...because where else can I throw out half-baked ideas on someone else's confederation? I just wanted to suggest a format through which 1) the smaller nations within UEFA can play more competitive matches against each other, 2) said nations can retain a chance of playing against the heavyweights during the four-year cycle, and 3) the bigger teams can cut down the number of qualifying fixtures - especially the blatant mismatches - allowing more time for friendlies or to simply let their players rest up for club duties. For the Euro, since 23 teams now qualify out of 53 (including Gibraltar, excluding the host) I would propose the following: - 12 groups of 4 and one group of 5 - Group winners and seven best runners-up qualify directly to the Euro finals. - The remaining six runners-up will be paired for home-and-away playoffs to determine the last three qualifiers. - To determine the best runners-up among the same number of fixtures, the second-place finisher in the group of five will have the results against the last-place team chalked off. Sample groups (France omitted as host): Group A Germany Hungary Bulgaria Georgia Group C Belgium Serbia FYR Macedonia Azerbaijan Group E Portugal Sweden Belarus San Marino In this way, the minnows still get to play competitive matches against the marquee draws, while the bigger teams get to streamline their Euro qualifying schedule. --- As for the World Cup, here I would suggest two stages. - Stage 1: Top 21 teams in UEFA get a bye, while remaining 32 get drawn into eight groups of 4. - The group winners and the best runner-up qualify for the following round. - Stage 2: The 30 teams still in contention are drawn into five groups of 6. - The group winners and runners-up all qualify for the World Cup finals, while the third-place teams are paired for home-and-away playoffs to determine the last three qualifiers. Sample Stage 1 groups: Group B Austria Norway Moldova Kazakhstan Group D Montenegro Poland Georgia Luxembourg Group F Iceland Israel Estonia San Marino --- Sample Stage 2 groups: Group 1 Switzerland England Bosnia and Herzegovina Sweden Scotland Wales Group 3 Italy Belgium France Serbia Turkey Poland Group 4 Germany Netherlands Russia Czech Republic Norway Slovakia --- With this format, a team like Spain would only have to play 16 Euro and World Cup qualifiers over a four-year period rather than 20, with the World Cup matches of a much higher quality than their current fare. Meanwhile, a smaller side like Azerbaijan would still get games against a top-level opponent in the Euro qualifiers, along with more competitive matches in the first round of World Cup qualifying. In short, a proposal with something to gain for everyone, so that M. Platini wouldn't risk votes by putting it under consideration.
There aren't enough matchdays to have two group stages of World Cup Qualifying unless the first group stage was played before the Euro. As a fan of Israel who hasn't qualified for a World Cup or Euro recently but still isn't a minnow, I wouldn't like that sample group. Israel would have an easy time with Estonia and San Marino, but if Israel finished a little behind Iceland and wasn't the best second place team I would be disappointed they weren't in the final 30. If your format was used with seeding done using the current FIFA Rankings, Israel would be in the second pot for the first group stage draw, but Israel is only 4 points (less than 1%) behind Slovakia who would be the worst team in the top pot for the first group stage draw.
I'm not sure if #3 is true though. The more groups you have, the bigger the gap will be between the top Euro teams and the toughest opponent they have to play in their group (generally speaking). If you have 13 groups you can forget about ever seeing Spain and France in the same group. Secondly, I don't think the top Euro NTs care about resting their players for club matches. Why should they? Thirdly, more friendlies is a good thing? Certainly not from a fan's POV.
That would be the plan. OTOH, making it to the final 30 would be generally recognized as an accomplishment, something more exciting than their usual "play qualifiers, finish 3rd or 4th, rinse, repeat." That would be true for the Euro, and I have it as a concession for the true minnows in UEFA (who, of course, get equal votes for the presidency). As for a team like Portugal or Germany, with this format they would only have to play the likes of Liechtenstein or San Marino two times every WC cycle instead of four. Which would you rather watch: a Spain-Mexico friendly or a Spain-Moldova qualifier?
So use http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/wor...versionv29Aug2013_Neutral.pdf?t=1385739022861 to tell me what international matchdays you would use for Euro and World Cup qualifiers.
Neither, I'd watch the Netherlands x Turkey qualifier instead. Or Scotland x Ireland. But Spain x Moldova is a rather extreme example. Looking at Spain's qualifying group, I'd rather see a meaningful match against any of those teams in their group except Luxembourg, instead of a dreary Spain x Mexico friendly.
Keeping in mind the need for playoff matches, and with two fixtures in each window... 2015 Mar. 23 - 31: Euro qualifiers Jun. 8 - 16: Euro qualifiers Oct. 5 - 13: Euro qualifiers Nov. 9 - 17: Euro playoffs 2016 Mar. 21 - 29: WCQ first round Aug. 29 - Sep. 6: WCQ first round Oct. 3 - 11: WCQ first round Nov. 7 - 15: WCQ second round 2017 Mar. 20-28: WCQ second round Jun. 5 - 13: WCQ second round Aug. 28 - Sep. 5: WCQ second round Oct. 2 - 10: WCQ second round Nov. 6 - 14: WCQ playofffs Including Spain-Belarus or Spain-Macedonia?
Your schedule is possible, but I still don't know if the countries would want to play that many qualifiers.
Fewer than their current fixture list (10 Euro qualifiers + 10 WCQ, not including playoffs). While we're on the topic: another thing to keep in mind is the shadow of the old G14, i.e. the ever-present threat that the top European clubs will reach a boiling point with UEFA/FIFA, break away and bring down international football. Cutting down the number of national team games in UEFA (for the bigger countries) would keep them pacified.
Or, preferably, just letting the national teams take those extra matchdays off. They could organize as many or as few friendlies as they want outside of their competitive games, but I'm sure the clubs would appreciate a reduction in national team fixtures for their stars. That, and I wouldn't be surprised if friendlies are more profitable for these teams, given how much they can demand in appearance fees.