World Cup '26 qualifiers discussion

[Maradona37]

So I have rarely posted since the draw was made.

Some of the groups look average, but that is to be expected with more developing teams due to the expansion.

For us (Scotland). I am not that bothered. But starting off against Haiti, in theory, gives us the best chance to start well (though it's the type of game we make an arse of). Staying in Boston for the second game against Morocco is an advantage. The final game against Brazil? We get the Brazilians a lot, but this time their team doesn't look as good as I have said many times. There's worse teams we could have drawn from Pot 1 - they're better on name than in reality right now. I still think we will lose to them, but I would rather play them than Argentina, Spain, France or England (especially with the derby bollocks of the latter).

I have no idea what will happen. Could see us getting anywhere from 1 to 6 points. I am a pessimistic guy on football and we have never got to the knockout round of an international tournament, so head is saying we will draw with Haiti then lose to the others.

For the rest of the tournament, while the groups generally look gentle for the top teams, as I said, there's definitely a few potential banana skins and possible surprise packages who could bloody the nose of some big teams.

 

[Maradona37]

I saw on wiki there's 495 possible 3rd places combinations

There are indeed. It multiplies exponentially compared to a tournament half the size where there's only 15 combinations (like the Euros).

It's also supremely unbalanced, since if 3rd team qualifies from K or L they will play the 1st team in the other of those two groups. Because of the logistics and those being the final groups, those groups act like an anchor type thing - so while some 1st teams can play 5 possible 3rd placed teams, some only have one real possibility for 99 percent of the time.

It makes it so convoluted with early teams finishing third wondering if they'll get through and teams having enough notice to know where to travel in such a massive continent.

 

[Maradona37]

Belgium, Iran, Egypt and New Zealand. Dream group for us. Unlikely we get our first win though

Pretty gentle group as compared to what you might have got.

Also, speaking to you, @RedxMAK , @Total-Football and so on, there's a record number of Arab nations in this World Cup, with still possibly Iraq to come - if they can defeat either Bolivia or Suriname. Does that make you all proud? Or is there plenty of football and general bad blood?

Speaking of this group, there was a Pride match scheduled for Seattle before the tournament. That match has turned out to be Egypt-Iran. What's the chances?