The full EUROPEAN ZONE DRAW Group A: Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, SCOTLAND, Macedonia, WALES Group B: Italy, Denmark, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Armenia, Malta. Group C: Germamy, Sweden, R of Ireland, Austria, Faroe Is, K'stan. Group D: Netherlands, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Andorra. Group E: Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Albania, Cyprus, Iceland. Group F: Portugal, Russia, Israel, N IRELAND, Azerbaijan, L'bourg Group G: Greece, Slovakia, Bosnia-H, Lithuania, Latvia, Lichtenstein Group H: ENGLAND, Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, S Marino Group I: Spain, France, Belarus, Georgia, Finland
Group A. Pits 3 of the countries that made up Yugoslavia in Croatia, Serbia & Macedonia. Group B. will be between Italy, Czech Rep and Denmark. Group C. Germany will get through that group. Group D. Can't see the Netherlands failing but you never know, Hungary could push for second place and don't discount Romania.. Group E. Almost anyone could win that group although I think Norway will finish top. Group F. Should be between Portugal & Russia, Isreal or Northern Ireland could pull off some surprises along the way. Group G. Any one of three (Greece, Slovenia & Bosnia). Group H. England should top the group providing they don't slip up against the Poles or the Ukrainians. Group I. With only the winners of this group qualifying this is a tasty group with the current holders of the World Cup & Eurpean Champions against the losing finalists from the previous world cup. Spain to Win that group. So I'm predicting that Croatia, Italy,Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, England & Spain will all finish top of their groups. Serbia, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Slovenia, Portugal, Bosnia & Poland will make the playoffs.
Group A: Belgium, Serbia, Croatia and Scotland contenders, I see Belgium winning, their team will be incredible by 2014 and I expect them to reach QF/SF in the real thing. Group B: Italy seem to be in a steady decline, still look favourites. Group C: Germany the big guns, fight for 2nd between Swedes, ROI and maybe Austria. Group D: Holland then most likely Turkey. Group E: Piss poor group IMO, Swiss or Norway... Group F: Portugal and Russia both look good, don't see much other competition. Group G: Another bad group, Greece and Slovaks probable progressors. Group H: England face relatively easy group, all same level mediocrity in Montenegro, Poland and Ukraine. Group I: Very interesting group, features my beloved Belarus in an almighty task in finishing above both Spain and France to reach WC, France will have very good side then but still not enough for Spain IMO. So I'm predicting that Belgium, Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Portugal, Slovakia, England and Spain will finish top of their groups. Serbia, Denmark, Sweden, Turkey, Norway, Russia, Greece and Ukraine to finish 2nd.
Like all the other groups the winner gets auto qualification and then the best 8 runners up from ALL groups are in playoffs. Results against the teams that finished bottom of the larger groups are removed so it equalises all the groups. Would expect France to get 2nd and hopefully get KNOCKED OUT by anyone in the playoffs...cheating feckers (yes I still hold a grudge)
Well FIFA better update their site then for their own competition It's always been the best 8 2nd places going into the playoffs . Here's the page it says it on their site http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tou...44/46/23/2014fwc_drawprocedures_europe_en.pdf Page 2 under the title "round 1" fourth paragragh. Also on page 4 under "ROUND TWO – “CONTINENTAL PLAY-OFFS”.
Actually just go to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA) Has it all updated. The results against teams finishing 6th in the group won't be included and then the 8 BEST runners up go into the playoffs from all 9 groups.
When did the current holders stopped being auto qualified. I've always thought, the hosts and current holders were automatically qualified, but Spain are in group I
I think that the last time the holders along with the hosts qualified automatically was 1998, because two places were set aside by Fifa for the joint hosts in 2002 (Japan & Korea), seem to recall blatter or someone from fifa saying that a joint bid wolud be a non starter in the future, I might be wrong on that. Still can't see the runner-up from group I being allowed into the playoffs (but since this is a fifa competion, anything is possible).
Why? Did you even look at the Wikipedia or FIFA links posted above explaining it. It's how it's been done in the past and how it's being done in the future. The UEFA run European championship qualifiers which we're in the middle of are virtually the same....9 groups in total with the top team PLUS best runner up qualifying automatically and the other 8 runner ups going into a playoff. These 9 groups have 6 groups with 6 teams and 3 groups with 5 teams. So how do you work out who's the best runner up if different groups are playing different amount of games? Well in the 6 team groups results against the team that ultimately finishes bottom will be removed effectively making it a five team group. It's the fairest way of equalising the groups as the minnows that usually finish bottom rarely get points off the team who finish 2nd (rarely but not always). The only other way that springs to mind would be by "average points" so dividing total points by games played....but then the 6 team groups have a big advantage as they have 2 extra games against the minnows like Andorra etc which would influence the average. Anyway this was a long winded reply basically saying "read the links above"
