It's getting very, very close to Qualifying Time.

[GIO17]

Next Weekend is Thanksgiving. The following weekend is the official announcement of how each confederation will qualify for their World Cup slots. This is getting interesting and exciting by the second, minute, hour, day.

Who will the boys face from those 20 smaller nations or maybe Nicaragua and Belize will be one of the two that will be paired up against the boys in that small Aggregate Quarterfinal.

I am ainxious as well as nervous. That small quarterfinal qualifier could be easy as pie, or doomed to move on. Got to get into the Semi-Final Round in August.

I'm pumped. I know you folks are as well.

[sch2383]

Originally posted by GIO17
Next Weekend is Thanksgiving. The following weekend is the official announcement of how each confederation will qualify for their World Cup slots. This is getting interesting and exciting by the second, minute, hour, day.

Who will the boys face from those 20 smaller nations or maybe Nicaragua and Belize will be one of the two that will be paired up against the boys in that small Aggregate Quarterfinal.

I am ainxious as well as nervous. That small quarterfinal qualifier could be easy as pie, or doomed to move on. Got to get into the Semi-Final Round in August.

I'm pumped. I know you folks are as well.

Are we still part of the draw in December since we aren't playing until January?

[NateP]

Originally posted by sch2383
Are we still part of the draw in December since we aren't playing until January?

Yep. Even though under the most recent CONCACAF system we won't start playing until March (or was it June?), everyone is part of the draw in December except for CONMEBOL and perhaps CAF who have both already started their qualifiers.

[nancyb]

I believe it will be June before we play.

[BuffloSoldier]

Originally posted by nancyb
I believe it will be June before we play.
June 12 to be exact.
http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=46131

[eldiablito]

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/releases/all_zones_draw_procedure_en2.pdf

Here's the link for the draw procedure to be used in 48 hours. Scroll through to find the five pages outlining our region's complicated qualification system. Our important "first stage" matches will be against the winner of a game between a team from Pot E and a team from Pot F. Of the 20 potential teams we could face in June, we don't want Cuba or Haiti.

This time Friday, we will know who we'll play in June (and our potential opponents in the 2nd stage if we advance).

For example:

potential 2nd stage Group
USA v. winner of Bermuda v. Montserrat
Canada v. winner of Bahamas v. Aruba
Jamaica v. winner of Cuba v. Guyana
El Salvador v. winner of Grenada v. Anguilla

The top two teams would then advance to the Hex.

[jeffmefun]

Aren't those the 1st stage games?

2d stage involves 3 groups of 4 teams, no?

[RalRhino]

Originally posted by jeffmefun
Aren't those the 1st stage games?

2d stage involves 3 groups of 4 teams, no?
The "1st stage" involves the 20 teams from Pots E and F. The USA will then play a winning team from the 1st stage in a home-away, cup series. The winner of this "2nd stage" then goes into the semis which is 3 groups of 4.

FIFA has confused the whole issue by calling these first 2 "stages" a group.

It could have been explained/written up much clearer, but the good thing is a least we'll find out who the USA will have to go through to get to the final hex.

[QuakeAttack]

Originally posted by RalRhino
The "1st stage" involves the 20 teams from Pots E and F. The USA will then play a winning team from the 1st stage in a home-away, cup series. The winner of this "2nd stage" then goes into the semis which is 3 groups of 4.

FIFA has confused the whole issue by calling these first 2 "stages" a group.

It could have been explained/written up much clearer, but the good thing is a least we'll find out who the USA will have to go through to get to the final hex.

Are you sure?

Check out:

http://www.foxsportsworld.com/content/view?contentId=1915404

Based on this article, the CONCACAF Qualifing is as follows:

Round 1

14 countries - including Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States - a first-round bye.

The other 20 countries in the North and Central America and the Caribbean zone will play a two-leg first-round elimination series starting Feb. 18.

Round 2

The top 14 teams will then join the 10 teams that advanced from the first round to form a second round of elimination. Does this mean six groups of four? Assume so...

