On American Integration: Getting Rid of CONCACAF
Posted on October 29, 2012 6:26 pm
On yesterday’s edition of the Fox Soccer Channel program “Goals on Sunday”, Rob Stone asked Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl how arrangements for the special 2016 edition of the Copa América are progressing. Wahl started by recounting what is now common knowledge: CONMEBOL made the initial announcement prematurely, given that discussions with CONCACAF and the US Soccer Federation are still ongoing. He then identified a significant factor in the negotiations: getting the 2016 tournament on the FIFA International Calendar.
This is no small matter, given that the calendar empowers national associations to demand that clubs release key players for national-team duty. The problem lies in the fact that only two types of competitions are included in the FIFA Calendar: tournaments run by FIFA, and tournaments run by a single Confederation. The Algarve Cup is the only exception; and as a friendly women’s football tournament, it hardly acts as a lightning rod for controversy. It is important to note that the Copa América is registered under CONMEBOL alone, for which reason Mexico could not obligate Sir Alex Ferguson to let Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez stick around for the 2011 edition. As I previously explained, registering the 2016 tournament under both CONCACAF and CONMEBOL would be completely unprecedented; and if FIFA were to deny this option, then according to Article 20.3 l of their own statutes, their consent would still be necessary for CONMEBOL to include more guest teams in their championship.
While that gets sorted out, I wanted to address a number of topics related to the theme of integrating football in the Western Hemisphere. In this first entry, we will explore the possibility of abandoning CONCACAF, a subject on which I have heard everything from informed arguments and earnest opinions to downright nonsense. The comments on articles in Mediotiempo, MLSSoccer and here on BigSoccer can be boiled down to three trends:
1) Mexico (i.e. the Mexican Football Federation, or FMF) should bail on CONCACAF and join CONMEBOL, where they will get to play against teams their own size.
2) Mexico and the US don’t get sufficiently challenged in CONCACAF; both of them should bolt for CONMEBOL.
3) Better yet, why don’t all the associations in North and Central America get together, get rid of CONCACAF, leave the Caribbean to fend for itself and make a new-and-improved 20-team Confederation with CONMEBOL?
Regular readers will be familiar with my personal views; but for present purposes I will switch sides, look through the statutes of FIFA and CONCACAF and ask: how could it actually happen?
First, let us deal with the possibility of an individual federation switching from one Confederation to another, as in the oft-cited example of Australia officially leaving the OFC for the AFC following the 2006 World Cup. To begin, I must admit that the assertion that a federation can only leave CONCACAF with CONCACAF’s permission is incorrect; in fact, according to Article 8 of CONCACAF’s Statutes, a member association simply needs to file a “registered letter” of intent to retire from CONCACAF to the Executive Committee, “and ratify this decision by the same means three months later…”. Article 20.j does note that the Ordinary Congress has the capacity to “consider or resolve disaffiliation or expulsion cases submitted by the Executive Committee for its consideration”, but the language does not clarify whether the Congress has the right to deny a member association’s attempt to leave.
Here, we will assume that filing the two letters is sufficient. And with that, hypothetically, Mexico is out of CONCACAF. Now, how do they get in CONMEBOL? Here is where things get more tricky. Article 20.2 of the FIFA Statutes states:
FIFA may, in exceptional circumstances, authorise a Confederation to grant membership to an Association that belongs geographically to another continent and is not affiliated to the Confederation on that continent. The opinion of the Confederation concerned geographically shall be obtained.
Emphasis mine.
That is, even if we assume that CONMEBOL would welcome an individual ex-CONCACAF member with open arms, FIFA would only green-light the switch after soliciting CONCACAF’s opinion; and given that CONCACAF “shall be composed of all Football Associations geographically belonging to North America, Central America and the Caribbean” (CONCACAF Statutes, Article 1, emphasis mine), we can safely presume that CONCACAF would object to the move on ideological and practical grounds.
Now, the quoted Article 2 does not force FIFA to accede to CONCACAF’s interest, that is, FIFA could theoretically go ahead and support a Mexico move to CONMEBOL over CONCACAF’s veto; but that decision would carry serious political ramifications for the FIFA President. Article 23.1 of the FIFA Statutes notes that every FIFA member association gets one vote in the Ordinary Congress, and Article 25.2 q establishes that the Ordinary Congress elects the President (along with the Representative of Women’s Football). With the FMF hypothetically seceding, CONCACAF would still have 34 votes in the FIFA Congress, representing a considerable bloc that no FIFA politician worth his salt would risk handing over to a potential rival candidate.
