New Continental Allocations For WC 2026 and beyond -- AFC HAS 8 SPOTS

[Camran khan]

Can't wait to tune in for the world cup to watch Bahrain-Panama

[Doctor DOOM]

it's crap.
and it will make the WC into a sub-par, long & boring tournament with no sense of glory or achievement on the part of qualifiers.

worst decision ever

[AminGP]

it's crap.
and it will make the WC into a sub-par, long & boring tournament with no sense of glory or achievement on the part of qualifiers.

worst decision ever

It's going to be 3/4 days longer only. It's still going to be exciting it's world cup after all.

[Tehranto]

This is terrible idea.

If Iran is not 4.5 best in Asia, the worst confederation by far, then I don't want them in the World Cup.

The prestige of competition is being destroyed because of money and greed.

[Ali Doust]

its should be 6 Asia 11 CAF if anything.

[Z Joon]

Worst idea ever along with Qatar 2022. Nothing surprises me from corrupt FIFA and AFC anymore

[Gotham]

An increased WC isn't the end of the world but it's a silly idea. I don't know what's the point of this, there's already enough mediocre teams in the WC as is...

[EKBATAN]

NOT 1 PERSON ive seen that likes this idea. Other than the people who earn money from it.

Whats the point of sending teams there only to play 1 game and go home? Itll start like that apparently. Some teams get 1 game and theyre out. Which makes the whole thing stupid because its about the experience of 3 games.

Whatever this game is getting less interesting day by day. Money is ruining tournaments and talents and every hot player gets transferred to a big team or wasted in China. I miss 90s and early 2000s football so much

[sarbaz]

I don't like this new format.
This change,will take away the amazing excitement of the WCQ campaigns
But it might add even more excitement to the actual WC matches.

[sarbaz]

And btw let's be real here the AFC doesn't deserve more than 5 spots in each WC anyway.

[Sarbaze-Vatan]

it's crap.
and it will make the WC into a sub-par, long & boring tournament with no sense of glory or achievement on the part of qualifiers.

worst decision ever

I am in favor of WC expansion. Iran also benefits from this decision. Here is why you should be happy with this WC expansion:

https://www.theguardian.com/football...ecome-apparent

In 2015, in a hotel restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz was talking qualification. In Asia, he said, there are three countries with a credit card that produces an automatic World Cup spot with just a simple swipe: Japan, South Korea and Australia. His Iran were always competing with Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and perhaps North Korea and United Arab Emirates for the fourth and last automatic berth. And the other near-40 nations of Asia? The former Real Madrid coach just shrugged.

While the Portuguese may have intended to stress his own achievements with Iran, he was stating a simple truth. With South Korea, Japan and the Socceroos usually making it, that leaves one spot for the other 43 - for the vast majority in the world’s biggest continent. The dream is as distant as relations between Sepp Blatter and Gianni Infantino. Talk to heads of various federations around Asia and hear the variety of “Project 2022s”, it is almost cruel to point out that 15 other nations have similar grandiose plans and one, perhaps, will achieve it.

But not for much longer. Having three more automatic spots gives perhaps at least 7 realistic chance but an improved quota of seven really opens it up. Even if the big four (the three credit card holders and Iran) have their spots, that leaves at least three for the rest in a much more open field. It gives seven or so a genuine opportunity, the same number an outside chance, and more still a dream.

Take Thailand. The country is doing all the right things: investing in the league, grassroots, producing decent players and aiming for as much overseas experience as possible but the World Cup is still some years away, if at all. Expansion brings the competition firmly within touching distance and if Thailand can do it, there is huge motivation lower down the rankings. Having to compete with South Korea, Australia and Japan is not an option for many in the short to medium term but fighting it out with Jordan for the last spot? That are plenty who would fancy their chances.

[Karimi 8]

This is a terrible idea. Qualifying to the World Cup used to have meaning. Now that's eroding and soon getting out of the group stage will start losing meaning too, which was An amazing accomplishment before.

[YeCheesi Tala]

This is a money scheme as many have pointed out already. But nothing will change. A seed starts out humble asking for some sunshine to grow but as it gets bigger it spreads its leaves and becomes greedy for all the sunlight around it. But unlike a tree that helps support a bigger ecological purpose with its new found sunlight...unfortunately these organizations only seem to support themselves.

[Ali Doust]

The only way this could be good for us is if they change the asian final round format. Instead of 2 groups of 6 teams it should be 1 group 12 teams. This way we can get more games under our belts before heading to the wc. It would also mean that we would play teams like australia saudi arabia japan etc.. everytime! This is the only way I see this being a good thing for us.

[persian_pooya]

I think people can make good arguments for and against this. I for one am horrified by this because as some already mentioned it will bring down the prestige and quality of the world cup, but at the same time I feel bad for the countries that are doing everything right but just can't compete with the few at the top to qualify. I think the proposal is too radical to jump from 4.5 in Asia to 8 all of a sudden for example. This would allow crappy teams to enter the tournament. I believe there should be a gradual increase in teams for confederations as they get stronger, to give hope to other strong teams that keep narrowly missing out.

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