2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification

  • Thread starter Famine
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France and Belgium have both qualified after tonight's games, France battered Kazakhstan 8-0 with Mbappe getting four and Belgium beat Estonia 3-1.

Wales had a good night too beating Belarus 5-1 and Montenegro got a late equalizer to draw 2-2 v Netherlands.
 
We played like ****. But now that disallowed goal in the first game against Serbia would have made a huge difference.
 
I may have misread this but doesn't both Serbia AND Spain qualify for Qatar with their wins today?
 
Both Serbia and Spain have qualified, Portugal will have to try and qualify via the play-offs.
 
Mitrovic with the last-minute Ronaldo tears. Sorry but it's hard not to laugh.
 
Italy now must qualify through the playoffs?
Yup.

I do wish BPF would stop being so awesome on the international stage. We've only got him on loan, and if he keeps this up he'll be sold by Burnley for an eight-figure sum.
 
Yup.

I do wish BPF would stop being so awesome on the international stage. We've only got him on loan, and if he keeps this up he'll be sold by Burnley for an eight-figure sum.
That's a pretty big deal isn't it? 2020 Euros champion can't win their group?
 
From what I've read Russia is NOT eliminated and can still make the World Cup, it would just not be under the Russian flag?
 
England put 10 past San Marino and were 5-0 up at half time, Kane with four and Abraham with two, Smith Rowe got his first England goal and Conor Gallagher made his debut, England have now qualified having only needed a point, Kane moves up to third on the England goal scorers list just five behind Rooney...
 
From what I've read Russia is NOT eliminated and can still make the World Cup, it would just not be under the Russian flag?
Why would they be eliminated? They finished second, ready for play-off.

Draw on the 26th of November.
 
That's a pretty big deal isn't it? 2020 Euros champion can't win their group?
Yeah, a little. They're not out yet, so it's not quite a big kerfuffle, but certainly it's a consequence of playing how they played to win the Euros in a qualifying group - too many draws.
 
Wales with a great performance and result at home to Belgium tonight, drew 1-1 and it means we are seeded for the play-offs so we avoid Portugal and Italy in the semi finals and get a home tie as well, good defensive performance against the number 1 team in the world.
 
Russia and Ukraine cannot play each other. I want Wales to declare war on Austria, Poland and Czechia.

UEFA, please politically rig our seeded draw at home so we get North Macedonia.
 
Russia and Ukraine cannot play each other. I want Wales to declare war on Austria, Poland and Czechia.

UEFA, please politically rig our seeded draw at home so we get North Macedonia.
Dumb question, but what happens if both teams make it to the finals (or the World Cup)?
 
Dumb question, but what happens if both teams make it to the finals (or the World Cup)?
I think they are kept apart as reasonably as can be made possible in group stage drawing and even on which side of a knockout tree they might then appear in but ultimately a knockout game cannot be avoided, i.e. a Euro or World Cup final.

In a way, to me it defeats the entire point of "random" or indeed seeded draws. If it is known that two teams are publicly kept apart, then it is at least possible that others are as well for competitive interest.

Additionally, in UEFA alone the following games are also prohibited:

Kosovo vs Serbia
Kosovo vs Russia
Kosovo vs Bosnia-Hercegovina
Azerbaijan vs Armenia
Spain vs Gibraltar

I think Albania vs Serbia might be prohibited as well. Switzerland vs Serbia is not prohibited but the numer of ethnic Kosovans and Albanians in the Swiss team makes it a controversial game.

And people say keep politics out of sport...
 
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They would have to play it. Although, for that to happen, it would mean that the fabric of spacetime has been broken, or something like that. It's not supposed to happen, as those teams are not good enough for that.
 
If it is known that two teams are publicly kept apart, then it is at least possible that others are as well for competitive interest.
As far as I'm aware, the process involves a public draw, but if the teams that are supposed to be kept apart happen to come out of the draw not being kept apart then one or the other is moved during the draw.

For example, if Russia is in pot 2 and Ukraine in pot 3, and Russia comes out in Group A during the pot 2 draw then if Ukraine comes out of pot 3 in Group A, they'll simply be moved to Group... E and the Pot 3/Group A team redrawn.


They're kept apart in matches that are not at neutral venues simply so that you're not having citizens of one country flying into another one with which they're at war. In Finals tournaments it's just to reduce crowd violence and "political statements".
 
For example, if Russia is in pot 2 and Ukraine in pot 3, and Russia comes out in Group A during the pot 2 draw then if Ukraine comes out of pot 3 in Group A, they'll simply be moved to Group... E and the Pot 3/Group A team redrawn.
Considering where a majority of its territory is (definitely) located, perhaps Russia could transfer to the AFC to solve this particular prohibited fixture...
 
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Considering where a majority of its territory is (definitely) located, perhaps Russia could transfer to the AFC to solve this particular prohibited fixture...
Geography doesn't really work in FIFA. Imagine if Israel were actually in the AFC as they would basically be unable to play 15 teams or so.
 
The draw for the UEFA World Cup play-offs has been made - potential showdown between Scotland and Wales for a place in the World Cup! Both the semi-finals and finals are to be played over one leg and will take place over the course of five days from 24-29 March.


Semi-final draws

Scotland
v Ukraine

Wales v Austria

Russia v Poland

Sweden v Czech Republic

Portugal v Turkey

Italy v North Macedonia


Final draw

Wales
or Austria v Scotland or Ukraine

Russia v Poland v Sweden or Czech Republic

Portugal or Turkey v Italy or North Macedonia
 
Thread bump time as the play-off take place this week, Thursday to be exact.

Quite a bit has happened in the world since the last post on here at the end of November, most notably of course is Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia have now been throw out of all Football (pretty much!) and that does affect the play offs.

Russia were due to play Poland but now Poland get a bye into the final to face either Sweden or the Czech Republic, Scotland v Ukraine has been postponed until June which in turn affects Wales v Austria as whoever wins that one will have to wait for their final match.

So six play-off matches is now four, here are the games for Thursday.

Italy v North Macedonia
Portugal v Turkey
Sweden v Czech Republic
Wales v Austria

All games kick-off at 7.45pm GMT. Two finals should take place on Tuesday which is Italy/North Macedonia v Portugal/Turkey and Poland v Sweden/Czech Republic.
 
North Macedonia just beat Italy 1-0. :eek: Italy 30 shots, only 5 on target.
Portugal beat Turkey 3-1
Wales 2-1 Austria
Sweden - Czech Republic still 0-0
 
Italy fail to qualify for a second World Cup in a row, it also means that the European Champions wont be at the World Cup.

Two brilliant goals from Bale inspired Wales, first was a 25 yard free kick!
 
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