The Road to Qatar.

[SkuseisLoose]

I assume all qualifying has to be done by the end of the November window in 2021 and that the September window will be available for games, but this also works if October is the first available window.

Upper Bracket:

Sep-Nov 2020 play group games                                                         Top 3 teams qualify, all 2nd place teams qualify for final tournament

 

Lower Bracket

September 2020: teams ranked 23-18 play home and away resulting in 3 teams eliminated        

October: The first ranked team joins then all remaining teams play in home and away to move down to 10 teams

November: Final 10 teams play home and away to get down to 5 teams

 

Final Tournament:

The final 8 teams will participate in a home and away tournament

March: Quarter-Finals

June: Semi Finals

September/October: Finals 

October/November: International playoff

 

Not really a great proposal but I'm trying to find ways for the lower tournament to get down to enough teams in only 3 windows.

 

 

[archer21]

This format really sucks if it’s just the best 2nd place team. Imagine being Jamaica and getting drawn with Mexico and Haiti. Their chances would be basically 0 through no fault of their own. Unfortunately, if FIFA is mandating that we only get a very limited amount of windows, there’s not much concacaf can do about it.

[An Observer]

1 hour ago, archer21 said:

This format really sucks if it’s just the best 2nd place team. Imagine being Jamaica and getting drawn with Mexico and Haiti. Their chances would be basically 0 through no fault of their own. Unfortunately, if FIFA is mandating that we only get a very limited amount of windows, there’s not much concacaf can do about it.

Unless the 2nd versus survivor of the lower seeded teams is only a one match playoff and not double legged, the better approach with limited match dates would be to have a tournament at a neutral site venue (or the side that finishes with the best 2nd place record) where the top ranked side would play the best of the rest; and the two other second place sides would play each other in a one match with winners playing one game to get to the intercontinental playoffs. Same number of games much fairer result.

In the current scenario, the best of the rest has a much better chance of qualifying than most of the sides in the 3 groups of 12.

Mark. 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

4 minutes ago, An Observer said:

Unless the 2nd versus survivor of the lower seeded teams is only a one match playoff and not double legged, the better approach with limited match dates would be to have a tournament at a neutral site venue (or the side that finishes with the best 2nd place record) where the top ranked side would play the best of the rest; and the two other second place sides would play each other in a one match with winners playing one game to get to the intercontinental playoffs. Same number of games much fairer result.

In the current scenario, the best of the rest has a much better chance of qualifying than most of the sides in the 3 groups of 12.

Mark. 

I would much prefer that.  4 teams at a neutral site with semi-final and final. 

FIFA has regulations for the the qualifiers and they state that knockout rounds can be single leg but require permission from the FIFA competition committee.  These are circumstances that likely make that possible

https://resources.fifa.com/image/upload/regulations-fifa-world-cup-2022tm-preliminary-competition.pdf?cloudid=r6gcejmanhw27gzaa9xb 

 

[TGAA_Star]

1 minute ago, Peggy said:

Does anyone know how the other confederations are coping with the available number of FIFA World Cup qualifying windows? Or is CONCACAF the only confederation that is struggling to find a suitable format? 

Everyone is pretty set except for CONCACAF but I'm sure all of that will change soon because of COVID

[archer21]

11 minutes ago, Peggy said:

Does anyone know how the other confederations are coping with the available number of FIFA World Cup qualifying windows? Or is CONCACAF the only confederation that is struggling to find a suitable format? 

From a quick wiki search, looks like some confederations have postponed 6 match days and have the new date for those matches TBD so I think it’s gonna be an issue for most confederations. I think it was Asia and South America that I saw look like they may get tight.

Edited June 9, 2020 by archer21

[Kent]

10 hours ago, Alex said:

I get what you mean and I agree that the best 2nd will probably come out of their group on goal differential and by getting an easy 6 points. But I’ve been following this team for a long time and I’ve seen it time and time again where there’s one bad call or late penalty that destroys our campaign which may have us rely on a team like Antigua getting a draw vs Jamaica or Honduras. We know that’s unlikely. Look at our nations league group with USA and Cuba. The last match had USA vs Cuba and prior to the match we were in 1st. Cuba has no hope of drawing the USA and they didn’t. Imagine a team that was a bit stronger there, it would be more likely they can get a result. Granted it’s also more like we don’t get 6 points versus them either. 

