- 2 more out of CONCACAF (Panama, Jamaica)
- 2 more out of CONMEBOL (Peru, Colombia)
- 2 more out of Asia (UAE, Oman)
- 4 more out of Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Congo)
- 1 out of Oceania (NZ)
- 3 more out of Europe (Ukraine, Sweden, North Macedonia)
- 6 teams in a mini tournament to decide the last 2 spots (El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Iraq, Mali, Solomon Islands)
Originally, it was going to be 16 groups of 3 with the top 2 advancing to the Round of 32 but the odd number of teams means there is potential for collusion in the final group stage game. But if they do 12 groups of 4, it really messes up how they can organize a knockout round.
If they take the top 2 teams in each of the 12 groups:
a) Top 8 teams get bye to R16, lowest 4 group winners plus 8 runners-up play-off
b) 12 group winners get bye to R64, 12 runners-up play mini tournament to get last 4 R16 slots
c) all 24 teams play 1st and 2nd Round games whittling the field down to 6. Reseed, award 2 byes and have 3 play 6 and 4 play 5 for the right to advance to semis?
d) Take the 12 group winners plus only the top 4 runners-up to R16?
e) Take the 12 group winners and have only the top 8 runners-up playoffs for R16 bid.
There's no clean way to do it
Looking WAY ahead, the US will be in Pot 1, the quality of teams would look something like this:
Pot 2: Poland
Pot 3: Tunisia
Pot 4: Oman
- 2 more out of CONMEBOL (Peru, Colombia)
- 2 more out of Asia (UAE, Oman)
- 4 more out of Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Congo)
- 1 out of Oceania (NZ)
- 3 more out of Europe (Ukraine, Sweden, North Macedonia)
- 6 teams in a mini tournament to decide the last 2 spots (El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Iraq, Mali, Solomon Islands)
Originally, it was going to be 16 groups of 3 with the top 2 advancing to the Round of 32 but the odd number of teams means there is potential for collusion in the final group stage game. But if they do 12 groups of 4, it really messes up how they can organize a knockout round.
If they take the top 2 teams in each of the 12 groups:
a) Top 8 teams get bye to R16, lowest 4 group winners plus 8 runners-up play-off
b) 12 group winners get bye to R64, 12 runners-up play mini tournament to get last 4 R16 slots
c) all 24 teams play 1st and 2nd Round games whittling the field down to 6. Reseed, award 2 byes and have 3 play 6 and 4 play 5 for the right to advance to semis?
d) Take the 12 group winners plus only the top 4 runners-up to R16?
e) Take the 12 group winners and have only the top 8 runners-up playoffs for R16 bid.
There's no clean way to do it
Looking WAY ahead, the US will be in Pot 1, the quality of teams would look something like this:
Pot 2: Poland
Pot 3: Tunisia
Pot 4: Oman