So South American teams currently occupy three of the top four spots in the FIFA rankings, but they'll have fewer teams than Asia or Africa and the same as North and Central America....but sure, the tournament won't become worse and significantly more diluted. UEFA and CONMEBOL should just start their own combined tournament and abandon FIFA, it's would probably be way more watched than the 48 team World Cup. We'd all much rather see it I'm sure.
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So South American teams currently occupy three of the top four spots in the FIFA rankings, but they'll have fewer teams than Asia or Africa and the same as North and Central America....but sure, the tournament won't become worse and significantly more diluted. UEFA and CONMEBOL should just start their own combined tournament and abandon FIFA, it's would probably be way more watched than the 48 team World Cup. We'd all much rather see it I'm sure.
We've had that. It's Called World Cup before 1982 for $100 Alex. CONMEBOL were and would again be totally screwed in such a tournament just by sheer numbers. And/or the tournament would become very violent.
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The violence would only add to the intrigue. But the 48 team World Cup is pretty much a handout to Africa and Asia which is pretty much what everyone figured it was when it was announced. Hooray for more negative football I guess.
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"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
So South American teams currently occupy three of the top four spots in the FIFA rankings, but they'll have fewer teams than Asia or Africa and the same as North and Central America....but sure, the tournament won't become worse and significantly more diluted. UEFA and CONMEBOL should just start their own combined tournament and abandon FIFA, it's would probably be way more watched than the 48 team World Cup. We'd all much rather see it I'm sure.
I think UEFA is getting screwed more. It should have 25 spots. Comnebol only has 10 teams and Venezuela is traditionally more of a baseball country while Peru and Bolivia typically arent very good. I think it should have seven spots plus a playoff.
I probably wont watch much of a 48 team World Cup, I find the sport increasingly corrupt and "eurotrash" for lack of a better word. I think this will spell the end of my soccer fandom.
Anyone who was watching the revamped Euros knows exactly how badly this is going to water-down the tournament.
Even at its current 30-team level its a bit watered down and you typically have the usual suspects along with the occasional surprise, at 48 this is going to be a snoozer.
You're going to get teams 'pulling a Portugal' and just parking the bus for entire group stages, its going to be brutal.
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I dont get the complaints about this, it adds extra excitement for countries who never would have the opportunity, and it makes the tournament longer. If there's a game you dont want to watch, no one is forcing you
I dont get the complaints about this, it adds extra excitement for countries who never would have the opportunity, and it makes the tournament longer. If there's a game you dont want to watch, no one is forcing you
Because its largely going to turn the World Cup into Women's Hockey and we're either going to see minnows getting absolutely slaughtered which is boring or we're going to see more parked buses than...the Calgary Transit yard after midnight.
Which is also boring.
Do you really want to see England vs Papua New Guinea?
I mean, granted, England would probably still lose, but if you add teams then you add games and you dilute the quality of frankly, an already fairly diluted tournament.
And you dont have to do anything other than point to the expanded Euros to see the proof.
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but the expanded euros has happened only once. Do you think the 6th installment of the expanded euros will lead to England not even qualifying?
As I mention in many threads. There needs to be a carrot. Papua New Guinea may never qualify for a World Cup but with 1 Oceania spot that's the carrot to try. and maybe one day they may not qualify but they can produce a star chasing that carrot.
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If I didnt want to watch England play a team I wouldnt watch, I could then start watching once it got down to 32 teams or 16 or whatever
its not taking away those games
its basically just adding 2 weeks to the beginning of the tournament, if you only want to start watching once it gets down to the QF or R16 etc. that can still happen
Croatia is playing Mexico in LA in September, a friendly. Question for those who may know better, is that worth the flight and ticket and hotel? I want to see a Croatian international game so bad, and my next real chance will be Euro 2020 (No way I'm flying to Russia for the World Cup). Thoughts?
edit: Apparently it's next on the 27th which makes it impossible for me to go.
Croatia is playing Mexico in LA in September, a friendly. Question for those who may know better, is that worth the flight and ticket and hotel? I want to see a Croatian international game so bad, and my next real chance will be Euro 2020 (No way I'm flying to Russia for the World Cup). Thoughts?
edit: Apparently it's next on the 27th which makes it impossible for me to go.
If you can afford it and have the time, you should go to the World Cup
It is really a unique experience and Russia is a beautiful country.
England won the U20 WC yesterday by the way. 1-0 final win over Venezuela after a goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton); goalkeeper Freddie Woodman (Newcastle) saved a penalty in the 2nd half. Englands first WC title at any level since 66.