Petition to fifa to introduce a draw for the pairs of the 1/8 finals at the next World Cup
The Issue
Dear FIFA,
Group stage matches are one of the most important part of World Cup. Because we already know the rivals a few months before the start of tournament our teams can prepare for the matches against them, press can make analyses about them, and our televisions get the opportunity to broadcast (and discuss) the draw itself, which always provides us with excitement. This is a very beautiful element of the World Cup and millions of fans around the world are used to it.
However, it's hard not to pay attention to a less beautiful aspect of the group stage. It's about the calculations committed by the national teams after the first matches. This was most likely the case in Group E, when after the Germans defeat to Japan, the Spaniards began to calculate that if Japan took first place, it would be more profitable for them to finish second. In this way, La Furia Roja eliminated dangerous Germany, but also decided that it would meet Morocco rather than Croatia in the 1/8 finals match. After that (assuming victory), they will meet winner of the Portugal vs. Switzerland match, rather than Brazil. Of course, we could consider that the Japanese were simply better than the Spaniards, but statistics leave no illusions. Spain didn't want to attack their rivals (or at least attack not too hard).
However, if you decide to change the rules of the tournament and introduce an additional draw after the group stage, which would determine the pairs of the 1/8 finals, it would not only end the unsporting calculations, but also release additional excitement. After 1/8 you can return to the classic "single-elimination system”. Then it won't matter, because the defeat team is out of the tournament anyway.
Ladies and gentlemen, we know very well that some behavior from soccer can not be eliminated. Rumor says that the Argentinians let the Poles off the hook in the second half of the match, because they preferred that the Poles take second place in the group, rather than Mexico, which is not like so much in Buenos Aires. Was that really the case? We'll never know that. What we do know is that we would like to watch football devoid of calculations. We are interested in sports and the emotions associated with it, so we call for the introduction of a draw for the pairs of the 1/8 finals, as is works, for example, in the case of the UEFA Champions League.
The Issue
Dear FIFA,
Group stage matches are one of the most important part of World Cup. Because we already know the rivals a few months before the start of tournament our teams can prepare for the matches against them, press can make analyses about them, and our televisions get the opportunity to broadcast (and discuss) the draw itself, which always provides us with excitement. This is a very beautiful element of the World Cup and millions of fans around the world are used to it.
However, it's hard not to pay attention to a less beautiful aspect of the group stage. It's about the calculations committed by the national teams after the first matches. This was most likely the case in Group E, when after the Germans defeat to Japan, the Spaniards began to calculate that if Japan took first place, it would be more profitable for them to finish second. In this way, La Furia Roja eliminated dangerous Germany, but also decided that it would meet Morocco rather than Croatia in the 1/8 finals match. After that (assuming victory), they will meet winner of the Portugal vs. Switzerland match, rather than Brazil. Of course, we could consider that the Japanese were simply better than the Spaniards, but statistics leave no illusions. Spain didn't want to attack their rivals (or at least attack not too hard).
However, if you decide to change the rules of the tournament and introduce an additional draw after the group stage, which would determine the pairs of the 1/8 finals, it would not only end the unsporting calculations, but also release additional excitement. After 1/8 you can return to the classic "single-elimination system”. Then it won't matter, because the defeat team is out of the tournament anyway.
Ladies and gentlemen, we know very well that some behavior from soccer can not be eliminated. Rumor says that the Argentinians let the Poles off the hook in the second half of the match, because they preferred that the Poles take second place in the group, rather than Mexico, which is not like so much in Buenos Aires. Was that really the case? We'll never know that. What we do know is that we would like to watch football devoid of calculations. We are interested in sports and the emotions associated with it, so we call for the introduction of a draw for the pairs of the 1/8 finals, as is works, for example, in the case of the UEFA Champions League.
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Petition created on December 5, 2022