World Cup Qualifying

I think so.

You'd have got big odds the first 3 goals today would be Malta Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands

Albania confirmed in play offs likely in pot 3, as are Czechia pot 2/3.  Poland all but confirmed pot 1/2.  Northern Ireland will be in pot 4.

Wales and Scotland today

Surprised Denmark are on the drift.  They were reportedly held up for 12 hours at the Polish border.

"According to the original plan, the Belarusian national team was to travel by bus to Vilnius, from where a charter flight was scheduled to depart. However, the route was adjusted in light of Lithuania's unilateral decision to completely close the border with Belarus on October 29th.

Therefore, the Belarusian national team's travel time to Denmark is currently 18 hours. The team also still has to travel to Warsaw and fly to Copenhagen."

They = Belarus not Denmark

Not that I want to watch anymore of this but how did they only come up with 3 minutes stoppage time in the Wales match at the end of the first half ? The VAR check took over 3 minutes and there were at least 3 injury stoppages of over a minute. It seems they make the time up randomly as they go along - it's a dire game.

Indeed That also a booking in injury time for time wasting still played no more than he shown.

The Mighty Whales
sluagthering
LICHENSTEIN

Not
THank god the friendly Brasil  match was on

Always works
Whales lead

Killer Wales!

Belarus putting 1.02 Denmark under pressure...

1.02        £11,192.27
1.03            £155,866.53
1.04            £38,677.44
1.05            £96,280.29
1.06            £57,803.26
1.07            £132,466.98
1.08            £149,171.14
1.09            £96,019.59
1.1            £16,308.54

Belarus need to be held up for 12 hours every week

Some funny results, and strange games, this week.

Well done Greece backers...

Yes.  A good bet.

Romania and Sweden join Northern Ireland in pot 4.
Kosovo Albania in pot 3
Czechia pot 2/3
Poland pot 1/2
Turkey Italy pot 1

Wouldn't mind Turkey in the same pot as some onion gravy

RONNY absolutely fuming as Portugal,s 7th goes in

Make that 8

Two hat tricks

make that another Hat trick

Go on ya good thing Troy

Amazing scenes in Hungary

Hatrick from Troy Parrott       
Amazing leap for the flick on (No.3? not sure who)

96th minute with 5 mins extra time

Good result for Scotland that.  Should see them in pot 2 if they fail to beat Denmark

Well done Ireland, obviously more hungry for it

Troy Parrott is the first player in Republic of Ireland's history to score a hat-trick away from home.

Opta

https://x.com/jeffacake117/status/1990094638217154881?s=19

..

Incredible seens, limbs, etc etc

https://x.com/IrelandFootball/status/1990089184443330589?s=19

..

Can anyone see England scoring unless it's a penalty? Notwithstanding the England build-up under Tuchel is no longer as pedestrian as when under the previous plonker.

Kane BRACE

Since qualification for UEFA EURO 2020 started in 2019, Harry Kane has scored 40 goals in qualifying matches for major tournaments (World Cup/EURO), at least eight more than any other European player (Cristiano Ronaldo - 32).

Opta

Since qualification for UEFA EURO 2020 started in 2019, Harry Kane has scored 40 goals in qualifying matches for major tournaments (World Cup/EURO), at least eight more than any other European player (Cristiano Ronaldo - 32).

Opta

Rankings for play offs
Bold = through
italics = possibles
* = favourites
Italy
Germany
Denmark
Austria
Turkey
Ukraine
Poland
Wales
Czechia
Scotland*
Slovakia*
ROI
Albania
North Macedonia*
Bosnia*
Kosovo
Unranked
Sweden
Northern Ireland
Romania
Wales/North Macedonia

Statement win for Norway and another 2 for Haaland

Norway must have a decent shot at winning the whole thing

Surely Italy aren't gonna fail to qualify for the 3rd time in a row

Fair shout Tobermory.  How many semi-finalists (even) have come from under-achieving countries who suddenly come to the fore by virtue of a couple of top class players pulling the others upwards?!

Kane and Rice - England

Kelleher & Troy -Ireland

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx278m4gm4xo

..

Dale Johnson formerly of Espn now with BBC, a great
capture for BBC.

Tuchel not going to take Bellingham’s ego tantrums.  I admire him.  I hope the player responds appropriately because on the park he is brilliant.

Bell end
Brilliant
Over rated gives ball away to many times
Goes on missing list I’d have Palmer over him all day and all night as 10

No place for that palace lad not good enough imo

Rice world class at 6 not number 8
They need to sort that

Dan burn should wear the England again
He run down than slab head

Bowen he’s good player but I don’t think he replace Saka and Tommy like  that lad from Chelsea
So I can’t see Bowen going to World Cup unless pulls up major trees

We need a protector in front of the back four  and Declan Rice is the best person for that. He’s not a number eight.

Stones another that shouldn’t be near England team anymore

Rash Harry saka
        Cole
             Rogers
          Rice
Who  ever fit  at back


Play bell as false nine
When Harry becomes passenger up top

Bowen gets in as a goal scorer, I think he's behind saka and madueke
as wide right player.

