World Cup Expansion to 48 Teams (Update: FIFA Council Agrees 2026 Slot Allocation)

I guess I missed this one. My bad.

Edit: And team A would have to beat team B and C by the exact same amount for team B & C to have a tie in the standings.. I bet the odds of this scenario happening are slim.

2 way tie scenario
Team A 1 - 0 Team B
Team C 1 - 1 Team B
Team C 0 - 1 Team A

Team A 6 pt, GD of +2
Team C 1 pt, GD of -1
Team B 1 pt, GD of -1

----------------------
In this scenario team B will be pushing for a goal... if B doesn't score they are eliminated.

Not a tie in the standings
Team A 2 - 0 Team B
Team C 1 - 1 Team B
Team C 0 - 1 Team A

Team A 6 pt, GD of +3
Team C 1 pt, GD of -1
Team B 1 pt, GD of -2

 

But we are entering a new era, maybe FIFA awards a penalty win with more then 1 point, but less then 3?

Like this...

Team A 1 - 0 Team B
Team C 1 - 1 Team B (Team B wins on PKs)
Team C 1 - 1 Team A (Team A wins on PKs)

Team A 5 pt (2 points additional for the PK win)
Team B 2 pt (2 points for the PK win)
Team C 0 pt

We just don't know what they will do.

 

If you have penalties you get a team, like my Colorado Rapids, who can't score get through. Team A beats Team B in a good game, 3-2. Team A beats Team C 6-0. Team C plays 11 men back, ties Team B 0-0, then C wins in penalties. C through without scoring a goal, and tie and a big loss.

I've said before though, that this format is about as well as they could do with this number of teams. Some appalling ideas were floated when this thread began (remember 40 teams, 10 groups of 4, either 16 or 32 teams go through?).

 

Loser of pk shootout should get one point in that case, it is a drawn match technically.

 

But we don't know the rules yet... maybe they only use a PK shoot out to break a 2 way tie.

In this scenario team B advances on goal differential...
Team A 3 - 2 Team B
Team A 6 - 0 Team C
Team B 0 - 0 Team C

Team A 6pts, +7GD
Team B 1pt, -1GD
Team C 1pt, -6GD

-----------------------------

In this scenario they use a PK shootout to break the tie....
Team A 3 - 2 Team B
Team A 3 - 2 Team C
Team B 0 - 0 Team C (Team B wins the PK shootout)

Team A 6pts, +2GD
Team B 2pt, -1GD (Team B advances with PKs)
Team C 1pt, -1GD


This is all hypothetical of course... we have know idea how FIFA will handle this.

 

CONCACAF just did two 3 team groups, with the top 2 advancing to the U17WC for the U17 Championship. They have used the 3 team group in other tournaments in the past and I think CONCACAF does this in the U20 too..

2017 U17 CONCACAF Championship rules if 2 or more teams are tied in the group...

a. Greater number of points in matches between the tied teams
b. Greater GD between the tied if equal on points
c. Greater number of Goals scored between the tied teams
d. Greater GD in all group matches
e. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches
f. Drawing of lots

U17
In 2017 there was 2 groups of 3
In 2013 there was 4 groups of 3
In 2011 there was 4 groups of 3

U20
In 2017 there was 2 groups of 3
In 2013 there was 4 groups of 3
In 2011 there was 4 groups of 3

Out of these 20 different groups only 3 teams advanced with 1 tie (in second place), and 1 other team advanced with 2 ties... all the other teams advanced with at least 1 win. All 3 of these second place teams advanced with a better GD then the 3rd place team. There was not one single 3 way tie in all 20 groups.

 

Consejo de FIFA aprueba en Baréin que CONMEBOL tenga 6,5 plazas en el Mundial 2026. Decisión final a cargo del Congreso FIFA el jueves 11/05 pic.twitter.com/gou8LXlnyB

— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) May 9, 2017

 

PKs are only shot in elimination game, not in groups... Or are they planning to turn it into ice hockey now?

