(10-04-2016, 02:54 AM)Mystik Wrote: [ -> ]lol I don't see the point. If they're going to be knocked out after one match, why not just have that as part of the qualification process?
Money. Having them in the World Cup proper would bring in far more than if they were dealt with as qualification playoffs.
and fame too. Particularly for smaller countries like China or India (in football sense, not population
).
Sepp Blatter has failed in the attempt to overturn his six year ban from all football activities before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He is officially done.
Blatter was really corrupt, but how sure are we that his replacement is any cleaner? I am sure that with all the money involved, this position will turn a Saint into Lucifer (I hope that I am using these religious terms accurately and politically-sensitively
).
Galliani for FIFA president (anywhere but at Casa Milan)
Quote:A statement said: “FIFA president Gianni Infantino has recently made several proposals aimed at further expanding the number of participating nations at the World Cup. According to Gianni Infantino’s proposals, the expansion is expected to take effect at the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
“The number of games being played throughout the year has already reached an unacceptable level, in particular for national team players.
“The ECA executive board therefore rejects such initiative and has today sent a letter to Gianni Infantino calling on FIFA not to increase the number of participants at future World Cups.”
I definitely don't want a 48 team World Cup but the part I bold is funny in my opinion
There is a vote tomorrow on increasing World Cup to 48 teams, if approved it is one big step but not official yet. The proposed format is the 48 playing in 16 groups of three teams, two teams advance into 32 knock out format.
That's okay. My country (China) still won't make it. When it is increased to 144 teams, we may have a shot.
Lol so I hear this was actually approved...
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Yea, it looks like it.
I don't know what to think about it. On one hand, it's good to give the opportunity to more nations to compete in the biggest event in the world. But than again, the beauty of the World Cup is watching big games, big names and big teams in full stadiums. I think this will dilute that feeling and we are going to see some not so quality football in half empty stadiums. It will take that "feeling" out of the World Cup. I may be wrong and I haven't seen the format, but in all honesty, not to be rude or offensive.....but for example a North Korea vs Zimbabwe (just an example, don't kill me) is not a game worthy of the World Cup. And even if we'll never see a game like that, a game between Spain and some very week nation will not be good either. The World Cup finally got to a stage where most of the games are close and unpredictable in many cases. Now we'll go back to where certain teams win their first game 4,5,6 to zero! This is why we have qualifications and a whole process....which by the way is far from perfect, but at least it weeds out some of the weaker teams and than the World Cup becomes a spectacle! I'm not so sure if that'll be the case with this.....at least not in the early rounds!
We'll see how it works out! Like I said, I also see the good in it. Without this, some nations will never get to participate in the World Cup....so I guess, at the end of the day, it's generally a good thing for many!