Only one of Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria or Zambia can make the 2018 World Cup

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CAF)

The ultimate Group of Death???

 

[ijjysmith]

FEED THE YAK

 

[jackyboy]

Do it for Kalusha. Up the copper bullets.

 

[Brendan Janus]

FEED THE YAK

Still only 33, 34 next month, amazing really !

 

[The Cowboy]

Still only 33, 34 next month, amazing really !

Of course he's not.

 

[tsubaki]

Only the winner to qualify makes all of those groups tough.

 

[Prevenger17]

Amazing to think that Yakubu is still only 28

 

[ToffeeDan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CAF)

The ultimate Group of Death???

Apparently not. These four are ranked 1 Algeria, 6 Cameroon, 10 Nigeria and 17 Zambia - where Algeria are ranked top African nation.

Whereas 3rd ranked Ghana are in a group with 7 Congo and 9 Egypt (as well as 19 Uganda) is just as hard to get out of.

 

[degsy]

Does seem a bit harsh, all have decent-ish pedigrees, maybe not too recently some of them...on their day they could be the joker in a WC group and provide an upset to more fancied teams. Which maybe why there's rumours of upping the WC to 40 something teams.

There might be room for a trade-off - change AFCON to every 4 yrs (this needs doing) and match it up with the Euros and we'll give you more WC places.

 

[The Cowboy]

Looking at the likely winners of the other groups, you can't begrudge any of them a place in the finals. The issue here is that football has improved in many African nations to the point that 5 places really isn't enough. I think Europe and S America have to give up a place or two, or FIFA need to look at more cross-federation playoffs.

Imagine a 4 team playoff league featuring a country from Asia, Africa, CONCACAF and Oceania, playing for two spots. That'd be decent.

 

[Papa Shango]

Looking at the likely winners of the other groups, you can't begrudge any of them a place in the finals. The issue here is that football has improved in many African nations to the point that 5 places really isn't enough. I think Europe and S America have to give up a place or two, or FIFA need to look at more cross-federation playoffs.

Imagine a 4 team playoff league featuring a country from Asia, Africa, CONCACAF and Oceania, playing for two spots. That'd be decent.

Would be a logistical nightmare though unless it was hosted somewhere.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

I personally think the following would be fairest

13 spots for UEFA
4 for South America
4 for Asia
4 for North America
6 for Africa
1 for Oceania

 

[The Cowboy]

I personally think the following would be fairest

13 spots for UEFA
4 for South America
4 for Asia
4 for North America
6 for Africa
1 for Oceania

Can't help thinking it'd make more sense combining the N and S American federations for WC qualifying. 4 places seems too few when you think there's Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, so one of them would have to miss out, not to mention the others not standing a chance due to that daft single league set-up they have.

Combine the federations, give them 8 places to play for, and break them into 4-team groups like everywhere else.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Can't help thinking it'd make more sense combining the N and S American federations for WC qualifying. 4 places seems too few when you think there's Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, so one of them would have to miss out, not to mention the others not standing a chance due to that daft single league set-up they have.

Combine the federations, give them 8 places to play for, and break them into 4-team groups like everywhere else.

I think you'd then have the problem of the South American nations filling the majority of the slots

If you had 3 guaranteed for North America, 3 guaranteed for South America and then the other 2 slots decided in a mini group featuring, say, the best 3 runners up from each confederation, with the top 2 going through, I'd like that idea more