CONMEBOL pulls out its tried and tested single qualification group format for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be held on CONMEBOL turf. Brasil will be excluded from this qualification cycle as hosts, but, as part of its preparations, will have the privilege of hosting the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup the year before the FIFA World Cup final stage. Brasil also hosts the 2015 Copa América and the Summer Olympic tournaments in 2016.
In addition to Brasil, four other South American countries will advance to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final stage with a fifth advancing to an intercontinental playoff series. This means that in all likelihood, six out of the ten teams in South America will be present at Brasil 2014!
The qualification cycle will consist of 16 matches for each of the nine participating teams, and each team will play the others teams home and away. The top four finishers advance to Brasil 2014, and the fifth-place squad advances to the intercontinental playoffs. So, who will advance to the FIFA World Cup final stage? Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay seem like great choices. What do Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador have to say about that? Will Venezuela finally get the job done? Will Peru and Bolivia pull off enough upsets to shock the continental giants? All we know is that the teams that come out of South America will have done so via the most fair and egalitarian qualification system of the six confederations' system. No one can complain about having a tougher group than a similarly talented side for every pair of teams clashes twice. CONMEBOL, where excuses go to die.
No comments:
Post a Comment