Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Whatever the draw, Brazil is the favorite to win
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-05 09:34

The key to every World Cup draw is the seedings, the four bowls or "pots" FIFA divides the teams into, ostensibly seeking _ in the name of fairness and balance _ to avoid having one or two groups with several title contenders and others with none.

FIFA contends the seedings are based on past performance, but because the World Cup Organizing Committee determines the seedings, more than an eyebrow is raised when the final list is announced.

This year could provide even more fodder for conspiracy theorists. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested the much-maligned FIFA rankings and qualifying performances may be used to help determine seedings.

Taking the last three World Cups and weighing the results so that 2002 is worth half, 1998 is worth a third and 1994 is worth a sixth, Brazil clearly sits atop the 32 teams. It won the 1994 and 2002 titles, and is the indisputable leader of the No. 1 seeds.

The other seven seeds, in order, are Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Croatia, South Korea and Argentina.

Mexico and the Netherlands are tied atop the second eight, followed by England, Sweden, the United States, Paraguay, Japan and Serbia-Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia). Costa Rica leads the next eight, followed by Ecuador, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tunisia and Switzerland.

The remaining teams are gathered in a final seeding, six because they've never played in a World Cup (Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine) and two because they've haven't earned their invite to the tournament in quite a while (Australia, 1974, and the Czech Republic, 1990).

But this is where FIFA is likely to wield its influence and "tweak" the seedings.

Germany is the third-lowest ranked team among the top seeds (16th), but as host already is guaranteed the top spot in Group A.
Page: 1234567



China's women hockey team beats Olympic gold medalist Germany
Rebecca Cartwright
Italy volleyball internatinoal Francesca Piccinini
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Airbus mulls plane assembly in China

 

   
 

FM: Summit with Japan, S.Korea postponed

 

   
 

China's economy to grow by 9.4 pct this year

 

   
 

DPP under pressure to improve mainland ties

 

   
 

Former 9/11 commissioners: US still at risk

 

   
 

Big income rise for farmers unlikely next year

 

   
  Whatever the draw, Brazil is the favorite to win
   
  Juvetus go eight points clear with Fiorentina win
   
  Croatia wins Davis Cup for the first time
   
  Real Madrid sack coach Luxemburgo
   
  Stoudamire and Grizzlies roar past Rockets
   
  Agassi confirms for Kooyong tournament
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Argentina bounce back, Italy held in friendlies
   
Last 5 qualifiers complete World Cup lineup
   
England considers bid for 2018 World Cup
   
FIFA has shortlist of 44 referees for 2006 World Cup
   
Argentina sink Peru with late goals
   
France, Spain down to last game to qualify
   
20 teams through to 2006 World Cup finals
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 免费国产人做人视频在线观看 | 免费看美女被靠到爽的视频| ww在线观视频免费观看| 强3d不知火舞视频无掩挡网站| 久久综合热88| 毛片一级在线观看| 国产在线精品一区二区不卡麻豆| 92午夜少妇极品福利无码电影| 成人精品一区二区久久| 五月综合色婷婷影院在线观看| 波多野结衣bd| 动漫美女被到爽了流漫画| 国产91精品在线| 国产视频一区二区在线播放| 一级做a爰片久久毛片人呢| 日韩一品在线播放视频一品免费| 亚洲日本va在线观看| 精品一区二区三区在线播放视频 | 中文字幕乱码人妻一区二区三区| 欧美一区二三区| 亚洲自偷自偷在线制服| 精品熟女碰碰人人a久久| 国产午夜无码精品免费看动漫 | 你懂的手机在线视频| 色吧首页dvd| 国产成人av一区二区三区不卡| 69免费视频大片| 天天av天天av天天透| 两领导在车上吃我的奶| 日本电影免费久久精品| 亚洲av日韩精品久久久久久久| 欧美精品黑人粗大| 伊人久久精品亚洲午夜| 精品无码一区二区三区| 国产亚洲欧美久久久久| 久艾草国产成人综合在线视频| 国产精品视频第一区二区三区| av无码精品一区二区三区四区| 性一交一乱一伧老太| 中文字幕日韩精品无码内射| 日韩一区二区三区北条麻妃|