I think that is the nub of the issue. Is the world cup a competition of the best teams in the world in which case Europe is under represented. Or should the WC have representatives from all corners of the earth.

My view is improve the quality of the lesser teams as this will strengthen the WC not dilute it.

One more point

According to Infantino, in the 48 team scenario CONCACAF will have 6 countries qualifying with another two potential spots through play offs. It is possible under this that the three hosts will participate in the qualifiers and if one doesn't qualify it will go into the play offs. Since Mexico is virtually certain to qualify outright and the USA would also make it, that leaves Canada to be in a play off. As it stands under the present 32 country system, the final qualifying round consists of 6 countries, with the top 3 qualifying and a fourth going into the play offs, so in the 48 team system those six (Mexico, USA, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago) would have all qualified.

Divorced...And LOVING it!
VJRAM Rev.
CPFC since Boxing Day 1989 CPFC 2-2 CFC
Gregg Berhalter, US International & USMNT Head Coach
Jill Ellis, England International & Retired USWNT Head Coach
Trevor Francis, International PRAT

With passports and tourist visas. the way they should

R.I.P. DJ Hardline -- Gone Way Too Soon

GKAS Member 54

I continue to maintain that this is the World Cup and not the European Invitational. We need more representation from outside to Europe to grow the game. Europe certainly can do with three less slots, which still would give them eleven in this World Cup. UEFA is over represented and that is holding the game back in other parts of the world. Why is this so? One reason, money.

Divorced...And LOVING it!
VJRAM Rev.
CPFC since Boxing Day 1989 CPFC 2-2 CFC
Gregg Berhalter, US International & USMNT Head Coach
Jill Ellis, England International & Retired USWNT Head Coach
Trevor Francis, International PRAT

And I still maintain that Europe has way to much influence and it must be curbed for the good of the game. Exposure is the key, not money. Teams get better as they get more exposure, both at the club and international level. The big European clubs try to squeeze out the others through demanding the lion share of TV rights revenue. The big countries demand more slots so they don't a rough time qualifying. I'm not necessarily advocating for CONCACAF, which gets what it deserves. That there is no country from Oceania makes this less than a representative World Cup and condemns that region to second class football so that one more European team gets in. Why i it that only UEFA doesn't have a "half" place that goes to the winner of an inter-confederation play off. I consider your argument elitist and counter-intuitive to growing the game throughout the world.

Divorced...And LOVING it!
VJRAM Rev.
CPFC since Boxing Day 1989 CPFC 2-2 CFC
Gregg Berhalter, US International & USMNT Head Coach
Jill Ellis, England International & Retired USWNT Head Coach
Trevor Francis, International PRAT

Case in point would be the confederations cup, which is a pile of crap. It has 50% of it's places allocated to the sort of teams you'd want more of

At the last one the 2 European sides, 1 South American side and Mexico are the 4 that got out of the groups. The African, Asian and Oceania sides all went home without a win.

The final was Europe v South America.

You have to got back to 2001 to find an Oceania representative to even win a game, even including Australia with that since they've moved to Asia and therefore given the region 2 spots in it occasionally.

Edited by Stuk (02 Jul 2018 4.49pm)

Optimistic as ever