World Cup 2022 FIFA World Cup (Qualifiers)

Aug 21, 2016
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The 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification process is a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations to decide 31 of the 32 teams that will play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Qatar automatically qualifies as host. For the first time since the initial tournaments of 1930 and 1934, the World Cup will be hosted by a country whose national team has never played a finals match before.

The allocation of slots for each confederation is as follows

AFC (Asia): 4 or 5
CAF (Africa): 5
CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean): 3 or 4
CONMEBOL (South America): 4 or 5
OFC (Oceania): 0 or 1
UEFA (Europe): 13
Hosts: 1

UEFA qualification starts next week.

 
Aug 21, 2016
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Smaller euro teams should play a preliminary short comp then make group stages smaller and less games

Asia, Africa and CONCACAF do that. I think UEFA doesn't because with 13 places available they can fit all their 55 teams into 10 manageable groups where each winner qualifies. It does mean there will be quite a few poor games and now they will be played in empty stadiums, probably without the artificial crowd noise.

Looking down the list of games in the next week there's very little to get excited about. Belgium v Wales and England v Poland might be ok.

Africa isn't having WC games this week but African Nations Cup qualifiers. I'm looking for forward to Congo v Senegal featuring Mane from Liverpool, Mendy from Chelsea, Gueye from PSG and Dylan Bahamboula from Oldham!
 
Asia, Africa and CONCACAF do that. I think UEFA doesn't because with 13 places available they can fit all their 55 teams into 10 manageable groups where each winner qualifies. It does mean there will be quite a few poor games and now they will be played in empty stadiums, probably without the artificial crowd noise.

Looking down the list of games in the next week there's very little to get excited about. Belgium v Wales and England v Poland might be ok.
That’s what I mean there’s just too many fluff games. A prelim gives smaller nations incentive to qualify for next stage and could help therefore increase funding for the sport.
 
Aug 21, 2016
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Turkey had a 3-0 lead. The Netherlands came back with 2 goals in 2 minutes. And now the 35 year old Burak Yilmaz has made it 4-2 to Turkey.

iNtRnAtIoNaLs aRe bOrIng.

That was a great game. The Dutch dominated possession but only really started playing after they went 3-0 down. The come back started with a Bergkamp-like trap and swivel in the box by Klaasen. Burak's hat trick was a real mixture. The scrubbiest toe poke and deflection you'll ever see, a penalty, and a glorious free kick top bins to seal it.
 
Feb 28, 2009
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There were some cracking goals in some of those "lesser" games especially Stevan Jovetic's last for Montenegro and Alexander Mitrovic's chip for Serbia
I look at that Belgian line up and crazy amount of talent. Apparently a cracking opening goal from Wales but seems Belgium has steadied the ship
Looking at the highlights it was a lovely team move full of one-touch passes
 
Apr 8, 2007
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That was a great game. The Dutch dominated possession but only really started playing after they went 3-0 down. The come back started with a Bergkamp-like trap and swivel in the box by Klaasen. Burak's hat trick was a real mixture. The scrubbiest toe poke and deflection you'll ever see, a penalty, and a glorious free kick top bins to seal it.
Poor old DVDB couldn't get a game over Klaasen.
 
Apr 8, 2007
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He looks a good player. Why did he play so few games for Everton?
He's not that good. When he played for us we had Sigurdsson and Rooney signed at the same time which may have knocked his confidence but his passing and technique weren't up to PL level. His first touch was often horrid. Maybe it was harsh but that's just how it was. Not many from the Dutch league have come to the PL and done well recently. You look at Propper for Brighton, he had to go from a goal scoring mid to a defensive mid to make it at Brighton.
 
Jun 21, 2007
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Good to see Norweigen football team openly protesting against Qatar. Looks like they may boycott Qatar 2022 if they qualify.

I love The World Game websites headline, “Norway face no FIFA action over Qatar protests”.


Norway have tied FIFA’s hands with their protest Lol. Imagine fining them for a protest which is literally wearing T’Shirt‘s that say, “Human rights on and off the pitch”
 
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Aug 21, 2016
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England v San Marino was too one sided to be interesting. Southgate called for them to be ruthless. They weren't. It was 5-0 but should have been 10-0.

Hungary and Poland are the other contenders in the group and played out an entertaining 3-3 draw. Lewa did was Lewa does.
 
Aug 21, 2016
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Turkey are not ******* around. Leading 2-0 against Norway after beating The Netherlands.

3-0 in the end. Their defence is solid, led by Soyuncu. They move the ball well and are dangerous in the final third.

Norway looked a bit immature. Haaland and Sorloth had a bit of a sulk on that things weren't going their way. Thorstvedt got himself sent off a few minutes after coming on.
 
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