Bench FIFA Club World Cup 2025 ? (from 15 June to 13 July 2025)

[Athenayama 1,065]

Just throwing this here. Please declare your interest or not and first and above all @Jejima .

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/club-world-cup/usa-2025/articles/teams-dates-venue-groups-draw-matches-tickets

 

[Athenayama 1,065]

And here is the group draw.

 

[Ryoshishokunin 310]

By expanding an event people already didn't care about, they'll....

I don't get it.  

[Athenayama 1,065]

10 hours ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

By expanding an event people already didn't care about, they'll....

I don't get it.  

I'm not saying I'm ok with this event happening.
All I wish to know is if we'll play our usual game when  it happens.

[Athenayama 1,065]

That said and as disturbed as I could be about this competition, I'd really be curious to watch the following games among all others :

Paris SG - Botafogo
Bayern - Boca Juniors
Flamengo - Chelsea
River Plate - Inter Milan
 

Edited December 6, 2024 by Athenayama

[Jakusotsu 6,017]

I would be very hard pressed to enjoy playing "our" game with that. Representing national teams has a very different appeal than billionaires' clubs.

[Athenayama 1,065]

6 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

I would be very hard pressed to enjoy playing "our" game with that. Representing national teams has a very different appeal than billionaires' clubs.

Argh, put aside all other considerations and just enjoy playing "our "game ! I am sure you can do that.
Also please note (but you know it already) that when players play for their national teams they're still payed by their "billionaires" clubs (even though there are some primes but which are low compared to their club salaries). 

[Jakusotsu 6,017]

The point is, I never heard of the majority of these clubs before. And while I don't know most of the world's national players either, at least the countries sound familiar.

[Athenayama 1,065]

52 minutes ago, Jakusotsu said:

The point is, I never heard of the majority of these clubs before. And while I don't know most of the world's national players either, at least the countries sound familiar.

That I can understand. I for myself know all of them but you know I am a sports freak.

Edited December 6, 2024 by Athenayama

[Jejima 1,406]

I did not know anything about this competition - until Athenayama brought it to my attention this morning. I am busy watching the draw on YouTube, and my interest is getting piqued....

 

[Athenayama 1,065]

For your consideration.

@Chijanofuji @Kotononami @Ganzohnesushi @Akishiki  @Nekonishiki Banji @Nantonoyama @Finngall @Igiski @Oshirokita @Andonishiki @Yarimotsu @Joaoiyama @Koorifuu @Terarno @Kajiyanosho @furanohana

 @Joputosu @Bunbukuchagama @Pitinosato @Pandaazuma @Asapedroryu @chishafuwaku @Achiyama

Edited December 6, 2024 by Athenayama

[Koorifuu 1,013]

I'd probably be in!

[Jejima 1,406]

Count my family and me in (that's four in total.) 

@Athenayama - how many do you bring to the party?

[Athenayama 1,065]

1 minute ago, Jejima said:

Count my family and me in (that's four in total.) 

@Athenayama - how many do you bring to the party?

For the time being, just me. I haven't talked to the "others" yet. I'll let you know.

[Athenayama 1,065]

Djodjoyoshi and Kimyama (Benfica fan) will be in for sure. Waiting to know from others.

[Ganzohnesushi 525]

I'll not play. The likelihood for getting my favourite (since 1970) team FC Bayern München is very limited. In worst case I might have to represent one of those petro dollar clubs owned by some Katari or Arabian Sheik who are just wasting money and give a shit on Financial Fair Play.  And I really don't want to draw one of those Arabian teams from Al-Ain and Al-Hilal or some cannon fodder like Seattle Sounders, Auckland City or Mamelodi Sundowns. Clubs without any tradition. My interest for another superfluous money printing FIFA event in general is very limited.

Ganzohnesushi

[Athenayama 1,065]

10 hours ago, Ganzohnesushi said:

I'll not play. The likelihood for getting my favourite (since 1970) team FC Bayern München is very limited. In worst case I might have to represent one of those petro dollar clubs owned by some Katari or Arabian Sheik who are just wasting money and give a shit on Financial Fair Play.  And I really don't want to draw one of those Arabian teams from Al-Ain and Al-Hilal or some cannon fodder like Seattle Sounders, Auckland City or Mamelodi Sundowns. Clubs without any tradition. My interest for another superfluous money printing FIFA event in general is very limited.

