AIBU to wonder why the UK gets 4 teams in the World Cup, whereas France only gets one.

[TheKittenswithMittens]

Why don't we play as UK in the World Cup? Why do we get 4 teams when everyone else gets just the one? It would bring an end to anyone but England sentiment.

There's 16 of what in Germany?

Germany is a federation of 16 Länder. Most of them are parliamentary republics with local government and parliament.

English Wikipedia translates it as states, but that's part of the terminology issue - is Welsh singificanlty more independent than Bavaria? Or Catalania?

So, UK is 93 of what please?

I had an Italian colleague who used (unbelievably) to claim the opposite - the UK had an advantage because it had four chances of winning and Italy only had one....

Bloody predictive text!! Mind you....

You can’t blame them for not knowing the ins and out of a very complex set up really.

Thank you for doing my research for me :)

Counties

You are absolutely correct given that even some of our politicians seem vague about the whole thing. Mind you, I also had the following conversation with a French colleague:

Her: you would say that you are English
Me: I'm not English I'm Scottish
Her: I come from Paris but I'm still French..

Same reason mainland Europe gets more than 1 team.

Rather than team GB could we go one further and have ‘Team Commonwealth’?

Of course they are countries! Jesus fck.

Scotland and Wales aren’t regions!

I know.

Well that’s not true, nor does it even remotely answer this question.

France doesn’t have 4 proud and patriotic devolved nations within it.

Easy explanation would be to basically say the UK never really became unified in the way Italy did. Scotland, Wales and NI are like Sardinia, Parma, Sicily.

I’ve already ordered a tshirt with it on!

There will never ever be a UK football team and rightly so. This must be a goady thread because no one can be this stupid even if you don’t like football

We are 4 seperate countries…🙄. I don’t think anyone would much like a UK team for the World Cup

You’re trying to argue that 4 different countries aren’t 4 different countries? Are you dense?

It is interesting tho why Team GB has such an amazing following in the Olympics but would be unheard of in football and the devolved nations' teams are the only ones imaginable to football fans.

how did this evolve?

I have also often wondered why we send four teams for World Cup. After all, we have team GB for the Olympics and UK for Eurovision

You’re so right @TheKittenswithMittens

I propose for France the following four teams to even things up in case they look across the English Channel and feel jealous.

1. France 1 - the regular team
2. South of France - for those who like good food, wine and a warmer climate
3. Paris - capital city team
4. Disneyland team - only Disney characters allowed to play

So why do you think that should change now?

FIFA won't change that because

1. It increases ticket sales
2. It increases ticket sales
3. It increases ticket sales
4. We invented football and gave it to the world.

Perhaps a reflection of the London based media in the UK and having things like the BBC.

The UK doesn't put a football team into the Olympics because they know FIFA would prefer a UK team for other events including the World Cup

They accept the historic reasons for the 4 nations and the seperate league structures with in the nations.

Also Rugby Union devolved nations - Rugby League one team from all 4 nations - Lions

cricket mixed with Wales but still called England!