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Platini wants to expand the World Cup

• Platini wants to expand the World Cup

• Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  jj007 > 28/10/2013, 18:39

  Uefa president Michel Platini wants the World Cup expanded from 32 to 40 teams.
  
  The 58-year-old has proposed the move after Fifa president Sepp Blatter suggested more countries from Africa and Asia should qualify at the expense of those from Europe.
  
  "Instead of taking away some European [nations], we have to go to 40 teams in the World Cup," Platini told The Times.
  
  "We can add two African, two Asiatic, two American and one from Europe. I support this idea totally."
  
  [Source: BBC Sport]
  ____________________________________________________________
  
  So what do you guys think of this? I think it will give a chance to some of the lesser nations to qualify. The likes of ROI and Scotland will have better chances to qualify. The downside for me is that the tournament becomes longer so the players will be more tired after a long league season. Also, if some of the least likely nations qualify, we could possibly see a major mismatch if they play a team like Spain/Brazil.

• RE: Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  StrumSolo > 28/10/2013, 18:52

  (28/10/2013, 18:39)jj007 Wrote: Uefa president Michel Platini wants the World Cup expanded from 32 to 40 teams.
  
  The 58-year-old has proposed the move after Fifa president Sepp Blatter suggested more countries from Africa and Asia should qualify at the expense of those from Europe.
  
  "Instead of taking away some European [nations], we have to go to 40 teams in the World Cup," Platini told The Times.
  
  "We can add two African, two Asiatic, two American and one from Europe. I support this idea totally."
  
  [Source: BBC Sport]
  ____________________________________________________________
  
  So what do you guys think of this? I think it will give a chance to some of the lesser nations to qualify. The likes of ROI and Scotland will have better chances to qualify. The downside for me is that the tournament becomes longer so the players will be more tired after a long league season. Also, if some of the least likely nations qualify, we could possibly see a major mismatch if they play a team like Spain/Brazil.

  
  The extra European team would still be of a decent standard, but if they let an extra 2 Asian or North American teams through on top of the 4 that already qualify, then we'd likely end up with some weak sides taking part.
  
  Apparently the suggestion is that it'll be 8 groups of 5 rather than 4. Probably the tidiest way of doing it but there'd still only be 2 teams going through from each one. That'd create a lot of meaningless games, which I think is more of an issue than any worries over mismatches in quality.
  
  Not keen on the idea really.

• RE: Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  carl1984 > 28/10/2013, 21:00

  I am not sure about this idea, to echo Scotty's comments, it will create a lot of meaningless games if there is 5 teams in a group. Also I think the focus here needs to be maintaining/improving the standard of competition and ensuring the World Cup is the pinnacle of football. Just look at Premier League as an example, it started with 22 teams and it was soon realised that just two extra clubs diluted the quality of competition.

• RE: Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  jj007 > 28/10/2013, 21:11

  Well if its not broke then dont try to fix it. I agree with carl1984, they should try to come up with methods to ensure the world cup is the biggest tournament around. What do you suggest FIFA should do instead?

• RE: Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  StrumSolo > 28/10/2013, 21:54

  (28/10/2013, 21:11)jj007 Wrote: Well if its not broke then dont try to fix it. I agree with carl1984, they should try to come up with methods to ensure the world cup is the biggest tournament around. What do you suggest FIFA should do instead?

  
  It's fine as it is I think. This has only come about because Platini doesn't want to lose one of the European allocation but how many teams do we send? 13? More than our fair share.

• RE: Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  imrani > 30/10/2013, 01:56

  I think the format is correct the way it is. Perhaps the qualifiers can be tinkered with to maybe go slightly inter continental to give Asian and African teams more of a chance. I don't know but the finals should remain the same.

• RE: Platini wants to expand the World Cup

  bfc118 > 19/11/2013, 21:00

  Ireland have been bad at times over the last 17 months... But we are still a much better calibre of international team than some of the teams that compete in the world cup.. And some of the regions for qualifying are a joke (such as the CONCAF region).. leave it the way it is no need to change it
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