48 Team World Cup

[Fulham Tup North]

This has absolutely nothing to do with money

[beijing ben]

As most of you have said, they want to make more money, which they will in a variety of different ways by having more countries involved in the final stages. But the one country they desperately want in there is the one I have been living in for more than a decade: China.

As it stands, China just aren't good enough to get through the current Asian qualifying campaign. Only four definitely qualify from Asia. A fifth can go through from the inter continental play offs. China aren't good enough to finish fifth. The only time they have made it in recent memory was the year South Korea and Japan co hosted the event, therefore making the Asian qualifying much easier for that tournament. Australia, South Korea, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran are too strong. Every now and then they may get a result against one of them but they can't do it consistently. They desperately want to be good and are trying everything: throwing money at players and coaches. But the idea of sport being a hobby and not a serious profession is embedded in the culture.

This all means that in order for them to be in the final stages the tournament has to have more places available. I will be very interested to see how the 16 places will be allocated. I could see them completely changing the qualifying format. Possibly splitting the Asian group into East and West sections. But if they keep it as it is with the continents i think they will give 5 to Africa, 5 to Asia, 2 to Oceania, 2 to North America, 2 to Europe. I can't see that its fair to give another place to South America . In the current situation practically half of the countries qualify from South America.

If I'm right about this it won't really affect the European qualifying part. On the face of it it would seem that China would then have a really good chance of qualifying but it would still be far from a guarantee. The seven countries i mentioned above should always be in front of China for the forseeable future. At the moment, Uzbekistan are stronger. Usually North Korea are better, too. The likes of Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Syria (the last two are both currently above China in their qualifying group) are China's level and I can't see that changing any time soon. Unless they give Asia more slots than i have suggested, I'd guess in 2030 they will talk about expanding it again when they realise it hasn't been enough to get China in it...

A little bit of imagination in qualifying would do the job but my fear is they will just mess about such that weaker teams are prioritised and that has to be crazy. If they want china in then just give them a place in the same way that russia purchased qualification, it wasn't selected because it was best or offered more, it just paid for the privileged. But I digress.  The thing is most sport make the finals available to the best,, and so a two or three stage qualification should be adopted. Scotland have been losing out for years but would spank many teams that currently qualify, how is that fair. this expansion raises eyebrows, the finals should have less not more teams.

I like the idea that the world cup is spread out around the world and its not fair to assume certain parts of the world can't compete. When I was a kid the discussion was should Greece and Turkey be allowed in the qualifying competitions because it was considered a definite win for the opposition. Also, people joked at the idea of African and Asian countries being allowed in the world cup finals but I remember Morocco and South Korea doing well. It may seem harsh that established footballing nations in Europe can't go through whilst a pacific island will be there instead but i think competitions like the World Cup and the Olympics have an added atmosphere when the little guys are in it. They can always spring a surprise (Cameroon).

I know I'm in a minority but i don't mind the idea of it expanding and in the way i suggested. Its unfair on Africa at the moment. They definitely deserve more spots as do Asia (but probably not as many as they will get). Due to the history of the competition and the sport itself it has always favoured Europe and South America but now the game has become truly global and expanding it is one way of addressing the balance as it were. The fact they have come up with a way of doing it all in the same amount of days at the finals is a pretty good solution I think. It just depends on how they allocate those new places. Really Africa probably deserve about half of the 16 if you go by number of countries and the quality they have in that continent, but they won't. Asia is what they want. China and the Arabian Peninsula..

I am very happy to expand the tournament such that it is a better competiton and what makes football better.

I think all these events are now overblown money earners ratehr than great spectacles of sport.

I want the best teams to compete in the finals, and the way they qualify be the mechanism to get there....  less teams in the final event would make for a shorter sharper event.  I like the small team upsets, North korea in 1966 springs to mind and all that but I don't want third rate countries just to say we made it inclusive if the effect is to disadvantage far better teams that have tougher qualification... as stated scotland would be  a prime net loser, if the tournament expanded surely theyshould be more likely to enter based on quality, not gography..... anyway that is my view....   I distrust everything FIFA does, so this looks wrong to me for more reasons than one.

Hpw is the China team anyway, are they improving?

You're right, it would be geography that gets you there but i think some countries would say that its because of geography that they haven't been able to get there. If you don't have a realistic hope of reaching the finals what's the point? In asia, there is a defeatist attitude because with only four being allowed through to the finals, and because of the way they do the qualification, its almost a guarantee that you won't get through for most. There are close to 50 countries in the Asian qualifying at the start. New Zealand basically have to prepare for one game in four years which they are incrediby unlikely to win. Australia left that qualifying area because of it. If you have two that can get through in Oceania i think their quality will develop quite quickly over there, because they would know that they have a chance of getting to the finals. I understand the counter argument and the new proposals will probably mean that New Zealand will always be in the finals if we assume that Oceania will get at least one guaranteed spot. Buut i personally don't mind it. I know this will probably be a very unpopular idea but i wouldn't mind it being broken down into smaller areas for qualifying. Have a Caribbean qualification. West Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, Southern Asia, Southeast Asia. Then it would truly be global. Every area of the world plays football. The World Cup should display that.

