http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/bodies/media/newsid=684707.html#yes+principle+rule I almost overlooked it as it is towards the bottom of the article.
I agree completely. At least for another 4-8 years. Examine the teams again in 2015 and go from there. As it stands now, there's no more than 6 teams who have even the remotest chance at winning the WWC. And even then, that's generous.
What redcard said! The field is the perfect size for the women's game right now. The top flight teams all in the big show. Allows for the sport to grow by giving space to delightful bubble teams to come in to dazzle with a Cinderella story or two. All the while several upstarts a chance to play on the world's stage.
What's the betting line the U.S.'s group in Germany will contain North Korea, Nigeria, and a northern European team to be determined later?
I definitly think by 2015 the tournament should be bumped to 24 teams. Europe can certainly use more slots. They currently have 5 and could be increased to 8 or 9. Asia is a strong confederation and could go up to 5. POSSIBLE QUALIFY SLOTS FOR 2015 WWC: UEFA: 9 AFC: 5.5 CONCACAF: 4 CONMEBOL: 2.5 CAF: 2.5 OFC: 0.5
Currently team of "good" WWC standard by confederation: UEFA: 7 AFC: 5 CONCACAF: 3 COMEBOL: 1 CAF: 0 OFC: 0 Of "decent" WWC standard UEFA: 3 CAF: 1 Then eact donfederation need at least one spot for about 20 participating counties, and since there are such big difference between the five/three/one good team in AFC/CONCACAF/COMEBOL they each need at least half a spot more to give the other teams in those confederations someting to fight for. So your suggestion may be a tad bit to thight on the AFC and generous to CAF and CONMEBOL, but apart for some tweaking with ½ spots it looks fine to me. I also think that by 2015 a 24 team WWC could be able to fly, but not by 2011.
I totally agree with the sugestion of rising the Concacaf slots to three, but not to four. There is a big gap for the Central American and Caribean teams yet to fill. 3.5 is a fair bet for the fourth better team in the area. I don't consider that the current Concacaf third better team has to qualify for the WWC against the powerfull third or fourth team from Asia, FIFA should give Asia another full ticket and then challenge the third Concacaf team against the Conmebol runner up.
My choice of numbers of spots per Confederations to a total of 24 breaks down as follows: UEFA 7 AFC 5 CONMEBOL 4 CONCACAF 4 CAF 3 OFC 1
COMEBOL have 10 countries in all, and only one team that isn't an embarrassment at WWC giving them 4 places must be a joke. They need somewhere between 1½ to 2 spot. 1 to OFC is a bit high, New Zeeland is the only real team there and should be enough with a ½ spot, but at least that not outrageous. Both UEFA and AFC need a t least ½ a spot more, to give the second rate teams something realistic to aim for.
No joke at all, even though it is April 1st., but a bit of reality. You see what happens with Conmebol is that there are two countries which are sure-thing to qualify for every WC, that being Brasil and Argentina. So that uses up your 1½ to 2 spots and leaves no chance for any of the remaining countries. Then we have the almost sure-thing, being Uruguay, Paraguay or Colombia, so one of them would occupy the 3rd. spot, leaving the 4th spot open up for grabs for two of the above countries and all the rest which are the also runs.