If we do get Antigua, Mexico and Jamaica for example and the matches against Jamaica don’t go our way or we split them then Jamaica beats Antigua 8-0 and we beat them 7-0 that would be a crappy way to be 3rd. 

Getting eliminated because we failed to either out-point or out goal difference Jamaica would be easier to take than getting eliminated because we only beat Haiti 2-0 while Honduras beat Antigua 6-0.

[Free kick]

On 6/6/2020 at 10:04 PM, RJB said:

I admit to not having watched the games, but based on the score lines I think we gave a very good account of ourselves. If that group were to happen today, we could very well lose by some larger margins. 

Not sure about that, qualitywise, we are much better now than we were at that time.    In 1986 there was a bigger gap between the top sides at the WC and the bottom 4-6 sides in the 24 team tournament.   Since then pretty much most of the global super powers remained in tact at top of the pecking order but a lot more sides have clustered themselves in that next tier and the one after that.  And the gap has closed between the top tier and the next tier.   

 There is more quality talent comming from african nations.   The top clubs in europe have opened themselves up to the world to look for talent but wasnt the case 1986.   So the problem is that everyone got better at a faster rate, and not that we got worst.

I watched all the games in 1986.  We played not to embarrased ourselves and it was fine at the time because the thinking was that this was practice run for the next 4-8 years.  But now that we know what happened in the next 30 years, 1986 it leaves a bit of bitter taste.   We have had much better teams than that 1986 squad but still never managed to qualify so that tells me that the problem is that the world improved (especially concacaf) much faster than we did and not so much that we were good in 1986.
 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Free kick

[RJB]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

Not sure about that, qualitywise, we are much better now than we were at that time.    In 1986 there was a bigger gap between the top sides at the WC and the bottom 4-6 sides in the 24 team tournament.   Since then pretty much most of the global super powers remained in tact at top of the pecking order but a lot more sides have clustered themselves in that next tier and the one after that.  And the gap has closed between the top tier and the next tier.   

 There is more quality talent comming from african nations.   The top clubs in europe have opened themselves up to the world to look for talent but wasnt the case 1986.   So the problem is that everyone got better at a faster rate, and not that we got worst.

I watched all the games in 1986.  We played not to embarrased ourselves and it was fine at the time because the thinking was that this was practice run for the next 4-8 years.  But now that we know what happened in the next 30 years, 1986 it leaves a bit of bitter taste.   We have had much better teams than that 1986 squad but still never managed to qualify so that tells me that the problem is that the world improved (especially concacaf) much faster than we did and not so much that we were good in 1986.
 

Not much to disagree with here. I meant more that we didn’t embarrass ourselves, but you noted that. 

[gigi riva]

Just for kicks I did my own  mock Draw. And here are my results.

 

Group 1                                                  Group 2                                             Group 3

MEXICO                                                  Costa Rica                                         USA.

HONDURAS                                           EL SALVADOR                                    JAMAICA

PANAMA                                               CURACAO                                           CANADA

T&T                                                        HAITI                                                    ANTIGUA

Group of death would be group 3

easiest would be Group 2         

[TGAA_Star]

I mean that won't happen but good attempt at a Mock Draw

My mock Draw would definitely look like with Teams from all 4 Pots:

Group A- Mexico, Honduras, Curacao, Trinidad & Tobago

Group B- USA, Canada, El Salvador, Haiti

Group C- Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda

But back to Canada...the format change for the 2022 qualifiers should help Canada but if anything it will probably hurt them more than help them

However, we do not really know what will happen until the Group Draw is decided

Edited June 9, 2020 by TGAA_Star
X

[MtlMario]

You have Curacao having a pretty busy schedule. While Antigua is on vacation.

Edited June 9, 2020 by MtlMario

[TGAA_Star]

Fixed my Mock Draw but still I would have Antigua in Group C with Costa Rica, Panama and Jamaica which would be a Group of Death

But my Groups A and B would be somewhat all right

[BuzzAndSting]

1 hour ago, TGAA_Star said:

I mean that won't happen but good attempt at a Mock Draw

My mock Draw would definitely look like with Teams from all 4 Pots:

Group A- Mexico, Honduras, Curacao, Trinidad & Tobago

Group B- USA, Canada, El Salvador, Haiti

Group C- Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda

But back to Canada...the format change for the 2022 qualifiers should help Canada but if anything it will probably hurt them more than help them

However, we do not really know what will happen until the Group Draw is decided

What do you mean that won't happen? CONCACAF will not decide the groups, they'll be drawn, so it's entirely possible.

