FIFA World Cup 2022

[eschatological]

The problem with Costa Rica is that after reaching their success in 2014 they hanged on to the same team, which isn't weird for a country of 5 million. But it will bite you in the ass after a few years. They've beaten NZ so they qualified fair and square for this WC..

I'm still trying to figure out why my home country of India, with 1.4 billion people, can't field 26 dudes who can qualify for the World Cup. Our unathleticness is stupendous, about all we do well is play cricket.

[Makabreska]

I'm still trying to figure out why my home country of India, with 1.4 billion people, can't field 26 dudes who can qualify for the World Cup. Our unathleticness is stupendous, about all we do well is play cricket.

Obligatory and (half) valid:

[Airlick]

Bit sad for Canada, a 1:1/2:2 draw would be the most deserved score for both teams.

I'm still trying to figure out why my home country of India, with 1.4 billion people, can't field 26 dudes who can qualify for the World Cup. Our unathleticness is stupendous, about all we do well is play cricket.

Money talks. Traditions as well, but to be at the top in football you need a mix of both. You could have 14 billion people and would still be getting smashed by old football nations with 5 million populations.

[eschatological]

Bit sad for Canada, a 1:1/2:2 draw would be the most deserved score for both teams.



Money talks. Traditions as well, but to be at the top in football you need a mix of both. You could have 14 billion people and would still be getting smashed by old football nations with 5 million populations.

India has a lot of money. Sports has just never been a priority. No Indian parents want their kids to be athletes - when I was growing up mine wanted me to be a doctor, they were satisfied when I instead became a lawyer.

[Pozz]

Long time ago, it was 24 teams.
Then 32.
Now 48.

God I hope they find a better solution than "8 best 3rd placed teams move on"

It was a shit system in 1990 and 1994, it's a shit system in the Euros and it'll be a shit system in future

*edit* Oh nevermind it's group of 3s... So teams in the last matches know exactly what result(s) will send them on. Much better /s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disgrace_of_Gij%C3%B3n

[ghotihook]

God I hope they find a better solution than "8 best 3rd placed teams move on"

It was a shit system in 1990 and 1994, it's a shit system in the Euros and it'll be a shit system in future

I think they are doing 16 groups of 3. Top two go to knockout round of 32. But I agree still stupid.

[Pozz]

I think they are doing 16 groups of 3. Top two go to knockout round of 32. But I agree still stupid.

Yeah I decided to google it cause I was uncertain, cheers though :P

[Gorsameth]

I think they are doing 16 groups of 3. Top two go to knockout round of 32. But I agree still stupid.

That's going to give a lot of terrible games where one team just runs roughshod over the other.

The WC doesn't need more countries, no one is interested in watching an extra dozen 4-0 / 7-0 games.

[Airlick]

India has a lot of money. Sports has just never been a priority. No Indian parents want their kids to be athletes - when I was growing up mine wanted me to be a doctor, they were satisfied when I instead became a lawyer.

Obviously, I meant money that goes into the sport. Even then it has to be invested wisely. On one hand, you got USA and Canada with leagues that hardly even counted as pro leagues until recently, but then they know how to spend money smart to maximize the development and they are reaping the rewards now (though they aren't very likely to play an important part on this WC yet). On the other hand, you have China that pumped ridiculous amounts of money into its league for zero benefit, at least as far as their national team's performance goes. Their league is probably successful commercially and this may very likely be the only thing their federation and club owners care about, but their national team is garbage and doesn't seem to show any signs of progress.

[ghotihook]

That's going to give a lot of terrible games where one team just runs roughshod over the other.

The WC doesn't need more countries, no one is interested in watching an extra dozen 4-0 / 7-0 games.

And the woman's WC is being expanded to 32...13-0 wasn't bad enough last WC.

[MCMLXXXII]

“ Ofcourse, that's why 48 teams are way too much.”

Do you realize that if each of the ~200 countries of the world would participate directly, the whole championship would only take about a week longer, two more rounds?

Every country is participating, that's why qualifying exist. But let's just look at your proposal, a tournament in short time span, without qualifying. All 211 teams competing. You say it's a week longer? I beg to differ.
So first group stage: 52 groups of 4 and 1 group with 3. That's 315 matches. Not to mention the 211 hotels needed for the teams, not even thinking about where to leave the fans.
315 matches, Qatar has 8 eligible stadiums but other WC's had 12 stadiums. So every stadium has to host about 26 matches. For arguments sake, let's say they can play 4 matches a day on the same venue, which can never happen because the pitch would turn into a mud pool on or after day 2, it would take a week to host all first group stage games. Only group winners advance to the next round, so that's 53 teams. Want to do another group stage?

