Photo by ISIphotos.com
In case you haven't heard by now, CONCACAF is preparing to change its World Cup qualifying format dramatically, doing away with the old Hexagonal final qualifying round in favor of a two-group final round that gives eight teams a chance to battle for the three (or four) automatic World Cup berths the region receives.
So why will you hate it?
Under the new format, the final eight teams in CONCACAF qualifying will be placed in two four-team groups, with the winner of each group qualifying automatically and the two second-place teams playing off for the third automatic qualifying spot.
So why will you hate it?
No USA-Mexico. No trip to Azteca for the United States and no visit to frigid Crew Stadium for 'El Tri'.
Sound crazy? Too bad it's happening.
FIFA is expected to ratify the changes, which will go into effect for the 2014 World Cup qualifying cycle. U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati acknowledged on Tuesday that the changes are likely to go through, and his only remark about the lost USA-Mexico qualifiers was to make clear the two rivals would still find ways to play each other.
No, it won't be the same. Not even close.
The United States and Mexico could still meet in the Gold Cup, and in friendlies, but chances are they would be kept in seperate qualifying groups under the new CONCACAF format, meaning no more of the heated qualifiers that both side's fans spend years looking forward to.
So why is CONCACAF making these changes? It's making them to give more of the region's smaller teams a chance to play against the big boys. The new system will consist of three group stages (eight groups of four, then four groups of four, then a final two groups of four), up from the current system's two group stages. It will mean 32 teams will have a chance to play in a group stage, instead of the 16 that used to play in group stages. It also means eight teams have that chance to survive the final round, up from the six that have made up the Hexagonal in the past.
The changes make sense if you're from a smaller country, but for Mexico and the United States it means more games against smaller nations and likely means the elimination of the big-money qualifiers against each other. If CONCACAF sticks to a stringent seeding process, and you have to believe the region will do its best to keep Mexico and the United States away from each other, then the days of Americans making the trip to Mexico City and Mexicans braving the cold in Ohio are over.
The likely tradeoff for the region's powers is that there is less of a chance of facing an early-round group of death (which is what we saw when Mexico, Honduras, Canada and Jamaica wound up in the same second-round group in 2008). There is some added danger in that a top power getting off to a slow start in the final group could find itself forced into a playoff for a World Cup place. When you consider how slowly Mexico started in the last Hexagonal qualifying cycle it isn't out of the realm of possibility.
The bright side? If there is one it's that there will be more early-round group matches to play and potentially give experience to younger players. Chances are there will be a few cupcakes in the first group stage where Bob Bradley can give a look to some inexperienced players. It also means more qualifying matches, which could conceivably help the FIFA rankings of CONCACAF's powers.
Is that worth the tradeoff of losing USA-Mexico qualifiers? Not really, but it's the system we're facing.
What do you think of this development? Hate the changes, or are you liking the idea of three group stages?
Share your thoughts below.
Well he runs the revolution as their president … Not too sure about his knowledge of what’s good for soccer….
Hmm US vs Aruba…. Riveting
so gulati supported this idea? and he supported bringing bradley back to coach?!
wtf?!?!
why hasn’t this clown been sent to live with a nice family on a farm by now?
you said it. My favorite chestnut is the one were we are losing out on games that “prepare us for the WC” an entire year before the actual WC. Isn’t that why we have a month long training camp and 3-4 friendlies with teams similar to those that we draw against? I’m sorry but I don’t think any game within a home/away format a year and a half out prepares us for a neutral sight tournament against 3 teams from different zones.
No it makes it harder because small mistakes become difficult to recover from in a smaller group. Just ask Mexico that finished 2nd on goal difference over Jamaica in their semi-final group for 2010. They also stumbled big time early in the hex. In a 4 team group there’s no room for error. If you f*** up just once or twice it can be fatal
That’s some bull, we have trouble filling a 25k stadium for qualifiers. The USMNT fan base is pathetic.
