Category: FM24

The Group Stage of the Fairer World Cup is now underway, and we have already had plenty of entertainment… well, maybe not if you’ve been watching Bosnia & Herzegovina versus Egypt.

In the previous chapter, we opened up the tournament with Groups A and B, in which the United States and Canada faced some stiff tests in their quests to reach the knockout rounds.

But what about our other hosts – Mexico? Well, they enter the competition in today’s chapter, as they take on Albania, Iran and the Ivory Coast in Group C. We’ll then meet a much-changed Netherlands team in Group D, where we’ll also try to figure out what the hell is going on with that kit clash! Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: Groups C & D” →

Welcome back to the Fairer World Cup, where I use Football Manager 2024 to find out what would happen if players represented the lowest-ranked nations available to them.

210 nations entered the tournament, but ‘only’ 48 have made it to North America for the main event itself. Several big European nations have missed out completely, including Belgium, France, Portugal… and Scotland! If you want to revisit the qualifiers in full, you can catch up on all the previous chapters right here.

But now it’s time for the Fairer World Cup to begin in earnest. Two of the co-hosts are in action in today’s chapter, as the United States kick off the tournament in Group A, before Canada enter the fray in a wide-open Group B. Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: Groups A & B” →

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The Fairer World Cup qualifiers are almost over. Soon, we will know all 48 teams who will battle it out in North America for the battle to be crowned champions – in a world where players compete for the lowest-ranked national teams they are eligible for.

So far, we have seen 37 teams from the OFC, the AFC, CAF, UEFA and CONCACAF book their places alongside co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the Confederate Plutocracy of Trumpland. Now just one more batch of qualifiers remains.

In today’s chapter, we will see the 10 nations from CONMEBOL battle it out for six places at the World Cup, before the final two tickets are handed out through the intercontinental play-offs. We will then have the draw for the Group Stage, as all our finalists discover what awaits them in the summer. Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: CONMEBOL Qualifying & Play-Offs” →

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Howdy, folks! It’s Fairer World Cup time again!

We’ve already covered the qualifiers in four of the FIFA confederations – the OFC, AFC, CAF, and UEFA. If you haven’t read the last chapter yet, then please do, because you have missed a couple of HUGE shocks.

Today, we are heading across the Atlantic for the latest batch of qualifiers. Which three countries from CONCACAF will join the three co-hosts in North America? Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: CONCACAF Qualifying” →

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The Fairer World Cup qualifiers have reached the halfway point, and the field at this summer’s finals is already taking shape.

Last time out, several major players fell and some new superpowers emerged in the African qualifiers. You can also check out the Oceanic and Asian qualifiers in the links provided.

16 more World Cup places will be filled today, as UEFA play host to the European qualifiers. With many leading names having switched their allegiances to other continents, get ready for some big surprises – and a couple of huge shocks! Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: UEFA Qualifying” →

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We’re back with the Fairer World Cup on Football Manager 2024, where we find out what would happen if players represented the weakest national teams available to them.

So far, we have gone through the qualifiers in Oceania and in Asia. Feel free to catch up if you haven’t already.

As far as this chapter is concerned, we’re now heading to Africa, where we’ll meet a load of big-name players in their new national colours. With only nine World Cup places and a play-off spot up for grabs, there will be some major casualties… but we might also come across a serious title contender or two. Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: CAF Qualifying” →

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Welcome to Part 2 of the Fairer World Cup – my new international project on Football Manager 2024.

In case you don’t know what this is about, I’m playing through a World Cup where players can only play for the weakest national teams they are eligible for. Instead of the top nations having first dibs on the best players, the talent pool is now more spread out, which should make the tournament more competitive.

You can find out more about how the Fairer World Cup works by going back to Part 1, where I explained the rules and went through the OFC qualifiers. I bet you’ll never guess who the best national team in Oceania is!

In today’s post, I will take you through the AFC qualifiers. Will the likes of Japan and Australia continue to dominate Asian football, or could a new force emerge? Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: AFC Qualifying” →

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The 2026 World Cup is on the horizon. That means five weeks of non-stop football in the scorching North American heat, where ICE will be disappearing any spectators who look or sound foreign, while everyone else endures the ramblings of an egocentric fascist dictator… or those of his friend Donald. I’m sure you’re excited too.

And although there are 48 teams in this year’s king-sized event, there are realistically only a handful who might actually win it. Argentina are the holders after beating France in the 2022 Final, Spain are the European champions, and then you have the perennial contenders like Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands… but it’s hard to see anyone else going all the way. Maybe Scotland, at a push.

But what if the World Cup was more competitive – fairer, even?

Over the course of this series, I will use Football Manager 2024 to find out what would happen if all players could only play for the WORST nation they were eligible to play for. How would England cope without many of their biggest stars? Could Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice turn the Republic of Ireland into serious contenders? Do France and Germany have enough depth to survive their teams being decimated as well?

Maybe Raheem Sterling can lead Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz to glory? Could we even see a first African winner of the World Cup – with the likes of Nigeria, Ghana and DR Congo all benefitting from their huge diaspora in western Europe?

I will seek to answer all those questions – and more – over the coming weeks. Let the Fairer World Cup begin… Continue reading “Fairer World Cup: Introduction & OFC Qualifying” →