It would certainly be interesting to see how hosting a football tournament where the home team isn’t participating would play out. And you’re right – home advantage shouldn’t be played like this, although one could certainly make it easier – as #8 suggests.

On the issue of money,Profit and Loss was a non-issue. No one cared how much our government spent to organize the thing. We all knew we wanted it. The footballers here wanted it. The media wanted it and the people wanted it. What the exposure did for us was much better. Now many more European clubs are willing to give players from our tiny island a shot in the big leagues.Moreover we made ridiculous profits in Tobago from foreigners staying over for the Tournament. Everyone was happy and we would still have been happy to host it regardless of whether we played in it or not. The benefits were already fantastic.

According to Jack Warner Trinidadian and FIFA Vice President, “This is an historic time for sport and the people of Trinidad & Tobago. To hold a FIFA championship is an honour given to few, and now it is our time when the world’s attention will be on our nation and on our people,”

“We look forward to welcoming the world to our islands … and to the first football world championship to be held in the Caribbean.”

So host nations especially the smaller ones, don’t care about costs. They don’t need the reward of Automatic qualification for their ‘troubles’

In that tourney we were drawn into a group with Brazil, Croatia and Australia. We conceded 9 goals with Brazil giving us 6 of the very best. Clearly we were not on the level of these teams and as such the spot we occupied was simply a gesture of goodness by FIFA. But in all honesty, a better team could have had that spot.

Recently, FIFA announced that Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico have been awarded the FIFA Under-17 World Cups in 2010 (Women’s) and 2011 (Men’s), respectively. The country is teeming with anticipation for these events and I do not feel that if we were denied a place that it would change the anticipation.

All this to say your points about money are simply weak.

Furthermore saying that the locals won’t be interested if thier country isn’t involved is rubbish. The best football in the world is on display in your own country and you will not support because your country didn’t qualify? That idea is absurd…of course people will come out to see Ronaldo and Ballack and some other greatest players today regardless of if their own nation qualify. Moreover the revenue the contry makes from the influx of supporters very much helps to level out what the spent on organizing themselves. Even further to that these countries jump at the chance to have that kind of exposure. So money is a non-issue for a nation like Switzerland.

The bottom line is a tournament must reflect truth. It must be justified. Therefore automatic qualification compromises truth. I can never be satisfied knowing that Austria walked into a major tournament with their VERY mediocre team many other teams that are way better could have had that spot if Austria had to qualify.

So to reiterate I think #8 has offered the best solution to the problem. The reasons I have read here for allowing them into the tournament are very weak. If you disagree, then you must ask yourself ‘What is the ultimate purpose of this Tournament’ and then ask ‘how should this be achieved.’

Besides FIFA uses its tournaments as a vehicle to increase local interest, and/or help financial development of football in that nation. e.g. 1994 and 2012. It would be a rather pointless exercise if the local nation isn’t taking part.

However, I doubt that will happen. Platini is pushing for a 24-team European Championship and that will only encourage dual-hosts and possibly reduce this ‘quality’ issue we’re having. I disagree with the 24-team format – championships are for the best teams, the rewards should be made higher and perhaps the teams should play more than 3 group games, but other than that 16 teams should be kept.