Introduction
Although the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is still in full swing, individuals are already starting to stay up for the subsequent match in 4 years’ time, which will likely be collectively hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada, Not solely will this be the primary time that three international locations have shared internet hosting duties, however it would additionally see the growth of the match to characteristic 48 groups. And that poses a brand new set of challenges for FIFA, which they’re contemplating fixing in some distinctive methods.
Expansion of the World Cup
In 1930, the inaugural World Cup performed in Uruguay, simply 13 groups competed in it, partly a perform of it being onerous to get to for European groups in a pre-transatlantic air journey period, By 1934 it had been expanded to 16 groups, and that remained the format till the quantity elevated to 24 groups for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
In 1998 it was expanded again to its present number of 32 teams.
Why is it being expanded?
The growth is a part of the promise made by FIFA president Gianni Infantino for extra groups outdoors the standard powerhouses of Europe and South America, to characteristic within the match, claiming that each nation ought to have the prospect of dreaming a couple of World Cup.
(This partly explains why he is being re-elected for a third term unopposed, due to the assist he has attracted from the Asian, African and CONCACAF soccer federations).
And it additionally means for FIFA extra video games and extra money. This is in keeping with their raison d’être of increasing their income and energy base, which is why they’re additionally pushing for the World Cup to be held each two, not each 4 years.
The drawback
The drawback the growth poses is that the 38 groups are prone to be break up into 16 groups of three groups every, with the highest two groups progressing by to the subsequent spherical.
The teams will virtually definitely be tight, which throws up the potential for collusion, with two groups going into their ultimate recreation realizing precisely what they must do, while the opposite one watches on powerless to affect occasions.
It will not be as if the World Cup doesn’t have historical past on this respect.
In 1982, West Germany and Austria met of their ultimate group recreation, realizing that it was nonetheless attainable for them each to advance to the subsequent stage of the competitors supplied that the Germans out gained by a single objective.’
They duly scored after simply ten minutes, however either side then slowed down significantly, and, by the second half have been barely transferring in any respect. Spectators accused each groups of successfully fixing the outcome, and, though FIFA, later determined no guidelines had been damaged, classes have been discovered from what later turned generally known as the ‘Disgrace of Dijon.”
To keep away from such a recurrence, the final two group video games have been performed on the identical time. That has already given rise to some thrilling drama on this World Cup as Poland and Mexico each vied to see who would progress with Argentina from Group C.
Potential options
To strive and discourage ‘organized’ matches, FIFA have been contemplating a variety of choices.
These contemplate bonus factors to encourage groups to go for a win, or, within the occasion of a draw, a penalty shoot-out after the match.
There have even been ideas {that a} penalty shoot-out could possibly be held earlier than video games, and the staff that gained it might begin the sport with a bonus. That would encourage the opposite staff to return out and assault from the phrase go, realizing that they not solely needed to win the sport, but additionally wanted to take action by a minimal of two objectives or extra.
All choices stay on the desk
All choices stay on the desk at this juncture, and nothing has been dominated in, or out.
An various could be to separate the 48 groups into 12 teams of 4. The prime two in every group would routinely qualify for the subsequent stage, and they might be joined by eight of one of the best runners-up from the group levels, though how this is able to be decided has not been clarified both.
It is difficult to get away from the conclusion that FIFA has made a rod for its personal again and, in selecting the populist possibility, has failed to think about all of the implications.
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