http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/us...acaf-league-of-nations-friendlies-competition This would be an absolute, unmitigated disaster for the US and for the other top 10 or so teams in CONCACAF, made even worse by the impending loss of competitive World Cup qualifying. The US, Mexico, Costa Rica, and any other top ~10 teams who want to come along should make it very clear in no uncertain terms before this is voted on that we will leave the confederation and apply to join CONMEBOL if this happens. If Sunil doesn't have the balls to do that, then go with the split squad approach, continue scheduling friendlies against top competition as appropriate and send fringe and youth players to these "League of Nations" fixtures.
I think it's time the top 50 or so national associations in the world consider breaking away from FIFA. Small nation greed is starting to ruin the entire system.
Yep. This is a pure cash grab for the worst of the Caribbean minnows who have no prayer of ever even qualifying for the semifinal WCQ round or the Gold Cup but have seen an opportunity to get regular games against the US and Mexico. They'll get thrashed 15-0 by US/Mexico D teams while harming the US/Mexico/Costa Rica's ability to compete at the World Cup level, but who cares when their FA presidents can count the zeroes in their bank accounts?
Awful idea. Really need to breakaway from Caribbean and let them have their own fed and create a separate North/Central America fed if they try to force this on us.
Aside from the competitive angle, this would also be a massive financial blow to the USSF and FMF, forcing us to replace big-ticket friendlies filling NFL stadiums with LoN matches against the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands. There is absolutely no upside in this for the top teams in the region.
Hello guys, Have you investigated about the proposed UEFA Nations League? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Nations_League It would group nations into divisions (group) depending on their strength. It means that stronger teams will play against the top teams. And there will be relegation and promotion for next tournament. The same structure won't be bad for Concacaf.
The "split squad approach" could hurt our FIFA Ranking if we don't win a game against a weak team because we didn't use our best players. We're unlikely to have a good enough FIFA Ranking be seeded for World Cups 2018 or 2022, but it will be easier to be seeded when World Cup 2026 has 16 groups. UEFA has 20 more teams than CONCACAF. I don't think CONCACAF is trying to have the bottom teams only play each other. If CONCACAF does make groups based on strength, here's my idea. Make a group of the top 20 and a group of the bottom 15. The top group would have 5 groups of 4 and the bottom group would have 5 groups of 3. You could make each top group relegate one team and each bottom group relegate one team, or you could make 5 promotion/relegation playoffs that each had a top group team against a bottom group team. With 20 teams in the top level, the worst teams wouldn't have a chance at being in the top level, but reaching the top level would be easier than reaching the WCQ Semifinals or qualifying for the Gold Cup. The downside to having 5 groups is that some top group teams would be grouped with Mexico and USA but many top group teams would not. I'm assuming that playing Mexico and USA would make more money for the opponent than playing Costa Rica even when Costa Rica is ahead of Mexico and/or USA in the FIFA Rankings.
The "League of Nations" is basically a response to UEFA Nations - setting up a similar league of our own. People are complaining - but you guys realize USSF is basically 100% behind this idea, right? They're not going to run away to CONMEBOL because (a) they actually support the idea and (b) c'mon, CONMEBOL? CONMEBOL is more likely to take in the Antarctica national team than the US. This isn't some hostage situation by the Caribbean. US and Mexico are leading the charge. It's a scheme that hurts competition - but its all about money. UEFA started all this with their UEFA Nations League anyway - basically locking up their whole continent for friendlies. We should blame them for all this nonsense. If this "League of Nations" has to happen, then I would hope CONMEBOL would consider participating with CONCACAF in a joint competition. Because otherwise, bleagh.
Our ability to schedule high powered friendlies is already going to take a hit from the UEFA League sucking up all of their dates. Besides, friendlies suck. (And yes, I understand that big friendlies make money and help FIFA rankings, but they are boring.) I'd be pretty into this, personally, if they could get CONMEBOL involved and kill off the second Gold Cup in the process.
I've always hated the idea of gutting CONCACAF to have the tops teams join CONMEBOL, but between this garbage and 6+ slots in WCQs, the time is coming soon to bail on this party. Hopefully there's a life raft for us. In addition to cratering our competition level, this would be a massive drag on USSF and FMF finances. I can't imagine either Fed will go willing into this.
Glad to hear we might mostly play against CR/MX/HON etc. Still the whole revamping sucks. I want out of FIFA, start a FIFPLUS.
How does CONCACAF LoN make USSF more money? We already play regular friendlies against Mexico, and no other CONCACAF nation would generate the kind of revenue we're losing. I can't see huge TV dollars flowing in for even more matches against Honduras and Canada. Absolutely, this whole thing is a result of UEFA, but USSF is among the strongest friendly partners in the world. We'd have a good shot at getting whatever marquee friendly matches are left. CONMEBOL's participation is the only way this isn't a total waste. Or a standing invite for the US to Copa America.
We should at least link to the original Reuters story that broke this news along with the blog that rewrote it.
Alright. I revise my stance from earlier. If we can't get EUFA teams anyway because of this, all we lose are a couple of nice friendlies/$ grabs vs Colombia and Brazil, but that's about it. Since WC qualifying is basically going to be a joke for us from now on, this idea at least keeps some CONCACAF rivalries alive. If they went 8-8-9-10 the top 8 (based on FIFA rankings, which is likely all they'll use) is Mexico, Costa Rica, USA, Panama, Haiti, Honduras, Curacao, and Jamaica. That's not a waste of time. Next 8 would be T&T, Guatemala, A&B, St Kitts, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Canada, Suriname. 4 out of 8 are common (non-FIFA date) friendly opponents already. I'm in.
Seems like you'd have to tie in some rewards beyond a trophy to make sure everyone tries hard. I believe UEFA is doing promotion and relegation between levels, which is a good idea for starters. For the lesser teams, this could replace Gold Cup qualifying. For the USA/Mexico/Costa Rica caliber teams, I don't know what incentive you could give apart from automatic qualification to the World Cup.
there is no incentive. this is an utterly terrible idea. almost as bad as a 48-team world cup. or a world cup in Qatar. I can't see any reason why Gulati would go along with this, other than that he's got his head all the way up his ass.
1) The FIFA Rankings are terrible 2) They beat up a bunch of other islands in Caribbean Cup qualifying recently
Because UEFA's locking us out and friendlies with Europe were the big money. CONMEBOL friendlies are also a nice draw, but they're a federation of ten. So our friendlies were going to take a hit anyway. On the other hand, you take those same matches and package it as a major competition, they become a better sell for TV and ad rights, and a better draw for the casual viewer. The US might still be able to earn more cash through friendlies on its own ... but it would mean a lot more work, and going against what the rest of CONCACAF would want. This is the safer, lower-risk option and it might still turn a profit. Let me just say that I'm not at all in favor of this - just because UEFA decides to be a little punk, I don't think the rest of the world should copy that behavior. But I'm not in charge of CONCACAF, now am I? I'd need at least five more zeros on my paycheck and two international felonies to qualify. There's a very real possibility that no one at CONCACAF has ever heard of the League of Nations. Or Woodrow Wilson.