48 team World Cup approved | The Boneyard

48 team World Cup approved

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Starting 2026 - which I think will end up being hosted in the US.

My thoughts: I think expansion is fine but I hate the new format of 16 groups of 3. GROUPS OF FREAKING 3! Imagine this scenario - A beats B 1-0, B beats C 1-0, C beats A 1-0. Drawing of lots decides who goes through. This move will put $1 billion in FIFA's pockets so we all know what this move was about. I can't imagine fans will travel when your team only gets 2 guaranteed matches versus 3. Future hosts will have to be big touristy countries to get fans to attend (e.g. USA, France, England, Australia, etc.)

FIFA votes to expand World Cup to 48 teams - CNN.com
 
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So the top 2 teams of the 16 groups advance to a 32 team play-off. Interesting. Don't love it initially, but will withhold judgment and let it sink in a bit. I'm more curious about how many more bids each confederation gets. My guess is Asia/Middle East will benefit the most, then Africa. Maybe CONCACAF gets an automatic 4th qualifier with a 5th team to "play-in". Also curious if they re-look at Confederations? I've always been curious why Australia plays in Asia/Middle East, but New Zealand in Oceanic.

As it relates to CONCACAF, will be interesting to see how this changes the Hex. Can't see it remaining as is is 5 of the 6 end up qualifying. Wonder if it moves to a model similar to UEFA, where the winners/runner ups of groups advance or make a pplayoff, but that would split up US, Mexico, and probably CR most cycles.
 
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For me, the worst part is only two games in the group stage.

Australia moved itself to Asia because they wanted to face better competition.
 
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So the top 2 teams of the 16 groups advance to a 32 team play-off. Interesting. Don't love it initially, but will withhold judgment and let it sink in a bit. I'm more curious about how many more bids each confederation gets. My guess is Asia/Middle East will benefit the most, then Africa. Maybe CONCACAF gets an automatic 4th qualifier with a 5th team to "play-in". Also curious if they re-look at Confederations? I've always been curious why Australia plays in Asia/Middle East, but New Zealand in Oceanic.

As it relates to CONCACAF, will be interesting to see how this changes the Hex. Can't see it remaining as is is 5 of the 6 end up qualifying. Wonder if it moves to a model similar to UEFA, where the winners/runner ups of groups advance or make a pplayoff, but that would split up US, Mexico, and probably CR most cycles.

The problem as a U.S. fan is not the World Cup itself (although I don't like the dilution, I do understand smaller countries wanting a greater chance to play on a larger stage). The problem is Concacaf qualifying. Now, the semi-final round and the hex provides a decent amount of competition in qualifiers. It's not Europe but it's as good as Concacaf can do. No, let's say we get 1.5 of the new 18 spots (and it's hard to see us getting less than that). That means 5 teams would qualify from our region. You can't have the 6 best teams play for 5 slots. So figure we have two hexes, with the top 2 from each group qualifying and the 2 third place teams having a playoff. Think about how much less competition we get. Instead of home and home with each of Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras (if those are with us the top 4 teams in the region), we now would not see Mexico and one of Costa Rica in qualifying, and our "hex" would be something like U.S., Honduras, Panama, Canada, Trinidad and Haiti. Something like that.

It just means we'll have less competitive games leading up to the World Cup, meaning less good TV and less ready for the World Cup itself. Yuch.
 

SubbaBub

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Works out to 3 extra teams per federation but I doubt they will be divideo fairly. Expect a lot of early exists for the smaller federation teams.
 
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Agree BL. It really could end up watering down CONCACAF qualifying/competition. I do not love that part of it mostly b/c IMO the Hex is one of the best final stage qualifiers out there.

If I had to guess, I would say Oceanic gets 1 more (it is a very weak confederation), Asia/Middle East gets 3 more, Africa gets 3 more, UEFA gets 5 more (strongest confederation top to bottom), CONMEBOL getting 2 more (so 6 of 10 countries would qualify), and CONCACAF getting 2 more.. but who knows? Will there still be "play-in" matches between confederations. Dunno?
 

SubbaBub

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Agree BL. It really could end up watering down CONCACAF qualifying/competition. I do not love that part of it mostly b/c IMO the Hex is one of the best final stage qualifiers out there.

If I had to guess, I would say Oceanic gets 1 more (it is a very weak confederation), Asia/Middle East gets 3 more, Africa gets 3 more, UEFA gets 5 more (strongest confederation top to bottom), CONMEBOL getting 2 more (so 6 of 10 countries would qualify), and CONCACAF getting 2 more.. but who knows? Will there still be "play-in" matches between confederations. Dunno?

