2026 World Cup to have 48 teams, 3 16 team groups?

Discussion in 'Soccer Board' started by Poe Dameron, Dec 25, 2016.

  1. Fran Tarkenton

    Fran Tarkenton Hilton Honors VIP
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    This is Tough. I would go:

    Canada: Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton
    Mexico: Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara

    *right now the Bid says both Canada + Mexico get 3 (perhaps this is altered), so USA gets 10

    USA Yes: NY, LA, DAL, MIA, DC, ATL
    USA Maybes (in order): WSH, HOU, PHI, SEA, DEN (would be hard to leave off any of these)
    USA Nos: SF, Boston, KC, Nashville, Baltimore, Orlando, Cincinnati
     
  2. Mix

    Mix I own a Fuddruckers with Scottie Pippen
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  3. SugarShaun

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    That isn’t the Midwest
     
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  4. SugarShaun

    SugarShaun A man of many hobbies
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    I don’t think the middle of the country is completely shutout.
    Chicago would’ve been the sure thing but I’d expect at least 1 of KC, Nashville and Cincinnati to host games
     
  5. MODEVIL

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    Summer road trip 2026 with my two boys (12 and 10) is going to be awesome.
     
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  6. DirtBall

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    If they’re doing 3 opening day games then sure, let them have the head liner. If they needed to choose just one I’d say let Canada have the opener but then you know they’d want the Azteca for the closer.
     
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  7. DirtBall

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    Good god Davies is going to slay so much tail before/after those Canada games.
     
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  8. Homo Erectus

    Homo Erectus The important thing is, you think I'm attractive
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    Its not west or east coast

    Call it whatever the fuck you like lol
     
  9. Fran Tarkenton

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    Yea its going to be some tough calls.

    Which one of those do you think gets that nod and which city misses out in replace of?
     
  10. SugarShaun

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    Seattle and Denver I guess.

    No idea really
     
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  11. SugarShaun

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    LA, Bay Area, DAL, NY, DC, Philly, ATL, Miami, KC/Nashville, then Seattle/Denver?
     
  12. DirtBall

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  13. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    Feel like with the soccer culture in Seattle, there’s no way they’re left off.

    Praying Miami gets some decent games. USMNT stays far away from Miami with good reason for qualifying.
     
  14. DirtBall

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    Will Denver be frowned upon because of the elevation? Isnt there a rule a qualifier or cup game can’t be over ~8000ish feet (obviously Denver’s under that but still)
     
  15. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    Azteca is a crazy high elevation also.
     
  16. SugarShaun

    SugarShaun A man of many hobbies
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    Yeah I was assuming Azteca was getting matches so Denver would be in play
     
  17. clemsontyger04

    clemsontyger04 Two offensive coordinators are better than one
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    Wasnt Denver considered based on field size the perfect stadium in the bid? Thought I read that the other day which was surprising to me.
     
  18. Fran Tarkenton

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    Believe Azteca is higher elevation than Denver.

    Would be a lot easier to sort this out if USA had 16 venues to choose from rather than 10.
     
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  19. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    Miami’s Joe Robbie (now Hard Rock stadium) was actually built with soccer in mind back in the 80s.

    With Steven Ross the owner of the Dolphins and the head organizer of the ICC tournament, I’d expect Miami to definitely be a main site.
     
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  20. clemsontyger04

    clemsontyger04 Two offensive coordinators are better than one
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    Oh yeah the renovation was with the World Cup in mind. Have to think Florida gets Miami but not Orlando as hosts.
     
  21. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    The renovation has been absolutely incredible. Completely different stadium. With the roof on it the sound level is insane. Went to the UM/ND game last year and could barely think. The roof keeps all of the sound in.
     
  22. DirtBall

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    It is. It’s 7300 plus the smog. Estadio Chivas is right around a mile high and the smog isnt as bad. Monterrey isn’t up in the mountains.
     
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  23. clemsontyger04

    clemsontyger04 Two offensive coordinators are better than one
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    Hope to get down there in December. I went to the Orange Bowl right before they did the renovation. Liked the layout then but if you could trap the noise in that place it would sound like an 80k+ stadium.
     
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  24. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    10x the place it was. If a stadium roof can make UM fans sound loud, lord help us if 80k have vuvuzelas in that stadium.
     
  25. Gunners

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    NFL owners make so much fucking money with their bullshit cba, we should have 10+ Dallas/Atlanta stadiums by then.
     
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  26. snowfx2

    snowfx2 Well-Known Member
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    WC matches in Vegas could've been awesome
     
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  27. clemsontyger04

    clemsontyger04 Two offensive coordinators are better than one
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    I could die watching a world cup game in Vegas and probably die happy.
     
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  28. Mix

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    Cincy, Balt, Nash, and KC all got a strong stadium score. KC and Nash fell way behind on accommodation score while Cincy and Balt did well there.But in transportation Cincy, KC, Balt, and Nash are 4 of the 5 lowest (SF the other). They are all also the smallest airports in the report.
    KC and Balt seem very out. Nashville might need to change their recent vote against light rail to have a shot.