 

FIFA is considering new rules for 2026....

"FIFA was already considering have group-stage matches go to penalties to avoid draws in the three-team groups and prevent teams from settling for mutually beneficial draws in the final game of the stage."

and there is this...

"Marco Van Basten, the former Dutch great who is now FIFA's Chief Officer for Technical Development, revealed the potential changes in an interview with German outlet Sport Bild, and one of them is eschewing standard penalty kicks at the end of tied knockout matches for a run-up style shootout."

Of course FIFA has yet to decide the new rules... these new rules are just being considered.

 

There's also a proposal to allow fighting. And TV timeouts.

 

These are the rules CONCACAF uses (recently posted up thread) in the 3 group U17 tournament with 2 teams advancing.

a. Greater number of points in matches between the tied teams
b. Greater GD between the tied if equal on points
c. Greater number of Goals scored between the tied teams
d. Greater GD in all group matches
e. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches
f. Drawing of lots

They weigh H2H GD results over group results. But team B&C tied in H2H...

Team A 1 - 0 Team B
Team C 1 - 1 Team B (Team B wins on PKs)
Team C 1 - 1 Team A (Team A wins on PKs)

Team A 5 pt, GD of +1 (2 points additional for the PK win)
Team C 2 pt, GD of 0 (2 points for the 2 PK loses)
Team B 2 pt, GD of -1 (2 points for the PK win)

With the above rules it looks like team C would go through on GD, because the 2 teams are tied on GD between each other.

But FIFA has never done groups with PKs, so we don't know what the tie breaker rules could be. Maybe they add another tie breaker rule for PKs.

 

From http://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/news...-t-2883353.html?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_news

FIFA trolling the OCD crowd - or just can't be bothered any more?

J

I suppose "0.4" is a bit too weird for some

 

It wont even be that. For some it will be 0.25 and others 0.5. For one confederation its possibly they get 0.75 or 1 (two x 0.5). Depends on who hosts (pretty much a given its CONCACAF) and what rankings the teams hold in 2025.

 

I think we all know it's going to be a bit "complicated". But for FIFA to say "here's how the 48 spots will be allocated" and then put that list is just so ... FIFA.

J

The TWG version of the list made much more sense - it also makes clear that it's only 46 confed spots plus a centralised play-off for the last 2 (ie, no "1/2 spots" in the sense that we have them today) and that the host spot is included in the confed allocation.

For reference (from http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/05/10/asia-africa-win-big-world-cup-qualification-shake)

J

 

By the way, the only change I would ever make to the World Cup is to have the championship match be determined by sudden death. No stupid penalty kicks!

I always find it stupid that the fate of an entire campaign rests on free kicks.

 

To each his own.

Some people like the drama and emotions that come along with spot kicks.

 

It's not like there's a choice. If extra-time doesn't solve anything, then what else can be done?

Well, I guess there is a choice: PKs or coin flip. The latter was actually done in the 1960s to settle a Euro semifinal contest. I'll take PKs over that.

 

There are other choices... I was talking about this in another thread the other day.

I think this way could be interesting...
If tied after regulation have a PK shootout. Then play the 30 minute overtime. This way the teams will know the result of the shootout, and one team will have to push for a goal. If they don't score they lose. This will eliminate 2 teams being satisfied with seeing out the clock in overtime to make it to PKs, and it makes it so the game wont end with PKs.

 

Might as well do the penalties before the match if that is the case.

 

But... If a team is winning after regulation there is no need for them.

 

But it will force the team that loses to push all 90 minutes. And it will save time and energy without having to go to extra time if there is a draw.

 

I know you are just kidding, but you are trying to solve a problem that does not exist yet. The only reason to do this is to force the game, because of a tie. Overtime can be boring, because neither team wants to risk to much. They are afraid of pushing forward and getting scored on.

Some people like PK shootouts, and some don't. I don't like them, I hope FIFA comes up with a better way of ending a tie someday.