World Rankings.....🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Big Ramy 1314]

Either way, rankings or no, "We'll Be Comin"..🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[romanticscot]

Does anyone know the draw date for the World Cup qualifiers?  I am interested to know when our FIFA ranking counts for something. The nations league is likely going to result is us going through a bad patch with some losses, but it could go in our favor meaning we could secure a play-off spot.  I think I would rather risk a play-off spot in place off getting a decent qualification group for the World Cup. 

 

 

[theabsentee]

On 7/3/2023 at 2:41 PM, Big Ramy 1314 said:

Either way, rankings or no, "We'll Be Comin"..🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Quality Big Ramy 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💪😊

[Texas Pete]

1 hour ago, romanticscot said:

Does anyone know the draw date for the World Cup qualifiers?  I am interested to know when our FIFA ranking counts for something. The nations league is likely going to result is us going through a bad patch with some losses, but it could go in our favor meaning we could secure a play-off spot.  I think I would rather risk a play-off spot in place off getting a decent qualification group for the World Cup. 

 

 

I don’t know for sure but it should be around November next year. I’m fairly sure the draw for the last World Cup qualifiers was scheduled for November 2020 but it was delayed until December that year. 

I’m also not sure when the seedings will be determined but I would guess around a month before the draw? 

Not very helpful I know but I don’t think I’ll be that far out. 

[Craig Fae Hamilton]

Scotland are 30th in the World, or 16th of all European Countries, I thought we would be higher!:

 

https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id14058

[Orraloon]

34 minutes ago, Craig Fae Hamilton said:

Scotland are 30th in the World, or 16th of all European Countries, I thought we would be higher!:

 

https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id14058

We've gone from 42nd to 36th, to 30th in the world in the space of 6 months. I think that's pretty good going. 

[Texas Pete]

11 hours ago, Craig Fae Hamilton said:

Scotland are 30th in the World, or 16th of all European Countries, I thought we would be higher!:

 

https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men?dateId=id14058

13 European teams and 32 in total went to the World Cup 7 months ago. I don’t think we can claim to be much higher than we are. Not that the world rankings are that reliable but they do take a while to change. Especially given the points you get for winning World Cup finals matches. 

I would say we’ve done very well to get up to 30th.

[DesiScotsman]

Please correct me if I’m wrong here, but if we are in a similar position like this one in terms of the 2nd best ranked home nation when Euro 2028 comes along & the UK & Ireland have already been selected as the host nation for that Euro championship - do we we qualify automatically? I know England are guaranteed but thought the 2nd best ranked home nation would also qualify automatically?

Again, if that is incorrect then please let me know.

Edited July 20, 2023 by DesiScotsman

[romanticscot]

I don't know if the UK & Ireland bid, should we win has decided who would qualify automatically.  We will know if we host early September, qualifiers would be March 2027 to March 2028 if things hold, with the draw approx. October 2026, I was going to suggest a 5-nation tournament prior to the qualification draw but there wouldn't be an opportunity to have it. England are fronting the bulk of the stadiums, so I don't have an issue with them taking a spot, the rest of us only have one stadium each so, put our names in a hat, FIFA rankings, Nations League rankings...shrug 

[GLOSTA]

On 7/5/2023 at 7:17 PM, romanticscot said:

Does anyone know the draw date for the World Cup qualifiers?  I am interested to know when our FIFA ranking counts for something. The nations league is likely going to result is us going through a bad patch with some losses, but it could go in our favor meaning we could secure a play-off spot.  I think I would rather risk a play-off spot in place off getting a decent qualification group for the World Cup. 

 

 

Not been published yet, although the format has. One huge change is an increase to 16 teams from Europe and 4 of them will be the ones best ranked in the next Nations League.

Cannot see why anyone doubts value of Nations League anymore.

https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/news/027d-1727b3b1e199-61019185e2c8-1000/

Matches for WC2026 qualifiers don’t start until March 2025, so draw probably winter 2024.

[Craig Fae Hamilton]

More Information here, although it still is not clear. 12 Groups of 4/5 Teams and only the Winners Qualify. That would leave 4 Spots for Play-Offs/Best Runners Up:

https://www.2026worldcupnorthamerica.com/fifa-football-schedule-qualifiers-uefa-world-cup-soccer-2026/

 

[romanticscot]

6 hours ago, Craig Fae Hamilton said:

More Information here, although it still is not clear. 12 Groups of 4/5 Teams and only the Winners Qualify. That would leave 4 Spots for Play-Offs/Best Runners Up:

https://www.2026worldcupnorthamerica.com/fifa-football-schedule-qualifiers-uefa-world-cup-soccer-2026/

 

I would expect 12 group winners from the 12 qualification groups, with the top two 2nd placed teams with two further spots up for some kind of play off system making up the 16 teams.  

In this scenario, our best hope is getting a favorable qualification draw. 

Right now, we are 17th in the UEFA region in FIFA rankings or 20th in the Nations league so we would be a pot 2 team.  Depending how the qualification groups were drawn up, Nations League IMO we could hope to get a Hungary, Poland or even Germany or if it were done by FIFA rankings - Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden or Germany as our pot 1 team.  

[Craig Fae Hamilton]

43 minutes ago, romanticscot said:

I would expect 12 group winners from the 12 qualification groups, with the top two 2nd placed teams with two further spots up for some kind of play off system making up the 16 teams.  

In this scenario, our best hope is getting a favorable qualification draw. 

