OT: 48-team World Cup with play-in round?
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed a 48-team World Cup that would see 16 teams eliminated after one knockout match.
NCAA, MLB, and now FIFA?
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/story/2965257/fifa-president-gianni…
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:36 PM ^
What would be the motivation to travel half a world away, play one game and come back?
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^
Playing in the World Cup seems like ample motivation.
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:12 PM ^
I am not so sure. It takes a great deal of money to send a team of 16 or 22 to a world cup. Expanding the draw to 48 would attract some smaller nations. The cost may not be worth the hassle for them. If it's England who loses out in the 32, but has a chance to get in via a play-in, I can see that. But if it's Chad or Papua-New Guinea, I am not sure they would send a team.
One can argue citing Olympic Games and small nations. But I don't see those two being comparable.
October 4th, 2016 at 1:39 AM ^
Not for traveling fans it sure ain't
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:04 PM ^
It's all about those dolla's yo
October 3rd, 2016 at 7:27 PM ^
Mexico and New Zealand played a home-and-home to decide who would get one of the last spots in 2012. That's 11,000 km to play one game.
Jordan and Uruguay did the same. That's even farther.
October 3rd, 2016 at 11:49 PM ^
You do realize the absurdity of such travel, right? Yes, if the country officials stand to make enough money (think cupcakes) then I can see these happening, as many have already said.
But that doesn't mean it makes sense. Of course, FIFA (or any international sports body for that matter) and sense shouldn't be in the same room together.
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^
poontang?
October 3rd, 2016 at 6:00 PM ^
Exactly
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October 3rd, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^
About what I'd expect from the genius's that awarded Russia & Qatar the next 2 world cups.
October 3rd, 2016 at 7:38 PM ^
About what I'd expect from the genius's
Uh...
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^
I have no interest in seeing Canada or Trinida and Tobago lose 10-0 to Portugal. Expansion makes some sense when you're trying to include teams that could still win it all, but FIFA is just doing too much with this.
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:42 PM ^
of the Eurocup worked out so well!
OTOH: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:48 PM ^
But I think this would be a TON of fun to watch on TV. You get nations such as Iceland who didn't make the draw and would have an opportunity to get in, along with all of their crazy chants and energy. I think it's great.
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:03 PM ^
4 years of World Cup qualification all for 1 game? The flopping is already bad enough in the 4 game format, 1 game would be terrible.
Not to mention that there's so little parity in international soccer. the 48th ranked team right now is Greece. They're so bad.
October 3rd, 2016 at 11:21 PM ^
Might be good by then, they did win Euro 2004.
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^
This is a stupid idea. It's just a FIFA moneygrab, and puts the health (and finances) of the star players at risk.
I'm sure Real Madrid has been thrilled with Ronaldo's form after the injury he picked up in the Euros, or Barca two years ago with Neymar's back injury.
October 4th, 2016 at 1:46 AM ^
well pro soccer itself is just a $ grab, so whatever
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:56 PM ^
if England isn't one of the top 16 teams and gets knocked out after 1 game? The headlines in the English press would be worth it.
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:17 PM ^
Otherwise...what a terrible idea.
October 3rd, 2016 at 4:59 PM ^
It's always about the almighty dollar
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:09 PM ^
Or Euro/Pound?
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:00 PM ^
I thought the summer was over?
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:01 PM ^
Beat Rutgers!
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:02 PM ^
The only change I really want to see is getting rid of penalty kicks. Soccer and hockey are perfect sports for sudden death overtime. If fatigue for the next game is a worry, start pulling players off like the NHL does. I know the idea of 5-on-5 soccer sounds a little silly, but deciding who advances by playing soccer is a better idea with any number of players than a free throw shooting contest is.
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^
u really want to see a 6 hour 0-0 soccer game?
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:27 PM ^
No but I agree with JayMo4.
I'm a huge hockey fan and I will often turn a game off if it's still tied after OT. The game is over to me and the shootout is just an exhibition I can't bear to watch.
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October 3rd, 2016 at 6:02 PM ^
Shootout is stupid. Call it a tie after OT.
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October 3rd, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
But what if it's a knockout-stage game?
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October 3rd, 2016 at 8:05 PM ^
It won't go six hours when you start pulling players off the field. I don't care how conservative teams try to play it. When it's 6 on 6, 5 on 5, someone is going to score.
