Please, FIFA, SPLIT ASIA!!!

If Australia wants to try again bidding to the WC, that might be a solution. Although, China would support it for the same reasons. Still, the best news about getting this split done, wouldn’t be the WC bid, but to get read of Mohamed Bin Hammam as the Confederation president. He would still be in AFC, probably, but China, Japan, S. Korea, Australia and N. Zealand would be safe in the new PFC.

How can I speak with you?! I know you will never read this again, but, it’s always worth trying. Write to me! You can find me at http://tiefschwartz.blogspot.com/

Best,
Paudinho

Guess who is commenting on the Socceroos… ladies and gentlemen Sancho is also known as “Kevin Muscat of Uruguaiana”.

(sorry for derailing this thread, it’s just a very funny coincidence I’d find sancho here )

It will be a cop out if there is a split between west asia and east asia. West Asia shouldn’t see them missing out as an excuse that they should split so they can guarantee themselves a spot in the world cup. They should see it as a challenge to improve themselves.

As for New Zealand, a move to AFC represents a natural step for their football progress. To pit them against tougher competition may cost them some World Cup appearances, but the overall quality of football would improve, and they would get more regular friendlies against top teams.

Asia would then have 4.25 places. Leave the minnows of oceania in their own region and give them 0.25 places. Oceania would play off against an Asian country with the winner of that playoff going into a playoff with possibly Africa which probably deserves another 0.5 places.

The OFC could enter Asia as a sub-set with the top two nations joining the 3rd round of Asian qualification (there being 4 rounds for those with poor memories), just as Dasilva has suggested.

This idea of merging the qualifiers was talked about in The Roar about two years ago. Pippinu suggested that someone should write a separate article about it. No one did, until now. Don’t think that I wanted that system just to exclude NEw Zealand from the world cup

Like I say before, New Zealand deserves the spot in the world Cup.

1) Western Europe (UK, West Europe as far east as Germany)
2) Northern Europe (Scandanavia, Russia and former Soviet countries)
3) Southern Europe (Greece, Italy etc.)

4) Persia (Gulf nations, would also include Georgia, Turkey etc.)
5) Pacific (all of Oceania, Aus, some of Southern ASEAN)
6) Asia Continental (everything between Persia and ASEAN nations, roughly Afghanistan – China)

7) Southern Africa (basically south of the equator or current COSAFA)
West & Central Africa (all of UFOA, some of UNIFAC, some of UNAF)
9) North East Africa (all of CECEFA, some of UNAF)

10) South America (Conmebol to stay as is + Guyana, Suriname & French Guiana)

11) East Carribean (T&T, small Islands, as far West as Dominican Republic)
12) North / Central America (UNCAF + West Caribbean nations + North America)

So we’d go from 6 federations to 12 with more even numbers as far as members are concerned. Current “powerhouses” would no longer dominate, UEFA for example holds a ridiculous amount of votes and while it’s entirely plausible that the new federations would form alliances along old lines, they would be able to lobby their own needs much more than in the current system. Further, nations remain “grouped” so travel is kept to a minimum as to keep the minnows in the game but it’s as much the political side of the game as the sporting side that would be cleaned up by splitting the federations up further.

As for the slots.

1) Western Europe – Auto 4
2) Northern Europe – Auto 2
3) Southern Europe – Auto 2
4) Persia – Auto 1
5) Pacific – Auto 1
6) Asia Continental – Auto 2
7) Southern Africa – Auto 2
West & Central Africa – Auto 2
9) North East Africa – Auto 1
10) South America – Auto 3
11) East Carribean – Auto 1
12) North / Central America – Auto 1

That would leave 12 playoff places to be distributed via knockouts, perhaps between federations?

NZ have made good of a situation – which despite what some on here think – wasn’t all that easy.

Idealy for the next W/cup the situation described above is the best solution – it allows a meangingful pathway providing home and away fixtures while at the same time allowing the oceanic teams entry into youth and confed cup – which will benefit long term development

If not then (there’s plenty reason why Asia and Oceania with the exception of New Zealand would oppose this). Simply have Oceania join the final stages of the Asian qualifying. You don’t have to be a member of AFC to do that (Asia and Oceania qualification were merged during 1970 to 1982 despite Australia and New Zealand were never part of the AFC and were members of OFC)

About the spots, I’ve answered it to Andrew. You can’t look only to the last WC Qualifying and say it’s unfair. Americas have 8 spots; North America, 3.5 of them. Is it fair? Perhaps not, but it’s balanced.

1. North-West Europe (including England, Holland, France, Spain, etc)

2. South-East Europe (Including Germany, Italy, Russia, Hungary, etc)

3. Persia (including Arabic & Central Asian countries as far as India, Burma)

4. Asia (basically S-E Asia, Western Pacific Rim & Oceania)

5. Northern Africa

6. Southern Africa

7. North & Central America (including Caribbean)

8. South America

9. Wildcards (repecharge play-offs for last remaining WC positions)

Number of teams selected from each conference could vary between 2-6 countries each.

Wildcards could range from 2 to 4 countries.

Two European conferences could be tweaked to ensure traditional heavyweights are more or less evenly distributed. Indeed, ditto for other conference splits.

Also Australia will develop ties with Asian countries which makes it more attractive for sponsors and investors to put money in the game if they want to develop relationship with Asian countries. The glory owner and Clive palmer wouldn’t have own the club (although you could argue it would have been good thing that Palmer didn’t own Gold Coast) if it wasn’t for the lure of Asia.

That was always the main reason we join ASia. Easier WCQ path was the icing in the cake

Why does West Asia deserve a spot when none of their sides make it. 5 of the qualifiers came from the Asia-Pacific region and now you are going to reduce it down to 3 teams. It’s not exactly fair.

Nice question.

Today, everything points to something like PFC – 3.5; AFC – 1.5. But not long ago in 2006, the four spots were splited (Australia was in OFC); that happened also in 1998. WC2002 was a different story because it was held in Japan/Korea.

I would put 2.5 each, and see how it goes. Historically, it’s the best way to do it. But, it can change. There is not only one “correct answer” about it.

Those divisions don’t apply to the World Cup Qualifying. At this very moment, Australia is member of the ASEAN region. Look the company! Australia would continues to play against strong opposition such as Japan and Korea Republic, both in the WC Qualilfying and in PFC Cup Qualifying and Finals. So, as I’ve said it wouldn’t hurt.

The idea certainly has its merits, I’d take it further and split up the other confederations as it would not only make qualification fairer and give teams from across the globe a better chance of qualification but it would help to dilute the power at the top so people like Blatter can’t bribe and buy their way into power quite so easily.

If we moved back into Oceania we would be playing easybeats like American somoa which would offer us no chance to improve as a footballing nation and we would go backwards.