My opinion...the FIFA Confederations Cup was fine just the way it was...an 8 team tournament of: FIFA World Cup host FIFA World Cup Champions UEFA Euro champions African Cup of Nations champions AFC Asian Cup champions OFC Nations Cup Champions CONCACAF Gold Cup champions Copa America champions Plus the FIFA Confederations Cup was just fine as a tune up before the World Cup started...plus they put on good games too
I enjoyed the hell out of that tournament, once FIFA figured out that every two years was overkill (i.e. the era from 2005 to 2017). But Infantino made his feelings clear: when it comes to senior football, if a tournament's not a money-maker, it's a goner.
I guess that makes sense but come on Confederations Cup was more or less a precursor to the actual World Cup and it helped teams in that tournament who were in the World Cup to better prepare
A "C" team Germany winning it all was the final nail in the coffin for the Confederations. But it was dying befoer that moment too. FIFA wants to make money and the Confederations Cup is not as profitable in their eyes when compared to a FIFA Club World Cup with many great teams in it.
I mean if you had a 2021 Confederations Cup it would have been set with Qatar, France, Algeria, Brazil, etc
It probably won't ever come back but if they did bring it back I would actually do it the year after the World Cup with the previous Cycle's Champions on a Neutral site that rotates each summer. I would then sweeten the pot a bit and say if you win the Confederations you get an Automatic bid into the World Cup. (I am one of those people who did not mind the WC Winner getting an automatic slot in the World Cup so this would make it similar to that tradition while making the Confederation tournament more interesting.)
I didn't either but the winning teams that got the automatic slot did and that's why it was scrapped (too little competitive games in the run-up to the next WC).
I do remember some complaining. Times are a changing though. European World Cup Champions do not have that excuse anymore with the Nations League now a thing. South American Champions could complain but with long grueling qualifying in South America probably won't complain much.
They would almost certainly qualify anyway though with WC expansion to 48 teams. So doesn’t add any real incentive.
Except if your chile and u had two copa americas the previous summers or germany who got overconfident. Worse than the madden curse...the winner of confed never won the wc
And yet Brazil was, from memory, the mains ones arguing for a change. That said one of the main issues are gone now with the change to the FIFA ranking so it won't hurt big teams as much as it used to. But then again I'm sure broadcasters will want to pay a lot less for 2 years of friendlies compared to a full WC qualifying cycle. All in all I don't expect this to change any time soon.
I agree. It served its purpose and was pretty good level of competition. I'm hesitant on how the Club World Cup, essentially its replacement will fair. Its all how the clubs prioritize it I guess. I'd expand Confederation Cup to iron out kinks with these 3 team groups. 2025 Confederation Cup could be 3 hosts USA, Mexico and Canada. Top 3 from 2022 World Cup. Then the 6 Confederations Champions. Equals out to 12 teams. Have 4 groups, 3 teams each, top 2 from each group advance to 8 team knockout phase.
2025 FIFA Confederations Cup in USA-Canada-Mexico would have been perfect and the way you talk about setting it up here would have been perfect
CONCACAF probably would have said no to it because it would conflict with the Gold Cup that is scheduled for summer 2025. Gold Cup could be split that way though.
Not necessarily especially if they put the Confederations Cup in like May of 2025 then it wouldn't be a problem
It would still be a bit of a problem. CONCACAF does not like when Mexico or the USA does not bring their best players for the GOLD Cup. They make less money at the gates and on Television ratings. Having those two countries focusing on the Confederations Cup instead of the Gold Cup is not what they want nor is it what FOX or Univision want.
The Confed Cup has always been a fun and entertaining tournament. But putting the financial consideration aside, how can it fitted into the calendar after the current crisis has already been very disruptive to intl football? And from a logistical purpose, where, when and how would the upcoming edition in Qatar would take place also? The tournament has been moved to November because of the heat in the summer. The infrastructure is still not ready by most accounts. As enjoyable as it might have been, there are enough intl tournament as it is: having tournaments overlap with one another would dilute the product and result in a decrease in quality. And that is the last thing some of the current tournaments need.
The Confederation Cup is was always in June the Gold Cup the year before the World Cup has always been in July specifically so it would not conflict with the Confederations Cup. USA and Mexico would always send a B orC team to this version so there players weren't worn out.
You are telling me things I already know. What I am saying is that the way the CONCACAF is right now ideally they would not want both the USA and Mexico to prioritize the Confederations Cup with a modern 16 team tournament they are trying to make money off of. Usually in years past they would not mind one of the team but both of the teams would make them uncomfortable. I believe they would probably make another Confederation host it and just focus on the Gold Cups. Just so only one team would have to go, not 3.