I think that an expanded AFC CL will raise in skill level if the OFC is allowed to enter in a combined Champions League. The best 4 from Australia and New Zealand with other OFC nations best teams compete with the best of the AFC member teams. If people straight away jump on the gun and say Australia and New Zealand are not asian so they shouldn't join. But Australia and New Zealand in the past 50 years are increasing their relations to Aisan nations and have trade agreements with them and the bonds are quite strong. Surely sport would further strengthen the bond and enhance quality in the region. The OFC and AFC have been treated like a bunch of no hopers in the eyes of UEFA,CFA,CONCAEF,COMEBOL for too long! Remember there were 2 teams in the Singaporean S-League from Australia. (Perth & Darwin) ***The poll is asking regarding the champions league not the mergimg of the AFC & OFC***
Two Australian teams were playing in S-league? I didn't know about that. Interesting. Back to the topic, I think it is highly feasible that leading Australian and NZ club teams will be taking part in ACL competition within the next 5 years. I myself as well want it to happen as quickly as possible.
The 2 Australian teams were successful in the S-League with the Perth Kangaroos winning every game and winning the title whereas the Darwin Cubs were at the same skill level as the other S-league teams which is at a high standard but Perth had former internationals and players who played in europe before coming back home. But this doesn't mean there is an imbalance, No sir! I think that this was a great example how an OFC nation took part in an AFC competition and it worked well. Although people may not like this idea the PFA (Australia) have purchased the naming rights and reserved other rights in regards to an AFC-OFC CL. There has been no word from the AFC about this but I believe they are showing signs of interest. Keep voting and sumbit your reasons peoples!
I'd say why not. The more teams participating in the AFC/OFC CL, the better it is. I have a question, is soccer on the rise in Australia? Will soccer ever going to overtake Rugby, Aussie football, or cricket as the number 1 sport there?
it wouldnt be too bad if the teams could just meet up somewhere for a month and play their games. but if you make it home and away style, players will be getting too tired.
Ahh no, please dont get Malaysia teams to join, we are crap and the supporters will look for a fight whenever opportunity rises regardless whether the opposing supporters hide behind busses, the police or the referees.
I remember in 1998 and 99 that there was actually some discussion about this. From what was discussed at the time it seems like AFC is very positive on the idea, but OFC is reluctant to give up their rights as a separate confederation, and I think they will be even more reluctant now that they managed to get a qualifying spot for the World Cup. Personally, I think its long past time to have this sort of merger. It would provide a big benefit to both confederations, by increasing the number of members until we are equal with Africa, and increasing the number of top-level teams by adding Australia (and occasionally New Zealand). Also, now that AFC has created its three-tier system for international tournaments, the addition of OFC would provide a broader and more interesting pool of "emerging countries" to have their own competitions and improve their level of play. But logic often has little to do with this sort of thing. Unless the OFC is given some sort of political reasons to make a merger (such as increasing their influence in FIFA) I dont think it will happen. As it stands now, OFC is more powerful and influential as a separate confederation. If it merged, it would lose some of its influence, even though the overall influence of OFC + AFC would be greater.
move oceania close to asia then we discuss. just imagine making a trip from welington to riyadh. it's not a regional champions league anymore. i wish we're all close one another.
I see your point there in regards to the Middle east countries. However the two confederations that have been treated like dirt until last year in the world cup need to cooperate and create top flight competition. The AFC & OFC need to cooperate and create a combined champions league.
Maybe this system. Asia + OFC : 44 + 12 = 56 countries. 56 national champions + last Champions League Winner + 7 runners-up of 7 top countries (FIFA Rankings or something like that). Total 64 teams. Groups by geographical criteria. - First Round : 16 groups of 4 teams. Qualify first and second places. - Second Round : Round of 32, 16 couples home-away. - Third Round : Round of 16, 8 couples home-away. - Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals. - 16 matchdays.
It good be a good idea, but traveling will be a problem, with the many tournaments happeneing, but if they could meet in one country for a few days or wekk, maybe like Indonesia or in the South Eats it could be succesful.
Yeah, its prolly why they havnt already, and also why it wont happen. Asia is just too big of a continant.
YYYY!! MIXING THEM...ITS JUST FINE LIKE THAT... BESIDES, i travelled from Canberra to Amman, it took, 28 hours,stoping 3 times.!! And once in amman i hade to adjust my self for the time changing...3 days and 2 night all mixed up... what about the players?what about skills diff? And in Aussie, here i gues no one will give a sh!t, since soccer is under rated here, and comes far after rugby,surfin' , and kanguru riding...
Asia is too big. Well, play separate tournaments and then play a supercup between the winners in one country for two weeks. - Western Asia : Arabian countries. - Central Asia : Ex-soviets, Iran, Afghanistan & Pakistan. - Indian Zone : India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan & Bangladesh. - Eastern : Mongolia, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, 2 Koreas, Japan. - Indochina Zone : Rest of AFC countries. - ANZ : Australia & New Zealand. - Oceania : Rest of OFC countries. Every zone decides his own system (home-away, groups) and number of teams (since 8 to 32). Supercup : 8 teams. - A different zone host the final tournament every year. - The host zone qualify 2 teams an the others 6 zone winners. - System like Confederations Cup (2 groups, semifinals, finals). - Winner qualify to World Club Championship. -------------- - Distance isn´t a problem with this system. - 7 Regional Tournaments + Supercup replaces the present system of cups.
In Singapore, we are already used to it but currently there are no Australian teams in the S League although it is very hard to say in the future... In the mid-90s when Singapore haven't formed their professional league (Our professional league were formed in 1996), there are 2 Australian teams -- Perth Kangaroos and Darwin in the semi-pro Singapore Premier League but they left the league with a sour note...
Sorry to bring an old thread like this, but I was bored enough today to sit with a pen and paper and devise a revised system for Asian/Oceanian competitions: You have 56 nations. Divide them into 5 tiers: Key: G -> ACL group stage , P -> Preliminary Round , Q -> Qualifiying round, C -> AFC cup Tier 1 (4 teams) : 1 team in G , 2 in P T2 (3) : 1G, 1P T3 (8) : 1G , 1C T4 (11) : 1P T5 (30) : 1Q The Qualifying round: This is pre-qualifying round for the bottom 30 ranked nations. 10 groups of 3. Single round robin (1 home game, 1 away). Winner of group progresses to preliminary round. Preliminary round: This is the "divider" round. A home and away knockout round with 32 teams. Winner progresses to ACL group stage, loser to AFC cup group stage. Participants (32) -> 10 Q winners + 8 T1 + 3 T2 + 11 T4 ACL group stage: Similar to current format, except there are 8 groups (no bye for champion). Winner progresses to knockout stage, and from then it's like exactly the same as the current system. Participants (32) -> 16 P winners + 4 T1 + 3 T2 + Champion AFC cup: 8 groups of 3 teams, single round robin (1 home game, 1 away). Winner progresses to home and away knockout stage. Participants (24) -> 16 P losers + 8 T3 ---- My rankings: T1: KSA , IRN , KOR , JPN T2: AUS , UAE , CHN T3: NZ , UZB , QAT , IRQ , THA , KUW , VIE , BAH T4: IDN , MAS , SIN , JOR , PAL , OMN , YEM , SYR , LEB , HKG , TKM T5: The rest!