Football Discussion | Qualification to Summer Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 Road to LA 2028

[phelps 8,696]

3 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Yep...come on, how difficult is it to understand that one needs 16, 32 or (too much of course) 64 teams for a decent format? 48 doesn't work without intrinsically unfair things like "best ranked third place".

 

But, money.

48 teams work with 16 groups of 3 (same with 24 and 12...just make group stage with 3-team pools)

 

ps I also think that 48 teams are too many even among the men, think among the women 

[heywoodu 16,460]

1 minute ago, phelps said:

48 teams work with 16 groups of 3 (same with 24 and 12...just make group stage with 3-team pools)

 

ps I also think that 48 teams are too many even among the men, think among the women 

Yeah, that would work, but 2026 is showing us that FIFA isn't likely to go that way, considering for next year they opted for the by definition more unfair system of 12 groups of 4.

[JoshMartini007 2,861]

FIFA is probably scared of match fixing between teams, no way they will just let one team sit idly while the other two play.

[heywoodu 16,460]

2 hours ago, JoshMartini007 said:

FIFA is probably scared of match fixing between teams, no way they will just let one team sit idly while the other two play.

Another reason of there not being a perfect solution, and why a power of 2 as the number of teams is simply the only good one  

[phelps 8,696]

4 hours ago, JoshMartini007 said:

FIFA is probably scared of match fixing between teams, no way they will just let one team sit idly while the other two play.

FIFA is the first to manage match fixing...they're more than happy to do it and they almost never hide their intention 

[Monzanator 5,115]

Ali Gholizadeh scores the only goal in the Polish Ekstraklasa classic vs Legia Warsaw which means Lech Poznań returns to the top of the league with two matches remaining (after leaders Raków lost to outgoing champions Jagiellonia yesterday).  @MHSN

[AsensioWillemsen 176]

On 5/10/2025 at 8:17 AM, heywoodu said:

Yep...come on, how difficult is it to understand that one needs 16, 32 or (too much of course) 64 teams for a decent format? 48 doesn't work without intrinsically unfair things like "best ranked third place".

 

But, money.

It works when you have groups of 6 or a second groups stage-like round. But that is not an option in the case of football.

[MHSN 3,813]

7 hours ago, Monzanator said:

Ali Gholizadeh scores the only goal in the Polish Ekstraklasa classic vs Legia Warsaw which means Lech Poznań returns to the top of the league with two matches remaining (after leaders Raków lost to outgoing champions Jagiellonia yesterday).  @MHSN

and that was a beauty. good for him. looks like he was less injured this season and actually played few matches (or more than a few) for his club. 

 

there are some news that 2 or 3 local clubs here are trying to take him back from Poland. hopefully he stays in Poland. our football league (which is more like gladiator battles league) is the last thing you want to watch. the most unwatchable sporting competition  

[heywoodu 16,460]

Meanwhile in the Dutch Eredivisie, Ajax had a 9-point lead on PSV with 7 matches to go. They haven't been doing well since, but yesterday they could claim the title for the first time (this season of course); if Feyenoord beat PSV, and Ajax beat 13th ranked N.E.C., they would be champions. Feyenoord took a 2-0 lead, but PSV came back and claimed a last-minute 2-3 win. Alright, no loss for Ajax of course, they were about to pick up 3 points at home against N.E.C. anyway......but then lost 0-3  

 

Now the difference, with two matches to go, is only 1 point between Ajax and PSV  

[Monzanator 5,115]

18 hours ago, MHSN said:

and that was a beauty. good for him. looks like he was less injured this season and actually played few matches (or more than a few) for his club. 

 

there are some news that 2 or 3 local clubs here are trying to take him back from Poland. hopefully he stays in Poland. our football league (which is more like gladiator battles league) is the last thing you want to watch. the most unwatchable sporting competition  

 

Over here there was talk about Persepolis trying to sign him in the winter break but nothing happened. He's played in 31 of 32 league matches and scored 8 goals so far. He was mainly a sub at the start of the season but is a regular in the starting line-up since mid-October.