I've yet to see an English article on this, but here is what I read in todays Basler Zeitung: http://www.baz.ch/news/sport/index.cfm?ObjectID=3D99214C-6E76-4F40-B0AA7C0634D65DF0 It basically says that Fifa officials are looking into the idea of expanding the current Intercontinental Cup to 6 teams (with the European and South American champion getting a bye to the semis.) The final is supposed to be played over two legs (no mention of how the 1st round or semis will be played) I like many others on this board feel that this is the best solution for everyone, and Uefa has indeed already signaled an interest in the proposed format. Fifa will present the format to its International Board in March and a decision is expected to be made at that point.
Clarification on the article Unfortunately the article doesn't go into a whole lot of detail. Basically the article suggests that this new tournament would replace the current CWC and the Intercontinetal Cup. Maybe Fifa is planning to "absorb" the Intercontinental Cup, much like they did with the Confederations Cup (formerly known as the King Fahd Cup). Would it still be held in Tokyo? Well the final is supposed to be a two-legged affair, and that's all the article really says. I'm sure specifics on the proposed format will surface soon elsewhere...
Another crap idea by fifa, the Intercontinental cup is fine how it is, leave it alone. Just because their "club championship" didn't take off they need to go and mess up yet another competition. All done with the excuse to "promote world football". Bolox to that they just want to get more money and more power. Fifa is an absolute disgrace, self appointed they pretend to be guardians of world football, flying around the world first class and staying in 5 star hotels. All this paid for by revenues from competitions where they get FREE labour, who ends up paying the world stars and have to deal with the consequences if they get injured...... How they are allowed to continue with this scam is beyond belief
I agree with what ElQuary thinks. This will ruin the Intercontinental cup. If you want to have asian teams and african teams then make a new cup.
It's not a "World Championship" unless the best team from each continent participate. It's stupid just to have only a European team and South American team to get the title.....it's like saying only European National teams and South American National teams can only participate the World Cup. It another stupid idea of creating another cup for Asian and African teams. Its like saying there should be another World Cup for those continent. Don't forget North America and i know i shouldn't say this but also Oceana.
Why would anyone want to see some reject African or Asian club team participating in the Intercontinental Cup. I'm all for football expanding but at present these continents clubs are not really up for the challange of competimg with South American or European Club football. About 50 years or so and they might of caught up but until then Fifa shouldn't force this on us.
I think he means making a new cup besides the Intercontinental Cup, in which teams from each continent participate (so also European and South American).
There should be more focus on QUALITY rather than QUANTITY in football. Look at the last world cup, bar a couple of matches the thing was a joke. Instead of trying to fit everyone in its about time a second divison world cup was created. There needs to be a reduction in the matches played and the qualification stages for touranments involving nations.
You're right about that off course, but if also the other continents participate, you can really say you're World Champion. Now it's not a real World Champion. It's just as they call the champions of the MLB the World Champions. They are off course clearly the best baseball team of the World, but if the others can't participate then it's not a real World Cup.
The fact is the World Series can be called the World Series because no other country plays baseball as seriously as the Americans and to involve them would be a wast of time. Same goes for the other continents club football, why bother if they are just going to be humiliated. All that will result in is people like me saying told you so and the general public having no respect for them.
If they make each round one game, and give the UEFA and South American champions a first round bye, I think this is the best solution for a Club World Championship. Maybe it would always be Europe vs SA in the finals, maybe not, but at least give other continents a shot.
That may very well be, but I personally look at the Club World Cup as a kind of global FA Cup. It's the "what if?" element that makes it so intriguing... I think the newly proposed format is fair compromise for both sides.
quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally posted by mr magoo It would still end up a no contest. South America and Europe would always be in the final. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You're wrong. In 1998 D.C. United (which won the CONCACAF Champions Cup) beat Vasco de Gama (which won the Copa Libertadores) in Interamerican Cup. MLS teams today are a much better quality than six years ago. So South American team will not always be in the finals. So why the Intercontinental Cup didn't occur between a European team and D.C. United?
Because Vasco de Gama had allready played in it. In fact they had played in it a few days before they played their home leg of the Interamerican Cup.
Vasco was resting quite a few of their starters though, if I remember correctly. No South American team ever took the Interamerican cup seriously, no wonder it doesn't even exist anymore. And only the Libertadores winner can play in the Intercontinental cup. I don't like the new idea by fifa, they should just scrap this whole idea of World club championship. Intercontinental cup is great as it is.
Oh yeah, and I'll start beleiving that after Mls teams start beating Mexican reserve teams in The CCC.
Just like France "would always" beat Senegal? Like Germany "would always" be Bulgaria? Like Argentina "would always" beat Cameroon? Results come from games on the pitch. Period. Anything else is a joke. Right now there is no world championship for clubs. That's a big hole that should be filled. After all, those top Mexican teams do well in the Copa Libertadores. Who's to say that if the top Copa team can beat the Champion's league winner, the #3 team couldn't also? Some of those African teams are potentially good, but since no European squads or south American sides ever play them, it's kind of hard to say how they'll do. All we know is that the last (and only) time that teams from other confederations played, the UEFA teams slacked off and finished 4th and 5th out of 8. Not exactly spectacular. G. G.
I agree with Guino , Although played in Brazil that one time , we had some great Games from the Australia and Mexican teams the European teams did not show up. Club play is not as easy to predict as National teams .
I agree with Guinho- upsets most certainly could happen under this format, and I think this would be better than having both competitions, as one or the other will be marginalized. It would also cut down on the glut of fixtures that having two separate tournaments would produce. Giving South American & European champs a bye to the semis makes sense, not simply because they will be the best teams on paper, but because it also recognizes the history of those two teams facing off in the Intercontinental Cup. This would also give the CONCACAF Champions Cup a much needed boost. I'm interested in hearing more details.
Have you ever looked at the players participating in the CCC for the MLS squads? Its more like a preseason trial for them. Its actually pathetic how the CCC is usually treated by MLS teams because it is before the MLS season.
Eliminating duplicate tournaments is a good call (like the confed cup which duplicates the World Cup). While this wouldn't be a level playing field, it's probably a reasonable compromise. Personally, I like having a format that is fair for all participants and letting the better teams prove it. Just because UEFA and Conmebol produces the best teams now, doesn't mean they always will, but that bye into the semis could get stuck. After all, fast forward 50 years, when the big $$$ in the sport are to be found in the US and China, and the EPL and the Serie A are feeder leagues for a very wealthy MLS and Chinese league (hey I can dream, can't I?), then giving free bye to the UEFA champion wouldn't make as much sense. How about this: give the byes to the confederations that produced the last finalists. Give them to Conmebol and UEFA the first tournament, but then let Concacaf (hypothetically) have a bye in the next one if their representative beats the Comebol champ and makes the final, while the S Am champ has to win the bye back the following year. G.
Now that is simply not true. MLS teams have always taken the CCC more serious than the MFL teams (except maybe the Revs last year)... If the other confederations ever get competitive in club soccer, I suggest a 5-year coefficient system like Uefa uses to determine the seeded teams for the semifinals.