The teams would typically play a friendly right before the Copa kicks-off anyway (often against another CONMEBOL member), so that could definitely work.
I agree. The previous format was absurd because the lower-ranked CONCACAF teams didn't even have a chance to partake in the final round of qualifying. Now 3 of them will have that chance under this new format. Giving some NTs a bye to the final round of qualifying still doesn't sit well with me. Its one step away from just granting certain teams a WC spot based on their ranking. Would be a shame if qualifying heads in that direction.
I completely agree on this, at least this is somewhat better though. Still I really don't know why they took away the old system why fix something that's not even broken?
Unlikely solution: a) FIFA prohibits 3 int'l matches within a 2-game window due to player fatigue. UEFA will pout if FIFA dares to create a larger match window. b) Hinders Conmebol match pair distribution, allowing some teams to play 2x at home during a whole FIFA window. Teams with potential back-to-back home games, during a FIFA window: CHI, VEN: 2 FIFA windows. BRA, COL, ECU, PAR, URU: 1 FIFA window. ARG, BOL, PER: 0 FIFA windows. VEN will lose its Conmebol executive seat after the next FIFA Congress, leaving both ARG and PAR as top Conmebol executives. Very unlikely that ARG+PAR would approve a calendar which jeopardizes their qualification. Worse comes to worst, Conmebol can use Copa America 202x to assign 2022 WC slots, just like it does now for 2023 WWC.
One extra detail on Concacaf's WCQ format that I gleaned from Mister Chip's interview with Concacaf General Secretary Philippe Moggio: At 18:46, Mister Chip casually mentions (and Moggio then confirms) that the top seeds in each of the R1 groups will get to play at home against the respective second seed, e.g. Panama vs. Nicaragua in Panama, Canada vs. Suriname in Canada, etc.
interesting. On one hand it's not fair, at least not how a traditional home and away format would be, but also I get it that CONCACAF wants the best teams to make it to the next round and eventually to the Octagon.
Speaking of which: in another video, Mister Chip shares an apparently official document from Concacaf (as the background from 3:44 on) that shows the mock schedule for the Round 1 groups: It's a bit hard to read, so I'll share here - assuming the dates for the remaining FIFA windows this year haven't changed. Schedule by seeds (1 through 5), home team first. October 2020 Wednesday, Oct. 7: 3 vs. 5 Thursday, Oct. 8: 4 vs. 1 Saturday, Oct. 10: 5 vs. 2 Sunday, Oct. 11: 1 vs. 3 Tuesday, October 13: 2 vs. 4 November 2020 Wednesday, Nov. 11: 4 vs. 5 Friday, Nov. 13: 2 vs. 3 Saturday, Nov. 14: 5 vs. 1 Tuesday, Nov. 17: 3 vs. 4 1 vs. 2 I have to say, chapeau to Concacaf for figuring out a way to get the 5 matchdays in without anyone playing more than 2 games each month.
The January 2022 window is supposed to be a longer than normal international break due to African Cup of Nation's and CONMEBOL and Asia likely needing the extra time to play the qualifiers.
Kind of cool but went apartment hunting the other day and found one place where this was the view... Lusail Stadium, 2002 WC final stadium being constructed. That would be awesome just sitting on your porch evening watching the thing get built.... other family members weren't so keen though...
Concacaf used 22 matchdays in qualifying for World Cup 2018. Double round-robin groups of 5 and an Octagonal would require 24 matchdays, and even if every team started in Round 1 there would still be some groups of 5. Before coronavirus, Concacaf would have used 14 matchdays, and now they will use 18. I'm counting October and November 2020 as two each. Because of Nations Leagues, there are fewer matchdays for WCQs. That's true in general even if a Nations League got postponed or canceled (I don't know). The fact that Round 1 will be single round-robin has nothing to do with Concacaf wanting the top teams to advance. Concacaf wants all the teams to play in a group stage. There are enough matchdays to have kept the original format with two tiers, but I prefer this format over that. All of the amounts of matchdays exclude the interconfederational playoffs. https://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc-tournaments-update/ announced OFC's format, and they will have all their games in 2021. All the teams start in the same round, which abolished the unfair situation of 7 teams starting in the same round and 4 teams playing in a group to advance 1 to a round with 8 teams. They will have a group of 5 and a group of 6 that will be single round-robin at one site. "Each group would be based in a central location" sounds like the groups will be in different places, but I don't know if the same places will be used for both periods. Matchdays will be from March 22 to 30 and May 31 to June 8, and they didn't announce which period will have three matchdays and which period will have two matchdays. Teams in the group of 5 will have one matchday off. The top two in each group will advance to the Semifinals in September and Final in October. They didn't say when the draw will be, and they have plenty of time to decide.
Or each group could just be all in just one window with 5 MDs played quickly. FIFA windows aren't exactly set in stone in OFC, particularly in the first round. Also OFC has a history of matches every 2 days anyway - so you only need the 9 day window for a 5/6 team single round robin. J
A reminder of why OFC had the "unfair system" in place from the last time all teams entered the qualifiers at the same stage
Do you have a source for those expansion dates? Depending on the regional press you read, you will find that FIFA expanded dates during either mid-year or start-of-year. However, FIFA has yet to publish any calendars with such expanded dates. Several press outlets mention expanded dates for UEFA teams, for the upcoming months. But FIFA has not published any document backing those news, at least from what I see posted on FIFA's website.
@Paul Calixte , unfortunately no FIFA documents on that specific matter were published by FIFA. FIFA published actual documents for several decisions mentioned in that press release, but none for calendar date expansions. https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/official-documents/ If I read it correctly, the press release says that a suggestion was made to UEFA members: here, 24 hours more for you fellas, go play a 3rd int'l match. No mention about player fatigue. A suggestion, not a mandate for triple-match dates. Those additional 24 hours are provided just to facilitate a 3rd match. Maybe that is why no FIFA document was published in the first place?
I mean, FIFA's current calendar still has the Euro and Copa América for June-July 2020, so.. What do you mean by "mandate"? Of course, FIFA's not putting a gun to UEFA's head and demanding they play triple dates; but the press release makes clear that the 3-match window for UEFA was proposed and unanimously approved by the FIFA Council. You really think UEFA and its members would treat it as a fait accompli if they hadn't already dotted the i's and crossed the t's with FIFA?
Yeah, I also don't understand expanding the break by one day. What does that mean? No club football on the preceding Sunday? Not sure how it helps either as the Nations League group stage is 6 matchdays total which fits just fine in the 3 FIFA breaks during Sep, Oct and Nov.
As of right now UEFA doesn't need a 3 match day window. UEFA format is 10 groups, group winners get World Cup spots. Group runners up and 2 best from nations league standings not already qualified for playoffs get a UEFA playoff tournament spot. Playoff tournament is 12 teams 3 different 4 team knockout style tournaments for the last 3 UEFA World Cup spots. Potential UEFA calendar June/July 2021 Euros September 2021 Matchday 1-2 October 2021 Matchday 3-4 November 2021 Matchday 5-6 January 2022 Matchday 7-8 March 2022 Matchday 9-10 June 2022 (UEFA Playoff Tournaments)
As a fan though I want to see three match windows. I love National team matches much more than Clubs and cherish every FIFA match like it is a holiday. The more the merrier.