World Cup 2016 announced.....

[Bill 1,788]

Canada, USA, Mexico

[Hairy Canary 552]

Are they announcing them retrospectively now?

[Bill 1,788]

[quote user="Hairy Canary"]Are they announcing them retrospectively now?[/quote]

durrrrrrrrrrr

no typo, just a far cup on my part

2026

[ZLF 221]

3 auto qualifiers then - good job that nearly a quarter of the worlds nations will be there with the 48 team format.

Given that number of teams there really should be space for a rest of the world XXIII, drawn from no more than 2 players per nations that failed to qualify; gives us the chance to see the likes of Best, Weah, Giggs, Bale etc on the biggest stage..

[king canary 6,432]

I can''t fathom the geographical challenges behind this. Edmonton and Mexico City are over 9000 miles away from each other and must be about a 10 hour flight.

[STFU 0]

3000 miles apparently, not 9000 🙄🙄🙄

[Mello Yello 2,041]

9,000 by the Northern Route......

[king canary 6,432]

Yes, 3,000 my bad!

Still a long old poke though.

[SwindonCanary 448]

3rd time for Mexico and we''ve had one

[Woodman 92]

Will be an amazing location to watch the games. Base yourself in San Diego and spend the month flitting around the Southern states and Mexico. My son will be 16 by then, so I might start saving now for a road trip for us!

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

Only 10 of the 80 games will be in Mexico and 10 in Canada with the USA having 60 games. The plan is to organise so no team will need to travel from Canada to Mexico or vice versa.

With 48 teams qualifying for Worlds Cups from 2026 I think we will rarely see single countries bid anymore as the expense will be just too much.

European and Asian (but FIFA classification) were barred from bidding due to Russia and Qatar hosting the two preceding tournaments. With no North American, Central American or Asian countries being able to bid for 2030 it is almost certain it will be in Europe. Maybe a ‘home nations’ joint bid is in the brewing, but feel there is no real desire politically to have a World Cup in the UK.

[PurpleCanary 4,961]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]Only 10 of the 80 games will be in Mexico and 10 in Canada with the USA having 60 games. The plan is to organise so no team will need to travel from Canada to Mexico or vice versa.

With 48 teams qualifying for Worlds Cups from 2026 I think we will rarely see single countries bid anymore as the expense will be just too much.

European and Asian (but FIFA classification) were barred from bidding due to Russia and Qatar hosting the two preceding tournaments. With no North American, Central American or Asian countries being able to bid for 2030 it is almost certain it will be in Europe. Maybe a ‘home nations’ joint bid is in the brewing, but feel there is no real desire politically to have a World Cup in the UK.[/quote]

There had been talk (from Infantino, I think) of Qatar becoming a 48-team tournament, with some games in other Middle East countries, but that seems to cooling now, Bethnal?

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

With the situation with Qatar and it’s neighbours currently I don’t think collaboration is their strong point.

Still a slight aspect of ignoring the whole Qatar situation and hope it will all just go away at Fifa right now - ‘just get your head down and it will all be over soon’ - seems the mantra.

[Woodman 92]

is Qatar taking place in Jan/Feb 2022? That season''s going be a really disjointed affair, presumably cutting off in early December and re-starting in March.

[king canary 6,432]

48 team world cup will be just too much in my opinion.

I see there is talk of a UK bid for 2030- I do think by that point it will be overdue to return to one of the ''traditional'' footballing nations.

[PurpleCanary 4,961]

[quote user="king canary"]48 team world cup will be just too much in my opinion.

I see there is talk of a UK bid for 2030- I do think by that point it will be overdue to return to one of the ''traditional'' footballing nations.[/quote]

This was discussed on a Guardian podcast months ago, and someone made three points not in favour necessarily but putting a different perspective on it. I cannot remember the third, but two were that the tournament would not last any longer, and that you would get to the exciting knock-out stage sooner than at present.

[king canary 6,432]

It is still just too much football in my opinion though.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

I’d say Brazil, Russia and Mexico are very much ‘traditional’ football nations. I think some African nations will push hard for 2030 - 2034 is pretty much nailed on for China already.

48 is big, but I don’t think it is an awful idea to open the World Cup up to more nations - everyone knows apart from a few teams the World Cup isn’t about quality football, it is more about coping with pressure and everything working for just a moment in time. My biggest issue is the burden on host nations and reducing the pool of countries who can host it. Football is global and I support the move FIFA made to reduce the European dominance on the game.

[king canary 6,432]

Brazil yes, Russia? Not for me, although it depends how you view the old USSR teams I suppose.

I don''t want to come across as a tub thumping nationalist but I do think the UK is due one considering it will be 64 years since our last one by 2030.

I also believe you should have to have qualified for at least one World Cup before you can host one.

Also we''re one of the few nations that could hold it without huge infrastructure and stadium development challenges.