2017 AFA Alliance World Cup

The 2017 AFA Alliance World Cup is an international men's football tournament took place in January 2017. It was the fourth Alliance World Cup in the Alliance of Independent Nations and ran by the Alliance Football Association.

New Duveland had been pre-selected as host by the Alliance Football Association, as it had been noted to have significant infrastructure already in place to provide more than enough room for such an event.

The event saw the largest attendance total of any previous AFA World Cup, largely due to the existing stadiums and closeness of competing nations. The Tasbury Cricket Grounds and Stade de L'Esperance are some of the largest stadiums in the world, with a capacity to hold up to 105,000 and 96,750 people respectively. The TCG was sold out on two occasions, the final match between Kingston and Boyce and Neu Westfalen, and the first match the home nation, New Duveland, played (against Freiga). The total attendence saw just over 700,000 more people attending compared to the next post populous World Cup, the 2015 AFA Alliance World Cup in Kingston and Boyce.

After the hosts were kicked out in the quarter-finals, long-time rivals Neu Westfalen managed to triumph after years of being in the top 4.

Qualification
Following qualification matches between May 2014 and November 2014, the following 24 teams – shown with their final pre-tournament AFA World Rankings – qualified for the final tournament. 14 out of the 24 teams to qualify were returning participants from the 2014 AFA World Cup. Ten Nations were newcomers into the World Cup, with no prior world cup experience, including highest valued Escambia. Most notable absence was from previous hosts New Holland, who were ejected from the AFA after the 2013 Manipulation Scandal was identified to be sourced there.

Asia (3)
 * Okatabawashi
 * Teiko
 * Nakama

Oceania (6)
 * Calaré
 * Illium
 * Jarraban
 * New Duveland
 * Neu Westfalen
 * Torainn

North Atlantic & Africa (4)
 * Ascadylea
 * Galbadia
 * Atlantic Federation
 * Nyanga

Europe (6)
 * Balaton
 * Freiga
 * Goverland
 * Hiigara
 * Mikenstein
 * Zagoria

North America(9)
 * Carolina
 * Corraile
 * Escambia
 * Kingston and Boyce
 * Lisieux
 * Lower Columbia
 * Marquette
 * Poemia
 * Svorije

South America(4)
 * Rio Grande do Sul
 * Santa Catarina
 * Siculia
 * Wilfran and Rapha

Referees
On November 20, the AFA published the 16 Referees who were to govern games during the World Cup. It was also decided that Peter Presley of Illium were to govern the Opening Match.

Venues
12 Venues in 9 cities across the nation were chosen to host the games of the World Cup.

Group A
Group A was drawn on October 20th, 2016. New Duveland were set on top of Group A, as hosts of the World Cup. The draw saw Zagoria, Wilfran and Rapha and Freiga join in the group.

Group B
Group B was drawn on October 20. It includes Illium, Teiko, Carolina and Mikenstein.

Group C
Group C was drawn on October 20. It includes Lisieux, Neu Westfalen, Galbadia and Nakama.

Group D
Group D was drawn on October 20. Escambia, Goverland, Hiigara and Nyanga were drawn into Group D.

Group E
Group E was drawn on October 20. Group E Saw Corraile, Kingston and Boyce, Poemia and Septemtrionale.

Group F
Group F was drawn on October 20. It includes the Atlantic Federation and Siculia, as well as Okatabawashi and Rio Grande do Sul.

Group G
Group G was drawn on October 20. It includes the Balaton and Calaré, as well as Cattala and Torainn.

Group H
Group H was drawn on October 20. It includes Jarraban and Lower Columbia, as well as Marquette and Santa Catarina.

Round of 16
The top two teams of each group fought it off with the winners going on to the Knockout stage. It saw hosts New Duveland qualifying for the Quarter-finals, as well as long-time champs Kingston and Boyce. The Atlantic Federation, Lisieux, Mikenstein, Neu Westfalen, Balaton and Cattala all made it to the semis.

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Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals saw the direct qualifiers meet the four other teams that succeeded in the qualifying round.

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Semi-finals
Each of the direct qualifiers defeated their opponents in the quarter-finals to advance to the semi-finals.

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