2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group A

Originally Posted by Colbert Report

I was reading about this last night. I suspect that if they qualify, they'll be allowed in, just not to compete under the Russian flag. If FIFA were serious about not letting them in, surely they wouldn't allow them to compete in the qualifiers, right?

Yeah, it's a strange one. That seems to be what will happen alright. I got the feeling either (a) allowing them in the qualifiers gives them time to appeal, whereas if you booted them out of the qualifiers and then lost an appeal you'd have a big lawsuit or (b) they want to punish the federation but not the players - so the players get to go to the World Cup, the Russian fans get to watch their team (and FIFA get their TV money), but the Russian Federation doesn't make any money off it. But I don't really know.

I hadn't considered the financial aspect of it at all, but I think you're on the right track there. No money for qualifying or competing in the finals for the Russian football association.

ok but it is unfair, imagine if a team are beating by them home and away, and couldnt win the group because of those results. Lawsuit as well

Seedings confirmed for the draw on Monday week, with Ireland in Pot three.


I'd take Denmark in Pot 1, but only because we've a history of drawing with them, I don't think we'd get anything from the rest
Turkey/Slovakia/Romania from Pot 2
Israel/Belarus/Luxembourg from Pot 4
and then anything from 5 or 6
I'd prefer to avoid anything with long distance travel as well

I still think our best chance - not that it's a great chance, but our best chance - is getting a Spain/Germany as top seed, who'll do the double over the second seed.

I could see Denmark dropping a point against us but three against the second seeds, and then we're really in trouble.

Some of those fourth seeds aren't walkovers either.

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I'd prefer to avoid anything with long distance travel as well

You should be ok with Kazakhstan (same latitude at its easternmost border as Bangladesh!), since they're only allowed to be drawn with one western country in their group = long odds against drawing ROI.
Personally I'd love an excuse to go there, Covid permitting.

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I still think our best chance - not that it's a great chance, but our best chance - is getting a Spain/Germany as top seed, who'll do the double over the second seed.

I could see Denmark dropping a point against us but three against the second seeds, and then we're really in trouble.

Some of those fourth seeds aren't walkovers either.

Do you think Germany aren't vulnerable right now though? Whatever about us, I think the second seeds would certainly be looking for points against them, realistically.

Well, ok, maybe Germany's a bad example alright. Though you should never write off the Germans!

I was thinking of England really but couldn't bring myself to say I want them in our group so they can beat us and the second seeds twice

At least there does not seem to be anyone in pot 2 where we wouldn't at least have a fighting chance - I mean, we have played Switzerland, Wales, Slovakia, Austria, Sweden and Poland recent enough and should give any of those a game.

We won't be stuck in a Germany / Netherlands situation like NIR were in the last qualifiers or Spain & Italy for the last WC draw. You are finished before you start in that scenario.

Best case scenario :

Denmark
Slovakia
Republic of Ireland
Luxemborg
Andorra
Gibraltar

Fair played to Luxemborg for getting themselves into the 4th Pot.

Worst

Belgium
Switzerland
Republic of Ireland
Bosnia & Hertzegovina
Kosovo

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Well, ok, maybe Germany's a bad example alright. Though you should never write off the Germans!

I was thinking of England really but couldn't bring myself to say I want them in our group so they can beat us and the second seeds twice

Issue is, unlike in previous years, second place gets us to a 1 in 4 playoff rather than 1 in 2.

So the chance you might win a group with Denmark and Romania in it, is drastically better than the difference in chance you’d come second in a group with France and Slovakia over coming second in a group with Denmark and whoever.

Old tournaments = 9 group winners + 4/8 best runners up

This one: 10 group winners + 3/12 (10 runners up + 2 best nations league teams that aren’t among the 22).

We’re outside the top 24 in the nations league so we can’t gain those 2 places.

I'll admire your optimism, elated, even if I can't come close to sharing it!

I don't see us winning even a crap group. We've only ever once won a qualifying group (Euro 88) and I don't see how the worst team since then (and indeed, some time beforehand too) is going to buck that trend even if we do get Denmark and Romania.

I'd have no problems being wrong of course! But I still think a sneaky second in a group with a dominant top seed and a weak second seed is our best bet. Even if, as you say, it's a 1 in 4 play-off now.

We came close to topping the group in 2002, that was with a hot 2nd seed and an ailing 1st seed.
A similar group to that, maybe throw in a banana skin in the 4th pot.

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

and then anything from 5 or 6

I really wouldn't fancy Kosovo (from purely a points pov)

Really think the triple-header format for qualifiers puts smaller nations like ourselves at a disadvantage. Way too condensed now in my opinion. We stood a better chance when it was mainly one qualifier, sometimes two qualifiers in a window spread over 15 months.

Originally Posted by Grafter

Really think the triple-header format for qualifiers puts smaller nations like ourselves at a disadvantage. Way too condensed now in my opinion. We stood a better chance when it was mainly one qualifier, sometimes two qualifiers in a window spread over 15 months.

What club is going to want their players playing in all three matches ~ ~ so smaller countries with weaker panels are going to suffer = = suits FIFA and the Big Countries with stronger squads and bigger choices of players. Football is becoming less and less about the small countries.

Hi Kosovo cant play against Bosnia

Originally Posted by seanfhear

What club is going to want their players playing in all three matches ~ ~ so smaller countries with weaker panels are going to suffer = = suits FIFA and the Big Countries with stronger squads and bigger choices of players. Football is becoming less and less about the small countries.

Isn't it only 2 games, a one leg semi final and final?

Originally Posted by geysir

Isn't it only 2 games, a one leg semi final and final?

He means 3 games in an international window in general, not the playoffs

best case

denmark/croatia
Rumania/slovakia
ireland
Luxemburg/Belarus
andorra
any pot 6

worst case

belgium/france/spain/germany
any of pot 2 they are no world beaters at all
ireland
bosnia/slovenia/montenegro/albania
kosovo/cyprus/armenia
any pot 6 for Germany

my hunch

Spain
Ukraine
Ireland
Montenegro
Albania

Originally Posted by elatedscum

He means 3 games in an international window in general, not the playoffs

I see that now, the postponed Euro 2020 finals have to be played out. What a waste of valuable WC qualifier window space!