From: visconm@fog.CS.ORST.EDU (Marcello Visconti)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Re: FIFA proposed changes to (OCEANIA) Southern America
Date: 19 Aug 92 01:11:21 GMT
Organization: Oregon State University, Computer Science Dept.

In article <18AUG92.09205755.0022@lafibm.lafayette.edu> EC33@lafibm.lafayette.edu (EC33000) writes:
>In article <FISCHER.92Aug18053107@steiner.iesd.auc.dk> fischer@iesd.auc.dk (Lars Peter Fischer) writes:
>>
>>>>>>> "Ken" == shadlin  (shadlin@garnet.berkeley.edu)
>>
>>Ken> It is hardly a "free" spot for the holder-- they won the World Cup.
>>
>>Whatever. I used "free" to refer to the fact that this spot is not
>>counted when deciding should go to Europe, S.America, etc., as far as
>>I know. You can say "extra" or "bonus" if you like that better.
>>
>>/Lars
>>--
>>.
> The champion seems to count  when determining how many teams will go to
> to the World Cup.  I am not very familiar with how it works in Europe
> but in South America it has worked like this:
>       In Mexico '86 when Italy was defending champion Argentina, Brazil
>Uruguay and Paraguay went for South America.
>       In Italy '90 when Argentina was the defending champion Colombia,
>Brazil and Uruguay went for South America.
>  I'm not sure if this happened because FIFA changed the Number of
>representatives from each continent, or that the Champion spot is
>considered as a spot for the continent.  If the Champion spot had
>been a bonus then South america should have had 5 teams in the World
>Cup (which seems excessive to me anyway).
>***********************************************************************
> Carlos Escobar
> E-MAIL:EC33@LAFAYACS.BITNET
>>.

	I believe it goes as follows: South America has 3 'hard' spots and Europe
	14 (or 13, I am not quite sure). And there is one spot that is ALTERNATED
	between Europe and South America, but that spot must be earned in a playoff
	against some combination of Oceania-Israel(until last WC at least).

	For ex, in 1982 South America had 4 hard spots: Brasil, Argentina, Chile 
	and Peru, and some European team was defeated by New Zealand who attended
	the Cup.

	For 1986, South America sent also 4 teams and I don't believe any of them
	had to play against any Oceania-Israel (so much for the alternation theory..)

	In 1990, South America sent 4 teams, but one of them (Colombia) had to play
	a two game series against Israel (winner of Oceania-Israel group?) to 
	qualify.

	For 1994, South America has only 3 'hard' spots. The 4th must be earned with
	a playoff against the winner of (Oceania winner - Concacaf second).

	Before 1982, South America sent 3 teams to Mexico 70 and Argentina 78 and 4 to Germany 74,
	but there were only 16 teams. In 1974 Chile played a playoff against the ex-USSR (btw, 
	they draw 0-0 in Moscow and USSR decided not to play in Chile for political reasons, so
	Chile qualified :-).

	Another consideration: Africa earned an extra spot (for a total of 3) after WC 90, and I
	believe it was at the expenses of Europe.

	Hope it helps.

	Bye,

	Marcello.

-- 
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| Marcello Visconti                 visconm@cs.orst.edu            |
| Computer Science Department       Oregon State University        | 
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