[Drudi]

“not even thinking about where to leave the fans”

Can’t the fans just watch the broadcast, as usual? No discomfort from possible bad weather, always perfect view on the game, ability to drink what you want and wear what you want while watching. Problem solved.

“You say it's a week longer?”

It’s a week longer yes. Even less than a week longer. You just need 2 more rounds in the finall playoff stage. Each round cuts the number of remaining teams in half, so moving from about 50 to about 200 would require just 2 more rounds; slight differences will be held at the group stage.

It’s absolutely doable once you stop thinking about it as a media and marketing event (which it is now) and actually start changing this into a sports event.

[jonnysensible]

“not even thinking about where to leave the fans”

Can’t the fans just watch the broadcast, as usual? No discomfort from possible bad weather, always perfect view on the game, ability to drink what you want and wear what you want while watching. Problem solved.

“You say it's a week longer?”

It’s a week longer yes. Even less than a week longer. You just need 2 more rounds in the finall playoff stage. Each round cuts the number of remaining teams in half, so moving from about 50 to about 200 would require just 2 more rounds; slight differences will be held at the group stage.

It’s absolutely doable once you stop thinking about it as a media and marketing event (which it is now) and actually start changing this into a sports event.

do you even watch football lol?

All teams already have to qualify, this is just the end stage of the tournament, the best of the best. it doesn't need to be diluted into an impractical format and even more basket case hosting + logistics nightmare. With dipper teams who couldn't fill a stadium and don't deserve to be in the end stages of the tournament.


ontopic, Belgium looking past it as well, unimpressive.

[Airlick]

Every country is participating, that's why qualifying exist. But let's just look at your proposal, a tournament in short time span, without qualifying. All 211 teams competing. You say it's a week longer? I beg to differ.
So first group stage: 52 groups of 4 and 1 group with 3. That's 315 matches. Not to mention the 211 hotels needed for the teams, not even thinking about where to leave the fans.

I think he means it should be direct elimination matches all the way, hence there wouldn't be that many more matches than in the current format. Which, barring crazy logistics required, would lead to EXTREMELY interesting match-ups of #1 team vs #210, #1 vs #100, #1 vs #50... so after 2-3 weeks of the tournament you just MAY start getting interesting matches. But hey, qualifiers don't exist in this guy's mind and "iTs NoT FaIr CuZ NoT EvErY1 ParTiCiPaTeS".

[MCMLXXXII]

I think he means it should be direct elimination matches all the way, hence there wouldn't be that many more matches than in the current format. Which, barring crazy logistics required, would lead to EXTREMELY interesting match-ups of #1 team vs #210, #1 vs #100, #1 vs #50... so after 2-3 weeks of the tournament you just MAY start getting interesting matches. But hey, qualifiers don't exist in this guy's mind and "iTs NoT FaIr CuZ NoT EvErY1 ParTiCiPaTeS".

Only knockout stages is hilarious. Good luck bringing 211 countries back to 32 with only knockout games.

5.2 million fans visited the WC in 2014. So as a host you're allowed to host the cup, spend millions to Mae you stadiums eligible but not get the benefits off visitors ( read money )

[Jessicka]

Only knockout stages is hilarious. Good luck bringing 211 countries back to 32 with only knockout games.

5.2 million fans visited the WC in 2014. So as a host you're allowed to host the cup, spend millions to Mae you stadiums eligible but not get the benefits off visitors ( read money )

Don't think Qatar were ever interested in visitors and money, the stadiums look half empty and crowd shots seem weirdly full of uniformly dressed middle aged men.

[MCMLXXXII]

Don't think Qatar were ever interested in visitors and money, the stadiums look half empty and crowd shots seem weirdly full of uniformly dressed middle aged men.

Yeah, that's why I took 2014 as an example in stead of these last two "bought" WC's.

[Airlick]

Don't think Qatar were ever interested in visitors and money, the stadiums look half empty and crowd shots seem weirdly full of uniformly dressed middle aged men.

Most hosts do want the long-term return on their investment, though. It's just authoritarian states that want to host these things to farm prestige, and for corrupt countries like Russia it's also a very good opportunity for its elites to cash out with bribes and frauds.

[Northern Goblin]

Don't think Qatar were ever interested in visitors and money, the stadiums look half empty and crowd shots seem weirdly full of uniformly dressed middle aged men.

With record attendance figures larger than the stadium actually holds.

[Pozz]

With record attendance figures larger than the stadium actually holds.

Not true.... Stadium capacity was upgraded so the attendance figures are no longer higher :'D