TheBrownBottle Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, Nobody said: It's not, but it's literally called the WORLD Cup and it's the most popular sport on the planet in a tournament held once every four years. Surely we can cope with a few poor teams getting in and getting involved, the long term gains are definitely there IMO in that will inspire even more people to get involved with the game. My only gripe is the shambles of a format that both this and the last couple of Euros has had, just go all in and make it a 64 team tournament. Like I said elsewhere, I’ve zero issue with every single country being at the WC, as it would get rid of the ridiculous international schedule (including friendlies). But as it is, it’s completely bloated, 64 teams after a lengthy period of qualifying campaign would just be even worse. As long as extensive qualifying exists, the numbers at the tournament should be culled. They won’t because it’s all about money, not fairness - or ‘growing the game’ as FIFA usually like to claim. edit: on the long term gains - there’s little evidence of that. I don’t see performance improvement across the confederations who’ve got loads of teams now qualifying. Edited April 3 by TheBrownBottle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 1 hour ago, triggs said: The most wrong opinion ever this. It's the best thing in football by miles I honestly can’t tell if you’re being serious or sarcastic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki679 Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 128 teams randomly drawn against each other, winner goes through. That's 7 games for the eventual winner and none of this group stage bollocks that's been added to everything to make sure the big teams still get through. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Maximin Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 (edited) Knockout from the start wouldn’t work. We can’t expect teams and fans to all travel to one country just for potentially one match. The group stages are always exciting and become a real occasion for the team and fans, plus they remove the luck of the draw element to some extent. Ultimately you expect the ‘World’ Cup to provide an indicator of the best teams in the world so it makes sense they can’t eliminate each other too early. The previous format was ideal imo. It’s a real shame they have changed it, but if there’s money to be gained then it was inevitable. As it is the ‘World’ Cup in a sport that is globally very popular, I’m also not opposed to it being expanded, but 48 teams dilutes it and the third place rule removes the jeopardy. I would have been happy with 8 groups of 5 and then a round of 16. Means not everyone plays the last group game simultaneously, but there’s always the luck of the draw element still and it’s not like that in all other sports competitions. I know FIFA and Trump are an abomination in addition to the format issues, but it’s the WC and I’ll probably still be hooked. Very few I can remember have been snoozefests - the last one was weird being in winter here and held in Qatar, but was still a great tournament. These competitions also bring people together, which we really need right now. Also there’s the clear human rights issues, but we’re owned by Saudi Arabia and the last ones were in Qatar and Russia, so that combined with the fact I like watching it… means I’m not interested in boycotting. Edited April 4 by St. Maximin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conjo Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Actually insane how little i care about this, or actually, how much i want it to be a spectacular failure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggs Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 13 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: I honestly can’t tell if you’re being serious or sarcastic Dead serious. Nothing else comes close Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 Not at all a defence of Qatar, but the difference between the moral outrage over anyone attending the Qatar World Cup and the U.S World Cup will be stark like. No one in the media will be calling Lineker or Neville hypocrits for attending this one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miercoles Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said: Not at all a defence of Qatar, but the difference between the moral outrage over anyone attending the Qatar World Cup and the U.S World Cup will be stark like. No one in the media will be calling Lineker or Neville hypocrits for attending this one. Well to be fair we didn't kill a bunch of slaves building the stadium. We just snatch kids off the street and put them in secret prisons and shoot our citizens in the street for politely disagreeing with that policy. It's totally different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 2 hours ago, Kid Icarus said: Not at all a defence of Qatar, but the difference between the moral outrage over anyone attending the Qatar World Cup and the U.S World Cup will be stark like. No one in the media will be calling Lineker or Neville hypocrits for attending this one. As I’ve posted before all the lads are looking forward to their jolly for this one. Lots of good food and wine. That’s all that matters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoot Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 15 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said: I honestly can’t tell if you’re being serious or sarcastic Do you not like the world cup?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 10 minutes ago, Miercoles said: Well to be fair we didn't kill a bunch of slaves building the stadium. We just snatch kids off the street and put them in secret prisons and shoot our citizens in the street for politely disagreeing with that policy. It's totally different. Exactly, and ye nah, all the foreign interventions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 2 hours ago, triggs said: Dead serious. Nothing else comes close The fact it is only every four years puts it on a pedestal by default. Obviously quality wise the football isn't as high a level as well oiled club sides but given how robotic and dull top level club football currently is that is arguably a perk. Do worry this one could be a bit of a mess with the expanded format but it's still obviously the pinnacle of the game in terms attention and impact. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miercoles Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said: Exactly, and ye nah, all the foreign interventions. I mean, we've been involved in deranged Middle Eastern excursions since I was fifteen, so that doesn't really move the needle for me any more. Can't buy missiles if you don't use missiles my man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 On 27/03/2026 at 21:10, Scoot said: Why do some people love to tell others they don't care about international football every international break/international tournament. No one cares mate, just don't watch it. How else will everyone know how just and moral they are if they don't broadcast it to the whole world? