2022 World Cup qualifiers thread

Lots of tasty head to head European battles coming up from Sunday onwards.


- Portugal v Serbia in Portugal. Both teams already guaranteed top two. Serbia must win to qualify. A draw is enough for Portugal.

- Spain v Sweden in Spain. As above, both teams already guaranteed top two. After dropping points in Georgia, Sweden must win to qualify. Luckily for Spain, a draw is now enough for them.

- Croatia v Russia in Croatia. Both teams already guaranteed top two. Croatia must win to qualify but a draw away from home is enough for Russia.

Not to mention the battle between Italy and Switzerland for group winners and between North Macedonia and Romania for runners up of Germany's group.

Andorra got a player sent off after 10 secs (vs Poland). Surely must a new record of some sort.

1-0 Canada at full time. Canada tidy and skillful but lacking a bit in cutting edge. Probably decent League 1 kind of level. Hit the bar with an overhead kick, had a goal disallowed that looked fine to me, and should’ve had a penalty. Costa Rica were shite.

Millar subbed part way through the second half. A performance a lot like a lot of his showings for us. Alfonso Davies unsurprisingly the class act on show, and an Edmonton boy to boot.  

Great wins for both Canada and the US. Still a long way to go in qualifying but you’d have to fancy they both have excellent chances at qualifying now.

Scotland have reached the Play-Offs after a 2-0 win in Moldova

This is the furthest they've got in World Cup Qualifying amazingly since 1998!!

At present they're one of the six seeded teams yet currently in the last available spot, only down side is they've got Denmark next so its highly likely they'll be unseeded for the next stage.

Currently its:

Seeded: Serbia | Switzerland | Sweden | Croatia | Poland | Scotland
Unseeded: Czech Republic | Norway | North Macedonia | Ukraine

(Wales | Austria as the best two from the Nations League not to qualify join the unseeded teams)

Its worth nothing though that only Scotland have a confirmed spot in the Play-Offs.

Could be an interesting scenario in Oceania

Looks like the OFC don't feel as though its safe for World Cup Qualifying to be hosted anywhere in the region, so they've applied to FIFA requesting that it be held in Qatar in March 2022.

Its only ever a short format out that way. But wonder if it'll limit the participants as there must be a couple of countries in the area (American Samoa | Cook Islands etc.) who'd surely struggle to financially send a team out that way.

ValleyGary said:

ForeverAddickted said:

Could be an interesting scenario in Oceania

Looks like the OFC don't feel as though its safe for World Cup Qualifying to be hosted anywhere in the region, so they've applied to FIFA requesting that it be held in Qatar in March 2022.

Its only ever a short format out that way. But wonder if it'll limit the participants as there must be a couple of countries in the area (American Samoa | Cook Islands etc.) who'd surely struggle to financially send a team out that way.

Can’t they just put NZ through to the playoff stage and be done with it? No other team gets close do they?

Surprisingly they do... You had Tahiti win the 2012 OFC Nations Cup (their Euros), and then New Zealand only just managed to win the last one by beating Papua New Guinea on penalties.

Although I do wonder if New Zealand dont completely take that seriously as last Qualifying Campaign they got to the Play-Offs by demolishing the Solomon Islands 8-3 on agg in the final round.

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Callumcafc said:

Great wins for both Canada and the US. Still a long way to go in qualifying but you’d have to fancy they both have excellent chances at qualifying now.

USA and Mexico will probably be the top 2, so Canada have to beat Panama to get 3rd and qualify.

If they finish 4th they go into a play off, which is ok if they draw a side from Oceania or Asia, but if it's the team from South America i don't think they'd win.

Canada are at home to Mexico on Tuesday and there’s a strong chance of snow by then (we’re already several weeks late in the year for there to be none on the ground yet). Mexico, I would imagine, are a bit better than Canada but the cold will level things up a bit. Canada were better than I expected last night. They played some really nice stuff last night, albeit against weak opponents, but tried to walk it in at times. They have a very decent chance of qualifying but I agree any South American side would start as strong favourites against them. 

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

Norway (without Haaland) have blown their chances of winning the group. Needing a win at home to Latvia tonight to take qualification to a winner takes all match v Holland in midweek.........they were held 0-0.

To make matters worse, Turkey smashed Gibraltar 6-0 and go above them on goal difference (1 better) so now Norway might even miss out on a play off spot as well.

That could be huge for Scotland - Had Norway won today then Scotland would drop into the unseeded section of the Play-Offs.

They ideally need a result against Denmark to secure that seeded spot, but if neither Norway (play Netherlands) and Turkey (play Montenegro) win their last group game then their result against Denmark wont matter.

France also 1-0 up early at home over Kazakhstan. As it stands, their qualification will be confirmed today.

In that group, big result for Finland winning 3-1 in Bosnia. That knocks Bosnia out and gives the Finns a two point advantage over Ukraine. 

ended 5-1 to Wales, Gunter unused.

Spotted a “Charlton Cymru” flag in one of the corners. 

Netherlands were 2-0 up after 80 minutes but draw 2-2 in Montenegro which means they still need a win against Norway at home to guarantee qualification. Goal difference means that a draw should be enough though.

Croatia have beaten Russia 1-0 and leapfrog them into first place to qualify for the World Cup. Russia will have to settle for the playoffs.

Finally later this evening both Portugal v Serbia and Spain v Sweden will determine who qualifies as a group winner and who has to settle for playoffs.

Spain win 1-0 over Sweden and qualify as group winners. Sweden into the playoffs.