+ 1 best 2nd placed team amongst all groups So totally we have 16 teams now which is perfect for a knockout round. All the knockout rounds upto the final will be a 2 legged affair.
ok. time to put another thoughts based on current asian cup thread . from 2026 we are going to have 48 teams WC. so simlarly i think we should also increase the Asian Cup to 32 teams.
Pros 1) Well it will generate more revenue with more number of teams. 2) Easy knockout rule. just like WC format now. no best place third team blah blah. 3) Chance for nations like Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives,Bangladsh to make it to a competivite tournament. 4) the smaller nations will give it all to qulaify since they think they are close to make it as 32 of 46 teams will go to final rounds.
Cons 1) increased expenditure on host countries ( so joint bid must be promoted) 2) qualify of the game may suffer (yes, for sure. but who cares. as far my country is in the tournament, i am happy. And this Asian cup is watched by Asians only. We can't comptete with UEFA, Conembol, Afcon even for that matter)
ok. time to put another thoughts based on current asian cup thread . from 2026 we are going to have 48 teams WC. so simlarly i think we should also increase the Asian Cup to 32 teams.
Pros 1) Well it will generate more revenue with more number of teams. 2) Easy knockout rule. just like WC format now. no best place third team blah blah. 3) Chance for nations like Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives,Bangladsh to make it to a competivite tournament. 4) the smaller nations will give it all to qulaify since they think they are close to make it as 32 of 46 teams will go to final rounds.
Cons 1) increased expenditure on host countries ( so joint bid must be promoted) 2) qualify of the game may suffer (yes, for sure. but who cares. as far my country is in the tournament, i am happy. And this Asian cup is watched by Asians only. We can't comptete with UEFA, Conembol, Afcon even for that matter)
32 Teams in Asia Cup seriously ? Just dont play qualifiers then
In other countries, national Federations have signed up lucrative deals ( TV / sponsorship) with National Team. Like Mexico plays their International Friendlies in USA with other countries in front of their diaspora. Countries like England or Spain will send their top squad as this is a tournament Nations League. Value for sponsors Otherwise coaches used to experiment more in Friendlies
There should be a tournament in Asia where Asian Cup champions,and winners of Saff,Asean,Central Asia,East Asia,West Asia or any regional cup winners play with each other,either in a round robin or Home Away format and toppers get to play final,It will add meaning to such regional tournaments and also India can get to play very good teams as most of the time we win Saff.Just an thought though.
I think splitting AFC into two parts is a very good suggestion. and even if it happens I want India to be part of Eastern Zone rather than be grouped with those war mongering/egoistic/terrorists Arab Nations in Western Zone. I also think bringing Oceania to Eastern AFC is also a good idea too. This way we may a have a UEFA Nations League kind of tournament for each zone after splitting since we all complained about how much distance it is to travel from one country to another and their shitty geopolitics reasons.
Comments
So totally we have 16 teams now which is perfect for a knockout round. All the knockout rounds upto the final will be a 2 legged affair.
from 2026 we are going to have 48 teams WC. so simlarly i think we should also increase the Asian Cup to 32 teams.
Pros
1) Well it will generate more revenue with more number of teams.
2) Easy knockout rule. just like WC format now. no best place third team blah blah.
3) Chance for nations like Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives,Bangladsh to make it to a competivite tournament.
4) the smaller nations will give it all to qulaify since they think they are close to make it as 32 of 46 teams will go to final rounds.
Cons
1) increased expenditure on host countries ( so joint bid must be promoted)
2) qualify of the game may suffer (yes, for sure. but who cares. as far my country is in the tournament, i am happy. And this Asian cup is watched by Asians only. We can't comptete with UEFA, Conembol, Afcon even for that matter)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10591685/UEFA-plan-EXPAND-Euros-32-TEAM-tournament-2028.html
since we have 2027 edition coming after 2023 we should implement it because people will say "oh., we are copying UEFA".
Like Mexico plays their International Friendlies in USA with other countries in front of their diaspora.
Countries like England or Spain will send their top squad as this is a tournament Nations League.
Value for sponsors
Otherwise coaches used to experiment more in Friendlies
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No, I think above suggestion is better.
Kangrooos can go back to Ocenia
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I think splitting AFC into two parts is a very good suggestion. and even if it happens I want India to be part of Eastern Zone rather than be grouped with those war mongering/egoistic/terrorists Arab Nations in Western Zone.
I also think bringing Oceania to Eastern AFC is also a good idea too.
This way we may a have a UEFA Nations League kind of tournament for each zone after splitting since we all complained about how much distance it is to travel from one country to another and their shitty geopolitics reasons.
The AFC has 47 member associations split into five subregions:
Central (four Soviet Central Asian countries plus Afghanistan and Iran),
East (eight East Asian nations and two Micronesian territories: Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands),
South (five countries on the Indian Subcontinent plus Maldives and Sri Lanka),
South East (ten ASEAN countries plus Australia and East Timor), and
West (twelve Arab countries).
At first it is easy
Western = West 12 + Central 6 = 18
Eastern = East 10 + South East 12 = 22
Now the deciding region is SAFF containing 7 countries
Pakistan should go to Western, rest 6 including India should go to Eastern
So now Western = 19, Eastern = 28