So that it doesn't get buried in the daily gamethreads, and because we'll be talking about it long after the 2022 tournament finishes...
Those in favor of a better format, at least within FIFA, probably want it because it means more games, and thus more money. Those opposed, want to avoid raising the maximum games that the finalists might play. And when FIFA decides between money and player safety / accommodating the clubs, we know which outcome you'd bet on.
...and lo, what is this I see coming over the waves today?
https://www.eurosport.com/football/world-cup/2022/world-cup-2026-fifa-in-talks-about-abandoning-three-team-group-format-for-north-american-tournament_sto9253470/story.shtml
Only FIFA could look at this [run of exciting final group matches] and decide they need to get rid of the simultaneous group stage conclusion matches .
It's terrible. And it's not just that the games won't conclude simultaneously, it's that you are going to have teams sitting around for four or five days waiting for a game they're not playing in.
Assume A1, A2, A3. I assume that it's going to go something like this:
Monday: A1 v. A2
Friday: A1 v. A3
Wednesday: A2 v. A3.
Not going to judge it in the abstract, but in the abstract it seems horrible.
In fairness to FIFA (...what did I just write?!), they have consistently tweaked the tournament format over the decades, and the current format has only existed since 1998. They went from 24 teams in 1994 (13 of them from UEFA, an outright majority), to 32 teams in 1998 (15 of them from UEFA), to roughly the current berth allocations starting in 2006. If they go ahead with the 3-team groups, which is no sure thing, then once they see what a disaster it is in 2026 I think they'll fix it for 2030.I think they need to work out the system and do some tweaks to it.
It's a done deal that there will be 48 teams so now let's see how to work it out.
However, this is FIFA. They will find a way to screw this up
Those in favor of a better format, at least within FIFA, probably want it because it means more games, and thus more money. Those opposed, want to avoid raising the maximum games that the finalists might play. And when FIFA decides between money and player safety / accommodating the clubs, we know which outcome you'd bet on.
...and lo, what is this I see coming over the waves today?
https://www.eurosport.com/football/world-cup/2022/world-cup-2026-fifa-in-talks-about-abandoning-three-team-group-format-for-north-american-tournament_sto9253470/story.shtml
Yeah, that wouldn't be my ideal tournament format, but it'd be a hell of a lot better than 3-team groups.FIFA’s argument for the new format was the teams that reached the final would still play seven matches over the 32-day period, with a date for the 2026 World Cup yet to be confirmed. However, according to multiple reports, “informal talks” have been held about the potential to have 12 groups of four instead.
This would mean an increase in the number of matches, as each team would play an extra match. The top two teams, plus the eight best third placed teams would qualify for the knockout stages.
Any decision will not be announced until 2023 at the earliest.
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