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2026 UEFA WC Qualification

Sutherlandbear said:
Alright then, go back to sixteen. Then the quality rises.
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Good point hahaha

In fairness though - the last year of 16 teams was from 109 countries (14.7%), compared to now 48 from 211 (22.7%). 32 at least makes that percentage more equal with the 70’s qualifying numbers (15.2%)
 
NicCarBel said:
Good point hahaha

In fairness though - the last year of 16 teams was from 109 countries (14.7%), compared to now 48 from 211 (22.7%). 32 at least makes that percentage more equal with the 70’s qualifying numbers (15.2%)
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I feel 48 rewards mediocrity. It should be about the best v the best, not the best v the rest, which it will end being anyway. Too much football for the players as it is without extended tournaments. My WC would run for a fortnight.
 
Sutherlandbear said:
I feel 48 rewards mediocrity. It should be about the best v the best, not the best v the rest, which it will end being anyway. Too much football for the players as it is without extended tournaments. My WC would run for a fortnight.
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It's too big but thankfully a lot of teams have qualified on absolute merit here. The spreading of qualification grounds meant desert big teams were packed together in many confederations and that presented the chance.

I don't think Jordan would've made it in a 32 team set up.

UEFA Nations League teams should've had some provision to the African runners up in two legs or something. It's all become overly complicated. Fifa doesn't want to risk too few or too many UEFA nations. The AFC has benefited immensely from this.
 
JS96 said:
It's too big but thankfully a lot of teams have qualified on absolute merit here. The spreading of qualification grounds meant desert big teams were packed together in many confederations and that presented the chance.

I don't think Jordan would've made it in a 32 team set up.

UEFA Nations League teams should've had some provision to the African runners up in two legs or something. It's all become overly complicated. Fifa doesn't want to risk too few or too many UEFA nations. The AFC has benefited immensely from this.
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from our perspective it has at least worked this time round

we got our dramatic qualification, what we don't want is a boring jog through unless we are so good that the true jeopardy doesn't manifest until the late rounds of the world cup or the asian cup final
 
grazorblade said:
from our perspective it has at least worked this time round

we got our dramatic qualification, what we don't want is a boring jog through unless we are so good that the true jeopardy doesn't manifest until the late rounds of the world cup or the asian cup final
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I'll take a successful qualification then focus on the tournament any day. I remember people saying the Syria Honduras playoffs were needed to promote the game. No thank you. Way too stressful.
 
JS96 said:
I'll take a successful qualification then focus on the tournament any day. I remember people saying the Syria Honduras playoffs were needed to promote the game. No thank you. Way too stressful.
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haha I'm addicted to the stress
 
Sutherlandbear said:
I feel 48 rewards mediocrity. It should be about the best v the best, not the best v the rest, which it will end being anyway. Too much football for the players as it is without extended tournaments. My WC would run for a fortnight.
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Yo, we agree on something. I think 48 is way too many teams. Infantino is destroying this sport.
 
Pro sport all over is getting ruined chasing the broadcasting $.......
Infantino is one of the many in the game caring about the $ not about the quality let alone player burn out.
Agree Sutho and 2, 2 and 1/2 wks max.
Its becoming a joke all for the $.
Even having games spread over 3 countries, seriously - no matter what it costs for the average supporter.
By the way Congrats Sutho's Scots - rapted for my Robbo and young Doak.
Sutho - only 2 players in that starting line up play in the SPL spouse you know.
 
LFC said:
Pro sport all over is getting ruined chasing the broadcasting $.......
Infantino is one of the many in the game caring about the $ not about the quality let alone player burn out.
Agree Sutho and 2, 2 and 1/2 wks max.
Its becoming a joke all for the $.
Even having games spread over 3 countries, seriously - no matter what it costs for the average supporter.
By the way Congrats Sutho's Scots - rapted for my Robbo and young Doak.
Sutho - only 2 players in that starting line up play in the SPL spouse you know.
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Been the same for about 50 years. About six of them play in Serie A. And the vast majority on this board say Scotland have no talent.
 
Sutherlandbear said:
Been the same for about 50 years. About six of them play in Serie A. And the vast majority on this board say Scotland have no talent.
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well yes, more so many played in the English Div1 originally going that far back then its branched out to the other euro Clubs which is great to me......
Mind you quite a few are in the EPL right now another feather way better than us :) despite you having a comp replicating Liga mostly 2 horse race.
 
JS96 said:
It's too big but thankfully a lot of teams have qualified on absolute merit here. The spreading of qualification grounds meant desert big teams were packed together in many confederations and that presented the chance.

I don't think Jordan would've made it in a 32 team set up.

UEFA Nations League teams should've had some provision to the African runners up in two legs or something. It's all become overly complicated. Fifa doesn't want to risk too few or too many UEFA nations. The AFC has benefited immensely from this.
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I am tempted to try and take a look at (now all the qualification groups are complete) at who would have made a 32 team world cup and present my findings.
Sutherlandbear said:
I feel 48 rewards mediocrity. It should be about the best v the best, not the best v the rest, which it will end being anyway. Too much football for the players as it is without extended tournaments. My WC would run for a fortnight.
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100% agree with you here on the 48.

Not sure I agree with you about WC for a fortnight - I think the 'too much football' is a club issue, moreso than International - but there is definitely too much football at times - I feel myself zoning out of a lot of competitions now. All I've really been following for the past couple years are the Canberra Premier League (refuse to call it NPL now), Serie C specifically to follow my team there, and the Aus Championship this year, and internationals.
 
Ok so I'm going to use points and standings etc on the table of the actual qualification that took place for 2026, and then essentially make the big ladder out of it to determine the bottom teams of certain levels to knock out. So your 2026 FIFA World Cup (old style) finalists would be:

CONCACAF
USA (Hosts)
Mexico (Hosts)
Canada (Hosts)
Curacao

CONMEBOL
Argentina
Ecuador
Colombia
Uruguay

AFC
Iran
South Korea
Japan
Uzbekistan

UEFA
England
France
Croatia
Portugal
Norway
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium
Austria
Switzerland
Spain
Scotland
1x Playoff Winner

CAF
Tunisia
Ivory Coast
Egypt
Ghana
Algeria

Intercontinental Playoffs (2 of these would qualify)
Panama
Australia
New Zealand
Brazil
 
LFC said:
Pro sport all over is getting ruined chasing the broadcasting $.......
Infantino is one of the many in the game caring about the $ not about the quality let alone player burn out.
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Thing is though, if fans keep turning up and paying the prices, there is nothing to stop them. On top of this, clubs keep turning up and players keep playing.

It needs someone to take a serious stand. They keep finding new ways to not only screw over fans, but players. The amount of football they are playing is insane. No wonder we are seeing more injuries and more players tiring out quicker.

Also, with dynamic pricing, fans are getting screwed over more. FIFA has literally gone, fuck the fans and players, fuck the environment, just keep giving us your money, and we as fans let it happen.
 
This ws the best one though. 18 years ago...fark...and they still have the same keeper!

 
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