Up side is more teams in the host country as opposed to the regional or H/H group stages that were kicked around.
It should set up more high profile friendlies, now that qualification is a near given for top nations. Focus will be on getting the WC squad as opposed to using older players just to qualify.
Fans visiting the host nation will likely get to base in one locale (It many not be a good locale) to see their teams two group stage games.
More elimination matches

Downside is that you better win your first match. Goal differential and coin flips will loom large if you don't
Most of the through sides will be known or at least heavily favored after the first match
Group matches will not be on the same day and that will invite collusion in the third match of the group.
There will also be unequal rest for teams in the group stage, this can be a bigger problem if they don't curb travel.
 
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WOW. 6.5 for CONCACAF? So the entire Hex makes the WC and some of those smaller countries just fight for that playoff spot? If the format doesn't change, US, Mexico, CR, will qualify for the WC three years before the WC itself haha.
 
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The real atrocity here is the 16x3team groups. With only two games there is just too much incentive for negative play.

They might as well make 64 teams so that we can have 4 team groups.

Obviously CONCACAF will have to find another instrument other than the "Hex". But it will still be meaningless. We'll likely never have a meaningful match with Mexico again.

The US will host the WC in 2026. I might as well announce that here. You can bet the farm on it. So that will make it even more of a joke.
 

whaler11

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Well they seemed to have ruined a great thing.

Thanks Obama.

These nitwits know that 48 divides by 4 right?
 
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Well they seemed to have ruined a great thing.

Thanks Obama.

These nitwits know that 48 divides by 4 right?


They want to keep the same number of games supposedly.
 

whaler11

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They want to keep the same number of games supposedly.

Yeah why improve it. Or at least not ruin it so badly?

More games is the only benefit of 48.

Hell at 48 - divide it by 6 and have 8 groups. Play 5 group games. That's better.
 
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FIFA confirms the confederations allocations for expanded 48 team World Cup in '26.

Europe 16 (13 right now)
Africa 9 (5)
Asia 8 (4.5)
South America 6 (4.5)
CONCACAF 6 (3.5)
Oceania 1 (.5)

The final two places would be decided through a November play-off, the year before the WC, in the host nation, featuring one team from each confederation bar Europe and a sixth from the host confederation. This play-off will most likely replace the Confederations Cup.
 

shizzle787

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FIFA confirms the confederations allocations for expanded 48 team World Cup in '26.

Europe 16 (13 right now)
Africa 9 (5)
Asia 8 (4.5)
South America 6 (4.5)
CONCACAF 6 (3.5)
Oceania 1 (.5)

The final two places would be decided through a November play-off, the year before the WC, in the host nation, featuring one team from each confederation bar Europe and a sixth from the host confederation. This play-off will most likely replace the Confederations Cup.
Linky? So, if the US hosts, the two spots will be for the winner of two matches (no series?) between teams from Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania. Why would Oceania get 1.5 spots? The last thing we need is New Caledonia getting a 50/50 chance at the World Cup.
 

UConnDan97

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The good news is that World Cup Qualifying is largely meaningless for the USA at that point. Beat St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and you're good to go.

The bad news is that they are ruining the best tournament in the history of mankind, and I'm not sure why. Is it so that we can see Qatar play against Haiti in a meaningful game? I just don't understand...
 
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Europe 16 (13 right now) 3/13 = 23% increase
Africa 9 (5) 4/5 = 80% increase; Huh?
Asia 8.5 (4.5) 3.5/4.5 = 78% increase; Huh?
South America 6 (4.5) 1.5/4.5 = 33% increase
CONCACAF 6.5 (3.5) 2.5/3.5 = 71% increase; Huh?
Oceania 1 (.5) 0.5/0.5 = 100% increase; Why?
 

UCFBfan

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Whatever happened to the supposed Caribbean soccer federation? That die off or still alive? If so, would that play into this massive WC in 2026?
 
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Africa and Asia are pushing for more bids, pointing to europe.
Euro definitely doesn't want to give up any, so the way to do it is to expand. I think 40 would've been more reasonable.
 

whaler11

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This is impossibly stupid from a competition standpoint. They made a great event lesser than it's been.

They kill three birds with this stone:

They get in a bunch of countries that can't compete but 'grow' interest.

The tournament will be seeded to get the big boys into the knockout rounds.

And oh yeah the stone actually kills interest from anyone who enjoys a legitimate competition. FIFA ftw.
 
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US/MEX/CAN 2026 bid official. Gulati was able to finagle his way to getting 60 out of the 80 matches in the states, including all quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. What a win for the US, basically hosting themselves.
 

UConnDan97

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US/MEX/CAN 2026 bid official. Gulati was able to finagle his way to getting 60 out of the 80 matches in the states, including all quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. What a win for the US, basically hosting themselves.

Do all three countries get an automatic bid? Wow if they do...
 
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Do all three countries get an automatic bid? Wow if they do...
I believe they would, but this would be the year the World Cup expands to 48, so CONCACAF gets 6 spots, and an additional team who would compete in the "6 team playoff" for the final spot.
 

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