These are the pots for the group draw:
Pot 1: Dancougar, Newmanistan, Arroza, Qazox, Taeshan, Kura-Pelland
Pot 2: Sarzonia, Secristan, Vephrall, Fujisawan Territories, Cassadaigua, Lovisa
Pot 3: Tocrowkia, Prux, Bluth Corporation, Delaclava, Ameriganastan, Norwellia
Pot 4: Lanceo, Lurikastan, The Babbage Islands, Jagada, Barbana, Chetssaland
Pot 5: Scandavian States, Allanea, Steroga, Kjoma Isles, Vartican, Sibirsky
Pot 6: Palmouth, Quakmybush, Holy Marsh, Bettia, Iglesian Archipelago, The Fanboyists
And these are the qualifying groups! Rosters are linked.
GROUP A Vephrall Barbana Newmanistan Palmouth Norwellia Scandavian States | GROUP B Secristan Delaclava Vartican Iglesian Archipelago Lanceo Dancougar | GROUP C Kura-Pelland Prux Holy Marsh Fujisawan Territories Kjoma Isles Lurikastan |
GROUP D Taeshan Quakmybush Allanea Chetssaland Ameriganastan Lovisa | GROUP E Qazox Steroga The Fanboyists The Babbage Islands Cassadaigua Tocrowkia | GROUP F Sibirsky Jagada Bluth Corporation Arroza Bettia Sarzonia |
Teams will play the other teams in their group twice - home and away - for a total of 10 games. This is the planned schedule, with home team listed first.
MD1 (Mon June 22): 1v2 3v4 5v6
MD2 (Tue June 23): 1v3 2v5 4v6
MD3 (Wed June 24): 6v1 3v2 5v4
MD4 (Thu June 25): 4v1 6v2 5v3
MD5 (Fri June 26): 1v5 2v4 3v6
MD6 (Sun June 28): 2v1 4v3 6v5
MD7 (Mon June 29): 3v1 5v2 6v4
MD8 (Tue June 30): 1v6 2v3 4v5
MD9 (Wed July 1): 1v4 2v6 3v5
MD10 (Thu July 2): 5v1 4v2 6v3
The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage plus four wildcards drawn from the remaining teams. Tiebreakers and seeding will be determined as described in the Dancougar Bid for World Bowl 7. Stadiums to be used for the knockout round in Dancougar will be provided after the qualifying round ends.
MD11 (Sat July 4): Round of 16
MD12 (Sun July 5): Quarterfinals
MD13 (Mon July 6): Semifinals
MD14 (Tue July 7): Third Place
MD15 (Wed July 8): Championship
(Scorinating times may be erratic during the Fourth of July Weekend, but my trip has been set for July 9-11, so the World Bowl WILL be finished before I leave, pending emergencies.)
This post will be updated with the group draw on Friday June 19, around the usual scorination time, 10 PM eastern, barring any unforseen delays. Matchday one will be on Monday June 22. The qualification stage will be ten matches with bye day in the middle, meaning matchday ten will be on Thursday, July 2. Because it is currently unknown if I will be out the first weekend or second weekend of July, this arrangement ensures that we either have a long layoff before the knockout round, or the tournament will conclude before I leave.
Teams may begin posting rosters and roleplays for MD1... NOW!