To ease the fixture schedule, how about this?
All teams that progressed to the round of 32 automatically qualify for the next world cup, leaving only 16 places up for qualification. These can be held in ties between the previous 16 and the highest ranked 16 other nations.
For the Euros, the 3 highest teams in each first round group of 4, automatically qualify for the next competition, leaving only 4 places up for qualification, between the previous 4 and the highest ranked 4 other nations.
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Relegation/promotion for World Cup & Euros
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted on 9/9/25
Under your proposal do the top 32 play any football between tournaments?
posted on 9/9/25
So looking at England's fixtures since 2020
2020
UEFA Nations 6
Friendly 2
2021
World Cup quali 10
Euro FINALS 7
Friendly 2
2022
UEFA Nations 6
World Cup FINALS 5
Friendly 2
2023
Euro quali 8
Friendly 2
2024
Euro FINALS 7
UEFA Nations 6
Friendly 4
2025
World Cup Quali 8
Friendly 2
posted on 9/9/25
So ignoring the covid years you could go from
2022 (13)
UEFA Nations 6
World Cup FINALS 5
Friendly 2
2023 (10)
Euro quali 8
Friendly 2
2024 (17)
Euro FINALS 7
UEFA Nations 6
Friendly 4
2025 (10)
World Cup Quali 8
Friendly 2
to
2022 (7)
World Cup FINALS 5
Friendly 2
2023 (8)
UEFA Nations 6
Friendly 2
2024 (11)
Euro FINALS 7
Friendly 4
2025 (8)
UEFA Nations 6
Friendly 2
comment by Derek Lyle (U1734)
posted on 9/9/25
The man who done the article is a Spurs fan. Man, would you be happy with the same happening in the Champions League? All those that make the last 24 from the group or whatever it is automatically qualify for next season and limited or no qualifiers through the league? So Spurs could never qualify
posted on 9/9/25
comment by Emile Matthew Yaw Nyamedom Acquah (U1734)
posted 1 minute ago
The man who done the article is a Spurs fan. Man, would you be happy with the same happening in the Champions League? All those that make the last 24 from the group or whatever it is automatically qualify for next season and limited or no qualifiers through the league? So Spurs could never qualify
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why would Spurs never qualify?
T.he English teams tend to progress anyway. If there are English automatic qualifiers, then the next team down in the league gets that league qualification spot for the remaining CL places.
Makes no difference.
comment by Derek Lyle (U1734)
posted on 9/9/25
comment by plus vincit saepius ra ra ra. I called the biggest ever ODI win at 2 down. (U23088)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Emile Matthew Yaw Nyamedom Acquah (U1734)
posted 1 minute ago
The man who done the article is a Spurs fan. Man, would you be happy with the same happening in the Champions League? All those that make the last 24 from the group or whatever it is automatically qualify for next season and limited or no qualifiers through the league? So Spurs could never qualify
----------------------------------------------------------------------
why would Spurs never qualify?
T.he English teams tend to progress anyway. If there are English automatic qualifiers, then the next team down in the league gets that league qualification spot for the remaining CL places.
Makes no difference.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That would mean unlimited English teams? If the 4 or 5 English teams that qualify make the knockouts then they all qualify next year. None from the league because of that
posted on 9/9/25
comment by Emile Matthew Yaw Nyamedom Acquah (U1734)
posted 54 seconds ago
comment by plus vincit saepius ra ra ra. I called the biggest ever ODI win at 2 down. (U23088)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Emile Matthew Yaw Nyamedom Acquah (U1734)
posted 1 minute ago
The man who done the article is a Spurs fan. Man, would you be happy with the same happening in the Champions League? All those that make the last 24 from the group or whatever it is automatically qualify for next season and limited or no qualifiers through the league? So Spurs could never qualify
----------------------------------------------------------------------
why would Spurs never qualify?
T.he English teams tend to progress anyway. If there are English automatic qualifiers, then the next team down in the league gets that league qualification spot for the remaining CL places.
Makes no difference.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That would mean unlimited English teams? If the 4 or 5 English teams that qualify make the knockouts then they all qualify next year. None from the league because of that
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, fair point, you're right.
But in the internationals the places aren't coming from the same leagues.
We'd have to look at a qualifying system which gives the non automatic qualifiers, the opportunity to progress to the finals. I don't see it as that much of an issue.
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted on 9/9/25
But in the internationals the places aren't coming from the same leagues.
======
There is the real chance of European nations dominating your format though - especially when it is held in Europe.
The world cup would just be the Euros plus Brazil, Argentina and a couple of others. It would massively hamper a story like Morocco's run to the semi final happening.
Also, hosts haven't been included in the 48, thus reducing the 16 extra places by 1, 2 or 3.
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted on 9/9/25
I could understand the semi finalists getting invited back to the next one, but considering the winners don't even get that privilege anymore it seems unlikely. And wouldn't affect fixture congestion anyway.
In reality FIFA are not going to cut down on internationals. Club football would have to lose fixtures, with a PL of 18 or even 16 more likely.
posted on 9/9/25
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 3 minutes ago
But in the internationals the places aren't coming from the same leagues.
======
There is the real chance of European nations dominating your format though - especially when it is held in Europe.
The world cup would just be the Euros plus Brazil, Argentina and a couple of others. It would massively hamper a story like Morocco's run to the semi final happening.
Also, hosts haven't been included in the 48, thus reducing the 16 extra places by 1, 2 or 3.
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We could perhaps set some kind of a limit on the number of competitors from particular continents or regions, so long as there were at least a couple of spaces for each region. But I don't see why it's needed?
There are 16 places (less hosts available).
We don't know what continents the 32 countries come from. It might be that only half of those are from Europe. I don't see any reason why more of the existing 32 should be european than would qualify in the normal manner?
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