The only downside to that game is that fifa will use it as reason to expand the tournament field even more.
I suppose there is that element to it. But more expansion will also make the tournament itself worse.
As much as past me doesn’t want to admit it, the expansion has been fantastic and for the most part actually warranted.
In the short term. But a more viable path to the World Cup allows countries to convince their government to back the football associations more. They get more exposure and revenue. And the life altering tournament a Vozinho just had … idk I love it. But I am a sucker for the underdog story so I am all in.
Columbia have looked fantastic and entertaining the last thee matches. Switzerland better be shaking in their boots.
There is a very high chance they would have qualified for a 32 team world cup. I get the point though.
Better get used to the idea imo as FIFA will see the pound signs for countries like China and India, even if people in the latter are more cricket obsessives.
I guess it depends how many additional slots are given to Asia. But based on this world cup, you’d have to say Asian and non-host concacaf teams have been extremely poor. China are a nailed on WC host at some point though, surely.
The knockout games were all assigned blindly before the draw. Canada would’ve had to win their group to stay in Canada for R32 and R16.
I rooting for this Canada team. Definitely lack the star quality of their co-hosts, but there’s something very likeable about them.