Having the recent draw of the FIFA World Cup completed, I think its high time that we start thinking about the FIFA World Cup game for 2006.
My Suggestions:
Menu: More user friendly, "Colours of Germany" style: Black Red & Gold, with a splash of green. The seperate menu for the Kit Select screens in Euro 2004 was a great idea, Keep it for Germany 2006! You can even keep the same pose of the players for each of the european countries, while formulating new ones for the other intl teams, with updated kits for all countries.
Countries & Kits: All members of FIFA who took part in qualifying, with all kits being realistic, with correct logos, as should required by EA Sports! Holland is no longer considered an excuse...
Germany 2006: for Teams who have qualified (except Germany), give the user the option of playing the Finals or re-qualification.
Stadiums: of host cities for Finals. Also, for Qualfication Mode:
Stade de France, Bolleart, Parc des Princes, Velodrome, Gerland.
Da Luz, Alvalade, Bessa, Braga, Dragao.
Stamford, Old Trafford, Anfield, Highbury, St. James.
Bernabeu, Mestalla, Calderon.
Olimpico, Alpi, San Siro.
Samiyen, Ataturk.
Amsterdam, De Kuip.
Constant Stock.
Cameroon Stad from FIFA 98.
Maracana.
Azteca.
Millenium.
Training/Practise: Team and individual practise, free, corner and penalty kick. Practise the basics with those who know: Figo, Zidane, Raul, van Nistelrooy, Blanco, Reyna, Ji-Sung, Nakata, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Carlos, Cafu, Crespo, Santa Cruz, Larsson, Del Piero, Henry, Beckham, Kahn, Ballack, Sukur... The list is endless. I would also like to add that possibly EA Sports could sign the voice talent of the players for Basic Training, in the language of thier representative country (Figo in Portuguese, Beckham in English, Henry in French, Ruud in Dutch, Raul in Spanish etc.)
Setplays: The Free Kick system in FIFA 06 is terrible, dont even think of using it in FWC06, you'll just ruin another great game, EA. Use the UCL system of Freekick Gameplay, with the miniball from FIFA 2005 to set the power, spin, direction of the kick. The same can be said for corners.
Skills: A recent thought of mine: Use a ball-opponent-direction distance factor to determine what kind kind of tricks a player can and should do.
EG: If the controlled player is at the end of his opponents shadow and facing his opponent, he should be able to pull a tunnel. If the player is closer, and within range of tackling, then a 360 spin or combinations of close control, depending on the skill of player. NB: The 360, elastico, 2nd foot push after a heel back, (Shift back then forward in UCL/FIFA 06), dragback to 1 side around the leg, lollypop, should all be able to be done manually with or without an opponent.
Match presentation:
ALL The Teams must have anthems, and the audio being played the whole way through. Opening and closing ceremony cinematics (with the presentation of the trophy!). The ability to control the crowd support ratio should be a new feature added into Germany 2006.
Commentary: Martin Tyler. & maybe Andy Gray, but Martin's good enough to do it by himself. Also one note on opening commentary, Make the commentator say something along the lines of: "Welcome to this friendly/qualifyer/WC group/quarter/semi/3rdplace/final match between... (Brazil) & (Ghana) in (Hamburg) at the (AOL Arena) Stadium." Also obvious things such as: "Drogba for the Ivory Coast" "Shevchenko for the Ukraine" "And Now Ballack for Germany" "Ronaldinho for Brazil on the ball" can't be forgotten...
But make a distinction between a friendly and the World Cup final...
Unlockables:
Tricolore
Fevernova
Roteiro
Thus Ball Selection
OlympiaStadion
Thus Stadium Selection
Classic Matches of the World Cup.
All Star Teams.
Training in any Stadium
Video's of the Host Country, Participating Countries (Thier Road to the World Cup).
Classic Matches Video, Videos of stadiums and thier cities, Maybe during loading screens thus not an unlockable, like in FWC 98.