Last season in China the football definitely improved. The players are getting better. Having a number of quality coaches would be the reason in my opinion. I think the coaching quality and approach to the game isn't great here. But when you get coaches in that really know what they are doing and understand what they are getting into then it can definitely help the local players improve. I'm really looking forward to next season. I went to one Beijing game last season but i think i might try and go to a few this season, especially if Podolski joins, which apparently he will do.

They have a long way to go before they can really compete. Longer than they realise. They see a coach as being like a teacher and they think a good teacher has the answers. And the teacher just needs to give them the answers and then they will be successful. They got a Real Madrid coach to coach the national youth team. He has coached a number of players that went on to win the world cup. After his first training session the first question asked by reporters was 'So, when will we win the World Cup?' You can kind of see why they would ask the question but they don't realise that you have to grow up playing the game pretty much non stop. You never see kids playing football outside of school in the park. If they do it is a football class with a teacher, not for fun with your mates. Unless that changes they will never be properly successful...

[MikeCdawg]

A few of you saying to scrap international football completely. That's because England let you down time and again (assuming most of you who wrote that are English), i doubt many Germans would have that attitude.

I agree friendlies should be scrapped, but i do enjoy a good tournament in the summer. The patriot comes out in you. Qualification games, although boring, we will just have to tolerate adn have them better suited around domestic competition in some way.

[Woolly Mammoth]

. . . and to think that in 1966 there were only 16 teams in the finals.

That's inflation for you !

In 1930 there were only 13 teams.

[Logicalman]

As most of you have said, they want to make more money, which they will in a variety of different ways by having more countries involved in the final stages. But the one country they desperately want in there is the one I have been living in for more than a decade: China.

As it stands, China just aren't good enough to get through the current Asian qualifying campaign. Only four definitely qualify from Asia. A fifth can go through from the inter continental play offs. China aren't good enough to finish fifth. The only time they have made it in recent memory was the year South Korea and Japan co hosted the event, therefore making the Asian qualifying much easier for that tournament. Australia, South Korea, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran are too strong. Every now and then they may get a result against one of them but they can't do it consistently. They desperately want to be good and are trying everything: throwing money at players and coaches. But the idea of sport being a hobby and not a serious profession is embedded in the culture.

This all means that in order for them to be in the final stages the tournament has to have more places available. I will be very interested to see how the 16 places will be allocated. I could see them completely changing the qualifying format. Possibly splitting the Asian group into East and West sections. But if they keep it as it is with the continents i think they will give 5 to Africa, 5 to Asia, 2 to Oceania, 2 to North America, 2 to Europe. I can't see that its fair to give another place to South America . In the current situation practically half of the countries qualify from South America.

If I'm right about this it won't really affect the European qualifying part. On the face of it it would seem that China would then have a really good chance of qualifying but it would still be far from a guarantee. The seven countries i mentioned above should always be in front of China for the forseeable future. At the moment, Uzbekistan are stronger. Usually North Korea are better, too. The likes of Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Syria (the last two are both currently above China in their qualifying group) are China's level and I can't see that changing any time soon. Unless they give Asia more slots than i have suggested, I'd guess in 2030 they will talk about expanding it again when they realise it hasn't been enough to get China in it...

A little bit of imagination in qualifying would do the job but my fear is they will just mess about such that weaker teams are prioritised and that has to be crazy. If they want china in then just give them a place in the same way that russia purchased qualification, it wasn't selected because it was best or offered more, it just paid for the privileged. But I digress.  The thing is most sport make the finals available to the best,, and so a two or three stage qualification should be adopted. Scotland have been losing out for years but would spank many teams that currently qualify, how is that fair. this expansion raises eyebrows, the finals should have less not more teams.

I can see the point you make concerning the Scotland position, but I would suggest that there are simply two ways for qualification:
1. The current method using Groups to whittle down the number of teams to an acceptable and manageable number
2. Simply use the Rankings, but ensure that all International matches are pertinent to the position of the teams so that the best do rise to the top, and then use to top 16/32/64 of those.

How would you suggest they expand it to two or three stage qualifications? I not sure how that would work or improve on what is already in place. I agree that any expansion is fraudulent in it's proposals or reason therefore and provides no significant improvement on the WCF themselves.

[MJG]

FIFA WC 2026 48 teams out of 211 countries is 23% of entries.
1982 Spain 109 countries enter, 24 qualify that's 22%.

I do think 48 is too many but the average since 1966 has been 18% of entries qualify. Its ranged from 22.01% to 14.95% over those years

[jarv]

I have no time for it but I do think groups of 3 is better. 2 games each, no parking the bus for the usual tippy, tappy borefest. Win and go through or go home..

Either remove all seeding or excuse the usual freebies the bother of qualifying. France, Spain, Germany, England and a few others. Give them a free pass to the finals cos thats what they get anyway.  Malta, San marino, Estonia etc.  No contest, playing against teachers, policemen etc..

[MisfitKid]

I have no time for it but I do think groups of 3 is better. 2 games each, no parking the bus for the usual tippy, tappy borefest. Win and go through or go home..

Either remove all seeding or excuse the usual freebies the bother of qualifying. France, Spain, Germany, England??? and a few others. Give them a free pass to the finals cos thats what they get anyway.  Malta, San marino, Estonia etc.  No contest, playing against teachers, policemen etc..

:Get Coat gif: