What does everyone think of this for the Gold Cup: 35 Teams Three previous winners: USA, Mexico, Canada Qualifying: 32 Teams Random Draw with 4 pots: Pot A: 1-8 (current FIFA Rankings) Pot B: 9-16 Pot C: 17-24 Pot D: 25-32 One from each pot in 8 groups of 4. Play home-away series with each member of the group, with the 8 groups winners joining the previous winners in the finals. All the runnersup are placed in new, two groups of four, at random, and again play a home-away series versus each member of the group. The top two in each group advance to the finals. The two third place finishers play a home-away series based on aggregate with the winner advancing to the Gold Cup Finals. GOLD CUP The 16 teams are split into 3 pots: Pot A: 1-4 (current FIFA rankings) Pot B: 5-8 Pot C: 9-16 The GOLD CUP groups will be four groups of four (one from A, B, and 2 from C). You play each member of the group ONCE, with the group winners advancing to the semifinals. The semifinals pairings are drawn at random and are one match with the match winners advancing to the finals. The finals are one match with the match winners the Gold Cup Champions. I'll post an example later.
I understand that you are using the current World Cup Qualifying format for the new Quarterfinal Round, also the format for the UEFA Champions League. The problem with it and I'm not saying it's not a good idea, but for some of the national teams, mostly Mexico doesn't want to go thru the same thing every time there is either World Cup Qualifying or Gold Cup Qualifying. Not only are you asking the USA & Canada to play more games before the round of 16 that will be paired into groups of 4 but you have to see what the UNCAF & CFU want to do as well. Yes CONCACAF is the whole governing body, but the UNCAF (Central American Football Union) & the CFU (Caribbean Football Union) has their own calendar as well. Also CONCACAF hasn't made the Gold Cup a once in a four year cycle like the European Championships as well as the World Cup. It's played every two years. Also the FIFA International Calendar has to be looked at as well. There are alot of problems that has to be fixed. But like I said it's not a bad idea what you have, the problem is will it be accepted.