The solution is a difficult one. I'm assuming that the AFC would have to come up with a number of options and then select the best idea and test it. However, don't the WC qualifiers already have different stages where the big teams don't join til the end? An idea: If we start preliminary qualifiers based on zones (groups) and once the amount of nations is halved, we could the final two group stages similar to what happens now. As you've said, it may mean that some teams never play others competitively again (or at least until they improve). What it will do is reduce travel time and costs. The problem is that the OFC can't exist in the fashion that it does. A more controversial idea would be to split Asia between West and East and have the OFC become part of the East.
It all depends on the big East Asian nations i guess.....just look at the power in the AFC, is practially run by West Asians...one day, the East migth just break away and then it could incoporate the OFC into it.
That's the thing. If the West Asians running the AFC start making biased decision, it might just tick off the East Asian nations enough to split.
Regardless of the qualifying format Palau won't host Afghanistan in a qualifier because Palau isn't a member of FIFA. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/associations.html lists the members.
Change Palau for Papua New Guinea then...it is still daft! Northern Mariana Islands aren't a member of FIFA, but will still take part in the 2018 Qualifiers as they are dual qualifiers for Asian Cup...that's what Palau would be playing for wouldn't they?
I don't know what Palau could play for. I agree that AFC has long travel distances. How many time zones is it from eastern Australia to the easternmost place in OFC?
Travelling to Tahiti would be about 4 time zones I think? But say if say Tahiti went to play in the UAE...that's a days worth of flying.
If that Afghanistan team were to travel to Tahiti, I'm pretty sure the whole team would defect and never go back Afghanistan has Tora Bora, Tahiti has Bora Bora...
I'm against the cancellation of OFC. They have their confederation and they've already lost Australia. FIFA should give some help, simple. Of course they're not gonna get better if they don't have any help. If they let 'em alone, they're gonna be the 3rd world of football (which is still better than some things that happen here in the industrialized world). OFC should get a full spot. Otherwise don't call it World Cup: it's a trick, a fool.
here's the thing, I think they are already 3rd world football nations... I was just in some OFC nations last summer, went to NZ and Fiji, and to swim whales in Tonga. These countries are incredible small - especially population wise, and the thing is... this isn't even football territory - rugby is the big game in these parts... the people really don't give much of a damn about football here. Rugby, cricket (esp. Fiji), wresting, etc. are all bigger than footy. If you're going to let smaller nations into the WC, I'd much rather see some of the many football-mad countries take that - hence, giving a 5th spot to Asia in lieu of letting an OFC team into the latter stages of the qualifying campaign. I hear you about the whole cultural diversity issue, but Australia are already qualifying regularly for the WC. Do we really need BOTH Australia and New Zealand to call it a world cup?
I agree with this last post. However, I think that the OFC qualifier should always be played against the AFC's 5th qualified team, and not mixing up things as FIFA has done in the past. CONCACAF vs CONMEBOL.
AFC have changed the whole qualification format and joined World Cup qualification with Asian Cup qualification. depending on the number of entries, 46 AFC nations, the bottom 12 are pitted in a playoff (March15), 6 winners join the remaining 34 nations and the 40 nations are grouped into 8 groups of 5. 8 winners and 4 best 2nd placed teams qualify for the Asian Cup 2019 and also the final round of the World Cup qualification, 2 groups of 6. the remaining 24 nations (4 lowest nations knocked out) are put into 6 groups of 4, with top 2 advancing to the Asian Cup 2019.. With the new format, I dont think AFC want to join OFC into the qualification (until the world cup play-off). AFC have stated that the more games AFC nations play, the better the confederation will become. Looks like with this new format, AFC do not want to have OFC included at all..
Honestly, even now the West Asian countries are calling for Australia to be cut especially now the Aussies won the Asian Cup final against South Korea. I think they are jealous since none of the gulf countries were able to qualified in the last World Cup. I suppose we could give the gulf/Middle East countries the 0.5 and let them run their own stuff and have the rest of AFC join with OFC for the 4.5 places. That could work as the distances is roughly the same and the East Asian countries gets more continuity and power in their organisation. After a while the West Asian countries do annoy me with their "me vs you" attitude.
I add that OFC (unluckily) also has changed the format of qualifying for 2018 WC. I like this post, but I have to disagree on some points. For 3rd world football I see only situations like Eritrea or Somalia: they're irrecoverable. Too much problems. OFC is just unexplored world. I know football isn't in their 1st thoughts, but FIFA hasn't been doing too much to change their minds. Goal Project is just a little reward, nothing serious: it's just an initiative to make themselves look good all over the world, but it isn't of any help. Australia got into football after 20 years. Even NZ stopped for play-off against Bahrain in 2009 and Mexico 2013. So it is possible. I know that Australia and NZ are two big countries, but Cape Verde was a non-existent country and it almost went to 2014 WC. In 2007 Gold Cup, Guadeloupe - not a FIFA member - got into semifinals and Mexico made 70' to score a goal against them. In 2012 Tahiti proved that NZ isn't alone in OFC. Without rembering the biggest achievement of OFC in the last years: 2010 WC's run of NZ, which finished unbeaten and almost qualified to the knock-out stage. As you see, they're a lot of examples all over the world. So it's possible to change the situation. About your final question, the answer it is "Yes". Because it could be another team which is not NZ during the years. Plus, Australia is an AFC team. And they wanted it, so be it.
What I don't get is why the OFC celebrates the fact that the winner of their tournament doesn't qualify for the World Cup, but instead has to play one more series against another team just for the right to get into the event. I know it might be PR spin, but even if you know your teams don't have a shot, don't celebrate being handicapped.
To be fair, you also don't want to come off as pessimistic and say "FIFA doesn't regard us seriously, so our region winner must win another round against a ringer of their choosing in order for us to actually participate in the World Cup". Like I said, I'm not a fan of Oceania football because it's New Zealand and Everybody Else, but if you're gonna force the weak sister to do battle with a team that you want in the Cup instead, why not just invite them instead? Throw them a bone.
Hee hee.. I knew somebody was going to post here about this... I was waiting for the group stage to finish till posting about their slaughter, but well done Fiji, well done...... with that said, Fiji did lose 8-0 to Germany, and the hosts New Zealand 4-0 to USA so let's hold our horses....
Instead of giving a region an extra spot for the host just give them half a spot. An example would be that for 2018 UEFA gets 13 spots and one playoff. They still get their guaranteed 13 and have a chance at an extra. For 2022 Asia would get 5 spots (including host). There would still be the 4 teams guaranteed to win a spot through qualification. They just wouldn't get the playoff.
Or take half of a spot from oen confederation, let's say CONCACAF. Congratulations, Fiji! I was shocked when I saw this result. Amazing!
http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/matches/round=271602/match=300269533/index.html says Fiji lost 8-1. I wonder if a country has ever lost by 7 and won by 4 in the same FIFA tournament.