Round 3

The 12 survivors (assume top 2 teams from each group) then advance into the semifinals, in which three groups of four will be formed.

Round 4

The top two finishers from each group will then play another two-leg series in 2005 between Feb. 9 and Oct. 12 to see who gains CONCACAF's three automatic World Cup berths.

The fourth place finisher faces another playoff to reach the finals in Germany, against either a country from Asia, Oceania or the fifth-place South American team.

So, did I interrupt the article correctly? This appears different from previous discussions...

[NateP]

Originally posted by QuakeAttack
Are you sure?

Check out:

http://www.foxsportsworld.com/content/view?contentId=1915404



Yeah it's the same thing. FSW is just making it a little more confusing by breaking what FIFA refers to as one round into two separate rounds. FSW's Rd 1 is the 20 teams in Pots E & F playing home and homes to determine who advances to play a team from Pot A, B or C. Fifa considers this match to be part of the first round and refers to the three teams as a group. Once teams are assigned to a Group on Friday afternoon they are locked into a track (see below). FSW is treating the preliminary match as it's own round which leads to your confusion. This format will be Groups 1-7 and Groups 9-11. Groups 8 & 12 will be Belize or Nicaragua (Pot D) vs a Pot C team, skipping the prelim match.

The nice thing, as eldiablito mentioned, is that we will know on Friday afternoon who will be in our semi-final group.

Semi-Final Group 1:
Winner Group 1 (A or E/F)
Winner Group 2 (C or E/F)
Winner Group 3 (B or E/F)
Winner Group 4 (C or E/F)

Semi-Final Group 2:
Winner Group 5 (A or E/F)
Winner Group 6 (C or E/F)
Winner Group 7 (B or E/F)
Winner Group 8 (C or D)

Semi-Final Group 3:
Winner Group 9 (A or E/F)
Winner Group 10 (C or E/F)
Winner Group 11 (B or E/F)
Winner Group 12 (C or D)

Top two in each group advance to the Hex.
Top three in the Hex go to Germany.
Fourth in Hex plays in a playoff (format TBD).

[jeffmefun]

Originally posted by QuakeAttack
Round 2
The top 14 teams will then join the 10 teams that advanced from the first round to form a second round of elimination. Does this mean six groups of four? Assume so...

This part is not correct. There are 12 home and away playoff matches, not 6 groups of 4.

All 22 home and away series - the first 10 plus the second 12 - are part of "Stage 1".

This is a fairly nitinoid level of detail, but the FIFA guidelines do not refer to any "Rounds" for 2006 qualification (with one exception). There are "Stages" and for CONCACAF, there are 3 stages, not 4.

Also, there are no "Semifinals" per se, as there aren't really finals, but a final round. Again, the FIFA doc does not refer to the term Semifinal for 2006 qualifying. Also, semi- implies half, and there 4 of these groups.

Last, the format of the Hex is "League System on a home and away basis" meaning we play each of the other members twice, once at home, and once away.

The net for the US is that we will have to (get to) play 18 games on our way to Germany, if things go our way - Stage 1 - 2 games; Stage 2 - 6 games; Stage 3 (Hex) - 10 games.

FSW is definitely part of the confusion.

[Matteo]

there 4 of these groups

3 groups in the semi-final round.

we could end up playing up to 20 games if we finish 4th in the hex.

[jeffmefun]

You are correct, sir! Thanks for the fix!

[Davids26]

I conducted a mock draw according to the draw procedures tonight here was the outcome

Group 1
Haiti vs. Turks & Caicos

Winner plays Mexico

Group 2
Cuba vs. Cayman Islands

Winner plays Jamaica

Group 3
Dominican Republic vs. US Virgin Islands

Winner plays Costa Rica

Group 4
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Dominica

Winner plays Trinidad & Tobago

Group 5
St. Kitts and Nevis vs. Netherlands Antilles

Winner plays Panama

Group 6
Suriname vs. Montserrat

Winner plays Honduras

Group 7
Bermuda vs. British Virgin Islands

Winner plays USA

Group 8
El Salvador vs. Nicaragua

Winner advances

Group 9
St Lucia vs. Guyana

Winner plays Guatemala

Group 10
Bermuda vs. Aruba

Winner plays St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Group 11
Grenada vs. Anguilla

