I wonder if, as well as the title and label of the WWC sub-forum was recently changed, a mod shouldn't also change the name of this sub-forum into "2016 Olympic Women's Soccer Tournament" or something of the kind?
Absolutely. Come on mods, let's get a new forum titled "2016 Olympic Women's Soccer Tournament." It's nuts that stuff for the 2016 tournament is being posted under the heading of the 2012 tournament.
Update: 7 of 12 qualified so far: Host (1): Brazil CONCACAF (2): 10-21 February 2016 CONMEBOL (1): Colombia CAF (2): South Africa and Zimbabwe UEFA (3): France and Germany; 3rd spot to be determined in playoff 2-9 March between Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland AFC (2): 29 Feb-9 March 2016 OFC (1): New Zealand
Yes, NZ defeated mighty Papua new Guinea, who even withdrew after 1st leg. For reasons that I explained in Nadeshiko Japan thread (and so I don't repeat here), I guess OFC (since they miss Australia) should only get 1/2 spot, not one entire spot.
Not likely for the Olympics. The Olympic movement has always made decisions that allowed participation from the widest distribution around the World. If they didn't, events like swimming would be lanes filled with almost all American and Australian swimmers, only Kenyans and Ethiopians would be in the marathon. It's why we get Jamaican Bobsledders.
I am totally ok with Jamaican Bobsledders and with the Olympic spirit. You miss my point. I am of course also ok if Oceania gets one guaranteed spot for Olympics. But only if it's "Oceania", not "Oceania minus 90% of the surface of the continent because we decided that, oh, it happens to actually belong to (uh?) Asia". If I remember well, the five circles should mean that every continent should be represented in Olympics. Would Australian swimmers be happy if someone would tell them: "Hey, smile: you are proudly representing Asian continent"? If you make-up fake continents, as FIFA did by allowing Australia to join AFC, then the whole point of "having countries representing all continents at Olympics" doesn't make any sense anymore...
Do we really even need the Zika virus to say how good of an idea this is? What IOC should do: Drop Manaus as Olympic soccer venue. Much higher chance of mosquito-borne viruses there. pic.twitter.com/7L6AiVUkar— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) February 8, 2016
Well, the mosquitos isn't a good reason, and a big brand new stadium will get a little more use. Manaus is located where it is precisely because mosquitos don't breed well there. From the Brasil travel site: And visitors would miss one of the most spectacular opera houses in the World. The sound is exquisite. Not opera season. Though.
thoughts on how the pots will be divided for the draw? Top seeded: Brazil, Germany, USA. Pot A: France, UEFA qualifier, Canada. Pot B: Australia, China, New Zealand Pot C: Colombia, South Africa, Zimbabwe DRAW: Group A: Brazil, France, China, Zimbabwe Group B: Germany, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa Group C: USA, UEFA qualifier, Australia, Colombia
It will be Group E, F, and G. A, B, C, and D are used for the men. Switch France with UEFA qualifier and New Zealand with China and that's how the draw will happen.
With Sweden currently leading the UEFA OGQ this would almost be a repeat of group D from the 2015 WWC with Colombia replacing Nigeria.
The three "least likely" teams to be in the USWNT group (excluding Canada which can't be in their group). Also excludes Brazil and Germany who will probably be the top seeded teams with the US) Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand (teams like this are "NEVER" in the USWNT group) So that leaves France/Sweden as the Euro team in their group, Australia/China, and Colombia. Therefore, the USWNT will be in the "Group of the Death" of the three groups. You can count on that.
It would have to be either Sweden or France, since Germany is likely to be the third seed. And I'd rather have Sweden over France. Basically they're the lesser of the two "evils".
if my Pots play out, the groups should be: GROUP E: Brazil, France, China, Zimbabwe GROUP F: Germany, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa GROUP G: USA, Sweden, Australia, Colombia USA always gets the group of death. Brazil, as hosts, gets the easier draw with China & Zimbabwe. And Germany always tends to get an easy draw, too.
I kinda hope this is *almost* correct - save for swapping Canada and China. How hilarious would it be for Canada and Brazil to meet for a seventh time in just over twelve months? PanAm group Natal group Natal final Algarve final Friendly Friendly Olympics group
This will be the first major women's tournament ever (senior or youth) in which we'll have more Ocean teams (Australia and New Zealand) than we do true Asian teams (just China). Could this cause FIFA to essentially force AFC and OFC to merge into one confederation? Naw, they'll just laugh it off since this is just the women's side of things.
Someone's looking ahead. Anything stopping the US from winding up in a group with France, Australia and New Zealand (or Colombia)? That would be quite the Group of Death, wouldn't it? When the new FIFA ratings come out in a couple weeks, that would probably include 3 of the top 5 teams (Yes, I'm expecting Australia to emerge as the 4th or 5th ranked team) plus a dangerous New Zealand or Colombia team. France, in particular, might blanch if Colombia wound up in the group; Australia, if New Zealand did.