The final draw for the 2014 World Cup will be held at Costa do Sauípe Resort, Mata de São João in Bahia on 6 December 2013, at 13:00 local time (UTC−3). The 32 qualified teams will be divided into pots. The seeded pot (Pot 1) will contain the hosts Brazil and the seven best-ranked qualified teams according to the October 2013 FIFA World Rankings, including Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Switzerland and Uruguay . The other pots will be based on geographic and sports criteria.
Here is a link that can simulate the draw ---- if you see, this could be one of the groups: Brazil or Argentina, Italy, France, Ivory Coast....... http://ultra-zone.net/2014-FIFA-World-Cup-Group-Stage-Draws
For all you Maths fans out there: There is a 6.25% chance that there will be a group containing three European teams. That would have to be a first!
From what I read they would not allow that to happen The final European team would only be allowed in a group with one of the South American #1 seeds.
although the simulations show brazil - italy a lot....it wont happen. Brazil as hosts will have the easiest group. But italy will def. have a tough team or two in their group, could even be group of death
A group with Argentina, Italy, France, and best African nation is possible. I would prefer that Italy and Argentina meet in the final, iA.
Yes ala 2010 there may be a special pot to prevent 3 European teams in same but I just haven't heard anything official yet.
I don't know about you guys but getting the group of death gets me horny! I predict : Italy Colombia Mexico Algeria if I call this correct then I am a gypsy.
I've simulated numerous times and wasn't worried about where Italy is placed. We should at least come out of the top 2 in any case. Putting some weak teams in pool A has evened things out. You may get Brazil but you may also get Belgium or Switzerland. It's also good to avoid some of those powerful European teams in Italy's pot. I think being seeded is actually a good thing. Way to go Prandelli !!!
ya man im super excited about being in the world cup. I just hope we dont get Italy we made 3 world cups; 78, 98 and 2006 problem with Iran is due to politics bs and gov't not spending any money on infrastructure and development its very hard to make progress over the years. But this year we have a decent team, our coach is Carlos Queiroz who used to be Ferguson's side kick for many years. Eskandarian? father of MLS player Alecco Eskandarian?
Believe it or not, my worst nightmare would be to play against a group full of "average" teams, specially SA ones like Ecuador and such, I simply believe the Azzurri won't do well against them there. I'm looking forward to a strong group as I truly believe that's when the Azzurri really steps it up, we all saw how they managed to not qualify against a completely PATHETIC group in WC2010. Using the simulator mentioned earlier, I liked this draw result: Italy/Spain/USA/Chile I don't want a group full of weak teams, the more European strong teams such as Germany/France/Spain in our group that the Azzurri really knows how to play against, the better. I'm having mixed feeling about meeting the SA giants Brazil and Argentina, on one hand their crowd support scares the hell out of me, on the other hand the Azzurri might prove everyone wrong and win despite the odds like they did against Germany @ Dortmund 2006, but that team was pure world class though which unfortunately isn't the case right now -_- Whatever happens, FORZA AZZURRI !
I watched him play with the Cosmos. He was a good player. His son came nothing close to his father. I watched Alecco with DC United. The player who I played against was Mahmood Ebrahimzadeh. ABC did an interview of him during the 98 WC before the US-Iran match touting that he played in 78. I am not sure if he actually played in the WC or was part of the NT when it qualified. He was a top striker in our league and the only guy to ever beat me on a corner kick. I had the ball coming straight at me, one of those that all I had to do was head away. No need to jump or run towards the ball. As the ball is falling towards my forehead, all of a sudden Mahmood comes from no where flying through right in front of me. He hit that ball so well on the header that our keeper had no chance.
The real fun also is the group right next to you, because that will determine whom you play in the second round ---- there is a very big chance that Italy will have to play Spain, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Holland, or any of the heavyweights as early as the second round. Fun to watch, though.
oh nice yea ebrahimzadeh was on the team, not sure if he was a starter though. yes Alecco turned out to be a punk and so did his dad a little bit. After the WC and revolution they moved to US and he raised Alecco pretty much Armenian/American. So he was really an Armenian/Iranian which is common we have lots of Armenians but Alecco has completely dismissed that he has Iranian roots and i dont think he knows anything either. He had a chance to play for our NT but he was a punk about it so no one cares about him now and his career is done. Eskandarian actually scored an own goal on us in 78 vs. scotland....that woulda been our first win as it was 1-0 but then he messed up and we tied. That was a damn good scotland team too. Your story is very interesting, glad to hear Ebrahimzadeh has been around since then.
Some explanation of the absurd FIFA ranking system .... @Marcotti: So if Holland + Italy hadn't chosen to play friendlies v Indonesia + San Marino, they wd be seeded in World Cup? http://t.co/6XQHOaBKAH
Almost as logical as awarding a world cup to qatar. Vivi FIFA.. One could take the time to figure out all this nonsense, but when it comes down to it all Italy had to do was beat Armenia at home and they didn't. So while I love my Azzurri they made things difficult for themselves, as they often do.