| World Cup 2026 on 11:42 - Mar 15 with 2258 views | daveB |
gonna make a farce of the tournament, far too many teams in it now |  | |  |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:51 - Mar 15 with 2237 views | QPRConor2000 |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:42 - Mar 15 by daveB |
gonna make a farce of the tournament, far too many teams in it now |
Im not against expansion personally, but surely there is a better way of doing it.
Its a farce as to why they are allowing the 8 best placed third placed teams through, why cant they just have the top 2 teams going through and then have the best 8 teams going straight to the R16, with the other 16 teams going through a playoff for the other 8 spots. |  | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:55 - Mar 15 with 2222 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Was this necessary? |  | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:57 - Mar 15 with 2218 views | DannyPaddox |
Would have been a ‘nailed-on’ farce if they’d have gone with their original plan of 16 groups of 3. There would have been maybe a dozen re-runs of the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ namely Germany v Austria 1982. A 0-0 cynically played out in the last group game. Both teams knowing the result would put them through to the next stage
When I was told before Xmas of the original format I said no way will that happen. It makes you wonder who comes up with these ideas and how do they get in a position of influence. At least they’ve gone back on it. |  | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:01 - Mar 15 with 2209 views | CamberleyR |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:42 - Mar 15 by daveB |
gonna make a farce of the tournament, far too many teams in it now |
48 teams is going to massively dilute the quality of the World Cup IMO. Going to be a lot of poor teams in it now. 32 teams was absolutely right and no need to change it, it gave 31 teams a chance to qualify which was plenty. |  |
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| World Cup 2026 on 12:13 - Mar 15 with 2191 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:01 - Mar 15 by CamberleyR |
48 teams is going to massively dilute the quality of the World Cup IMO. Going to be a lot of poor teams in it now. 32 teams was absolutely right and no need to change it, it gave 31 teams a chance to qualify which was plenty. |
I know rankings mean fck all because of the way qualification is structured, but there are some interesting teams hovering around that 48th position like Burkino Faso and Venezuela. | | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:33 - Mar 15 with 2153 views | CamberleyR |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:13 - Mar 15 by BazzaInTheLoft |
I know rankings mean fck all because of the way qualification is structured, but there are some interesting teams hovering around that 48th position like Burkino Faso and Venezuela. |
Does the World Cup though really need the 10th best team (in the 2022 qualifiers) in South America in it? | |
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| World Cup 2026 on 12:36 - Mar 15 with 2134 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:33 - Mar 15 by CamberleyR |
Does the World Cup though really need the 10th best team (in the 2022 qualifiers) in South America in it? |
From a sporting spectacle probably not.
As an opportunity to open up football markets in non traditional cultures, maybe. Was the one silver lining from Qatar that teams on the Arabian peninsula now have a viable football culture.
I think Baseball is the main sport there but not sure. | | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:38 - Mar 15 with 2128 views | thame_hoops |
so you're saying there is a chance the Scots and Irish can now qualify?
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| World Cup 2026 on 12:41 - Mar 15 with 2119 views | Antti_Heinola |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:36 - Mar 15 by BazzaInTheLoft |
From a sporting spectacle probably not.
As an opportunity to open up football markets in non traditional cultures, maybe. Was the one silver lining from Qatar that teams on the Arabian peninsula now have a viable football culture.
I think Baseball is the main sport there but not sure. |
Did teams on the Arabian peninsula 'need' a football culture, though? I'm not sure what that means tbh, Baz.
This is a farce, let's face it. A bloated, over-long tournament that is going to have a giant number of meaningless and one-sided games.
Might have been more fun to keep to 32, which is a perfect number for many reasons, and then introduce some fun play-off tournaments maybe the year before World Cups. |  |
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| World Cup 2026 on 12:48 - Mar 15 with 2094 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:41 - Mar 15 by Antti_Heinola |
Did teams on the Arabian peninsula 'need' a football culture, though? I'm not sure what that means tbh, Baz.
This is a farce, let's face it. A bloated, over-long tournament that is going to have a giant number of meaningless and one-sided games.
Might have been more fun to keep to 32, which is a perfect number for many reasons, and then introduce some fun play-off tournaments maybe the year before World Cups. |
I suppose in general I mean more football watched and played. I’d like to think more Qatari kids are playing football today than last year.
Agree that it doesn’t need a WC to do that and in reality it’s about commercial exposure rather than any footballing reasons isn’t it. | | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:07 - Mar 15 with 2054 views | CamberleyR |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:57 - Mar 15 by DannyPaddox |
Would have been a ‘nailed-on’ farce if they’d have gone with their original plan of 16 groups of 3. There would have been maybe a dozen re-runs of the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ namely Germany v Austria 1982. A 0-0 cynically played out in the last group game. Both teams knowing the result would put them through to the next stage
When I was told before Xmas of the original format I said no way will that happen. It makes you wonder who comes up with these ideas and how do they get in a position of influence. At least they’ve gone back on it. |
It was actually 1-0 to West Germany, DP. They still needed a win and a one or two goal win would ensure both qualified. Hrubesch scored after 10 minutes and we all know how it ended. | |
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| World Cup 2026 on 13:11 - Mar 15 with 2046 views | PlanetHonneywood |
Well if you’re not really that bothered about FIFA World Cup, yes.
