We have finished the work on the spot allocation for EQC2024!
Team & Player Count per NGB
In order to correctly calculate the spot allocations for EQC2024, we need these numbers from all NGBs. All Member NGBs were asked to collect and send the following information:
- Current team count of your NGB, split up in “adult” and “youth” teams.
- Current player count of your NGB (only “adult” players).
Quick side note/info on the “adult”/”youth” terminology:
“adult” in this case refers to the affiliation of the players to the teams and not the actual age of the players.
e.g. if a club has 1 A-team, 1 B-team and 1 youth-team, this club counts as having 2 “adult” teams and 1 “youth” team. The players in the A- and B-teams are the “adult” players.
The following numbers were reached:
| NGB | Amount of Adult teams |
|---|---|
| Austria | 7 |
| Belgium | 7 |
| Catalonia | 4 |
| Czech Rep. | 6 |
| Denmark | 1 |
| France | 14 |
| Germany | 44 |
| Italy | 13 |
| Netherlands | 4 |
| Norway | 6 |
| Poland | 5 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Spain | 9 |
| Sweden | 0 |
| Switzerland | 6 |
| Turkey | 9 |
| UK | 24 |
| Total | 160 |
Size of Divisions
The size of EQC2023 Division 2 is one of the essential decisions that determines the spot allocation. In the past we have seen a 16-team Division 2 in 2019 (Warsaw, Poland) and have held a 24 team Division 2 twice (Brescia, Italy & Golbey, France).
While the original idea for Division 2 was to have it expanded to 32 teams, just like Division 1, the Board has decided to stay with the 24 team format, mostly based on the responses in the team- and player census.
For the second year in a row, we see a decrease in the amount of teams in Europe, with very marginal growth in some NGBs.
The Board is afraid that if we increase the size to 32 teams, several NGBs will inevitably see an increase in their allocated number of spots. However, judging from the reported number of teams we do not think that some of these NGBs will be able to field the allocated amount of teams for EQC or only with very reduced rosters. This would put these NGBs in the position that they need to forfeit some of their spots. We will then end up in a situation where we will see several forfeits for Division 2 because the next-in-line NGBs will face a similar issue and have to decline these re-allocated spots again.
EQC2024 will have 32 Teams in Division 1 and 24 Teams in Division 2.
Spot Maximum per NGB
The same decision(s) from 2022 will be carried over. There has been no objection since the decision.
The Spot Maximum per NGB per Division will be 8.
The Spot Maximum over both Divisions per NGB will be 10.
Emerging Area Spots & IQA Membership
Just like last year, Slovenia will be considered equal to developing member NGBs, thus will receive 1 guaranteed spot for EQC2024.
Slovakia, however, will lose their guaranteed spot from last year.
Both NGBs have been attending past iterations of IQA events as well as repeatedly applying for Emerging Area spots at EQC over the past years.
We granted Slovenia the guaranteed spot last year, they accepted, and have participated. However, Slovakia failed to send a team to EQC after being given a guaranteed spot. They are bumped back to Emerging Area and will have to apply for an Emerging Area spot.
According to the IQA, there are now a few European nations considered as “Emerging Area”:
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Slovakia
- Sweden
We do not want to exclude any NGB from the option of attending EQC.
QE has decided to keep 3 emerging area spots at EQC, to give (re)building regions the possibility to attend the event if they wish to do so.
Should we get no applications at all or only a limited amount of applications, the remaining EA spots will be re-distributed according to the algorithm.
Turkey forfeiting spots in 2022 & 2023 and its effect for 2024
In 2022, Turkey would receive 5 spots, of which 4 were forfeited. It was decided, it would be unfair that Turkey would have to lose most their spots, just due to the economic situation of Turkey. Because of this, QE granted 3 spots to Turkey for 2023. More information about the decision in 2023 can be read here.
In 2023, Turkish teams once again couldn’t come to EQC due to national elections planned on the same weekend.
As this is a special case again, we would like to grant Turkey those 3 spots again.
While this decision was made on a precedent, we do actively not want to keep using this as a precedent. Every case of a forfeit that result into a major loss of performance points shall be discussed thoroughly and we hope to find a solution every time together with all QE Members.
Turkey receives 3 spots at EQC2024 Division 1.
Performance Points of NGBs receiving additional spots
After the initial spot distribution of EQC2023, a recalculation had to be done to take account multiple forfeits from several NGBs. You can find all info about that here.
NGBs who gained spots from the reallocation cannot gain additional performance points beyond the initial spot allocation, i.e. before any forfeits and the resulting redistribution of forfeited spots.
Therefore, the lowest-ranking team of the NGBs who gained spots (either at D1 or D2) as a result from the forfeit cannot earn any performance points for their NGB.
However, if one or more teams from an NGB, are being “promoted” to Division 1, as a result from the forfeits, those teams can earn performance points for their NGB.
Full Overview of all affected NGBs
| Change of Spots in 2023 | NGB(s) affected | Effect in Performance Points |
|---|---|---|
| Gained an additional spot in Division 2 | Austria Catalonia Czech Republic France The Netherlands Poland United Kingdom | Lowest ranking team of their NGB in Division 2 does not earn any performance points. |
| Division 2 spot was promoted to Division 1 | Poland Spain United Kingdom | Lowest ranking team of their NGB in Division 1 does earn performance points. |
Spot Calculations
With all topics explained, we can finally summarize the spots.
You can find the full calculations here.
| NGB | D1 Spots | D2 Spots | Total Spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Belgium | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Catalonia | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Czech Republic | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Denmark | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| France | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Germany | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| Italy | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Netherlands | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Norway | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Poland | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Slovenia | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Spain | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Turkey | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| UK | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Emerging Areas | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 32 | 24 | 56 |