[TGAA_Star]

Just now, BuzzAndSting said:

What do you mean that won't happen? CONCACAF will not decide the groups, they'll be drawn, so it's entirely possible.

Yeah it could be but then again no one really knows what will happen between now and then hell when is the Group Draw anyway for CONCACAF qualifiers? 

[BuzzAndSting]

5 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

Yeah it could be but then again no one really knows what will happen between now and then hell when is the Group Draw anyway for CONCACAF qualifiers? 

Exactly, no one knows, so why did you say that gigi riva's draw won't happen?

[dyslexic nam]

6 minutes ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Exactly, no one knows, so why did you say that gigi riva's draw won't happen?

 

Because it could happen and that would be really interesting.  Then again it might not happen, which would also be interesting.  Either way, Jonathan David should go to Leipzig.  Unless he goes to Dortmund, which would also be good. 

[TGAA_Star]

1 minute ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Exactly, no one knows, so why did you say that gigi riva's draw won't happen?

Why because Mexico being drawn with USA is unrealistic especially when CONCACAF would go out of their way to probably have those 2 specific teams not in the same group. But also Mexico and USA are both high ranked teams and the way he set it up was kind of confusing.

[dyslexic nam]

You may want to look again...

[Alex]

46 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

Yeah it could be but then again no one really knows what will happen between now and then hell when is the Group Draw anyway for CONCACAF qualifiers? 

There will be a draw for World Cup qualifying. We don’t know when. The end.

[BuzzAndSting]

1 hour ago, TGAA_Star said:

Why because Mexico being drawn with USA is unrealistic especially when CONCACAF would go out of their way to probably have those 2 specific teams not in the same group. But also Mexico and USA are both high ranked teams and the way he set it up was kind of confusing.

Gigi riva’s mock draw did not have USA and Mexico in the same group.

[gigi riva]

4 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Gigi riva’s mock draw did not have USA and Mexico in the same group.

They would never put USA & Mexico in the same group

[gigi riva]

my seedings were based on the fifa rankings

[N1ckbr0wn]

this exact mock has probably already been posted but here’s mine:

Pot 1

🇲🇽

🇺🇸 

🇨🇷 

 

POT 2

🇯🇲 

🇭🇳 

🇸🇻 

 

POT 3

🇨🇦 

🇨🇼 

🇵🇦 

 

POT 4

🇭🇹 

🇹🇹 

🇦🇬 

—————————————————————————

Group 1

🇲🇽 

🇸🇻 

🇵🇦 

🇦🇬 

 

Group 2

🇺🇸 

🇭🇳 

🇨🇼 

🇹🇹 

 

Group 3

🇨🇷 

🇯🇲 

🇨🇦 

🇭🇹 

 

[TGAA_Star]

15 minutes ago, N1ckbr0wn said:

this exact mock has probably already been posted but here’s mine:

Pot 1

🇲🇽

🇺🇸 

🇨🇷 

 

POT 2

🇯🇲 

🇭🇳 

🇸🇻 

 

POT 3

🇨🇦 

🇨🇼 

🇵🇦 

 

POT 4

🇭🇹 

🇹🇹 

🇦🇬 

—————————————————————————

Group 1

🇲🇽 

🇸🇻 

🇵🇦 

🇦🇬 

 

Group 2

🇺🇸 

🇭🇳 

🇨🇼 

🇹🇹 

 

Group 3

🇨🇷 

🇯🇲 

🇨🇦 

🇭🇹 

 

See now this...this is probably the most realistic Mock Draw hell probably better than most a lot better than mine and honestly I would love this Group Draw

 

Group C.. Canada virtually would be in a Group of Death with Jamaica, Haiti and Costa Rica. However, if Canada is as good as you all say they are, they should have no trouble in this group now should they? But looking at it Canada could realistically top that group but if it did happen especially like this, Canada would at best finish 2nd place in this group or even 3rd. Jamaica is the real threat in this because Jamaica are currently ranked better than Canada right now in World rankings. Not to mention Jamaica have been great in Gold Cups as of late which is much more than I can say for Canada. Plus Jamaica have great players within their team especially Leon Bailey of Bayern Leverkeusen.

 

Then you can't forget about Haiti either because they did beat Canada back in 2019 Gold Cup. Haiti have a capable enough side that could cause upsets in this group.

 

Costa Rica however are the WC regulars here but they are getting older.