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewel Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 (edited) On 02/04/2026 at 22:57, Deuce said: Do it, but make it a single elimination bracket. Won't happen, nor should it. Imagine going through the slog of qualifying only to potentially get just the 1 game at the main venue? Especially for the smaller nations that hardly ever qualify for these tournaments. Getting a minimum of 3 games feels like a more fitting and just reward for the hard work of qualifying. Obviously the correct answer is simply to reduce it back to 32 teams, but that's not going to happen either. Edited April 4 by Jewel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deuce Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 (edited) 42 minutes ago, Jewel said: Won't happen, nor should it. Imagine going through the slog of qualifying only to potentially get just the 1 game at the main venue? Especially for the smaller nations that hardly ever qualify for these tournaments. Getting a minimum of 3 games feels like a more fitting and just reward for the hard work of qualifying. Obviously the correct answer is simply to reduce it back to 32 teams, but that's not going to happen either. leans into 🎤: eliminate qualifiers. Edited April 4 by Deuce Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 5 hours ago, Scoot said: Do you not like the world cup?? I do, but I think the format is a problem Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBrownBottle Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 8 hours ago, Kid Icarus said: Not at all a defence of Qatar, but the difference between the moral outrage over anyone attending the Qatar World Cup and the U.S World Cup will be stark like. No one in the media will be calling Lineker or Neville hypocrits for attending this one. I think the issue with Qatar was only partly re the human rights abuses (though I don’t think the US’s human rights abuses are near equivalent). It was also down to the laughable corruption at a tiny emirate holding a WC, then lying that it would be held in summer in superchilled stadiums so that it didn’t affect the domestic season - I don’t think anyone can argue that Canada/USA/Mexico is not a suitable WC host. Same applies to Russia - obviously Putin is horrible, and there are human rights abuses, and the vote was corrupted - but Russia holding a WC isn’t insane. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 (edited) 8 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said: I think the issue with Qatar was only partly re the human rights abuses (though I don’t think the US’s human rights abuses are near equivalent). It was also down to the laughable corruption at a tiny emirate holding a WC, then lying that it would be held in summer in superchilled stadiums so that it didn’t affect the domestic season - I don’t think anyone can argue that Canada/USA/Mexico is not a suitable WC host. Same applies to Russia - obviously Putin is horrible, and there are human rights abuses, and the vote was corrupted - but Russia holding a WC isn’t insane. That's true, but I am just talking about the human rights side of things here really. Qatar pales in comparison with the U.S's human rights abuses over the years as well tbh, but no point turning that into a competition. Edited April 4 by Kid Icarus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki679 Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 12 hours ago, Deuce said: leans into 🎤: eliminate qualifiers. That would actually be mint. Every country in the world drawn in a proper knockout competition and the last 32 or 64 go to the final stages. (32 if groups, 64 if pure knockout) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater582 Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 (edited) On 02/04/2026 at 14:24, Yorkie said: I've no beef with the basic idea of a 64-team World Cup tbh. Returns it to a traditional group stage; showcases more nations/fanbases/players; and, best of all, it would invite opportunities to slim-down the qualification process, theoretically easing fixture congestion. The group stage was previously capable of actually being interesting. Germany failed to get out of the last two. Spain, France and Portugal have all been eliminated at that stage recently. Costa Rica and Uruguay finished above Italy and England in 2014. Even Argentina failed in 2002. Doubt you'll get the same jeopardy for stronger nations with a potential group of death anymore in a bloated 64 team tournament. It'll be more predictable and essentially an extension of qualifying I'd expect. Bit like the Champions League is now where you'll be waiting for the knockout round to start for the tournament to really get interesting imo. Edited April 7 by Slater582 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramirez Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 FIFA have definitely tried to gerrymander it with England unable to play certain teams to last 4 etc, only wild card would be someone unexpected like France say, coming 3rd and getting through then going into hard bracket. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaizero Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 (edited) On 04/04/2026 at 18:38, Deuce said: leans into 🎤: eliminate qualifiers. Me: "....AI-Genie, I wish to see what a no-qualifiers, all-FIFA members participating, World Cup would look like..." AI-Genie: "Your wish.... ...is my... ...COMMAND*!!!" You know, folks, the true story's this: This system's refusing to do the math on our 211 FIFA members only. Oh nooo... its gotta cram in Greenland, Palau, Tuvalu – Tuvalu?! I mean, please... every nation at the 2034 World Cup?! Forget it. Greenland is melting. Spoiler Edited April 7 by Kaizero Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaizero Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 On 04/04/2026 at 18:38, Deuce said: leans into 🎤: eliminate qualifiers. Also, just for the record: I have no idea if the AI (Perplexity Deep Research) actually managed to make the format/maths make sense. I just saved the final generated images of it, threw them onto imgur and then posted the lot. I make no guarantees for mathable maths being mathed by the AI in its attempt tosomehow successfully create a 211+ nation World Cup format that fully checks the boxes for the three WC requirements: mathematical function, worldwide entertainment and able to generate enough FIFA blood-money... For all I know it fucked up on the first hurdle by not figuring out how many nations the the pre-group-stage knock-outs required However, if it somehow managed to get through the lot... I'd actually be somewhat impressed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leffe186 Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cly797p1399o This stuff makes me so angry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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