World Cup

From NSwiki, the NationStates encyclopedia.
Revision as of 12:40, 21 July 2006 by One Red Dot (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search

The NationStates World Cup is NationStates' longest-running recurring sporting event, dating back to the first half of 2003. Nations from around the NS world at all sorts of different technology levels play football (also known as 'soccer' or 'Association football') for the ultimate glory of becoming World Champions. For a direct FAQ on the World Cup, see the World Cup FAQs article.

As of this writing, World Cup 29 Qualifiers are under way, and World Cup 30's Sign-ups are open: WC30 Sign-ups


Procedure

Qualifying

Each World Cup since the third has begun with a qualifying stage including anywhere from approximately fifty to one hundred nations, with eighty being the customary number. These nations are typically divided into eight to fifteen qualifying groups of six to ten nations, depending on the exact number entered. Each nation in a qualifying group plays each other nation in that group once at home and once away (the exception to this rule was World Cup 5, where nations in the qualifiers played each other only once). After all matches have been played, thirty qualifiers are determined based on placement in their groups. The first criterion for placement is the number of points earned (three for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss). If this results in a tie, the first tiebreaker is goal difference (the number of goals conceded subtracted from the number of goals scored). The next tiebreaker is the number of goals scored. In almost all situations, this is enough to resolve any tie. (If it is not, the results of matches between the tied teams would act as a tiebreaker, and a playoff match would occur if the teams are still tied. This has never been required in the qualifying, although it has been required haphazardly in the group phase, first occurring in World Cup 12 when Timway beat Liverpool England 2-1.)

World Cup

The thirty qualifiers in addition to the two host nations advance to play in the World Cup proper. The first round (or the group stage, as it is also known) is made up of eight groups of four nations. Routinely, four of these groups play in one host nation, while the other four groups compete in the second. Each nation in a group plays each other nation in that group once. The top two nations in each group advance to the second round, using the same rules as with qualifying. Beginning with the second round (also known as the round of sixteen), a single-elimination format is used. The exception to this is in the semifinals, as the two losing nations in the semifinals still move on to face off in the third-place playoff.

Scorinating

Results are determined by using a scorinator of some sort. Excel spreadsheets are the most common method, but the Java program Leagion has been used more often since World Cup 14. The early versions were created in the time of WC14 by World Cup 13 co-host Rejistania. However, World Cup 13 was not scorinated with Leagion but by another Java-coded scorinator called wc13.java. The primary influence on the results is the rank of each nation, though roleplay bonus can also have a moderate effect (the exact influence of each depends on the formula used and hence varies between World Cups).

History

Upon its institution by Ariddia, there was no qualifying stage and no ranking system, in the World Cup, and match results were determined merely by rolls of the dice. Minor alterations were made to the dice-rolling formula for the second World Cup in Alasdair I Frosticus. Total n Utter Insanity initiated the move away from dice in World Cup 3, and match results were now generated by Excel spreadsheets with, moreover, a qualifying stage appended to the system. This supplementation enabled more nations to participate at any given time, though to this day only thirty-two attain entrance to the World Cup proper. After qualifiers were introduced, the host(s) of the Cup, in addition to the few highest-ranked nations, automatically participated without need of qualification. Ensuing World Cup 7, this too was modified, and thus only the inherent qualification of the host nation(s) prevailed.

In World Cup 9, the RP-bonus was introduced.

Related Tournaments: Baptism of Fire Cup, Cup of Harmony, Under-21 World Cup, Eagle's Cup


Hosting

The World Cup Committee

The World Cup Committee (WCC) elect the hosts of each World Cup, as well as nominate potential (E)WCC Presidents. So, following reforms proposed by Spaam and passed by the old World Cup Committee (now the Emergency World Cup Committee), all nations who have posted a squad (thereby demonstrating active interest in the Cup) in the two previous Cups earn a place on the WCC. Thus membership of the WCC needs to be 'earned' by a roster/team sheet and must be 'renewed' each cup by signing-up to the Cup and posting a squad for their nation.

For full information on the WCC, including Spaam's proposals, see the WCC article.

