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All Whites' Oceania/Asia Confederation Conundrum

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Posted July 04, 2026 10:10 · last edited July 04, 2026 10:27

I know this discussion there tends to be two hypothesized schools of thought. AFC splits West/East with east Asia absorbing OFC. Or NZ bites the bullet and leaves OFC to it. What about a happy medium where rhe OFC WC qualifier actually becomes a pre-qualifier for entry to the second round or third round of AFC WC qualifier? So as a confederation OFC gets to remain for lack of a better word a "thing" while the better nations in the confed get to develop and improve through exposure to competative worthwhile football and AFC maybe finds the proposition more palatable as it allow them an extra WC team entry allocation. 

OFC can do its usual two groups of 4 or 5 at the pointy end with the winner and of each group booking their spot to the AFC qualifiers. And the two runners up playing off for the 3rd available OFC entry to AFC qualifier.

In 3rd round of AFC WC qualifiers there are 18 teams with 3 groups of 6. In each group top 2 Qualify and the 3rd and 4 go to fourth round 
AFC has a total of 8 spots. 
Adding OFC spot there would be 9
You scrap the fourth round and just have 21 teams with 3 groups of 7 
The top 3 of the each group qualify for WC

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Rock Hopper edited July 04, 2026 10:27
I know this discussion there tends to be two hypothesized schools of thought. AFC splits West/East with east Asia absorbing OFC. Or NZ bites the bullet and leaves OFC to it. What about a happy medium where rhe OFC WC qualifier actually becomes a pre-qualifier for entry to the second round of AFC WC qualifier? So as a confederation OFC gets to remain for lack of a better word a "thing" while the better nations in the confed get to develop and improve through exposure to competative worthwhile football and AFC maybe finds the proposition more palatable as it allow them an extra WC team entry allocation. 

OFC can do its usual two groups of 4 or 5 at the pointy end with the winner and runner up of each group booking their spot to the AFC qualifiers. 
Rock Hopper edited July 04, 2026 10:15
I know this discussion there tends to be two hypothesized schools of thought. AFC splits West/East with east Asia absorbing OFC. Or NZ bites the bullet and leaves OFC to it. What about a happy medium?

The OFC WC qualifier actually becomes a pre-qualifier for entry to the second round of AFC WC qualifier? So as a confederation OFC gets to remain for lack of a better word a "thing." while the better nations in the confed get to develop and improve through exposure to competative worthwhile football and AFC maybe finds the proposition more palatable as it allow them an extra WC team entry allocation.