​	TUNISIA​	IRAQ​	SWITZERLAND​

 

[RPCB]

This deserves to go to penalties.

Or a 1-0 win for Morocco.

 

[RPCB]

Bloody camera angle.

 

[Coolangatta]

Would be a shame for Morocco to join Japan in going out on penalties.

 

[Coolangatta]

Way to go Morocco!

Good riddance Spain, same toothless bullshit as the last World Cup.

 

[And_ROOS]

Way to go Morocco!

Good riddance Spain, same toothless bullshit as the last World Cup.

I saw a stat that said something like Spain have the top 4 records for passes in a match in a WC but have gone on to lose 3/4 of them.

 

[revo333]

They're great, but i do hope Brazil's cockiness is their undoing in the tournament.

They usually start to self destruct at the quarters.

 

[revo333]

Spot on, remember when they expanded the Cricket World Cup (One Dayers) with a lot more teams and games, and it just dragged on way too long ?

And they gave that the flick when India and Pakistan didn't make it out of their groups.

 

[FreoRicci]

Open draw for for France and England, whoever progresses through.

 

[FreoRicci]

Winner of France/England will be in the final. That cutthroat

 

[Cruyff14]

They usually start to self destruct at the quarters.

They won't this year.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Winner of France/England will be in the final. That cutthroat

I wouldn't underestimate Portugal.

They usually start to self destruct at the quarters.

Just realised they haven't made the final four since 2002, their last win. Given it's Brazil, that is quite something.