To summarize: any individual federation can leave CONCACAF of their own free will. An attempt to join CONMEBOL, however, would be met with objection from both CONCACAF (especially if one of their “cash cows” tries to bolt) and FIFA (in order to keep a key voting bloc happy), leaving the CONCACAF deserter as a footballing pariah. So, for you separatists: how does playing non-aligned World Cup matches with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Zanzibar sound?
Ok, so how about blowing up CONCACAF itself? Article 14.c of the CONCACAF Statutes addresses the necessary procedure for its dissolution. The move would have to be made during an Extraordinary Congress, which requires the attendance of at least 75 percent of the affiliated Associations; and the decision to dissolve CONCACAF also requires the agreement of 75 percent of the affiliated Associations.
A quick bit of math: CONCACAF is made up of 40 Associations (35 full members and five associate members). The United States, Mexico, Canada and the UNCAF member nations comprise 10 associations in total. You can see where I am going with this: in order to get the 75-percent majority necessary to disband CONCACAF, at least 20 Caribbean FAs have to be on board. Now, imagine telling those 20 FAs that you need their help, and that your grand scheme involves abandoning them to scrap for a half-spot in the World Cup finals, while you in North and Central America keep your money and go on to bigger and better things. How do you think that would pan out?
So, for those of you who support Mexico, the United States, Canada or one of the Central American nations, the end of the matter is this:
You’re in CONCACAF.
The Caribbean is here to stay.
And you aren’t going anywhere without them.
Deal with it.
—
Lastly, as an interesting side note: Article 3.10 of the CONCACAF Statutes specifies that 30 days’ notice must be provided before conducting a draw for any tournament, in order to allow any member associations to “be present if they wish to do so.” That is, if the FMF, the Canadian Soccer Association or anyone else wants to make sure that the Gold Cup or CCL draw is not rigged, they have every right to send someone to Miami to see it happen live.
Geez, I hope that the guy going “somewhere” doesn’t get hit with a bunch of baggage fees….
I know that this posting is more of the “legalistic” side than “what should happen,” but, good lord, man, do we really need a vote of every fly-speck country in order to do something? Statutes made under the times of limited travel, limited TV coverage, etc, shouldn’t need to be set in stone for the modern era. In regular business, any company should have the flexibility to allow for restructuring; a sports entity should have the same.
I would liken this to a corporate CEO needing to get the vote of every janitor in order to make a business call.
By the way, the CFU has their own statutes (Dutch is an official language?): http://www.caribbeanfootballunion.org/home/2010pdf/constitution_cfu.pdf
I couldn’t find a statutes for the UNCAF, but it may be since I don’t speak the lang: http://www.uncaf.net/
I also wonder if a pan-american confederation can be created at the Fifa level. Just take Fifa article 20.1 (which simply lists the six confederations) and replae the Concacaf and Conmebol lines with:
… Conferation Of North Central And South American Association Football (CONCASAAF);
… Carribean Football Confederation (CFC) [chloro-flouro-carbons?]
Now, again, such a move would cheeze off the Carrib nations, which as you mentioned, would sway a presidental election.
The rich and powerful nations should do what the rich and powerful do…change the rules to suit the rich and powerful.
I have not researched this, but it would be interesting to see how we got to this point, that is, how was CONCACAF formed? I’m assuming it was long before the US was any good, and thus, had any power. Right now, all CONCACAF is is a money redistribution scheme, where the Caribbean members are the beneficiaries of money generated by Mexico and the United States, and to a lesser extent Canada and Central America.
CONCACAF was formed in the 60s. US made the semifinals in 1930 World Cup so CONCACAF was formed after the US was good. US soccer declined.
The US and Mexico stand at a threshold they cannot currently cross. They dominate CONCACAF but their best shot at advancing on the world stage is to regularly face stiffer competition than islands with two names have to offer.
As long as CONCACAF represents a unified voting bloc for FIFA’s presidential elections, it’s likely the US and Mexico will continue to stand at that threshold.
Unfortunately, it appears a FIFA reoganization of at least a couple of confederations is the most likely scenario where the US or Mexico ever gets to cross that threshold…and I don’t see that happening any time soon.
If USA goes to CONMEBOL then you will never go again to a World cup and that would be sad
What I don’t understand is why don’t the major money players like the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, England, etc……tell FIFA to go fuck themselves and start their own organization.
