North America 4th place vs. Asia 5th place

[junjunforever]

The above will be competing for the world cup ticket for 2006.

Which continet is going to get it?


Likely Asian contender: Iran, Saudi Arabia, China

Likely North American contender: Costa Rica, Honduras


I dont know what to say. Looks pretty about even.

[Kaiser]

I'll go with the central American representative.

[desertfox2]

Well, it's very difficult to know who is going to finish 4th in CONCACAF and 5th in AFC, but figure it's going to be pretty close. It's all gonna come down to who can play better at home since both will probably have a huge advantage playing at home. My gut says the CONCACAF team will take it, but then again you never know...

[skipshady]

Judging by how China and Saudi performed in the World Cup, compared to Costa Rica and Honduras, who came close to qualifying, I'd have to say Concacacacacaf has the edge. But we're talking more than 2 years from now. We shall see.

[beachesl]

We assume that the status quo from the Decemeber, 2002 announcement, that there will be a 4thCCONCACAF/5thAsia playoff, will continue, but that was before the extra two halfspots resulted from the June announcement restoring the Oceania and South American halfspots (and there was a pointed silence about what would happen to the halfspot format in the announcement). Oceania has proposed a 4 team round robin at a neutral site, and there could be a draw or a realignment (my bet: Oc. v Asia; SAm vs NAm) for any home-and-away series.

With this, and the crap shoot of confederation qualifying between now and October 2005, we are really in the realm of speculation.

[billf]

I don't fancy the chances of any team that has to go to Central America. If it's a more developed country from Asia like Korea or Japan that has to travel there, they could be in trouble because the conditions are harsh. Of course a trip to Iran is no picnic either. I think it depends on the countries involved and how they tolerate the travel. It would certainly be easier, for instance, for Iran to travel to the US than it would for the US to go to Iran. That away leg would be really tough on a US team.

[Excape Goat]

Originally posted by billf
It would certainly be easier, for instance, for Iran to travel to the US than it would for the US to go to Iran. That away leg would be really tough on a US team.

If they play the match in LA, Iran will get about 3000 to 4000 fans.

[junjunforever]

Originally posted by beachesl
We assume that the status quo from the Decemeber, 2002 announcement, that there will be a 4thCCONCACAF/5thAsia playoff, will continue, but that was before the extra two halfspots resulted from the June announcement restoring the Oceania and South American halfspots (and there was a pointed silence about what would happen to the halfspot format in the announcement). Oceania has proposed a 4 team round robin at a neutral site, and there could be a draw or a realignment (my bet: Oc. v Asia; SAm vs NAm) for any home-and-away series.

With this, and the crap shoot of confederation qualifying between now and October 2005, we are really in the realm of speculation.


i read from a paper that South America and Oceania would compete for a half spot and that Asia would compete against North America.

As for the who would win... I would like to predict an asian team to go through (apparently, i'm biased). If the same had been done for 2002 WC, Iran would have played Honduras. Although Iran doesnt fail to let its fans down, I'd still think Iran would beat honduras.

[beachesl]

Originally posted by billf
I don't fancy the chances of any team that has to go to Central America. If it's a more developed country from Asia like Korea or Japan that has to travel there, they could be in trouble because the conditions are harsh. Of course a trip to Iran is no picnic either. I think it depends on the countries involved and how they tolerate the travel. It would certainly be easier, for instance, for Iran to travel to the US than it would for the US to go to Iran. That away leg would be really tough on a US team.

As much as I'd like to see the Yanks fall on their face in the hex, I can't see the US or Mexico not getting in the top 3. 4th place could be any 7 or 8
of the other teams in CONCACAF: Costa Rica (if they are unlucky), Honduras, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, T&T or Canada (if they are lucky).

And, any team would have trouble in Iran. The Irish had a sticky time there in 2001, and nobody hates the Irish :). I'd love to see an Iran-Uruguay playoff somehow...that would cause a war!

[Scoey]

I'd favor any of the likely CONCACAF opponents against any of the likely Asia opponents. If China and Saudi Arabia are any indication of the quality of the lesser Asia teams, any of Jamaica, Honduras, Costa Rica, T&T or Guatemala would have to be favored. The CONCACAF team will have played many games already in incredibly hostile environments -- I can't imagine that any venue in Asia is more hostile than Mexico City, Saprissa, or whatever jungle town Guatamela uses to host their qualifiers. The home crowd advantage goes to CONCACAF, and so does the talent advantage (provided one of the above teams finishes fourth).