    So much will change in the next few years with facilities and plans for logistics but right now I'd go:

    Locks - NY, LA, Dal, ATL, Sea, Mia, DC
    Maybe (in order of likelihood) - Denver, Philly, Hou, Orl, Bos, Cincy
    Nope - KC, Balt, Nash
     
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  29. YNWA

    YNWA :feelsgoodman:
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    I wonder if indoor stadiums get knocked. Can’t remember an indoor WC match
     
  30. clemsontyger04

    clemsontyger04 Two offensive coordinators are better than one
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    Germany 2006?
     
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  31. Spontaneous Cumbustion

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    I just hope one of Cincy, KC or Nashville get to host. Obviously of that group I hope Cincy gets it but it would be bullshit if the entire middle of the country got shut out. Denver isn't exactly middle of the country but I could see them claiming it as so if they don't give a spot to any of the above three.
     
  32. Mix

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    From the report:
    Three potential ‘clusters’ of cross-border cities have been identified by FIFA for the purposes of this analysis,
    comprising the following:

    Eastern cluster (12 host cities), made up of ten cities in the USA and two in Canada

    Central-South cluster (seven host cities), made up of four cities in the USA and three in Mexico

    Western cluster (four host cities), made up of three cities in the USA and one in Canada
    Depending on the final selection decisions, it would be possible to have a hosting concept based on two of these
    clusters, or a wider spread, encompassing cities from all three clusters.

    Orange are major airports that handle more than 25 mil passengers and it seems very possible no one with a smaller airport outside DC gets chosen.
    wcair.PNG

    I think Seattle is safe but Denver being an island might be a problem for their bid. Cities having high speed rail connecting them on top of airports are probably in good shape.
     
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  33. DirtBall

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    KC will have a new airport by then. They would still need to solve public transport from the stadium to downtown though.
     
  34. Fran Tarkenton

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    Pontiac Silverdome in 1994, also believe some of Germany facilities had retractable roofs.
     
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  35. JGator1

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    Would Europeans push for using some indoor stadiums? They treat 85 degree weather like it's the Sahara desert.
     
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  36. DirtBall

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    Don’t want to bump the 18 tread to further the 32 v 48 discussion but 2 comments. 1, I heard somewhere that FIFA is dropping its ranking system for an Elo-Chess based formula. No clue how that will affect the rankings/seeding/pots/etc for the future draws. And 2, I bet really soon we hear an announcement that they expand to 48 for ‘22. More teams. More games. More money. FIFA logic says it’ll happen.
     
  37. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
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    At the FIFA congress they decided that they would push the discussion/decision of 22 until later.

    Also anything different than the current rankings is an improvement
     
  38. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
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    https://www.eloratings.net

    Doesn't seem awful (except for the Dutch)

    Then again this will probably defer from the final formula
     
  39. rainey

    rainey Good Ebening

    Schalke has a retractable roof and the pitch is brought in similar to Glendale and the new Spurs stadium. I'm surprised Glendale (PHX) isn't going to be a location. Not sure what the reasoning is behind them not being a part of the options.
     
  40. MODEVIL

    MODEVIL Well-Known Member
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    They didn't bid.
     
  41. rainey

    rainey Good Ebening

    I get that Phoenix didn't bid, I'm not sure the reasoning behind it. They would have been chosen IMO.
     
  42. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
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    They bid. They were cut in this last round. Although apparently they "voluntarily pulled out" after the United Bid had already made their selections.
     
    #342 Thoros of Beer, Jun 15, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2018
  43. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
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    Also, all the candidate cities have an MLS team/planned MLS teams near them. I'm sure that there was no collusion at all between US Soccer and MLS to make that happen. Fuck Don Garber and US Soccer Execs.
     
  44. Fran Tarkenton

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    Phoenix would not have been a lock.
     
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  45. DirtBall

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    You don’t say? Just a dumb thing to get heated over. Out of the top 35 biggest media markets all but 10 already have MLS squads. Out of those 5 (Phoenix, Detroit, San Antonio, San Diego, Sacramento) are on the short list for the next round of expansion. And those that remain? Tampa isn’t getting chosen over Miami. Pittsburg isn’t chosen over Philly. Were left with Raleigh, Charlotte, St Louis? Sorry, none of those would get picked either.
     
  46. MODEVIL

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  47. Fran Tarkenton

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    you dont look at a map of where Glendale is in relation to Phoenix and come away with even the slightest reasoning as to potential hurdles with regard to hosting the World Cup? Those issues seem to be a priority in the bid book.
     
  48. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
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    Ahhh I see now. "my city got picked so everything is great. US Soccer is absolved."

    Fuck off. They pick places that will line the pockets of their owners and improve soccer infrastructure in places that don't need it as badly as those cities that have teams in lower divisions. It's an obvious play to concentrate resources in those teams that are already established. Don't be dense.
     
    #348 Thoros of Beer, Jun 16, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2018
  49. Thoros of Beer

    Thoros of Beer Academy Award-Winning Actor, Tim Allen
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    What a reach. Clearly Glendale has shown that they can't host large events. Are you kidding? How about Foxborough? Oh, right. Bob Kraft.
     
  50. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
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    Jesus, this is quite the tin foil hat conspiracy post.