It makes sense only because US and Mexico are so far ahead of the rest of the region and because the matchups in competitive play would be so good, but I’m not sure either qualifies in CONMEBOL. Its not just the top sides, but the overall quality, inhospitable locations that even the best South American teams have problems with, and travel. The best thing for CONCACAF is to have US and Mexico always qualify, to have one of them compete in the Confederations Cup, and to raise the level of play for Canada one or two smaller nations in the short term. US and Mexico are still likely to meet every two years in the Gold Cup, with the Confed Cup as a prize that is more valuable that qualifying points, and will undoubtedly play yearly “friendlies,” a term that slowly losing its meaning in general (a good thing) and probably never applied to US-Mexico games anyway.
presumably CONMEBOL in this upcoming cycle, as Brazil is already qualified.
It’s their lie-filled flapping heads, isn’t it?
I think that Australia joining the Asian Confederation is more applicable to the US “wanting” to move to CONMEBOL. Do you know why Israel isn’t in the Asian Confederation? It’s not because they wanted more competition. It’s because everyone surrounding them hates them and there would be more violence at games than Egypt vs Algeria
Terrible. This, in effect, makes qualifying for the US and Mexico easier than it was before. As if CONCACAF wasn’t already considered a joke by the rest of the world before…
wow. epic.
You assume this foolish new qualifying system is the only way the federation can benefit the minnows in the region.
Of course CONCACAF isn’t obligated to look out only for the interests of Mex/USA, but don’t you see how it is beneficial to all parties involved to ensure that its two strongest, populous, financially supportive nations are taken care of before everyone else? Especially when the gap in skill, attendance, and financial support is so vast?
I know these point are hard to fathom through your blind devotion to the St. Kitts and Nevis NT but try…
I am going to blame it on Canada.
This is silly. The poor teams in Concacaf are so far behind the rest that more qualifiers will do nothing to improve their level. Without vast changes at an internal level these teams will never present serious competition.
That’s pretty funny. But how about those C.A fans that support the U.S?! Funny, but not fair to the whole Latin community.
Dissapointing.
Well, I’m going to miss those little Mexican girls with the curls. I swear that chick Guardado looked better in H.S. I’m going to miss her.
Viva el Futbol!
Good point CJ. I missed your post when I commented below. We’re on the same page here.
You are all missing the real question. To understand the change in format you must ask how this benefits Jack Warner. There is no other question.
More like the most stupid thing ever stated on this site in its history. And there have been some whoppers, so that is no easy feat.
It’s not those that express disappointment that annoy me. It’s those that say they have no reason to support the team anymore as a result of these idiotic qualifying changes and their opinion that Bradley sucks. Be a fan, or don’t.
Man law!
Zing! Well done.
Thanks — I thought I was nuts. It was definitely in Mexico.
um, sorry, but that happened in the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, when the US u-23s (Donovan, Beasley)lost 4-0 and did not qualify for the 04 Olympics in Athens. C’bus is the infamous scene of US fans wearing INS hats 🙂
“Mexico does not consider USA as a rival.”
stupidest comment of the week?
On the bright side, more qualifiers that will cap-tie players.
Two very important words missing from this story: Jack Warner. It’s not just that he and Concacaf are stupid, it is that they are corrupt. He is doing this not in the best interests of the confederation but to line his pockets. And Chuck Blazer will keep his fat mouth shut so he can continue to go on junkets and feed his plastic-surgery victim wife at the most expensive restaurants of Zurich. So much for what had quickly become two great traditions: Guerra Fria in C’bus and our fans getting piss thrown on them at Azteca. Can’t wait to make two trips to the cricket ground in Port of Spain so Jack and his kids can get richer.
I don’t think you want us to go to CONMEBOL. Unless you are okay with rarely ever making the WC.
The ONLY thing Mexico is a rival in is in Soccer.
this sucks. will make world cup qualifying pretty boring.
We’re obviously all fans of USMNT otherwise we wouldn’t be commenting on this article or visiting this site, we just express our opinions which (shocker) sometimes vary from person to person. Differing opinions? Shocking concept, I know.
