African teams in Qatar

[the_cliff]

I agree 32 is a right balance, in terms of a great format and enough spots for most decent sides.

48 will be bad with the 3 team groups.

I’m convinced the extra AFC and Concacaf teams next time will be cannon folders, let’s see if you’re right that CAF can provide more competitive teams

Not more competitive but I am fairly confident that CAF can give 9 teams with a base level of a Cameroon/Ghana/Tunisia of this world cup for example. Of course in terms of being competitive with the Elite European teams then, No. But the 10th-16th European teams aren't competitive with them either and rarely beat them much.

So yes, I think Africa can field 9 teams that can compete on the same level as 10-16 of Europe, 100%.

 

[That_Bloke]

Yes. Turkey was in the same group as Switzerland in the Euros and finished bottom with 0 points and -7 goal difference.

I think you don't understand the fight for world cup spots in Africa and how tight it is. You just need to watch highlights of Algeria-Cameroon (Who dominated Cameroon in both legs of the qualifiers only to concede last second and get knocked out) or Tunisia - Mali (Tunisia who were very lucky to score a freak goal and qualify) to see how fine and small the margins are in Africa. If you were arguing about concacaf and the AFC I would agree but I think you're underrating the quality and depth in African football at the moment.

Just look at the midfield Mali have at their disposal for example and then compare it to a Scotland or even a Wales and get back to me.

No they don't. How would they?

Mali, Egypt or Algeria not qualifying was tragic for this WC, as they were overall much better teams than say Tunisia, Senegal and Cameroon. But that's what you get when you have 10 groups where only the first goes through and then has to undertake a 2 legged play-off, decided by a dice roll, played in wildly different conditions and where it's more about luck than anything else. The actual qualifying system for the CAF teams really doesn't reflect the real strength of the african teams.

To think that until 1994 there were only three spots available for 54 countries. And before that only one spot.

 

[Scandi Red]

but why the big change of ratio next time?

I think it makes some sense. In the case of Europe we go from 40% to 34%. It's a drop for sure, but the main thing about Europe is that we have too many strong nations that "need" to make it. That is why it was easy to accept Europe getting as many as many as 40% of the spots.

This changes when we switch to a 48 team model (roughly 25% of all existing countries). Giving Europe almost 20 spots would be overkill. That's almost half the continent. Might as well call it Euros & Friends

 

[the_cliff]

No they don't. How would they?

Mali, Egypt or Algeria not qualifying was tragic for this WC, as they were overall much better teams than say Tunisia, Senegal and Cameroon. But that's what you get when you have 10 groups where only the first goes through and then has to undertake a 2 legs play-off played in wildly different conditions and where it's more about luck than anything else. The actual qualification format for the CAF members really doesn't reflect the real strength of the african teams.

To think that until 1994 there were only three spots available for 54 countries. And before that only one spot.

I agree completely mate.

Which is why I think the increase in number of world cup teams benefits Africa the most. It will also help in convincing bi-nationals to represent Africa when there's consistent African teams in the world cup. I can see Algeria, Morocco, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria benefiting a lot from this for example.

Like I said, I personally wouldn't even mind if it stays at 32 teams, so long as the qualifying system at CAF changes.

 

[Cal?]

I think it makes some sense. In the case of Europe we go from 40% to 34%. It's a drop for sure, but the main thing about Europe is that we have too many strong nations that "need" to make it. That is why it was easy to accept Europe getting as many as many as 40% of the spots.

This changes when we switch to a 48 team model (roughly 25% of all existing countries). Giving Europe almost 20 spots would be overkill. That's almost half the continent. Might as well call it Euros & Friends

Conmebol are getting 6 & 1/3, 60% the continent with guaranteed places and could be upto 70%, that's an even bigger overkill!

Concacaf are getting 6 & 2/3, frankly over half of those islands are worse than Andorra or Gilbratar.

 

[Cal?]

Not more competitive but I am fairly confident that CAF can give 9 teams with a base level of a Cameroon/Ghana/Tunisia of this world cup for example. Of course in terms of being competitive with the Elite European teams then, No. But the 10th-16th European teams aren't competitive with them either and rarely beat them much.

So yes, I think Africa can field 9 teams that can compete on the same level as 10-16 of Europe, 100%.

I meant competitive as not doing a Qatar, based on Fifa ranking it does seem some of the better African sides didn't make it, but you can make the same argument for Italy.

No they don't. How would they?

Mali, Egypt or Algeria not qualifying was tragic for this WC, as they were overall much better teams than say Tunisia, Senegal and Cameroon. But that's what you get when you have 10 groups where only the first goes through and then has to undertake a 2 legged play-off, decided by a dice roll, played in wildly different conditions and where it's more about luck than anything else. The actual qualifying system for the CAF teams really doesn't reflect the real strength of the african teams.

To think that until 1994 there were only three spots available for 54 countries. And before that only one spot.

That seems to be an argument to revamp the qualifying system in CAF.

I'm not advocating Uefa getting 10/16 or 14/24 like the old days, but 16/48 doesn't seem right to me, you guys seem to have made a good argument for 9+ for CAF, but how many AFC, Concacaf or even Conmebol are getting just seems wrong.

 

[Scandi Red]

Conmebol are getting 6 & 1/3, 60% the continent with guaranteed places and could be upto 70%, that's an even bigger overkill!

Yeah I agree. 60% of the members being guaranteed to make it in is taking the piss. Especially when Europe get about half of that percentage-wise, with AFC and Africa getting almost just a fourth of that.

I can agree that CONMEBOL are getting too many spots. CONCACAF is debatable, but not nearly as bad. But AFC and Africa deserve their extra spots in my opinion.

But the core issue is still that there was no need to expand the world cup. I think most of us would agree on that.

 

[adexkola]

Take a bow Morocco.