The WCC President

Current President: Starblaydia
Vice-President: Legalese

The WCC President acts as something of a figurehead for the World Cup Committee, and is elected from a list of nominees nominated by the WCC. The President calls for and collects the votes for World Cup Host, Cup of Harmony Host and WCC President votes. The President is usually a pillar of the World Cup community and is currently Starblaydia. ICly, the WCC President is former Starblaydi footballer Giovanni Lopez. Legalese's IC Vice-President, chosen randomly by the head of the LAFF, is Rickey Comienze, the 12-year old son of the coach of Legalese's National Team.

WCC Presidents are elected every three cups. The next election is due after World Cup 30.

For further information, see the President section of the WCC article.

The Emergency World Cup Committee

The Emergency World Cup Committee (EWCC) is made up of representatives from all still-existing nations that have hosted a World Cup at some point in the past. As a lot of these experienced nations hang around in #sport, they provide most of the discussion and ideas for World Cup reform. As such they are consulted in 'Emergency' situations when fast decisions are needed. They also constitute the old 'Host Selection Committee' to decide the host of the Cup of Harmony. The nations are:











For a full list of the EWCC including inactive and ex-nation members, see the EWCC section of the WCC article.

Current Bids for upcoming World Cup (30)

Past winners

Summary by Edition

Winner 2nd 3rd
World Cup 1 Crosshill Europa Brittania Quohog
World Cup 2 Al Quds Tanah Burung Ziotah
World Cup 3 Giant Zucchini Crosshill Europa Brittania
World Cup 4 Dennisov Jurassica Brazillico
World Cup 5 Brazillico Lemmitania Svecia
World Cup 6 Brazillico Quohog Spaam
World Cup 7 Errinundera Spaam Svecia
World Cup 8 Liverpool England Bedistan Haraki
World Cup 9 Europa Brittania Ravenspire Liverpool England
World Cup 10 Lemmitania Giant Zucchini Ariddia
World Cup 11 Europa Brittania Warnocks Wizards Giant Zucchini
World Cup 12 Rejistania Audioslavia Commerce Heights
World Cup 13 Eauz Spaam Bedistan
World Cup 14 Kingsford Rejistania Total n Utter Insanity
World Cup 15 Commerce Heights Squornshelous Eauz
World Cup 16 Eauz Bedistan Rejistania
World Cup 17 Rejistania Dance 2 Revolution Melmond
World Cup 18 Rejistania Kaze Progressa Iansisle
World Cup 19 Crystilakere Audioslavia Dance 2 Revolution
World Cup 20 Vilita Audioslavia Squornshelous
World Cup 21 Bedistan Total n Utter Insanity Cockbill Street
World Cup 22 Sarzonia Oaker Bedistan
World Cup 23 Rejistania Druida Sarzonia
World Cup 24 Liverpool England Sarzonia Krytenia
World Cup 25 Starblaydia Rejistania Squornshelous
World Cup 26 Bedistan Liverpool England Eauz
World Cup 27 Bedistan Liverpool England Starblaydia
World Cup 28 Starblaydia Bedistan Liverpool England
World Cup 29
World Cup 30

Summary by Nation

Team Titles Winning Editions Runner-up
Rejistania 4 12, 17, 18, 23 14, 25
Bedistan 3 21, 26, 27 8, 16, 28
Liverpool England 2 8, 24 26, 27
Europa Britannia 2 9, 11 1
Brazillico 2 5, 6
Eauz 2 13, 16
Starblaydia 2 25, 28
Crosshill 1 1 3
Giant Zucchini 1 3 10
Lemmitania 1 10 5
Sarzonia 1 22 24
Al Quds 1 2
Dennisov 1 4
Errinundera 1 7
Kingsford 1 14
Commerce Heights 1 15
Crystilakere 1 19
Vilita 1 20
Audioslavia 12, 19, 20
Spaam 7, 13

Fast Facts - The Cup

By defeating Liverpool England in the Semi-Final of World Cup 17, Dance 2 Revolution became the first Post-KPB team (A nation that has only competed in the World Cup since the official use of KPB ranks began in World Cup 12) to make the final. Dance 2 Revolution became the first Post-KPB team to finish in the top 3 in two separate cups by beating Total n Utter Insanity in the World Cup 19 3rd-Placing Match. Melmond is the only other Post-KPB team to finish in 3rd place (World Cup 17). Dance 2 Revolution's World Cup 19 spotlight was quickly stolen by Crystilakere, who will go down in history as the first Post-KPB nation to unseat the veterans and win the World Cup.