Right now, we are 17th in the UEFA region in FIFA rankings or 20th in the Nations league so we would be a pot 2 team.  Depending how the qualification groups were drawn up, Nations League IMO we could hope to get a Hungary, Poland or even Germany or if it were done by FIFA rankings - Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden or Germany as our pot 1 team.  

Nah, my prediction would be:

 

12 Group Winners Qualify.

ALL 2nd Placed Teams go into Play-Offs:

Rd1: 8 Worst 2nd Placed Teams play a KO, 4 Progress.

Rd2: 8 Remaining Teams Play a KO, 4 Qualify.

16 Spots Filled.

 

 

[Orraloon]

1 hour ago, Craig Fae Hamilton said:

Nah, my prediction would be:

 

12 Group Winners Qualify.

ALL 2nd Placed Teams go into Play-Offs:

Rd1: 8 Worst 2nd Placed Teams play a KO, 4 Progress.

Rd2: 8 Remaining Teams Play a KO, 4 Qualify.

16 Spots Filled.

 

 

I think they might want to include some Nations League places for the playoffs. 

[romanticscot]

2 hours ago, Craig Fae Hamilton said:

Nah, my prediction would be:

 

12 Group Winners Qualify.

ALL 2nd Placed Teams go into Play-Offs:

Rd1: 8 Worst 2nd Placed Teams play a KO, 4 Progress.

Rd2: 8 Remaining Teams Play a KO, 4 Qualify.

16 Spots Filled.

 

 

I am sure one of the links above mentioned some best placed 2nd placed teams would auto qualify.  I am starting to feel some sense of realism and realize that with 16 UEFA spots, it would be a monumental achievement for us to be one of them.  I will feel down about it until the groups, and rules are published  and then  I will inject myself with optimism. The Nations League will contribute some spots but there wont be many. 

[ceudmilefailte]

1 hour ago, romanticscot said:

I am sure one of the links above mentioned some best placed 2nd placed teams would auto qualify.  I am starting to feel some sense of realism and realize that with 16 UEFA spots, it would be a monumental achievement for us to be one of them.  I will feel down about it until the groups, and rules are published  and then  I will inject myself with optimism. The Nations League will contribute some spots but there wont be many. 

Ranked 16th in Europe with 16 places up for grabs hardly a monumental acheivement to qualify. Wouldn't sack the managr if we didn't mind you.

Hopefully we'll be good enough to stay in the top tier of th nations league.

[todd]

20 minutes ago, ceudmilefailte said:

Ranked 16th in Europe with 16 places up for grabs hardly a monumental acheivement to qualify. Wouldn't sack the managr if we didn't mind you.

Hopefully we'll be good enough to stay in the top tier of th nations league.

It'll be harder to stay in the top tier of the nations league now with the changes to the format.  3rd place is no longer safe.  If I'm following it correctly 🤔

[Grim Jim]

I was thinking exactly the same @todd, without your 3rd place optimism 🙈

[Grim Jim]

However.

They've made it one step harder for the group A winners to win the trophy with the knock-outs, but still possible for the runners up to do so 🥳

Mibbes?

[saintydave]

World cup '26 path made clearer today.
 12 qualifying groups.

Top qualifies. 
Runner up in playoffs 
4 best nl group winners in playoffs.
16 in playoffs, 4 paths of semis, 4 qualify through playoffs. 

This was on 29th June 

[Craig Fae Hamilton]

8 hours ago, saintydave said:

World cup '26 path made clearer today.
 12 qualifying groups.

Top qualifies. 
Runner up in playoffs 
4 best nl group winners in playoffs.
16 in playoffs, 4 paths of semis, 4 qualify through playoffs. 

This was on 29th June 

That makes sense! Where did you find the info?

[mccaughey85]

9 hours ago, saintydave said:

World cup '26 path made clearer today.
 12 qualifying groups.

Top qualifies. 
Runner up in playoffs 
4 best nl group winners in playoffs.
16 in playoffs, 4 paths of semis, 4 qualify through playoffs. 

This was on 29th June 

Going to be tough for us to make it through if thats the route. Unlikely we win a group unless we get lucky with the draw and having to play 2 play off matches would be tough assuming we can finish 2nd. Usually some of the big nations have a poor campaign and end up in the play offs. 

Just have to make sure we are a pot 2 team and get a bit of luck along the way.

[Craig Fae Hamilton]

2 hours ago, mccaughey85 said:

Going to be tough for us to make it through if thats the route. Unlikely we win a group unless we get lucky with the draw and having to play 2 play off matches would be tough assuming we can finish 2nd. Usually some of the big nations have a poor campaign and end up in the play offs. 

Just have to make sure we are a pot 2 team and get a bit of luck along the way.

Sounds like a plan! 😀

[Orraloon]

12 hours ago, saintydave said:

World cup '26 path made clearer today.
 12 qualifying groups.

Top qualifies. 
Runner up in playoffs 
4 best nl group winners in playoffs.
16 in playoffs, 4 paths of semis, 4 qualify through playoffs. 

This was on 29th June 

I think that is what is currently being proposed, but I'm not sure if the final decision has been made yet? Where did you see this?

[Craig Fae Hamilton]

I got this off Wiki:

• Group stage: Twelve groups of four or five teams. Group winners will qualify for the World Cup finals.
• Play-off stage: 16 teams (twelve group runners-up and four best Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group) will be drawn into four play-off paths, playing two rounds of single-match playoffs (semi-finals with the seeded teams to host, followed by finals, with the home teams to be drawn). The four path winners will qualify for the World Cup finals.