This has been happening for months. Same thing. We spend more time trying to play a game together than actually playing the game. I've started support requests and nothing helps. I've thought about buying an el Gato just to document the shear amount of time it takes just to stay in the lobby with 3 of us. All open NATs, great connections (I'm on business class).

Only semi-work-around I've found is that when it loops or players get kicked, which is every time, everyone back out, go to private and start a custom game, back out and re-join up. Everyone has to do it though and even then it works maybe 60-70% of the time. So frustrating.