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by Excape Goat
If they play the match in LA, Iran will get about 3000 to 4000 fans. You're kidding right? They'd fill whatever stadium it was played in.

[nicodemus]

Asian WCQ is so bizarre, you could have Thailand or Iraq pop into the fifth spot because of the weird format.

[beachesl]

Originally posted by nicodemus
You're kidding right? They'd fill whatever stadium it was played in.

I think that what Excape Goat was saying is that of all the 20,000 to 80,000 fans in the US for a match with Iran (and I think that the stadium would be filled up), at least 3 to 4 thousand of that large crowd would be Iranian-Americans cheering for the Iran team. That was the situation when Iran played the US in LA a few years back, and I think there were a lot more Iranian fans in attendance than that.

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by beachesl
I think that what Excape Goat was saying is that of all the 20,000 to 80,000 fans in the US for a match with Iran (and I think that the stadium would be filled up), at least 3 to 4 thousand of that large crowd would be Iranian-Americans cheering for the Iran team. That was the situation when Iran played the US in LA a few years back, and I think there were a lot more Iranian fans in attendance than that. If that game were played in LA we might as well just play both games in Tehran. If we had a home & away with Iran, the only place we could play them would be Columbus.

[Crowdie]

If the current Oceania proposal for World Cup qualifiers is approved by FIFA then each of the highest ranked non-qualifiers from confederations with a half-spot will play each other in a round robin tournament on neutral territory. That way the teams that do qualify for the World Cup have earnt that right and hostile local supporters will not be able to affect the teams before the games.

Crowdie.

[MichaelR]

Originally posted by Crowdie
If the current Oceania proposal for World Cup qualifiers is approved by FIFA then each of the highest ranked non-qualifiers from confederations with a half-spot will play each other in a round robin tournament on neutral territory. That way the teams that do qualify for the World Cup have earnt that right and hostile local supporters will not be able to affect the teams before the games.

Crowdie.

Sounds like a fair proposal. But would anyone attend the games at the neutral site? For FIFA, fairness and the integrity of the competition come in a weak second place to filling the seats at home stadiums.

Maybe this "half-spot tournament" could be played just before the final draw in Germany, and include the tickets as part of the World Cup packages for one or two of the venues.

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by Crowdie
If the current Oceania proposal for World Cup qualifiers is approved by FIFA then each of the highest ranked non-qualifiers from confederations with a half-spot will play each other in a round robin tournament on neutral territory. That way the teams that do qualify for the World Cup have earnt that right and hostile local supporters will not be able to affect the teams before the games.

Crowdie. I don't like that. It should be home and away. Oceania teams need to get used to the hostility that are CONMEBOL & CONCACAF away matches.

[Eliezar]

If this format were used for Japorea Honduras would have easily qualified. They would have qualified if they were South American and they would have easily qualified over some European teams as well.

They thrashed Slovenia 5-1 just before the world cup and didn't they make the semi's of Copa America?

However, several concacaf countries have seen the best teams they are likely to have for some time come and go. Jamaica, T&T, and Honduras are all in that boat.

Costa Rica was young enough in this past world cup to have another cup run in them and Guatemala is definitely on the up. I think the best thing for cocacaf would be for Costa Rica to finish fourth and be in the playoff. They should be able to do well against most anybody. I'm not sure I'd like the chances of Canada, Jamaica, T&T, or Cuba. Honduras and Guatemala will be question marks until they prove otherwise.

[IASocFan]

A round robin in Germany in November (brrrrrrr!) for teams from South America, southern Asia, Central America, and Oceana to qualify for a tournament in June in Germany doesn't seem like a good option. New Zealand (if Australia qualifies) or Hawaii (if the US is not 4th) sound like good locations.

[desertfox2]

Originally posted by IASocFan
A round robin in Germany in November (brrrrrrr!) for teams from South America, southern Asia, Central America, and Oceana to qualify for a tournament in June in Germany doesn't seem like a good option. New Zealand (if Australia qualifies) or Hawaii (if the US is not 4th) sound like good locations.

Or South Africa since they probably will host the 2010 World Cup and could give them a small taste of what it's like. Also, I do like the idea of the mini tournament as it's fair to all the teams involved and especially to Australia which has been jipped in playing a home-and-away playoff.