Ganzohnesushi

Or even worse, imagine you get Paris SG ? ? ! !

Ok, I am full in favor to give you Bayern Munchen without draw as a historic player of these games if it can convince you to play.

[Ganzohnesushi 525]

3 hours ago, Athenayama said:

Or even worse, imagine you get Paris SG ? ? ! !

Ok, I am full in favor to give you Bayern Munchen without draw as a historic player of these games if it can convince you to play.

Don't you think PSG wasn't already included in my comment? Wasting € 220+ Millions for Neymar a couple of years ago was against FFP and only some dirty tricks by their flimsy pettifoggers avoided action for injunction. Without their Katarian milch cow PSG would never have been successful in European football. Oh wait... while talking about success... how often has PSG won the CL or any other international title? Once? Right, in 1996 they won the Cup Winners Cup final vs. Rapid Wien. But that was long before any investor with a deep wallet joined the club.

And believe me, for me as a real football fan it was one of the saddest days when Manchester City of all clubs won the CL in 2023. What a shame that UEFA officials did not have the balls to exclude ManCIty from all competitions for a couple of years. The City lawyers obviously were even trickier than PSG's.

And no, not any special rights for me. Getting Bayern München without a draw would be unfair. Perhaps I'll join such a game when the OSFA creates the next level of competition. Would like to see the best players on Earth to win the Outer Space Championship vs. some distant Galaxy 

Ganzohnesushi

 

[Jejima 1,406]

19 hours ago, Ganzohnesushi said:

 And I really don't want to draw one of those Arabian teams from Al-Ain and Al-Hilal or some cannon fodder like Seattle Sounders, Auckland City or Mamelodi Sundowns. Clubs without any tradition. My interest for another superfluous money printing FIFA event in general is very limited.

Ganzohnesushi

Al-Ain is actually one of the teams that I wouldn't mind. This is because it would be my tribute to Kofuji (the original automation wizard for Bench Sumo and other sumo games), as that was where he and his wife were living - in the city of Al-Ain - when I spent a very happy week on holiday with them.  

Mamelodi Sundowns is another team that I would not mind getting. They are from Pretoria, which is where my grandmother was living in the decades before she passed away - it was also the favourite team of a couple of my friends from my Swazi high school. (I've just checked online - and they recently defeated the Mbabane Swallows, which I *think* was the team that my former French teacher played for, part-time). 

[Andonishiki 170]

why dont we rather play the Women's Euro 2025 happening in Switzerland ? 16 Teams only, we'll find enough players for sure. The final draw will take place on 16 December 2024.

... my enthusiam for the FIFA Club WC is quite limited...  adding more games to an already superbusy match schedule for the top players. i refuse to support any clubs, which didnt exist 20 years ago, luring great players away from Europe with oil money - which is probably a selfish way of thinking. 

my beloved team, the mighty TSV 1860 Munich, is competing in the third German League. Every home game is sold out, 15000 spectators, very old stadium, built in 1911, located in the city center, not somewhere in a remote suburb location close to a highway, an airport or a garbage compostation plant like the second team in Munich.

It's about passion, not money

 

 

 

[Athenayama 1,065]

7 hours ago, Andonishiki said:

why dont we rather play the Women's Euro 2025 happening in Switzerland ? 16 Teams only, we'll find enough players for sure. The final draw will take place on 16 December 2024.

 

I could play both without problem. Women's Euro is from 2nd to 27th of July so the competitions overlap only during 10 days. I know no one will agree with me though.

[Ryoshishokunin 310]

I would strongly prefer Women's Euros.   The local ladies team is nine-time national champions--and gets absolutely murdered in the champions' league.  Ah well.

[Ganzohnesushi 525]

1 hour ago, Ryoshishokunin said:

I would strongly prefer Women's Euros.

Yes, me too. Put my name on the list, please. But first open a new thread for the women's Euro first. They deserve it.

Ganzohnesushi

[Asapedroryu 235]

Happy to play Club or Women's tourney.

For Club, if we are rejecting clubs we don't want to have in our team, then put Porto on my rejection list and give me one of the petro-dollar clubs. There's less shame in supporting one of those.

Edited December 10, 2024 by Asapedroryu

[Jejima 1,406]

I had been planning to propose the women's Euros (then we could have an event every year) - but was worried that with 16 teams, there might be too few to make a 'Bench tournament' out of them. Let me think....