Sweden

[Thorney]

Qualify for the world cup.

Finished bottom of their qualifying group on 2 points without wining a game.

Surely that makes a mockery of the process. What is the point in teams taking part in the group phase if you have an automatic pass to a play off because you topped a really poor group of teams 2 years ago

[Nudga]

Haha its like the "Champions league" SIC

[Rupee92ONLY]

I’m going the R32 if we get there (which we should) but it’s gonna be a b*llocks tournament. You’ve got to be properly properly shit to go out in the group stage now. FIFA need overthrowing.

UEFA have it right, they are keeping prices reasonable again for 2028. About £50 a ticket.

[donnyguy]

Italy knocked out

[MachoMadness]

Third world cup in a row without the Italians. How did we lose to them in that final man.

[Draytonian III]

Qualify for the world cup.

Finished bottom of their qualifying group on 2 points without wining a game.

Surely that makes a mockery of the process. What is the point in teams taking part in the group phase if you have an automatic pass to a play off because you topped a really poor group of teams 2 years ago

Didn’t they win their Nations League group ?

[ChrisBx]

Qualify for the world cup.

Finished bottom of their qualifying group on 2 points without wining a game.

Surely that makes a mockery of the process. What is the point in teams taking part in the group phase if you have an automatic pass to a play off because you topped a really poor group of teams 2 years ago

Didn’t they win their Nations League group ?

Yeah, against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.

[OliPelc123]

As a Pole its a hard pill to swallow especially with how poor Sweden was last night, felt like I was rewatching the Donny Barnsley game from November...

[Draytonian III]

Qualify for the world cup.

Finished bottom of their qualifying group on 2 points without wining a game.

Surely that makes a mockery of the process. What is the point in teams taking part in the group phase if you have an automatic pass to a play off because you topped a really poor group of teams 2 years ago

Didn’t they win their Nations League group ?

Yeah, against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.

It’s not their fault they were drawn against them, good luck to them

[ChrisBx]

Qualify for the world cup.

Finished bottom of their qualifying group on 2 points without wining a game.

Surely that makes a mockery of the process. What is the point in teams taking part in the group phase if you have an automatic pass to a play off because you topped a really poor group of teams 2 years ago

Didn’t they win their Nations League group ?

Yeah, against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.

It’s not their fault they were drawn against them, good luck to them

Absolutely, however my personal opinion is that the expansion of major tournaments and the increased opportunities to qualify for them decreases the value in qualification. It will also reduce the quality of the final tournament (the group stages will probably be naff this year).

I think the same about the addition of the Europa Conference League and expansion of the Championship play offs too.

[BobG]

Hear hear Chris!

The God Mammon has taken over football

BobG

[Thorney]

Qualify for the world cup.

Finished bottom of their qualifying group on 2 points without wining a game.

Surely that makes a mockery of the process. What is the point in teams taking part in the group phase if you have an automatic pass to a play off because you topped a really poor group of teams 2 years ago

Didn’t they win their Nations League group ?

Yeah, against Slovakia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.

It’s not their fault they were drawn against them, good luck to them

Technically it was.

They performed so badly in the previous nations league and finished botton , thus being relegated to the piss poor level they found thenselves in.

Its a tactic many nations who struggle in qualifications groups could use to guarantee themselves at least a playoff spot no matter where they finish in the qualificatons

Drop down the nations league groups tier c,
Play poor teams and win at a canter
Struggle in the next euro/world qualification group
But save yourselves for the knockout playoff games that you are guarentee'd to have.


Stupid format