Random Developments

Later this month, we’ll have the Oceania club championship, whose winner will then proceed to play in Tokyo in December at the FIFA Club World Championship. This title used to be decided in a single match between the South American and the European champions; I guess FIFA finally noticed that there is soccer in other parts of the world, as well.

The reason I mention it is that there is a fair chance of an Australian team going to Tokyo. The recently created Sydney FC won the national tournament (it was not the national championship, or A-League; that one will start in August) and will play in the Oceania competition; it will face Auckland City (New Zealand), Sobou FC (Papua New Guinea) and AS Pirae (Tahiti) in the first round. I honestly think it will go through and play one of the Asian, North American or African champions on the first round (the European and South American champions start on the second round).

The A-League is a new attempt to ignite interest in soccer in Australia, and qualifying for the world championship would be great for that. Doing well there would be even better (but less likely…).

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed