World Cup '06 -- field set

[The Doctor]

Trinidad and Tobago goes nuts, declares public holiday after qualifying. US team is 7th in the world, I think this World Cup could be our best shot at a medal or even a win.

African Zone (5 Teams)
Angola (ANG)
Cote d'Ivoire (CIV)
Togo (TOG)
Ghana (GHA)
Tunisia (TUN)

Asian Zone (4.5 Teams)
Japan (JPN)
Iran (IRN)
Korea Republic (KOR)
Saudi Arabia (KSA)

European Zone (14 Teams)
Germany (GER) Host
Ukraine (UKR)
Netherlands (NED)
Poland (POL)
England (ENG)
Croatia (CRO)
Italy (ITA)
Portugal (POR)
Sweden (SWE)
Serbia and Montenegro (SCG)
France (FRA)
Switzerland (SUI)
Spain (ESP)
Czech Republic (CZE)

North, Central American and Caribbean Zone (3.5 Teams)
USA (USA)
Mexico (MEX)
Costa Rica (CRC)
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)

Oceanian Zone (0.5 Teams)
Australia (AUS)

South American Zone (4.5 Teams)
Argentina (ARG)
Brazil (BRA)
Ecuador (ECU)
Paraguay (PAR)

[Methanolandbrats]

:thumbup: I'm fired up.

[CART T. Katz]

how is it that some zones have half teams?

[dando]

Congrats to the Ozzies. First time in since '74. :cool:

-Kevin

[Ankf00]

how is it that some zones have half teams?

It's because that Confederation isn't guaranteed that last half-berth. It must face another Confederation for a play-in game. Much like the 64 vs. 65 ranked teams in the NCAA bball tournament playing for that final spot.

In this case, Oceania (Australia) beat CONMEBOL (Uruaguay), and CONCACAF (T&T) beat AFC (Bahrain)

Look at that, ENG actually qualified :laugh: Holland didn't choke this time around :laugh:

[Stu]

how are the schedules set up. i may actually care if team USA takes on Iran, Germany, or France.

[Ankf00]

final draw dec 9th.

[indyfan31]

It's because that Confederation isn't guaranteed that last half-berth. It must face another Confederation for a play-in game. Much like the 64 vs. 65 ranked teams in the NCAA bball tournament playing for that final spot.

In this case, Oceania (Australia) beat CONMEBOL (Uruaguay), and CONCACAF (T&T) beat AFC (Bahrain)


Ank, I'm sure that made perfect sense when you wrote it, but it reads like the Infield Fly Rule to a Soccer player. Can you clear it up any? :confused:

[Ankf00]

the ".5" is not a guaranteed spot... you must have a 1 game playoff with another ".5" team to earn a WC spot, it's sort of a compromise.


there's 4 ".5" teams total... there's only 2 spots in the WC finals for them... the other 30 berths in the WC finals are guaranteed (the total field in the WC finals being 32 teams), but these final 2 spots are decided by 1 game playoffs amongst these 4 ".5" teams.

AFC (asia) played CONCACAF (north + central america + carribbean) => CONCACAF won so they get a 4th team

Oceania (really only australia) played CONMEBOL (south america) => Oceania won so they get 1 team

if AFC and CONMEBOL would have won, then AFC and CONMEBOL send an extra team each, and instead the losers CONCACAF would have sent 3 instead of 4 like they are now, and Oceania wouldn't have sent any teams (they always have to play someone in a playoff to get into WC finals, but since Oceania won, they're sending their champion, Australia)


this way, FIFA gives 4 different confederations a "chance" at having an extra world cup finals team, while really only allowing 2 extra into the tournament.

UEFA (europe) has the most WC spots, they don't want to let any spots go to make room for other non-european teams naturally, they feel like they deserve more spots than they have (like every other confederation). So to appease the little people who keep saying "europe needs to give us more spots", europe only really gave up 2 of their guaranteed spots, but they appeased 4 different groups of little people. They're wily those europeans :gomer:

[eiregosod]

So to appease the little people who keep saying "europe needs to give us more spots", europe only really gave up 2 of their guaranteed spots, but they appeased 4 different groups of little people. They're wily those europeans :gomer:

:D

but still, a few good teams wont be going to the world cup from these parts. Turkey :laugh:

as for England, they believe that they will win the world cup :gomer:

[Ankf00]

as for England, they believe that they will win the world cup :gomer:

too bad for them I saw how their qualifications were going for a while :laugh:

[emjaya]

Australia's in the World Cup.

Australia's in the World Cup.

Australia's in the World Cup.

Australia's in the World Cup.

Australia's in the World Cup.

Sorry,just very very happy after 31 years of heartbreak. :)


Oceania (really only australia)

I think the 3 million people and 47 million sheep in New Zealand would disagree with you about that.Wait till Kiwifan gets home.:rofl:
Australia was beaten by NZ a few years ago for the Oceania cup?(I think) Oh,the shame of it :o

Australia's in the World Cup. :D