| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently 16:08 - Dec 16 with 1853 views | gainsboroughblue |
Saying that groups of four works better than groups of three.
Who knew? |  |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 16:31 - Dec 16 with 1793 views | J2BLUE |
It's stupid really as they will just have 12 groups of 4 with the 8 best third placed teams going through which will ruin it anyway. |  |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 16:43 - Dec 16 with 1763 views | RonFearonsHair |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 16:31 - Dec 16 by J2BLUE |
It's stupid really as they will just have 12 groups of 4 with the 8 best third placed teams going through which will ruin it anyway. |
I wonder if they might do 8 groups of 6 but still have each team play three matches based on splitting each group down the middle, playing only the teams from the other 'half'. Then just the top two qualify from each group. |  | | |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 16:51 - Dec 16 with 1721 views | WeWereZombies |
For all of the ethical failings of FIFA and Qatar as host nation, the poor timing for European and north American and Asian teams, and the over commercialism I think that this has been an interesting World Cup and that one of the reasons for that is the format is about right now. It would be a shame to throw that out of the window and let three or four decades of development and acclimatisation be wasted. |  |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 18:17 - Dec 16 with 1642 views | gainsboroughblue |
Group stages should be simple and straight forward. Groups of four, two teams through. New followers to the game, as much as already established ones, really cannot be faffed with following any of this best third placed team nonsense.
32 teams
Down to 16-8-4-2-1.
Why mess with it? *
*I know the answer to this lies with brown envelopes. | |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 19:09 - Dec 16 with 1571 views | quirkie |
Scenarios so far
16 groups of 3
Will cause all sorts of issues with collusions in the final group game in each match so can't see that happening.
80 Games in total, but eventual winners would play same number of games as current format, 7 in total.
12 groups of 4
No issue in collusions to qualify for KO stages.
104 games in total which is far too much. Either tournament will have to be extended or some matches in the 1st and 2nd phase group stages need to be played at the same time.
8 3rd placed best losers will cause some dreadful group games to take place, 2 pts would be enough to qualify for some teams. The Qatar world cup had a record number of 0-0 draws in 90 mins, a total of 8, expect that to double.
Eventual winners will play 8 games instead of current 7.
I can't think of any more scenarios that would be better for a 48 team world cup. |  |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 19:15 - Dec 16 with 1559 views | EddyJ |
If you wanted to extend without messing with the format too much, you could do 8 groups of 5, with top 2 qualifying.
It would extend the WC to 40 teams (instead of 48) but only add 1 additional game. [Post edited 16 Dec 2022 19:16]
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 20:06 - Dec 16 with 1467 views | gainsboroughblue |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 19:15 - Dec 16 by EddyJ |
If you wanted to extend without messing with the format too much, you could do 8 groups of 5, with top 2 qualifying.
It would extend the WC to 40 teams (instead of 48) but only add 1 additional game. [Post edited 16 Dec 2022 19:16]
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It's almost as if they haven't thought this through properly isn't it. | |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 20:45 - Dec 16 with 1408 views | tractordownsouth |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 16:31 - Dec 16 by J2BLUE |
It's stupid really as they will just have 12 groups of 4 with the 8 best third placed teams going through which will ruin it anyway. |
The worst thing is that 8 teams from Asia and 6 from North America will qualify. I’m all for new teams qualifying but the teams in those confederations usually perform poorly (this tournament notwithstanding) so I think we could see some big victories in the other
I’d like to see 40 teams qualify and with 2 qualifying from groups of 5, a bit like the Rugby World Cup format. It would extend the tournament without opening it up to bad teams and give us lots of jeopardy for the group stages. The only drawback is that there would be one team who had played all their matches by the time the last ones kick off. |  |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 22:29 - Dec 16 with 1329 views | J2BLUE |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 20:45 - Dec 16 by tractordownsouth |
The worst thing is that 8 teams from Asia and 6 from North America will qualify. I’m all for new teams qualifying but the teams in those confederations usually perform poorly (this tournament notwithstanding) so I think we could see some big victories in the other
I’d like to see 40 teams qualify and with 2 qualifying from groups of 5, a bit like the Rugby World Cup format. It would extend the tournament without opening it up to bad teams and give us lots of jeopardy for the group stages. The only drawback is that there would be one team who had played all their matches by the time the last ones kick off. |
That's exactly what I suggested a week or two ago. Would give a extra qualifying round without diluting the knockout stages. | |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 00:05 - Dec 17 with 1188 views | rickw |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 20:45 - Dec 16 by tractordownsouth |
The worst thing is that 8 teams from Asia and 6 from North America will qualify. I’m all for new teams qualifying but the teams in those confederations usually perform poorly (this tournament notwithstanding) so I think we could see some big victories in the other
I’d like to see 40 teams qualify and with 2 qualifying from groups of 5, a bit like the Rugby World Cup format. It would extend the tournament without opening it up to bad teams and give us lots of jeopardy for the group stages. The only drawback is that there would be one team who had played all their matches by the time the last ones kick off. |
This would work, unfortunately it isn't what Infantino agreed with lots of Asian and African nations in exchange for their votes so it won't happen.
FIFA seems to be influenced now by the smaller countries and not the footballing powerhouses, it seems mad to think Gibraltar has as much say as Brazil on these sort of decisions. |  |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 00:29 - Dec 17 with 1171 views | PrrrromotionGiven |
If Fifa must insist on having a number of teams that isn't a power of 2 at the world cup, then the Spain '82 format (that is, two group stages, the first with four teams per group and the second with three) is the way to do it for my money. "best third placed teams" going through is nonsense, and just having groups of 3 from the start means lots of disappointed teams going home having only played 2 games. | | | |
| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 01:16 - Dec 17 with 1144 views | iamatractorboy |
Collusion is a definite possibility if 2 from 3 qualify. If it is 1 from 3, a la Spain 82 then it is not really a factor. It does still leave the team that doesn't get to play the final group game at a disadvantage though as they can't be sure what they need to qualify. As others have said, it only really works with powers of 2 in each round, so make it 64 (which to me is ridiculous) or leave it at 32. But this is FIFA, so $$$$$$$$ talks. [Post edited 17 Dec 2022 1:17]
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 09:07 - Dec 17 with 972 views | SheffordBlue |
If they want to add to the overall competition there are other ways of doing it.
Personally I'd bring qualification forward so it's completed earlier. Then when they know who is in the main competition everyone else goes into an FA Cup style single game, non-regionalised knock out competition.
Complete the rounds of the knockout competition prior to the main competition beginning and then have the semis and final played in the hosting country. | |
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| FIFA reviewing 2026 WC format apparently on 09:20 - Dec 17 with 959 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
I think FIFA themselves are one of the reasons for my lack of interest in this World Cup.
A truly rotten organisation run by entitled old blokes purely for their own enrichment.they don’t really care about the sport. Tournaments not going to get any better, only worse for this reason. | | | |
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