World Cup 2014 Draw, 6th December

Expected world cup pots. France in Pot 4 as worst European team.

Potential for a few decent groups. The groups which will have France, Chile or Ivory Coast from Pot 4 will be interesting. Wonder will FIFA keep France separate from a European seed so as to avoid a group with 3 European teams? But would hardly be fair on everyone else if France could not be drawn with Spain or Germany.

Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland
Pot 2: Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, England, Portugal, Greece, Croatia
Pot 3: Japan, Australia, Iran, Korea Republic, Costa Rica, USA, Honduras, Mexico
Pot 4: Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Algeria, Chile, Ecuador, France

Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia,

Can't have more than 3 European teams in one group unlike in the past - so France will get one of Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, or Uruguay.

Some very tasty combinations possible - Pot 3 looks weak with Japan / USA looking the strongest from it.

 

Brazil, England, USA/Japan and France would be good.

Devrozex wrote: Brazil, England, USA/Japan and France would be good.   It's actually one of the strongest WC line ups in a long while I think. All previous 8 winners there, 6 South American sides playing on their own continent and probably the best available teams in CAF. Bosnia the only newcomers?   All the big guns there and - on paper at least - very few whipping boys. Should be quality!

Very true, maybe only Iran would be considered a team which might get a whipping if they got a Brazil,Germany or Spain.

sid waddell wrote: rolo wrote: Expected world cup pots. France in Pot 4 as worst European team. Potential for a few decent groups. The groups which will have France, Chile or Ivory Coast from Pot 4 will be interesting. Wonder will FIFA keep France separate from a European seed so as to avoid a group with 3 European teams? But would hardly be fair on everyone else if France could not be drawn with Spain or Germany. Pot 1: Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay, Switzerland Pot 2: Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, England, Portugal, Greece, Croatia Pot 3: Japan, Australia, Iran, Korea Republic, Costa Rica, USA, Honduras, Mexico Pot 4: Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Algeria, Chile, Ecuador, France Officially, Pot 2 is actually Pot 4, Pot 3 is Pot 2 and Pot 4 is Pot 3.

Michel Platini has said one of the groups will only contain 3 teams as France have been given a by to the final

SuperDave84 wrote: Based on next set of world rankings. Given that there are no more matches to be played that will impact on rankings, even though FIFA haven't actually released the "official" rankings, they have been calculated by the assorted nerds of the internet such that the seedings can be ascertained.

It was stated on FIFA website that October 2013 rankings would be used, so as teams playing in play-offs would not get advantge by playing extra games.

Vivakenbarlow wrote: At least 3 teams in pot 4 clearly better than switzerland

Pots 2 to 4 are only based on geography. Pot 4 are no weaker, in theory at least, than Pot 2.

The draw is split into 8 seeded teams and 24 unseeded teams.


Edited by rolo - 21 Nov 2013 at 7:07pm