The Road to Qatar.

[Kent]

30 minutes ago, costarg said:

I hope thats not Canadian dollars?

I clicked one of the links and found this description.

”Your fully customizable 2022 World Cup package includes complete match day experiences to any of the 48 group stage matches, first class accommodations in some of Doha’s top hotels, a personalized meet-and-greet upon arrival, daily breakfast, transfers, high-touch service from our 24/7 on-site host team plus much more.”

So sounds like those tickets are including tickets to the games, swanky hotels, and possibly prostitutes.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

The judge in Trinidad has ruled against FIFA.  Previous reports state it would take 12 to 18 months for any judgement to be overturned.  Essentially, they'll be remain banned from FIFA for years barring something drastic.

http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2020/10/14/trinidad-court-rules-fifa-hands-control-suspended-ttfa-back-wallace-crew/

[Ngravs]

(No I'm not new here) but I'm allowed to have hope on a cold Tuesday night in November. Looking at the "octagon" schedule June 2021 without Covid could be quite the month for Voyageurs... Hosting #FH, and (TT or El salvador) with trips to the US and Mexico. Gives me something to look forward to! 

[SpursFlu]

Your right. It might be awesome 

I'm personally holding out hope for a big game in Canada, v Haiti, with fans to play in to the final round.

Don't at me folks, im just saying hoping. 

[Alex]

After a quick count of the available match dates between now and June 2022 we seem to be short 2 games. We need to get 20 qualifying games in and we can’t unless the intercontinental playoffs are pushed back until September 2022.

[Obinna]

4 hours ago, Ngravs said:

(No I'm not new here) but I'm allowed to have hope on a cold Tuesday night in November. Looking at the "octagon" schedule June 2021 without Covid could be quite the month for Voyageurs... Hosting #FH, and (TT or El salvador) with trips to the US and Mexico. Gives me something to look forward to! 

Funny you say this because just today I was looking at our potential schedule next summer. So many games!

That alone is exciting, but then we have Gold Cup to look forward to as well. Even if we call a B team that is something to really be excited about. We have a lot of young promising up and coming players who would otherwise find it difficult to break through. I am especially excited for Baldisimo to earn his first cap, but there are many others who could benefit greatly if we roll out a B team. 

[Bison44]

On 10/12/2020 at 7:42 PM, Kent said:

I clicked one of the links and found this description.

”Your fully customizable 2022 World Cup package includes complete match day experiences to any of the 48 group stage matches, first class accommodations in some of Doha’s top hotels, a personalized meet-and-greet upon arrival, daily breakfast, transfers, high-touch service from our 24/7 on-site host team plus much more.”

So sounds like those tickets are including tickets to the games, swanky hotels, and possibly prostitutes.

Is there any other way to watch a WC match??

[An Observer]

4 hours ago, Alex said:

After a quick count of the available match dates between now and June 2022 we seem to be short 2 games. We need to get 20 qualifying games in and we can’t unless the intercontinental playoffs are pushed back until September 2022.

Yep.  I noticed that back when they postponed the ones in Oct and Nov.  I think they said they needed to get more dates from FIFA.  I think Asia needs them as well.

[Unnamed Trialist]

"There’s a suspicion he is neither the football obsessive nor the workaholic that a national team coach might be, lacking the expertise, engagement or energy to build something new. Put bluntly, that he doesn’t do much. That may well sound absurdly harsh, and probably is, but it’s an idea that floats with increasing frequency."

 

That's a quote from The Guardian. But it's Sid Lowe on Germany's Joachim Löw.

Got you though, didn't I?

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 11/17/2020 at 10:49 PM, Alex said:

After a quick count of the available match dates between now and June 2022 we seem to be short 2 games. We need to get 20 qualifying games in and we can’t unless the intercontinental playoffs are pushed back until September 2022.

4 dates for round one.

2 dates for the playoffs into the Octo.

14 for the Octo

= 20 dates

We can get to 20 by the end of June 2022.  They would need to shift the Draw for Qatar 2022 by a few months.

The draw would also need to take place before the intercontinental playoff occurs in September 2022.

This is all a big mess.

 

https://resources.fifa.com/image/upload/men-s-international-match-calendar-2020-24.pdf?cloudid=wt4ycd2y7awqfslrf8wi

Edited November 19, 2020 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Shway]

@Olympique_de_Marseille Do you think it's feasible to shift the first round of the Octo to after the Gold Cup?

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

24 minutes ago, Shway said:

@Olympique_de_Marseille Do you think it's feasible to shift the first round of the Octo to after the Gold Cup?

I have no idea; they would need to really mess around with the schedule in the Fall of 2021. Clubs would hate it.

With a second wave of COVID hitting Canada and Europe FIFA will need to think very creatively. Anything can happen at this point.

----------

Part of me loves the irony of Qatar, a country of fewer than 3 million people, where over 85% of the population are foreigners, building a bunch of mega-stadiums  in the desert for a 1 month tournament...and now people won't be able to visit and sit in them. White elephants of massive proportions. 

On the other hand, if there was a World Cup that deserved to be COVID19-disrupted it was this one. 

