July 13, 2018

PUTTING THE WORLD IN THE WORLD CUP:

TOO MANY NATIONS GET LEFT IN THE COLD. LET'S SPREAD SOME WORLD CUP LOVE (Beau Dure, JUL 12 2018, OZY)

FIFA recently launched "Nations League" play to determine some qualifiers for the 2020 European Championships. Europe and North America will start Nations Leagues this fall, while FIFA hopes to take the concept worldwide soon. The governing body also envisions a "mini-tournament," held the year before the World Cup, to decide the final places in the Cup.

The Nations Leagues are promising ventures, but they're a bit redundant with qualifying games for the World Cup and continental championships. The mini-tournament idea is also interesting, but why make it so "mini"?

Instead, let's do this:

Reward the top 16 teams in the Global Nations League with direct qualification to the World Cup. They get one summer off, aside from some tune-up friendly matches.

Take the next 64 teams in the Global Nations League, including some from the lower tiers, and have them play off for the other 16 berths in the World Cup.

Split them into four 16-team tournaments in different sites across the globe.

Call the whole thing the Pre-Cup.

Tournaments pretty much suck until you get to the knockout round.  Just put every nation in a seeded bracket and play all knockout games.

Posted by at July 13, 2018 4:00 AM

  

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