World Cup World Cup 2026 saved?

[tonyw]

Looks like FIFA have seen sense, and abandoned the ludicrous three-team group structure.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64952428

It's going to last forever (104 matches over 39 days, compared to 64 matches over 28 days in Qatar), and the groups are going to be more reminiscent of 1986-1994, but at least we're not going to be getting multiple reenactments of the Disgrace of Gijon.

So I can go back to getting psyched about the World Cup again.......

 

[mooro]

Groups of three would have been a disaster, so groups of four is better.

However, I'm not a fan of, best performing runners up/3rd placed teams going through.

The reason why the group stage this time was the much vaunted success that it was, was because it was always black and white, there and then, through or out - which prompted the do or die heroics in some games and saw some big names fall - rather than the ah well, we'll get through anyway nature the proposed structure will inevitably deliver.

The best change would be no change

 

[tonyw]

The best change would be no change

Agreed but Infantino has already bought too many votes with the sixteen additional World Cup spots to go back on that.

It will be a big advantage, under this new structure, to be in one of the later groups so you know what you have to do.

Also likely that teams who get 4 or 6 points in their first two games will likely be through before their final group game, so you will see far more teams playing their reserves for that final match (I think it was only Brazil & Portugal who were in a position to do that in Qatar)

I would actually have said - for a 48 team World Cup - that just the top two go through, but the top eight first-placed sides get a bye through the the last 16, and the four worst first-placed sides (and all the twelve group runners-up) play another knockout match to join them. Then noone would be playing their scrubs ever because there would be a big incentive to get that extra half-week's rest.
But that doesn't seem to be one of the options that they considered.

 

[stokeu]

I think we should have a 64 country cup and every team plays each other within 31 days, finished in a month and sorts the men from the boys! No extra time, straight to toss of a coin in event of a draw, bonus point for every goal scored, throw ins replaced by kick ins, no offside, rush goalies, play with a tennis ball.