Edited November 19, 2020 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 9/24/2020 at 4:50 PM, Shway said:

https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/fifa-suspends-the-trinidad-and-tobago-football-association
 

Looks like Trinidad is out of the 2022 WCQ, and GCQ.

T&T are back BTW.

https://www.fifa.com/who-we-are/news/amp/fifa-lifts-suspension-of-the-trinidad-and-tobago-football-association

[CanadianSoccerFan]

 

[scullion44]

I've been out of the loop recently but are Suriname a legitimate threat? Looking at their 'recent' call ups list on Wikipedia and damn they are almost all European clubs.

[Alex]

12 minutes ago, scullion44 said:

I've been out of the loop recently but are Suriname a legitimate threat? Looking at their 'recent' call ups list on Wikipedia and damn they are almost all European clubs.

Read up on a latest thread about them. Recently it was said their best potential players of Dutch descent are not eligible to play. Ryan Donk is one of those players. 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

There was an important update by the Government of Canada the other day:

"...is amending its order and creating a framework for considering applications from high-performance amateur sport organizations seeking to hold International Single Sport Events. To be considered, applicants would need to include...

.....

• An International Single Sport Event includes World Championships, Olympic or Paralympic Qualifications, as well as World Cups.
• A high-performance amateur athlete is defined as an athlete competing at the international level and affiliated with his or her country's national sport federation"

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5821393

Looks like we may be able to host WCQ matches in 2021 as they will build an exception to the 14 day quarantine rule for those flying into the country as long as strict protocols are in place.

At the pace that government usually moves March might be too early, but if we are playing WCQ matches in June they could be played at home.

Obviously this doesn't apply to professional teams so the Canadian MLS teams are likely to play in bubbles in the US again in 2021.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[RJB]

On 11/17/2020 at 5:24 PM, Ngravs said:

but I'm allowed to have hope

Oh man, I remember that feeling. But seriously, knock it off. My hope died with our 1-0 lead at Honduras. Or was it the capitulation against Haiti?  Or was it when the let Herdman call the shots for the CSA?  I knew better too than to let any seep in after beating the USA. It’s freeing to let it all go and accept our position at the bottom of the barrel!

[Shway]

If we make it to the octo, we’ll be battling for the last spot....which will be very difficult against nations we’ve struggled against and who have the upper hand in familiarity and pool testing like Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama. 

Mexico, USA, and Jamaica will all qualify for Qatar. Last spot is up for grabs.

[An Observer]

I think we are battling for a top 3 spot.  Too difficult to give the 3 spots to the 3 you suggested even if they are the favourites.  A lot depends on how sides gel together and also injuries to key players.  The US didn't qualify last time around.  This time around they definitely have more talent but like us, they are young so easy to see them slipping up some.  Mexico is Mexico and heavily favoured to take on of the 3 spots.  Jamaica is quite good but lacks the depth of the other programs and doesn't have a long track record of playing together.  All that being said, I think any of the top 6 could qualify (including us) and I wouldn't rule out Curacao who could easily take Panama's spot in the final 8.

[An Observer]

The only one I don't give much hope for is either El Salvador or Trinidad.  I think no matter which one of these two qualify for Octo, neither have the sides to compete with the other 7 for a top 4 finish although both could take points off others to be spoilers.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 11/19/2020 at 2:54 PM, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Part of me loves the irony of Qatar, a country of fewer than 3 million people, where over 85% of the population are foreigners, building a bunch of mega-stadiums  in the desert for a 1 month tournament...and now people won't be able to visit and sit in them. White elephants of massive proportions. 

On the other hand, if there was a World Cup that deserved to be COVID19-disrupted it was this one. 

The Qatar WC decision was made 10 years ago today  .

 

[jtpc]

Just seeing this on Twitter about the Octagonal. Sounds like some calendar changes have been approved by FIFA.

"Men's International Match Calendar: For CONCACAF, to extend by an additional day the existing windows of September 2021, October 2021, January 2022 and March 2022 to facilitate the playing of three matches, in place of the existing two, in each of these windows."

Maybe the Octagonal now starts in September 2021 instead of June 2021.

If so, that would mean each country's 14 matches would be condensed into 5 windows: September 2021 (3 matches), October 2021 (3 matches), November 2021 (2 matches), January 2022 (3 matches), March 2022 (3 matches).

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by jtpc

[N1ckbr0wn]

9 minutes ago, jtpc said:

Just seeing this on Twitter about the Octagonal. Sounds like some calendar changes have been approved by FIFA.

"Men's International Match Calendar: For CONCACAF, to extend by an additional day the existing windows of September 2021, October 2021, January 2022 and March 2022 to facilitate the playing of three matches, in place of the existing two, in each of these windows."

Maybe the Octagonal now starts in September 2021 instead of June 2021.

If so, that would mean each country's 14 matches would be condensed into 5 windows: September 2021 (3 matches), October 2021 (3 matches), November 2021 (2 matches), January 2022 (3 matches), March 2022 (3 matches).

 

This would be great for our Gold Cup squad, would love to see our “A” team get a run for at least a semis appearance. 

[Alex]

18 minutes ago, N1ckbr0wn said:

This would be great for our Gold Cup squad, would love to see our “A” team get a run for at least a semis appearance. 

We still need to play 4 matches in June 2021 though.