World Cup Qualification Playoffs - March 2026

[Nesta99]

Redemption is written in to this campaign. Would be a mad scenario to end up playing them again if its possible. They really do like to make qualification almost a PhD to follow, would give GAA a run for their money!

[Eirambler]

There's no way in for Armenia, they're gone. It's just a straight swap between Wales and Macedonia, the loser goes into pot 4, the winner (or Macedonia if it's a draw) goes into one of the higher ranked pots. The 28 teams that progress from the UEFA groups by either qualifying or making the playoffs have now been determined with the other 26 eliminated. The outstanding matters now are to do with auto qualification (e.g. Scotland v Denmark, Germany v Slovakia) but the non auto qualifiers from those matchups will all get playoffs at worst.

[Insidetherock]

Next time,

I think UEFA should make WC qualification similar to Champions League.. 11 groups of 5, each team play 11 games (one from each pot), 6 home, 5 away, or vice versa

Or 10 games, 5 home, 5 away, but don't play any team in the same pot

Top 12 teams, qualify

Next 16 team, play offs, 16/8/4.. so 2 extra games..

😃

[Eirambler]

There has been some talk of a move to the so-called Swiss system in future. With the Nations League becoming more prominent, we're starting to move away from the traditional groups format that we have become used to down the years.

[~YTM~]

Can't help feeling there'll be a few 2nd and 3rd G players suddenly feeling a bit more Irish after this week, Dewsbury-Hall, Jobe Bellingham et al. Would you take them/

Bellingham will never have an interest in Ireland. Bellingham will wait for that England call up. One cap playing with his brother will mean more to him than 50+ Ireland caps.

Would definitely take some quality midfielders but then you see what yesterday meant to lads who'd do anything to play for Ireland. Szmodics another lad I hope HH has second thoughts about calling up. Fair enough he's injured now but dropped out mid window in September and before the games last month through injury but never missed a game for Ipswich.

[rebelmusic]

Article on the proposed changes below. I like the idea. They do need to figure out how to give international teams proper training camps. Friendlies are less and less important but giving a squad two days to prep for a huge game is BS.

https://www.goal.com/en/lists/world-...0c16074489ef53

[rebelmusic]

. Szmodics another lad I hope HH has second thoughts about calling up. Fair enough he's injured now but dropped out mid window in September and before the games last month through injury but never missed a game for Ipswich.

Szmodics has gotten a ton of abuse online for that and I think it's gone too far.

[legendz]

Just checked the rules.. looks like Armenia are back in, if North Macedonia get a result against Wales.. they're the 3rd ranked Nations League C runners up.. but Kosovo and Slovakia will already have earned spots via the qualifiers

Wales and N. Macedonia were both Nations League group winners. Whoever misses out on 2nd will be in Pot 4. If a Pot 4 spot was freed up, Moldova are next in line from Nations League group winners.