The (Fictional) Football Alliance: June 2018

Just before the World Cup of nations kicks off this coming Sunday, we publish the now-completed list of European domestic Champions and Cup-winning clubs for the 2017 - 18 season, together with each countries' two entrants for the new 'European Comrades Cup' which will be a feature of continental club competition in 2018 - 19, the qualification criterion for which is essentially the second- and third-placed clubs in each country's league table for the season just ended, unless any club has already qualified for Europe by dint of either winning their domestic Cup or otherwise being beaten finalist to the Champions who will thus compete in the Champion Clubs' Cup, as indeed will be the case with the English entrants, where third-placed Northwich Victoria have qualified for the Cup-Winners' Cup as runners-up to Champions Liverpool St Helens, allowing fourth-placed Marine to take what otherwise would have been their place in the Comrades' Cup.

Tuesday, 5 June 2018

World Cup 2018: First Round Draw

The draw for the First Round group stage of the World Cup 2018 is as follows.

Group 1
East Germany - France - Haiti - Japan

based in Berlin and Magdeburg

Group 2
Czechoslovakia - Mexico - Pakistan - Spain

based in Jena and Leipzig

Group 3
Algeria - Argentina - Italy - Portugal

based in Dresden and Zwickau

Group 4
Cameroon - England - Hungary - Uruguay

based in Rostock and Stralsund.

The group matches will be played over the twelve consecutive days beginning 10th June to 21st June, each day featuring the two games in any one group, kicking-off at 18:30 CET and 20:30 CET, except on the day of the final round of fixtures in each group when both will commence at 20:30.

The top two teams in each group progress to the knock-out Quarter Finals, drawn accordingly:

A - Winner Group 1 v Runner-up Group 3
B - Winner Group 2 v Runner-up Group 4
C - Winner Group 3 v Runner-up Group 1
D - Winner Group 4 v Runner-up Group 2

these matches will be played, kicking off at 18:30 and 20:30, on 23rd and 24th June, the venues being Dresden, Leipzig, Magdeburg and Rostock.

Subsequently, the Semi Finals will comprise:
Winner A v Winner C
Winner B v Winner D

to be played on 27th June at 18:30 and 20:30, in Dresden and Leipzig.

The Final will be played on Saturday 30th June at 20:30 in Berlin.

Monday, 4 June 2018

World Cup 2018

With the domestic and European club season now concluded, thoughts turn to international football and this summer's imminent World Cup.
Hosted by East Germany, the tournament will kick-off this Sunday, 10th June and end with the Final on Saturday the 30th of the month.

The World Cup will comprise sixteen teams - eight from Europe, four from South and Central America and two each from Africa and Asia, the qualifiers being:

Czechoslovakia
East Germany
England
France
Hungary
Italy
Portugal
Spain

Argentina
Haiti
Mexico
Uruguay

Algeria
Cameroon

Japan
Pakistan

The format of the competition features a First Round of four groups of four teams, playing each other once, after which the top two in each group progress to the knock-out stage of Quarter Finals, the winners of these subsequently meeting in the Semi Finals and hence Final.
In the event of teams finishing level on points in the group phase - where two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw - final position will be determined initially by the head-to-head result, if this has been a draw then goal difference will be decisive and, if subsequently required if this proves to be equal, by goals scored and then matches won. If teams cannot be separated at this point, the drawing of lots will take place.
In the knock-out phase, matches drawn after 90 minutes will proceed to 30 minutes extra time and then, if still tied, to a penalty shoot-out of five penalty kicks per team then sudden death if required.

Eight venues have been chosen to host the matches in the World Cup tournament: Berlin, Dresden, Jena, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Rostock, Stralsund and Zwickau.
These venues will each host three First Round group fixtures, being paired as a regional base for each of the four groups.
The Quarter Finals will be played at Dresden, Jena, Leipzig and Magdeburg, with Dresden and Leipzig hosting the Semi Finals and Berlin the Final

Details of the draw for the competition will be announced tomorrow.

Saturday, 2 June 2018

European Champion Clubs' Cup Final 2017 - 18: Replay

(in Katowice)

KARPATY LVOV (1) 4 Raba ETO Gyor (1) 2