Rejistania currently hold the record for most World Cups won (four) and most final appearances (six). Audioslavia currently hold the record for most losses in the final match, having lost all three times (WC12, WC19, and WC20). Bedistan currently have the worst final four record with eight semifinal appearances (the second-most, behind Rejistania’s nine) and only three final appearances and one World Cup.

The World Cup 22 final will go down in history as one of the most unexpected finals ever, with both nations outside the top 10 in rankings prior to the finals. It has been suggested that the winning scoreline of 4-0 to Sarzonia is the biggest ever in a World Cup final.

Rejistania's victory in the final of WC23 ended a run of four consecutive victories for sides from the Atlantian Oceania region (Crystilakere - WC19, Vilita - WC20, Bedistan - WC21, Sarzonia, WC22), though AO was back on top again in World Cup 25 with Starblaydia. There has not been a Final without an AO nation appearing in it since World Cup 19.

Total n Utter Insanity currently hold the record the most cups participated in, having entered all of them with the exception of World Cup 1. The Insanicians also hold the record for most consecutive finals appearances, with 24. The Insanicans, never having lifted the cup, are also the team with the most appearances without a World Cup Championship.

The record for the most goals in a World Cup match (qualifying or finals) is 15, in Bedistan's 8-7 defeat of Vilita in World Cup 21. The record winning margin in a World Cup match is 9, in Rejistania's 10-1 defeat of Ravea in World Cup 17 qualification. Ravea would eventually set another dubious record, the worst qualification record in history. They lost every game in qualification - a feat almost attained in World Cup 12 by Hash n Beans, who won their last match having lost the preceding thirteen - and while Mikele and Vorpal Bunnies held the same dubious distinction, neither had such an abysmal goal difference and they have been almost entirely forgotten. Indeed, Ravea are often wrongly believed to be the only team in history to lose every match in World Cup qualification.

The final top-three finishing nations in World Cup 27 were also the three previous Cup Winners. Bedistan (World Cup 26 champions), Liverpool England (World Cup 24 champions) and Starblaydia (World Cup 25 champions). These were, coincidentally, also the top three finishers in World Cup 28.

World rankings

Originally, the NSWC rankings were determined purely on finishing position in the previous Cup. The defending champions would be ranked #1, the team with the best record in qualifying that failed to qualify would be #33, etc. During World Cup 9, the WCC determined that a new ranking system was needed, but it took a while to come to a consensus. World Cup 11 used the RPR-system. The majority of the World Cup community disliked that approach, mainly because Total n Utter Insanity failed to explain it and because its implementation tended to have discouraging effects for new nations. Starting with World Cup 12, the KPB ranking system developed by Kaze Progressa with modifications from Bedistan was officially incorporated. The KPB ranking system takes into account the past twelve years of performances in the World Cup and in associated tournaments like the Cup of Harmony and Baptism of Fire.

Fast Facts - Ranks

The Empire of Vilita became the first to control two nations inside the top 10 of the KPB rankings at the conclusion of World Cup 19. The Emirate of Turori, a colony of Vilita, lost in the quarterfinals of World Cup 19 to eventual Runners-Up Audioslavia, but their performance as first time hosts earned them a place in the top 10 for the first time, joining their rulers, Vilita. After Vilita won World Cup 20 and Turori made the quarterfinals, the two remained in the top 10 for their third and second consecutive cups respectively.

Current rankings

As of the end of the World Cup 29 qualifiers, the top ten nations in the world are as follows:

  1. Bedistan
  2. Starblaydia
  3. Liverpool England
  4. Hockey Canada
  5. Squornshelous
  6. New Montreal States
  7. Jeruselem
  8. Casari
  9. Fmjphoenix
  10. Krytenia



NationStates World Cup
Editions: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38
Affiliated tournaments: Baptism of Fire | Cup of Harmony | Under-21 World Cup
Scorinating: KPB ranking system | Leagion | NSFootySim | Role play ranks (RPR) | Style modifiers
Related articles: World Cup Committee | FAQs | Player Hall of Fame | Nation Hall of Fame | Football