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.

I never knew Normandy was a country

Well why not go the whole hog and enter on a village by village basis? Because it would be nuts.

Come on now

@TheKittenswithMittens its simple. Normandy and Sicily aren’t countries

It is, rather boringly, because each of the nations of the UK has its own Football Association recognised by FIFA and presumably regions of other countries don't.

You’re English aren’t you ?

Scotland and Wales not proper countries…. Don’t walk into a Scottish pub and say that 😂😂

I am just trying to argue that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not countries. We are GB/UK and why should we have 4 teams when all the other countries get just the one?

They clearly are countries though. And I’m not sure what you mean by ‘have’ 4 when others ‘hVe’ one.

Rugby do this, the British Lions.

😵‍💫

You literally just said that Wales and Scotland aren’t proper countries 😂

Yes but…they actually are countries.

It’s like arguing a cow is a fish. You can if you want , but it isnt true.

I’m Scottish and I don’t disagree with you tbh.

The UK is a very unusual country though, with the home nations that comprise it having very different cultures / histories etc. Scotland is closer to being a ‘country’ in itself than other regions that tend to describe themselves as ‘counties’.

But I also don’t care enough about football to argue about it 🤷‍♀️

Regardless of the senselessness of your argument, the UK doesn’t have 4 teams in this World Cup - only England and Scotland

Why do we go to the Olympics as Team GB and not England, Scotland, Wales, and NI?

If Scotland and wales are ‘proper countries’ what definition are you using?

Historic reasons - by the time football was coordinated under an international association and common rules codified, the 'home nations' teams had existed for decades. The first ever international was between England and Scotland.

Plenty of non-'proper' countries have international teams (Faroe, New Caledonia, Gibraltar, Curacao, Guam).

I’d rather we didn’t to be honest.
The answer is the different rules and structures of the different competitions and sporting bodies

Interestingly Netherlands and Curacao are both in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Why don't you use Google to get your answers?

Tbh I’m open to it. Why not? Imagine the talent and unity via sport. Let’s heal those old grudges and win all the trophies?

It is because football was invented here so the separate teams are grandfathered in.

No other sovereign state has multiple teams.

Not true.