Clearly I didn’t factor in what a precious butterfly you can be. |  |
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| World Cup 2026 on 13:23 - Mar 15 with 2019 views | DannyPaddox |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:07 - Mar 15 by CamberleyR |
It was actually 1-0 to West Germany, DP. They still needed a win and a one or two goal win would ensure both qualified. Hrubesch scored after 10 minutes and we all know how it ended. |
What a load of Hrubesch! Thanks for the correction Cambers. Good knowledge. Was there another Germany based disgrace in ‘86 which sent Algeria out? My memory is down with cramp. | | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:25 - Mar 15 with 2012 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| World Cup 2026 on 12:38 - Mar 15 by thame_hoops |
so you're saying there is a chance the Scots and Irish can now qualify?
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| World Cup 2026 on 13:27 - Mar 15 with 1987 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Ireland ranked 48th I see Brian! | | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:31 - Mar 15 with 1978 views | Toast_R |
This is just pure greed and an absolute dereliction of football.
This Gianni Infantino has been an absolute seemless transition of the FIFA presidency from Sep Blatter, almost like a Dr Who type of re-generation of the same horrible out of touch and corrupt, haemorrhoid of a man. [Post edited 15 Mar 2023 15:25]
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| World Cup 2026 on 13:32 - Mar 15 with 1972 views | qprxtc |
They shouldn’t bother with qualifiers.
Just chuck every country with a football team into some place every four years and play until the last team standing declared victory.
And anyone who wants to watch it , either there or in a pub or a home, must drink Budweiser or be thrown in jail.
I should write to FIFA. |  | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:32 - Mar 15 with 1973 views | Match82 |
| World Cup 2026 on 11:57 - Mar 15 by DannyPaddox |
Would have been a ‘nailed-on’ farce if they’d have gone with their original plan of 16 groups of 3. There would have been maybe a dozen re-runs of the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ namely Germany v Austria 1982. A 0-0 cynically played out in the last group game. Both teams knowing the result would put them through to the next stage
When I was told before Xmas of the original format I said no way will that happen. It makes you wonder who comes up with these ideas and how do they get in a position of influence. At least they’ve gone back on it. |
Don't really think anyone at FIFA is in it for the love of the game Danny. They're blinded by money and decisions are made on that basis, not things like logic. The most obvious example being that nobody on the selection committee thought "isn't it a bit hot in Qatar in the summer" when awarding that world cup and then realizing AFTER it was awarded that they might have to move it to winter
If they want to expand it I'd have gone with 40 teams. 24 qualifiers from normal route, next 16 teams play a single "play in" game each to kick off the world cup before the group games start, end up with your standard 8 groups of 4.
Works perfectly well in both baseball for the "World Series" and College basketball March Madness |  | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:39 - Mar 15 with 1952 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:27 - Mar 15 by BazzaInTheLoft |
Ireland ranked 48th I see Brian! |
GET IN!!!
..or something. | |
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| World Cup 2026 on 14:24 - Mar 15 with 1863 views | DannyPaddox |
| World Cup 2026 on 13:27 - Mar 15 by BazzaInTheLoft |
Ireland ranked 48th I see Brian! |
If FIFA really believed in inclusion they’d include Ireland’s co-efficiency points from the six nations rugby and GAA. The current rankings are a travesty. | | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 14:28 - Mar 15 with 1850 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| World Cup 2026 on 14:24 - Mar 15 by DannyPaddox |
If FIFA really believed in inclusion they’d include Ireland’s co-efficiency points from the six nations rugby and GAA. The current rankings are a travesty. |
...and we'd STILL find a way to not qualify. | |
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| World Cup 2026 on 14:39 - Mar 15 with 1827 views | CLAREMAN1995 |
| World Cup 2026 on 14:28 - Mar 15 by BrianMcCarthy |
...and we'd STILL find a way to not qualify. |
I am screwed if Ireland do no make it to North America Brian.
I promised my 2 daughters we are going to a WC game to see ROI play its going to be my last chance ever over here .
I would hate to put the green jerseys away and have to dig out some other countries shirt .
I am putting my hopes on Ferguson from Brighton to keep getting better and scoring enough goals to get Ireland to America .
The rest of the team is not too bad actually once they ship out the old dinosaurs of course |  | | |
| World Cup 2026 on 14:40 - Mar 15 with 1822 views | BushRanger82 |
I bet Scotland still won't qualify! |  | | |
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