And again, while that might seem a little cheesy, or less like "real" soccer, it's a lot more like real soccer than a penalty kick contest is.
October 4th, 2016 at 1:48 AM ^
A coin toss like they used to do (yes, truly) would at least be honest that PKs are not to determine a 'winner'
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^
The way to do it is to have PKs after regulation and THEN have the extra time. PKs are basically the tiebreaker; if you win PKs, you only need to finish extra time tied. Basically ensures that one team is going hard to score a goal at all times during the extra time, because one team is always "behind" regardless.
October 4th, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
Take the penalty kicks at the end of regulation, then play the 30 minute extra time.
Whoever loses the penalties will be motivated to press the action. You'll see more goals in extra time if one side knows they've lost if they don't score.
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:24 PM ^
somehow?
October 3rd, 2016 at 6:03 PM ^
Can Ronaldo kick a field goal? He probably has eligibility.
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October 3rd, 2016 at 6:41 PM ^
Messi or Rooney? I can see you there windows guys picking field goals with a cigarette in your mouth
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October 3rd, 2016 at 5:24 PM ^
Noooooo. This is a terrible idea.
October 3rd, 2016 at 5:56 PM ^
they just need to redistribute the bids from the different confederations; I don't know why CAF gets 5 (they are almost identical in strength to CONCACAF, which gets 3 or 4), while CONMEBOL only gets 4 or 5.
Every time, it's pretty much a guarantee that 1 or 2 CAF teams are going to get absolutely pasted in the group stage. CONMEBOL hasn't finished last in a group since 2002, and Ecuador still won a game that World Cup. I can understand they're building the brand or some shit, and they shouldn't pick teams ranked 1-32 straight up every time, but a 50+ ranked team should not be making the World Cup.
October 3rd, 2016 at 7:16 PM ^
If you are a historical power football nation (Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina) what benefit comes from playing teams like Iceland or ? If you win, you were 'supposed to' and if you lose, you endure near endless suffering....
However, if you are an "Iceland" - your country & fans have lots to cheer for, and for novice fans; you jump the bandwagon (think thunder clap) - and if you win - you're a giant slayer. So, good for 'smaller' countries.
Which leads to....
"Football is a simple game.
Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win."
- Gary Lineker
October 3rd, 2016 at 10:16 PM ^
Never underestimate the greed and gall of people involved in international sports. The IOC and FIFA seemed to be engaged in a race to see who can go lower.
Part of the interesting part of World Cups is that the top teams gather and fans can see a varity of teams play - a knockout tourney like the one proposed would be ever MORE expensive to mount, subject to even more dubious diving and shenanigans and benefit no fans. So of course it has a chance of happening! :)
October 3rd, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^
This is a terrible idea. I will say that the idea that lower-level teams wouldn't bother to go is absurd. First, because it's the World Cup, the biggest stage in the world. Second, because they're not going to be sacrificed to Brazil or Germany: they will play South Korea or Ireland or USA, winnable games in a win-or-go-home scenario.
And that's where problems arise. Problem one: the politics of seeding. How are high seeds distributed? How are the teams paired? What happens when one confederation all gets knocked out?
And those knockouts bring up the second issue: bad games. A team like Greece can't keep up with Uruguay, but they can turn the game into a defensive slot and play for penalties. Many teams will do this, and the quality of play will be horrible. Someone like C. Ronaldo will get eliminated on a bad call or a coin-flip penalty shootout and it will look bad for everyone.
It's just not going to be good. If they want to expand they need a better idea.
October 4th, 2016 at 1:39 AM ^
No one can play in the World Cup until we beat MSU and OSU
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October 4th, 2016 at 1:43 AM ^
As with every postseason expansion where you can *already* fairly determine the best team (all except for the BCS in my lifetime), this is nothing but a $ grab. The last two WC to me made it clear in the group stage who the top 4-6 teams were, and this is why 2nd place teams are like 1-15 in the rd of 16. In fact, to me it was obvious Germany was the best team by far. If anything, they could make qualifiers longer and have an 8 team tournament. That would be a lot more justifiable than this
But full disclosure, i won't be watching the next 2 WC regardless due to the hosts