There’s probably too many politics for a merger to happen or any sort of restructuring.
Logistically, it would make a lot of sense for the US, Mexico and maybe Canada to align with CONEMBOL and the smaller countries and islands in CONCACAF would have a lot more in common.
Geographically it would make sense for at least some of the island nations near South America and the smaller countries actually in South America to join CONEMBOL. Like why are Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana in CONCACAF? And it’d make more sense for Curicao, Trinidad, Aruba, Grenada, etc…to be with South America.
Though it will likely end in a draw just the same shoutout Austria and Algeria for not just kicking the ball around for 90 minutes doing nothing like Paraguay and Australia did
What an ending. And Austria’s late goal was good for Algeria - pushed them into 3rd to play Switzerland instead of having to play Spain as the 2nd place finisher
And Iran was knocked out by that late Austria goal. Glad the drama around them is over
To my eyes, France looks the best side after the group stage, with both Mbappe and Dembele bringing serious firepower. Argentina also looks strong. Excited for the knockout rounds!
World Cup this year is expected to more than double the previous revenue record. Obviously part of that is expansion and inflation, but I think it would be a good bet to say it’s probably coming back here in 2038. Just such an advantage to have a built in group of ex-pats or 2nd/3rd gen immigrants from basically every country
We also have a glut of top tier stadiums thanks to the NFL. Not that second world countries don’t deserve their moment to shine, but between Rio and Dubai Doha it’s been painful watching those countries try to build the infrastructure to host at great financial and human cost.
I think they try to do Europe every other cycle, so it probably wouldn’t come back to the US before 2042.
86 - Mexico
90 - Italy
94 - US
98 - France
02 - Japan/Korea
06 - Germany
10 - South Africa
14 - Brazil
18 - Russia
22 - Qatar
26 - US/Mexico/Canada
30 - Spain/Portugal/Morocco+Argentina/Paraguay/Uruguay
34 - Saudi Arabia
I don’t know if the UK is even interested, but England last hosted in 1966. It’s been a while for Italy too.
For 2042, I don’t know if they’re going to try to classify the 2030 one as African and South American so FIFA can skip those federations, but realistically no country in Africa has the infrastructure and getting all or most of the North African countries to cooperate would be a challenge. For South America, it’s basically Argentina and Brazil or a coalition of smaller countries.
But the US would make a lot of sense for FIFA. Now, if it makes sense for the US cities and stadiums themselves, that’s hard to say. You might have to wait a few years for memories to fade before starting a bidding process again.
It now can only be on the same continent once every three cycles so in theory couldn’t be Europe until 2042 since it’s there in 2030 (unless they change the rules of course). That’s how Saudis won by default in 2034, couldn’t be NA/SA/Asia/Europe
Yeah calling 2030 Europe, Africa and South America leaving only Asia and Oceania eligible for 2034 was blatantly sketchy. No one in Oceania is capable of hosting (Australia is in the Asia federation) and with Japan/Korea not interested and China just bad at soccer, it basically just left the Middle Eastern countries not named Qatar, Iran and Iraq…so Saudi Arabia.
But if they’re using that same logic for 2030, then you’re right, 2038 can only be North America.
But bids would be up for vote in like 3 years and I don’t see the host cities having an appetite to bid to host again so soon if the financial costs do end up being as high as reported and the economic benefits not being as lucrative as projected. But maybe some cities did make money and would re-bid (Seattle, LA, Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, KC) and other cities that didn’t host might have FOMO or show off new stadiums and try to bid this time (DC, Minneapolis, Charlotte, Nashville, Chicago, Phoenix, Vegas, Buffalo, Detroit, Denver - granted the soccer culture in some of those cities might be too lacking to host).
I don’t know. Hosting again in 12 years makes it feel less special too.
This Morocco-Netherlands shootout is both great dramatic tension and tragi-comedy with some of the misses, plus the Dutch keeper somehow having an own goal.