Feature image: CONCACAF’s new logo
Something new is beginning in CONCACAF during this international break.
The regional confederation is further executing its plan for a CONCACAF Nations League with the first round of games in its qualifier.
What is it?
To systematize the occurrence and increase the number of matches among the region’s national teams, the federation is replacing the current free-for-all in which each national federation schedules “friendlies” for itself with a “competitiveness-tiered” competition among a set of three leagues that will practice promotion and relegation.
Currently, some member national teams play as few as ten games per four-year cycle. The CONCACAF Nations League will increase that number by six — 60% — to at least four games every year. The increase will impact revenue in addition to soccer quality.
The three leagues, A, B and C, will begin play a year from now in September of 2019, with the results determining promotion and relegation at the end of each season.
- Each league has four groups.
- Group winners in Leagues B and C will advance.
- Group losers in Leagues A and B will drop.
- Leagues will play during the first four of FIFA’s five international windows Sept., Oct., Nov. and March.
- Each league will crown a champion via championship semi-finals and a final.
- We presume the June window will be used for semis and finals, likely Friday and Tuesday.
Further details
This coming weekend, 34 national teams begin a schedule of matches that will determine league placement according to competition rather than politics. (The 41st confederation member, Guatamala, missed deadlines to participate, having been suspended by FIFA for failing to comply with mandated anti-corruption measures from 2016 until mid-May of this year.)
The new pillar principles, Unity, Football, Quality, and Access, demand preliminary qualification matches as necessary and fair. CONCACAF has created a ranking index that has assisted in creating the qualifiers.
These are the FIFA date-windows during which the initial classification matches will be played. Each window allows for two games, so each team will play one qualifier per window and will have the opportunity to play a friendly in advance, as Jamaica will in Harrison, NJ on Friday September 7th.
- 3-11 September 2018
- 8-16 October 2018
- 12-20 November 2018
- 18-26 March 2018
For those wondering about the United States, the final six in CONCACAF’s hexagonal qualifying for Russia 2018 have been placed in the top six spots of the 2019 version of League A automatically.
Why do it?
The underlying circumstances of extreme diversity that COCACAF President Montigliani’s initiative addresses reflect member populations, economic sizes, and the quality range of soccer played in his federation. To exemplify:
- The population of the United States is estimated at 328,000,000. Turks and Caicos’ estimate is 18,700.
- FIFA ranks Mexico 16th, 190 places above Turks and Caicos which is dead last in the world at 206th.
- The United States is ranked second in the world in Gross Domestic Product adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity. Turks and Caicos are tied for 187th out of 194.
The CONCACAF Nations League addresses these diversities three ways.
- It improves equity in the numbers of games played.
- It replaces “friendlies” with matches of meaningful consequence.
- It provides competition more appropriate to the quality of each team in its current moment.
Neither the United States’ nor Turks and Caicos’ soccer development would benefit from a match in which the USA keeps a clean sheet and wins by four touchdowns and a field goal. Not that many people would pay money to see it, nor would TV networks see it as a good opportunity to sell top-dollar advertising.
Victor Montigliani has led his federation to follow the lead of UEFA whose own Nations League begins play in this international window. UEFA has population, economic, and competitive diversity similar to the globe’s northwest “quadri-sphere.” Think Thursday’s Germany vs. France, instead of Germany vs. Gibraltar.
I understand the feel-good reasons why they are trying to do this on a world-wide scale, but I am disappointed at how this will affect us, and basically any other region besides UEFA. For UEFA this will be a cash cow.
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This will end up having a huge affect on FIFA rankings. With every region playing in a bubble now, the ability to move up and down in the rankings is going to be limited by the best team in each region. Beating them is going to be the only way to move up, and there will be that glass ceiling for each region.
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This might be a good thing for the small nations around the world, but as an overall effect, I think it will limit more than it helps.
This seems like a way slide cash to the minnows. someone has to pay for these additional games, and it won’t come from tv or gate receipts from them. If these sports federations weren’t seemingly universally corrupt, I’d say fine, the USA & Mexico could easily pay for Ts&Cs to play st Kitts in an annual best of 7 series. But I have no confidence that the money will make it to where it’s supposed to go. Not a fan of this idea.
I think the idea is great but do have initial concerns about finances. Absolutely in favor of strict fiduciary responsibility and transparency.
Far too long the U.S. has taken for granite of the minimum requirements to be a TOP team in CONCACAF Federation.
It is time for our Country to be open to a wide range of competition and strengthen North America as a whole.
If we as the USA are to set a standard then why not play everyone and prove it on a field we all know and love.
FOOTBALL truly is, the gold standard in creativity.
Just a slight correction: the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is a British Overseas Territory made up of more than 40 islands with a population of more than 31,000. For more info you can check this website: http://turksandcaicostourism.com/about-turks-and-caicos/quick-facts/
Looking forward to the games.
I like the concept, but do wonder how this impacts teams like US & Mexico getting opportunities to play on the big boy fields.
Also – what happens to the Gold Cup and/or the potentially expanded Copa America? Are they planning to do this on the women’d side too?