World Cup switcheroo no problem, say local pundits

AFTER THE thrills and excitement in the first round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the governing body would reconsider changing the format of the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

FIFA’s plan is to increase the number of teams at the tournament from 32 to 48 and divide them into 16 groups of threes, with the top two progressing to the last 32.

The move has not been very popular with football pundits, who argue that FIFA is killing the excitement of the group stage.

However, some local football stakeholders who weighed in on the topic, do not think the change will make much of a difference.

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) general secretary Dennis Chung said whatever the format, the best teams will go through at the end of the day.

“The number of points you get when you play three teams will actually be reduced, as everybody gets to play two matches as opposed to playing three (in a four-team group).

“However, I think that once teams are properly prepared, it will not make much difference. The better teams will come out on top anyway,” he surmised.

Nevertheless, he admits he would prefer the four-team groups. “I don’t mind four teams. I think it will add more to the World Cup because there would more matches to play, and personally I think it would add more excitement,” he said.

Chapelton Maroons coach Clovis de Oliveira prefers the three-team format, as long as two teams get to progress.

“I prefer two (teams progressing) of course, because there is more of a chance for the national teams at the lower levels. But if only one (should advance), I would prefer four (in a group) because you have more chances to go up to the next phase,” he said.

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“Four teams would bring more entertainment and more excitement. So I would prefer four (team groups) and two advancing. But if it is three teams and two go through and one go home then I would, a hundred per cent, prefer three,” he commented.

Following the success of the four-team format at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA boss, Infantino, admitted they would reconsider the format.

“The groups of four have been absolutely incredible. We have to revisit or at least re-discuss the format. This is something that will certainly be on the agenda in the next meeting.” Infantino said.

The four-team format, with the top two going through to the knockout stages, has been used since the World Cup expanded to 32 teams in 1998.

Three-team groups were only used in the early years of the tournament.

In the first tournament in 1930, 13 teams were drawn into four groups, with one containing four teams and the others containing three, with the four-group winners progressing to the semifinals.

For the 1934-38 tournaments a straight knockout format was used.

In the 1950 tournament in Brazil, of four groups and 13 teams, one group had three and one had two teams after two countries withdrew.

Groups of four was fully established at the 1954 World Cup in Germany but at this tournament teams did not play a round robin. Instead the two seeded team only played the two non-seeded teams in each group.

In 1958 in Sweden, points were shared for the first time in drawn games, instead of teams going to extra time to get a result.

Goal average was also introduced to separate teams tied on points.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com