Winner plays Barbados

Group 12
Canada vs. Belize

Winner advances

[eldiablito]

Originally posted by Davids26
I conducted a mock draw according to the draw procedures tonight here was the outcome

Group 1
Haiti vs. Turks & Caicos

Winner plays Mexico

Group 2
Cuba vs. Cayman Islands

Winner plays Jamaica

Group 3
Dominican Republic vs. US Virgin Islands

Winner plays Costa Rica

Group 4
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Dominica

Winner plays Trinidad & Tobago

Group 5
St. Kitts and Nevis vs. Netherlands Antilles

Winner plays Panama

Group 6
Suriname vs. Montserrat

Winner plays Honduras

Group 7
Bermuda vs. British Virgin Islands

Winner plays USA

Group 8
El Salvador vs. Nicaragua

Winner advances

Group 9
St Lucia vs. Guyana

Winner plays Guatemala

Group 10
Bermuda vs. Aruba

Winner plays St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Group 11
Grenada vs. Anguilla

Winner plays Barbados

Group 12
Canada vs. Belize

Winner advances

I hate to be nitpicky, but as I understand it, you would have to redraw this. This is because the winners of Groups 1-4 will then form 2nd stage group 1; winners of groups 5-8 form 2nd stage group 2; and winners of 9-12 form 2nd stage group 3. This is to avoid having to redraw. As you have it, you're setting up the potential of a 2nd stage group of death with:
Mexico
Jamaica
Costa Rica
Trinidad & Tobago

Only 2 of those teams would advance to the hex!

That would consist of a group of ABAB teams (the letters indicate their Pots). The draw states that those 3 second stage groups should be ACBC.

Groups 1, 5, and 9 should all have a team from Pot A. Groups 3, 7, and 11 should all have a team from Pot B.

However, your draw could work with minor adjustments:

Group 1
Haiti vs. Turks & Caicos

Winner plays Mexico

Group 2
St Lucia vs. Guyana

Winner plays Guatemala

Group 3
Cuba vs. Cayman Islands

Winner plays Jamaica

Group 4
Grenada vs. Anguilla

Winner plays Barbados

Group 5
Bermuda vs. British Virgin Islands

Winner plays USA

Group 6
St. Kitts and Nevis vs. Netherlands Antilles

Winner plays Panama

Group 7
Suriname vs. Montserrat

Winner plays Honduras

Group 8
El Salvador vs. Nicaragua (winner advances)

Group 9
Dominican Republic vs. US Virgin Islands

Winner plays Costa Rica

Group 10
Bermuda vs. Aruba

Winner plays St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Group 11
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Dominica

Winner plays Trinidad & Tobago

Group 12
Canada vs. Belize (winner advances)

As you see, I didn't change any of your groups--just their number, so the winners can advance to the 2nd stage according to the draw procedures.

[Raider Red]

Aside from Cuba and Haiti, is there anybody in particular we want/don't want to play?

[eldiablito]

Originally posted by Raider Red
Aside from Cuba and Haiti, is there anybody in particular we want/don't want to play?

No.

[eldiablito]

Originally posted by NateP
[snip]
Top two in each group advance to the Hex.
Top three in the Hex go to Germany.
Fourth in Hex plays in a playoff (format TBD).

Actually it was just announced. Fourth in the Hex plays Asia's 5th placed team for a final spot.

http://www.fifa.com/en/display/mrel,73248.html

[StymieG]

Originally posted by Raider Red
Aside from Cuba and Haiti, is there anybody in particular we want/don't want to play?
Not in our first game. I wouldn't want a semifinal group like this though:

USA
Canada
Honduras
Guatemala

On the other hand, we could cruise through this semifinal group:
USA
St. Vincent & Grenedines
a preliminary round upset winner
Barbados

[Davids26]

Complicated but important draw rules. Thanks eldiablito.