Who should the next rival of the Federation.

[Arpy]

I've mentioned this before, but I like the idea of the Ferengi and some combination of Nausicaans, Orions, Pakleds, and maybe Yridians forming their own Alliance. It would grow like the UFP does and never conquer anyone, but with a clearly different set of ideals. Maybe they would be more lenient towards letting racist or segregated races join, and allow non-democratic governments to maintain some autonomy.

They wouldn't be actual enemies of the Federation, but certainly rivals.

Also the Corvallens, Xepolites, Kressari, Hupyrians, Chalnoth...

They have good relations with the Sheliak (who find them less demanding if just as inferior as the Feds) and Cardassians (who are closer to and less expensive than the UFP), and, annoyingly, the Klingons (who secretly don’t mind cheap stuff and a bit of anarchy).

Actually, they get along not badly with the Federation, too, making them all the more slippery as they sew lawlessness where before the Federation sewed order.

 

[Maurice]

Rival? How about these ladies...

 

[darrenjl]

The Fen Domar.

 

[Ocanain]

I’d like to see some unexpected turns on nemesis to the Federation instead of the classic villain. Some of these would include Bajoran culture in Cardassian hands, Vulcan - Romulan unity, Starfleet rebelling against the Federation, humanisation of Klingons where the Federation is the villain, new races that characterise moral independence in a unique way and even origin stories about enslavement of the changelings to be revealed. I guess some of these are still classical but a little off centre but I particularly like the idea of the villain being a seperate entity between the Federation and Starfleet.

 

[Trekkie27]

The Changeling Founders, recovering from the virus infected by Section 31, would remain a formidable foe, because they still control much of the other quadrant (Delta?). And the robotic homeworld that created V'ger could come into play (assuming it's not the Borg), and, if they can make V'ger what it is ...

 

[Tim Walker]

As for a rival grouping, I think that the Typhon Pack is probably the one suggested that is the closest to the idea.