Get off your pedestal EA. All you do is come across as ignorant.
Sure to help more fans follow the international team when the mighty Aruba come into town… Don’t sell out RFK just yet!
It is unfortunate (I hate this new system), but how can FIFA not approve a system that seeds the qualifying groups? This is what the “sainted” UEFA does and we all know the Europeans can do no wrong. In the last cycle UEFA established 8 seeded qualifying groups, insuring that Spain, England, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, etc. each ended up in a groups that did not include one of the other seeded teams, that included one or more of Malta, Luxembourg, Lithuania, etc. and that did not include more than two other countries that posed any realistic threat. The second place teams then had home-and-home playoffs—and again UEFA seeded the teams to be sure that France did not have to play Portugal (my recollection is that this seeding process was added at the last minute when the possibility of France-Portugal became evident and, of course, even with seeding, France needed the Hand of Gaul to get by Ireland).
Don’t understand why it has to be a split table. Why can’t it just be one?
More players like Khano Smith may excite mls fans for years to come due this new qualification change…. 😉
No, it isn’t — not as much as in LA or Houston, to name but two. The main home field advantage from Columbus was gained when it was the first game of the Hex, in March, with sub-freezing temperatures. I remember the first such game, where Mexican fans held up signs saying “What’s next — playing in Alaska?”
It feels more like the AFC qualification where one good draw can help you avoid two top teams… Mexico can in theory avoid the US and also Honduras and the US can avoid a trip to Costa Rica and Mexico. I dont like it, I want to see the big guns duke it out!
We can accomplish all of your goals by simply eliminating two of the eight teams with a quick playoff round. Let the four group winners into the HEX and pair off the four runners-up to get to six.
I like the initial idea- the two-legged playoff rounds were a waste of time and unfair to the little nations that had to face the powers of CONCACAF.
But eliminating the HEX seems to be counter-productive. This move potentially takes away two to four intense qualifiers that helped the USA prepare for the World Cup. With the glut of club fixtures and the Confederations Cup no guarantee, when will the USA be able to play matches at a WC-intensity level during the next four years?
What is wrong with the four group winners reaching the HEX and the four remaining runners-up having a playoff round for the final two HEX spots?
let’s play in Arizone next time and have ICE at the gates
nothing changes IMO. USA will get Trinidad, Haiti and Cuba while we will get stuck in a group with Costa Rica, Jamaican and Honduras. or Canada Concacaf sucks. What they should do is cut this down to the ten best teams in the region and play i out like the south Americans. forget all this group stuff . it only makes the route easy for some while others have to fight in groups of death .
Very nice. 🙂
With all due respect to Columbus–amazing MLS fans–Crew stadium is the infamous scene of Mexican fans dominating the game with chants of Osama. It’s as much a home stadium for Latin American fans as any other stadium in the States.
If it depresses you, that’s your own problem.
Why is it when somebody expresses disappointment with the events of the week your response is to suggest that person “leave”?
Are people that disagree with Gulati and CONCACAF decisions lesser supporters than you?
I’m not happy Bradley was retained. I also thought Bradley did a good job. Historically repeat coaches haven’t fared so well. It’s not a knock on Bob. If that was BetaMale’s only gripe I could, maybe,just maybe see your point…no I changed my mind…I can’t.
But you telling him to quit because he doesn’t agreee with the qualifying format is just plain stupid. Sorry, but I just couldn’t think of a polite way to put that.
Holy efin’ shortsightedness on this board.
Wow. The USA-Mexico games were BY FAR the best games.
This is a bad idea.
Again, Concacaf is not there to look out for the interests of only the US and Mexico. This is a longterm plan to help strengthen the region as a whole. If that puts your precious god-give right to US-Mexico qualifiers and WC berths in jeopardy, so efin’ be it.
Yeah, cuz CONCACAF’s main priority is to look out only for the interests of the US and Mexico.