World Cup 2006

[Diomedes]

are the original groups of four in the world cup completely random or does fifa try to seed them

not random

Final tournament
The current finals tournament features 32 national teams competing over a month in the host nation(s). There are two stages, a group stage and a knockout stage.

In the first stage (the group stage), teams are drawn into eight groups of four. Eight teams are seeded at the draw (based on both current FIFA World Rankings and recent World Cups), and assigned a group. The other teams are drawn at random. Since 1998, constraints have applied to the draw to ensure that no group contains more than two European teams or more than one team from any other confederation.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Not sure if anyone has mention it here already, but Google has an excellent spread for the World Cup action if you can't watch for some reason (work). If you look towards the bottom of Google's main page, there is a link to add scores and updates.

[bobbyinlondon]

Trinidad and Tobago tied Sweden at 0-0 and it's being considered a huge upset....

It is considering Sweden long has been one of Europe's better teams and that Trinidad and Tobago is one of the minnows. However, if the US even draws with the Czechs--that will be an upset.

[ice grillin you]

However, if the US even draws with the Czechs

isnt "even draw" being repetitive

[Rome]

I think he meant "manages" to tie, IGY.



Funny still, though.


Also - the USA is currently ranked #5 in the world by FIFA yet they weren't seeded in this tournament?  Strange.

[Geowhizzer]

I think he meant "manages" to tie, IGY.



Funny still, though.


Also - the USA is currently ranked #5 in the world by FIFA yet they weren't seeded in this tournament?  Strange.

Damn Europeans and their anti-American bias... 

[rjs246]

Also - the USA is currently ranked #5 in the world by FIFA yet they weren't seeded in this tournament? Strange.

They also won their qualifying region, but Mexico got seeded and they did not. Highly repsected is not how one would refer to the US soccer program.

[Diomedes]

They've hardly earned high respect.  One quarterfinal appearance does not mad respect earn.

[rjs246]

They've hardly earned high respect. One quarterfinal appearance does not mad respect earn.

Fair enough. But they have been consistantly equal to Mexico and won their region. What more do they have to do to get seeded?

[phattymatty]

ouch.  rough start.

[Rome]

They've hardly earned high respect. One quarterfinal appearance does not mad respect earn.

Fair enough. But they have been consistantly equal to Mexico and won their region. What more do they have to do to get seeded?

There's nothing they can do.  We're apparently the only country on the face of the Earth whose populace laughs at the sport yet still builds a program strong enough to compete at the highest level.

That's gotta piss off traditional football powers to no end.

Plus there's the whole "soccer" thing.  Mention that word to drunken Englishmen and they don't react well to it at all.

[ice grillin you]

i actually root against the us as a deep run by them might mean soccer actually be comes popular in this country...and that would be a very bad thing

[Rome]

Personally, I dig watching the English Premier League because that's a real sport in a real league with history, tradition and the best athletes in their sport competing together.  The stuff they pass off here in America is a joke in comparison.

As I see it, soccer will never be anything but a marginal sport in this country, IGY.

They've had pro leagues on and off for 30+ years and it's still a sport that rank & file sports fans couldn't care less about.

[ice grillin you]

As I see it, soccer will never be anything but a marginal sport in this country, IGY.

i agree...but quick exits in the world cup make they even more likely

[ice grillin you]

dagger