We have rashers and Gordon on the left

But bowen deffo on the plane for me.


I agree on rice, and maybe I'd double up and
play Anderson alongside him in double pivot.

Leaves Bellingham, eze, foden, and Palmer scrapping
over one midfield spot... Assuming he's playing a 9
and that has to be kane.

Pickford starts.

Defence is up for grabs and he's got time to find
his best blend.

Well done fattie.  Still with the toilet mouth I see.
Bellingham is world class.  End of.

Rankings for play offs
Bold = through
italics = possibles
* = favourites
Italy
Denmark
Austria
Turkey
Ukraine
Poland
Wales*
Czechia
Scotland*
Slovakia
ROI
Albania
North Macedonia
Bosnia*
Kosovo
Unranked
Sweden
Northern Ireland
Romania
Wales/North Macedonia

Nothing to do with this thread but didn't want to start a new one just to say...
Question on The Chase tonight, final round...
How wide is a football goal?
Woman answered... 350 yards...!


It wasn't the right answer in case you're wondering

How long is the 18yd box?

Always catches a few, especially if they don't know
goal isn't 350yards wide.

Nov 17, 2025 -- 10:31PM, Regbutler wrote:

Nothing to do with this thread but didn't want to start a new one just to say...Question on The Chase tonight, final round...How wide is a football goal?Woman answered... 350 yards...! It wasn't the right answer in case you're wondering

I'd love to show her my 18-inch.........pizza

Just seen Iraq scored a penalty in the 17th minute of injury time to secure a play off birth

nice ref there I guess

Wondering how many I'd guess Belgium can score tonight - Portugal got 9 yesterday, can they get to that (or near) I wonder?

Brilliant start scotland.

Don't sit back.

I bet the draw in Iraq game.

7 for Belgium so far - softened my awful bet on the Wales game at least and maybe even better now...

Denmark could have another sent off and still get through.  We are back as Dr Jekyll again.  All composure gone.

Well done Scotland

WORLD CUP PLAYOFF POTS

1️⃣ Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine
2️⃣ Poland, Wales, Czechia, Slovakia
3️⃣ Ireland, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo
4️⃣ Romania, Sweden, N Macedonia, N Ireland

Pot 1 has home advantage v Pot 4; Pot 2 home v Pot 3. 1/4 plays 2/3 at venue tbc in draw (Thurs 12pm).

Thanks CLYDEBANK29.
It’s taken me 60 years to stumble across the way to see Scotland succeed - root for the opposition!
What an achievement by Clarke!

Rankings for play offs
Pot 1
Italy
Denmark
Turkey
Ukraine

Pot 2
Poland
Wales
Czechia
Slovakia

Pot 3
ROI
Albania
Bosnia
Kosovo

Pot 4
Sweden
Northern Ireland
Romania
North Macedonia

Good luck to Wales Northern Ireland and the ROI in the play offs

Great stuff, very pleased to see it happen again.

Great point  I concur very much.
PS. THE Donald’s Ma was Scottish.  Do you think he’ll be supporting us.?
I heard a great comedy line on the radio today.
Interviewer to Donald Trump : Will you be supporting Scotland at Hampden tonight?
POTUS answer : Yeah, Hampden.  I played golf there once!   

Some crunch games in CONCACAF later tonight.  Suriname Curacao (where Pinny is based) and Haiti all on the brink of history for a first WC appearance (I think).  Suriname in South America, so it could be a case of naming the countries that didn't make the WC from that continent.

world cup European qualifying groups over,Sweden havnt won a game out of 6 matches and can still qualify through the play offs,THE WORLD CUP HAS GONE, I,d imagine Sweden could qualify and maybe get as far as quarter finals ,without winning a game in this bWORLD CUP CAMPAIGN

Curucao and Haiti qualify.  Curucao's population only a little over 150k!  Quite an achievement but only one of Curucao's squad born in Curucao   The rest born in The Netherlands!  Formerly called the Dutch/Netherlands Antilles.  A good achievement nonetheless

Suriname bottled it but an injury time own goal to reduce the deficit to 3-1 got them in the play offs.  Frequent qualifiers Costa Rica and Honduras played out a 0-0 draw.  Honduras were going in the play offs until the Suriname goal.  A win would've got them automatic ahead of Haiti.  A win for Costa Rica would've got them in the play offs over Suriname.  Both teams must be dreadful for it to end 0-0 and neither can possibly deserve to qualify in those circumstances

Thanks for the info. CLYDEBANK29.

Don’t think it’s gone 1tp but I agree that too many better countries miss out.  Qualifying formula could certainly be improved, I agree.

mighty18 Nov 25 20:49Joined: 20 Jun 05 | Topic/replies: 435 | Blogger: mighty's blog
I bet the draw in Iraq game


They allocated 10 minutes additional minutes and ended up playing 18. Sounds like they were going to carry on playing until Iraq scored !

