How radical FIFA change affects Socceroos

1 year ago 60

We volition ne'er spot a World Cup similar Qatar ever again.

That's not hyperbole, it's a information - FIFA has already confirmed that the format of the World Cup volition alteration for the 2026 tournament, which volition beryllium co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

Since 1998, 32 teams person participated astatine each tournament. From the adjacent World Cup, that fig volition spell to 48.

So, wherefore alteration it then?

More games means much dollars, much teams qualifying means much tourists and TV views, and a longer tourney means much clip successful the media cycle.

Of course, you hazard diluting the prime of the tournament, arsenic good arsenic the stakes of the aboriginal circular games.

The commercialized disconnected is that there'll beryllium an full other circular of knockout fixtures, with that signifier starting with a circular of 32 alternatively of a circular of 16.

What are the options?

As it stands, the World Cup volition determination from a 32-team tourney with 8 groups of four, to a 48-team tourney with 16 groups of three.

FIFA has not locked successful however the groups volition work, and different connection would spot them revert backmost to groups of four.

The occupation with that is that with 12 groups, that fig doesn't spell evenly into a knockout phase, truthful you'd either person 16 oregon 32 teams advancing - which means the murky script of immoderate groups having much teams suffice than others, which is ne'er fashionable with fans.

What has FIFA committed to?

The lone happening that's acceptable successful chromatic is the fig of teams - contempt the brilliance we've conscionable seen successful Qatar, it volition beryllium the past clip we get the World Cup successful its existent state.

Asia goes from 5 teams to 8 guaranteed, Africa volition get 9 nonstop qualifiers alternatively of five, South America goes from 4 to six, Europe from 13 to 16, and North America from 4 to six (although 3 of those volition beryllium the co-hosts).

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And the biggest winners are surely New Zealand, with Oceania getting 1 guaranteed spot.

That's 46 teams accounted for. After that, six further teams - 1 from each continent but Europe, and a 2nd 1 from North America - volition vie for the last 2 spots successful a play-off tournament.

Could determination beryllium a rethink?

Surely. The play of the past time of radical play had truthful overmuch intrigue.

Australia and Tunisia scoring wrong a infinitesimal of each other, Spain needing to people against Japan to assistance Germany qualify, South Korea sneaking done by the barest of margins and Saudi Arabia scoring a extremity that was meaningless to them, but meant a batch to Mexico - each of these were cracking storylines.

Obviously, if you person groups of three, you suffer that.

The different contented is that the full crushed that simultaneous games were introduced successful the archetypal spot was that successful 1982, aft Algeria had played their 3rd and last crippled and beaten Chile, the lone effect that would person seen them not suffice was a constrictive triumph for West Germany implicit Austria.

Those 2 teams met the time aft Algeria's match, with West Germany scoring aboriginal and past neither squad opting to bash immoderate attacking for the remaining 80 oregon truthful minutes.

It was truthful arguable that it has its ain Wikipedia page - and the lucifer is known arsenic the 'Disgrace of Gijon'.

This is applicable due to the fact that with an odd-numbered radical format, this tin hap again successful the future. One squad volition person to play some of their games earlier the remaining 2 teams decorativeness up, meaning that the second 2 could hypothetically facilitate a effect that benefits them both.

What does it mean for the Socceroos?

The expanded tourney is precise overmuch a drawback 22 for Australia, and immoderate different federation that finds itself astir the cusp of qualification each clip the tourney rhythm repeats.

The evident affirmative is that with an accrued fig of spots, it volition beryllium easier for Australia to qualify. Even successful a atrocious qualification campaign, it's improbable that the Socceroos would conflict to beryllium successful the apical 8 Asian teams.

The drawback is that they are lone guaranteed 2 games, alternatively than three. And with 32 teams qualifying to the adjacent circular it means that the accomplishment of reaching that signifier is not arsenic large a woody arsenic it was successful 2006 oregon this year, and it besides means that an other knockout crippled is needed if they were to triumph the tournament.

What bash fans want?

Unsurprisingly, the initial announcement of tourney enlargement was met with a mostly-negative reception, adjacent from fans of countries that would conflict to suffice usually and present person an easier path.

But arsenic we've seen from this week's A-League fiasco, it's uncommon to spot instrumentality concerns taken connected committee by the powers that be.

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