First USA, Mexico, Brazil isn’t major money players in FIFAs view. There are just five of those Italy, England, Spain and to a slightly lesser degree Germany and France.
And since UEFA is the least corrupted of FIFAs Confeds the misstreatmnet of those federations is so small that the danger of starting a coordinated effort is to much of a risk. And if just one or two tried, FIFA would cruch it.
That’s silly. Fifa sold world cup broadcasting rights in the US for over $1 billion. ASD in Germany bought the same rights and additional EURO rights for $417 million. The US is a WAY bigger contributor of funds to FIFA than Germany is (or the other countries you listed)
Well why stop at gaining access to CONMEBOL? Why not try to gain access to UEFA? Travel would probably be the same distance to Europe than to South America.
Traveling to Europe means major jet lag. Traveling to South America means a maximum 4 hour difference (if leaving from the west coast).
If the current 10 Conmebol member and the 10 continental members of Concacaf agree, there is very few things that the 25 caribeans can do, seriously; FIFA not gonna dissagree with the real countries to defense a bunch of beaches mini-isles.
Tell you what: you find me a US presidential candidate brave enough to openly discuss cutting subsidies for Iowan corn, and I’ll find you a FIFA presidential candidate brave enough to flush away 25 Congressional votes.
Gary Johnson?
….I just wanna rebrand the Concacaf competitions.
Make ‘em marketable.
North American League sounds cool.
NA Cup, too.
American League
Something to that effect.
It’d save itself alot of the Derogatory names its earned with the media.
Also, the trophey.
Thats the ugliest tin can I’ve seen as a trophy.
They were kinda shooting for it to look like the Superbowl cup but jeeeeesuuuuus
So, also wondering.
Any chance we could either EASE IN the caribbean into becoming one entity, thus one vote? Or at least reduce the power they have?
OR
Include them in the CONMECAF or whatever?
Every year, FIFA cuts every Football Association on Earth a check for $250,000. That is, as 25 separate entities, the Caribbean collectively gets $6.25 million every year from Zurich. So, how do you propose getting them to turn down that kind of money?
Dissolving CONCACAF is easy if you have enough money. I suggest maybe half a million per Carribean vote. So about ten million dollars? Not exactly chump change, but I think Mexico and the US combined could find that money.
You don’t have to dissolve or leave CONCACAF to improve the situation. Here’s a solution that works for everyone:
Year 1: CONCACAF Gold Cup, winner goes to Confederations Cup, top 6 finishers go to combined Copa America.
Year 2: Copa America, 10 CONMEBOL + 6 CONCACAF, best CONMEBOL team goes to Confederations Cup
Year 3: Confederations Cup, off-year Gold Cup
Year 4: World Cup
This leaves CONCACAF intact, no political dissolution necessary, allows for 2 Gold Cups, and the Carribean nations a chance to qualify for all of the Confed Cup, Copa America, and World Cup, while adding an improved tournament that rivals the Euro for the U.S. & Mexico, etc.
CONMEBOL’s schedule remains the same. They’d just have to agree to the combined Copa America, as would FIFA, but it would be a ratings bonanaza, combining 385 million South Americans with 500 million CONCACAF viewers. No brainer.
The only way there is a merger of any kind is with the CFU in it. Promise them a higher annual distribution in the new confederation. That’s the cost of the merger.
No way would Conmbol put themselves at the mercy of Caribbean votes. They would still outvote the rest of the new Confed. Big thieves do not tolerate a lot of little thieves mucking up their business.
Caribbean votes would benefit the South Americans at FIFA level though. CONMEBOL is currently underrepresented at the World Cup due to the small size of the confederation. I think a merged confed would be have the clout to demand more WC spots than the current combined total, maybe 10 instead of 8.
Would they? The Caribbean votes didn’t exactly help the North Americans when the 2022 WC was being decided.
Only one question, are we sure Conmebol teams would be interested in having even more competition? And a few 12 hours plane trips to make (each way)?
Two words West Indies. If the Caribbean countries all play as one team the Americas can have the joint confed.
I like this idea. Leave CONCACAF intact, but have all the Caribean Islands play as one team. This might simplify CONCACAF, and make a team that is more competitive. Hell, the Caribbean Islands might make it to a WC more often if they did this.
Is there a precedent for this in the past? Have 2 countries joined into 1 team… or 3 or more countries joined into one team?