Highest ranked teams (November 2025 ranking)
that have been ELIMINATED from WC qualifiers:

#37  Serbia
#38  Nigeria
#40  Hungary
#46 Greece
#48  Venezuela
#49  Costa Rica
#51  Peru
#52  Chile
#53  Mali
#55  Slovenia
#57  Cameroon
#62 Burkina Faso

I see the Wally With the Brolly has resigned after Jamaica failed to beat the mighty Curacao this morning. They showed no real urgency for much of the game, very strange. They woke up in the second half and hit the woodwork several times, looked like they would get out of jail in the 94th minute when the ref gave them a penalty but thankfully VAR intervened as the defender clearly won the ball. Jamaica can still qualify via the play offs so all is not lost for them yet.

Off for a beer can sandwich is our steeve

Given his previous , i was half expecting his resignation speech to be in patois

Everybody was disappointed it was not.

How will the World Cup Finals Draw work with 6 unknown teams , pot 1 has the 3 hosts and the top 9 ranked teams which is settled now i think , but they wont know which teams will qualify for the other pots , uefa should really have had 8 groups with top 2 qualifying and pre qualifying to get the groups down and with 48 teams qualifying scrap the intercontinental play offs.

I love the format but it can badly interfere with
club games.It keeps so many nations alive with a hope
of getting to USA.

I'm not sure fifa have decided exactly how the
undecideds will be allocated as Italy would be an extremely
difficult floater, could easily allocate places
based on world rankings to balance groups.



From Dale Johnson, ex espn, now of the BBC...



Fifa hasn't published the regulations yet, and it could choose to seed each playoff path by the highest-ranked team.

That would mean, for instance, the Uefa paths of Italy and Denmark would be in Pot 2.

For the 2022 World Cup, the playoff paths all went into Pot 4.

I have seen now they have said the 6 play off winners are in pot 4 , the world rankings were updated today . so Italy would be in pot 4

Italy are 12th, Denmark are 21 in world rankings.

Dale will have had a nod about potential changes.

They are parked in pot 4 for now.

Norway World Ranked behind Australia, Iran and South Korea.  How ridiculous!

weren't Norway's results pretty rubbish up until mid 2024 ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_national_football_team_results_(2020%E2%80%93present)

..

The Draw for the Intercontinental play offs is tomorrow , DR Congo and Iraq are seeded to the 2 finals , Bolivia and New Caledonia will be drawn against Jamaica and Suriname in the semi finals

My post of a minute ago referred to moderators.  I made one perfectly reasonable and legitimate error.  See if you can work it out.
“Richard Advocaat manages Curacao”.     

I'm not egging you on

. I once had an uncle Richard.  I/we are not allowed now to use his family name of Rick with a D.

My favourite dessert is a British steamed pudding, historically made with suet and dried fruit (usually currants or raisins) and often served with custard.

Where and when did you first spot that?

Too much dick talk on here

Path A

SF1: Italy v Northern Ireland
SF2: Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina

Path B

SF3: Ukraine v Sweden
SF4: Poland v Albania
Path C

SF5: Turkey v Romania
SF6: Slovakia v Kosovo

Path D

SF7: Denmark v North Macedonia
SF8: Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland

Draw for the finals:

Winner of SF2 (Wales Bosnia-Herzegovina) at home v winner of SF1 (Italy v Northern Ireland).

Winner of SF3: (Ukraine and Sweden) at home v winner of SF4 (Poland v Albania).

Winner of SF 6 (Slovakia v Kosovo v winner of SF5 (Turkey v Romania)

Winner of SF8 (Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland) at home v winner of SF7 (Denmark v North Macedonia).

Wow!  It must have been crrraaahhhhseeoh they didn’t like.  Not.  They didn’t like spotted Hern either.

Or is it the capital Dee?

Ukraine play their home games in Poland.  So questionable what advantage that is and will be interesting how the fan allocation would be split if they do play each other.  Great draw for Sweden.  Got the weakest top seed and a home draw if they win.  Awful for Northern Ireland.  Decent draw for the ROI.

Jamaica and Bolivia avoided each other so they should be happy

I felt it a bit off, seriously, that the PM congratulated Scotland in getting there but didn’t when England did.  It’s a compliment really.  It would only be news if England didn’t make it. 

Some early 1.46 on Denmark at home to North Macedonia snapped up already.  Not surprised

Keir Starmer needed to get it in early.  Might not be in office when the WC starts

Dale johnson

BIG NEWS

The top four countries (Spain, Argentina, France, England) cannot meet each other until the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time in its history.

Plus, the draw pots are confirmed as reported last week with all play-off teams in Pot 4.

Spain (1st seed) and Argentina (2) will be 'paired' and placed into groups in opposite halves of the draw.

France (3) and England (4) will also be paired.

Should add the top four ranked countries will only be kept apart in the knockout rounds if they win their groups.

can't believe they are pre-moderating posts about Starmer on a forum read by 12 people.

Are they?

Who does he play for?

I left bitch in a post earlier un moderated by me,
and it disappeared

Cut and paste this and your post will be gone, and will trigger
them to look at the thread...

He plays for both sides.