World Cup expansion confirmed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38565246

48 teams. 16 groups of 3. Every game can go to pens.

Despite saying "the decision should not just be financially driven", Infantino did highlight the possible financial upsides.


According to Fifa's own research, revenue is predicted to increase to £5.29bn for a 48-team tournament, giving a potential profit rise of £521m.

That's the end of that then.

Despite saying "the decision should not just be financially driven", Infantino did highlight the possible financial upsides.

Hooray! Champions League has been ruined as have the Euros and now the World Cup.

Exciting times.

Does it mean a lot fewer shit qualifiers though? If so, I'm for it, get it all over a done with during one summer.

May as well just include everyone, all 250 teams or whatever it is. Never ending groups of 3, top 2 through until there are only 32 left, then knock out (unless they can think of another league system to shoehorn in? 16 2 team groups maybe..?), pause all major leagues, pick a country to play it in, start in January with the Final on Christmas day or New Years eve.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Fifa turning the screw on the big European clubs ..

It'll be shit. Can't remember that last great tournament - Italia 90?

2006 had some fantastic matches

Portugal - Holland
Portugal - England
France - Brazil
France - Spain
Italy - Germany
Italy - France

Originally Posted by guerreiro

Does it mean a lot fewer shit qualifiers though? If so, I'm for it, get it all over a done with during one summer.

Unlikely, FIFA want more matches so they get more TV money and ticket sales.

They'll probably just allow more teams from the qualifying groups to qualify.

It'll be interesting to see attendances at some games of the less attractive games. There will be empty stadiums.

All about getting china involved like everything else..

Just realised how close 2026 actually is seems like a stupid future date for futuristic movies ffs

What if all games in a group finish 0-0 with each team winning once on pens?

Originally Posted by est.1878

All about getting china involved like everything else..

Just realised how close 2026 actually is seems like a stupid future date for futuristic movies ffs

Escape from New York was set in the Year 1997

Originally Posted by est.1878

All about getting china involved like everything else..

Just realised how close 2026 actually is seems like a stupid future date for futuristic movies ffs

And India I would have thought

Originally Posted by TheFatGoth

What if all games in a group finish 0-0 with each team winning once on pens?

If it's like what they do now, they draw lots

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_W...nal_tournament

If one considers all possible outcomes (win, draw, loss) for all six matches in a group, there are 729 (= 36) different outcome combinations possible. However a certain number (207) of these combinations lead to ties between the second and third places. In such case, the ranking among these teams is determined as follows:[54]

Greatest combined goal difference in all group matches
Greatest combined number of goals scored in all group matches
If more than one team remain level after applying the above criteria, their ranking will be determined as follows:
Greatest number of points in head-to-head matches among those teams
Greatest goal difference in head-to-head matches among those teams
Greatest number of goals scored in head-to-head matches among those teams
If any of the teams above remain level after applying the above criteria, their ranking will be determined by the drawing of lots

Originally Posted by sa7

And India I would have thought

in about another 100 years. They're utterly shite so even if they did host one they'd never be in it any other way

Should bin the actual games and just do penalty shootouts imo.

Originally Posted by Sapien

Should bin the actual games and just do penalty shootouts imo.

Great idea. World Cup in a day.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

It'll be shit. Can't remember that last great tournament - Italia 90?

Brazil 2014 was brilliant.

Italia '90 was the last WC I remember as being a great one (even though the football was shit in the main).

I was 18 and out on the piss watching the matches with mates - that's what made it great.

https://twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/818803546250498048

Originally Posted by TheFatGoth

https://twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/818803546250498048

Not quite sure how that would work they aren't members of FIFA..

It's £#%&!ing dead now anyway since they gave it to Russia and Qatar.