Also, how would this benefit the Caribbean Islands?
The precedent is in cricket, where the West Indies have won two world cup titles.
Thank you. But why in the world would Mexico or the USA trade virtual automatic World Cup Qualification in CONCACAF for what would surely be a struggle in CONMEBOL?
Seems silly to me.
Yeah, I wonder about that too.
Do Mexico and the US actually WANT to join CONMEBOL?
And if CONMEBOL want to hold this special Copa America, couldn’t they just have Brazil and Argentina play a couple of Gold Cups in return?
Surely the extra revenue of having those two in attendance would be of large enough appeal to get the Caribbean buy-in? Of course, this would also run into the tricky issue of getting FIFA to mandate the release of European-based talent…
Heres where the true colors of the Mexican and US federations appear.
I makes more sense financially to make it to the world cup every four years instead of risking no qualification and missing out on the TV money and sponsorships
Mexican fans have been wanting to leave for decades. US fans are now saying the same thing.
But when it comes down to it i want my dog in the race so im ok with staying in CONCACAF
This apparent Caribbean Power is a FARCE!!!!
The sooner the USA/MEX/UNCAF realize this the better.
1. The money is on our side.
2. The talent is on our side.
3. Blatter on our side one would think with the recent Caribbean Vote Scandal.
4. Warner (Caribbean thug) is a criminal and just ousted.
You’re saying 25 votes do not outnumber 10 votes? Because that’s where the power lies here.
Give a half spot to the Carribean nations and a half to OFC and let them playoff for one WC slot. They would have a more realistic chance of making the cup that way than they do now. Granted, Jamaica and T&T would probably dominate the new “region” but less so than Mexico, the US, Honduras, Costa Rica, and the rest do now.
And again I ask: if 20 Caribbean FAs know that CONCACAF can’t break up without them, why would they settle for half a spot? They’d be more likely to bargain and get as much as they can.
In other words: depending on how stubborn that bloc is, would North and Central America be so intent on leaving that they would do so even if they could only take two World Cup berths with them (leaving 1.5 for the Caribbean)?
I don’t know that they should see it as settling. Half a spot is, effectively, more than they have right now.
With that half and a playoff against even poorer sides in the OFC the carribean nations have a much better chance of having a member showcased at a worldcup than they do now.
There is no way they will ever be given 1.5 slots. The alternative is to slog through CONCACAF qualifying with very little hope of ever getting to a final.
The smaller nations will still struggle against Jamaica and New Zeland in a playoff. But that’s better than facing the rest of the CONCACAF big boys every cycle. And they know it.
That’s not how bargaining works.
Let’s recap the hypothetical: the North and Central American federations want to dissolve CONCACAF. And they can’t do it without the support of at least 20 Caribbean federations. So who has the upper hand? At any point in the negotiations, if the Caribbean leaders aren’t satisfied with the offer, they can just walk away from the table and keep enjoying their cut of the Gold Cup money (which disappears if CONCACAF splits).
If I’m on their (the Caribbean) side of the table, I’m planning to demand two World Cup spots and work my way down from there. But, again, if the Caribbean FAs have the upper hand, why would they settle for anything less than a full spot in the World Cup finals?
The poster of this thread is not taking into account a few things. FIRST: all of those statues apply to the movement of single associations. SECOND: He doesn’t know the politics in CONMEBOL.
I guarantee that if Canada, USA, Mexico and the UNCAF, ten in total, decide to bounce, there is little the CAF can do about that. It is their right and FIFA will not have ten associations floating around when it is obvious they do not want to join with CAF. REMEMBER: if the 10 leave, CONCACAF becomes CAF automatically.
First, the politics of CONMEBOL is a non-factor in this discussion (I assumed that they would be willing to take in the ex-CONCACAF members).
Second, even if the 10 leave, the Caribbean still hold 25 votes in the FIFA General Assembly, and the FIFA president that signs off on North and Central American individual FAs leaving can kiss all those votes goodbye. As I said before: good luck finding a football politician willing to take that sort of risk.
More likely, whoever is in charge at the time would act as Blatter did last year, getting personally involved to calm the waters, handpick the less controversial Caribbean leaders (e.g. Webb over Burrell) and keep CONCACAF intact.
Finally, “REMEMBER: if the 10 leave, CONCACAF becomes CAF automatically.” – this is factually incorrect. CONCACAF would still exist according to its own statutes, and FIFA would consult them before making any decision on the future of the 10 separatists.
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