please log in to view this image Hello and welcome to my first attempt at a match thread! - The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the holders of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC), along with the FIFA World Cup holder and the host nation, to bring the number of teams up to eight. Since 2005, the tournament has been held in the nation that will host the FIFA World Cup in the following year, acting as a rehearsal for the larger tournament. Brazil will host the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup from 15 to 30 June. History and details. The tournament was originally organised by and held in Saudi Arabia and called the King Fahd Cup (Confederations Winners Cup or Intercontinental Championship), contested in 1992 and 1995 by the Saudi national side and some continental champions. In 1997, FIFA took over the organisation of the tournament, named it the FIFA Confederations Cup and staged the competition every two years. Since 2005, it has been held every four years, in the year prior to each World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. Considered a dress-rehearsal for the World Cup it precedes, it uses around half of the stadia intended for use at the following year's competition and gives the host nation, who qualifies for that tournament automatically, experience at a high level of competition during two years of otherwise friendlies. At the same time, participation was made optional for the South American and European champions. Generally, the host nation, the World Cup holders, and the six continental champions qualify for the competition. In those cases where a team meets more than one of the qualification criteria (such as the 2001 tournament where France qualified as the World Cup champions and European champions), another team is invited to participate, often the runner-up in a competition that the extra-qualified team won. On three occasions teams have chosen not to participate in the tournament. Germany did so twice, first in the 1997 Confederations Cup after their victory in the Euro 1996, and again in the 2003 Confederations Cup when they were awarded a place as the 2002 World Cup runners-up. In 1997, Germany were replaced by 1996 runners-up Czech Republic, and in 2003 they were replaced by Turkey, the 2002 third place team. France, 1998 World Cup winners, declined their place in the 1999 Confederations Cup, and were replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runners-up (and also 1997 Copa América champions). An earlier tournament existed that invited former World Cup winners, the Mundialito, or Copa D'Oro which celebrated the fifty year anniversary of the first World Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested in 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the Copa América and UEFA European Football Championship, was also another example of an earlier contest between football confederations. Both of these are considered by some to be a form of an unofficial precursor to the Confederations Cup, although FIFA recognized only the 1992 tournaments onwards to be Confederations Cup winners. 2013 FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP June 15th - June 30th 2013 PARTICIPANTS 1 Brazil .......... (CONMEBOL) ......... Hosts 2 Spain .......... (UEFA) ................... World Cup winners 3 Japan ......... (AFC) ..................... Asian Cup winners 4 Mexico ........ (CONCACAF) ......... Gold Cup winners 5 Uruguay ..... (CONMEBOL) ......... Copa America winners 6 Tahiti .......... (OFC) .................... OFC Nations Cup winners 7 Nigeria ....... (CAF) ..................... African Cup of Nations winners 8 Italy ........... (UEFA) ................... Euro 2012 runners up GROUPS Group A 1. Brazil 2. Japan 3. Mexico 4. Italy Group B 1. Spain 2. Uruguay 3. Tahiti 4. Nigeria Group Progression - The top 2 teams in each group will go through to the semi finals - The groups will be decided by points, goal difference, goal scored. - If still equal it will go to head to head record Group Stages Date Venue Fixture Local time 15th June 2013 Brasilia Brazil v Japan 16.00 16th June 2013 Rio de Janeiro Mexico v Italy 16.00 16th June 2013 Recife Spain v Uruguay 19.00 17th June 2013 Belo Horizonte Tahiti v ANC Winner 16.00 19th June 2013 Fortaleza Brazil v Mexico 16.00 19th June 2013 Recife Italy v Japan 19.00 20th June 2013 Rio de Janeiro Spain v Tahiti 16.00 20th June 2013 Salvador ANC Winner v Uruguay 19.00 22nd June 2013 Salvador Italy v Brazil 16.00 22nd June 2013 Belo Horizonte Japan v Mexico 16.00 23rd June 2013 Fortaleza ANC Winner v Spain 16.00 23rd June 2013 Recife Uruguay v Tahiti 16.00 Semi Finals 26th June 2013 Belo Horizonte Group A 1st v Group B 2nd 16.00 27th June 2013 Fortaleza Group B 1st v Group A 2nd 16.00 Third place play-off 30th June 2013 Salvador ?v? 13.00 Final 30th June 2013 Rio de Janeiro ?v? 19.00 please log in to view this image
Lol you might as well give up on the South Wales gag I don't think we are going to get a rise from him..... Apparently that's a common problem in the south!
Yep I remember the thread on that a few months back! Must be a hard choice to make.... Sorry Luv probably shouldn't have used the word HARD! That was very insensitive of me and I am
You keep laughing chuckles, there's a group of Welsh ninjas en-route to assassinate you and yours as we speak. They may stop for a few pints on the way but as long as the Shirley Bassey voice they installed on the sat nav keeps working they should be there sometime next week.
Lol it has to be worth a £5 bet just to add a bit of fun to the tournament.... And stranger things have happened... Cant think of any off the top of my head though
Thought the thread was heading towards a major derail then The Confederations Cup itself looks like a cock
