World cup Qualification UEFA Europe, seeding pots

[Fjorden]

After the last matches finished yesterday in Nation League. The seeding pots are ready. The draw will be 13th. December.

Their will be 12 groups with 4-5 teams. Each group winner will advance to the WC in USA 2026. The 2nd placed teams in each group will qualify for a play in cup system with semifinal and a play off final with a total of 4 spots.

Who would you like to have in your teams qualification group, and who do you want to avoid?

World Cup UEFA qualifying groups draw seedings:​

Pot 1: Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.
Pot 2: Ukraine, Turkey, Sweden, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway.
Port 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Israel.
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faeroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.
Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.

Depending on the pot distribution of Nations League play-off teams, Pot 1 teams not involved in Nations League matches in March may need to be drawn into five-team groups (Groups 7–12)

Prohibited clashes: For political reasons, matches between the following pairs of teams are considered prohibited clashes and cannot be drawn into the same group: Armenia–Azerbaijan, Belarus–Ukraine, Gibraltar–Spain, Kosovo–Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo–Serbia.

Winter venues: A maximum of two teams whose venues are identified as having high or medium risk of severe winter conditions can be placed in each group: Belarus, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Ukraine

Excessive travel:A maximum of one pair of teams identified with excessive travel distance in relation to other countries can be placed in each group:

• Azerbaijan: with Gibraltar, Iceland, Portugal.
• Iceland: with Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel.
• Kazakhstan: with Andorra, England, Faroe Islands, France, Gibraltar, Iceland, Malta, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Wales

Click to read more...

 

[gary69]

Winter venues: A maximum of two teams whose venues are identified as having high or medium risk of severe winter conditions can be placed in each group: Belarus, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Ukraine

Seems unnecessary, as all the matches will be played between late March and mid-November 2025.

Maybe Iceland could have sub-zero temperatures in March and November, but others not so much.

 

[Fjorden]

Seems unnecessary, as all the matches will be played between late March and mid-November 2025.

Maybe Iceland could have sub-zero temperatures in March and November, but others not so much.

The grass pitches in Northern Europe is in a poor condition in late march after a cold and dark winter, the grass needs some sun and warmer weather over a a month or so to become decent.. Frozen and hard pitches with brown grass. You'd have to wait until mid April for adequate conditions. That's why the leagues have a break from december-april in Northern Europe.

The weather conditions are normally ok in late march, but the pitches and the grass needs some higher temperatures and sun through a longer period to be in decent condition.

 

[gary69]

Ukraine (were they to play in Ukraine) is partly more southern than many other European countries. Belarus is level. Even southern Sweden is pretty much the same as Denmark.

Outside of Estonia, Baltics are too and not different from Scotland.

Too many countries in the winter venues category, cut the number in half.

 

[Fjorden]

Ukraine (were they to play in Ukraine) is partly more southern than many other European countries. Belarus is level. Even southern Sweden is pretty much the same as Denmark.

Outside of Estonia, Baltics are too and not different from Scotland.

Too many countries in the winter venues category, cut the number in half.

Sweden have a stadium with retractable roof, Strawberry arena in Stockholm. Same thing for Parken in Copenhagen also with a retractable roof. Making it easier to play in the winter,

Scotland have the gulf stream Gulf Stream - Wikipedia. So the climate is milder on the british islands, than in northern and eastern Europe through the winter.

 

[HajdukSplit]

It’s a good thing Croatia are seeded because I think there will struggle this upcoming cycle, the warning sign is already there after they backed their way into Euro 24 and bombed there. While Dalic is bringing up some youth none of them are different makers outside of L. Sucic and he is still forcing guys to play well out of position, notably an out of form Perisic as a wingback. They will need a kind group and probably along with Austria & a declining Swiss the team most would want to draw from Pot 1

 

[luiginb]

The grass pitches in Northern Europe is in a poor condition in late march after a cold and dark winter, the grass needs some sun and warmer weather over a a month or so to become decent.. Frozen and hard pitches with brown grass. You'd have to wait until mid April for adequate conditions. That's why the leagues have a break from december-april in Northern Europe.

The weather conditions are normally ok in late march, but the pitches and the grass needs some higher temperatures and sun through a longer period to be in decent condition.

Sweden played yesterday on a shit pitch in Solna, looked like some amateur team's pitch, so I get it

 

[Corto]

It’s a good thing Croatia are seeded because I think there will struggle this upcoming cycle, the warning sign is already there after they backed their way into Euro 24 and bombed there. While Dalic is bringing up some youth none of them are different makers outside of L. Sucic and he is still forcing guys to play well out of position, notably an out of form Perisic as a wingback. They will need a kind group and probably along with Austria & a declining Swiss the team most would want to draw from Pot 1

Eh. Should be alright.
Stanisic coming back will make whatever lineup we choose to do so much easier to assemble.
Sosa is fine in a 3-5-2 and Gvardiol can play LB in a 4-3-3.

Baturina is an exciting player, but Luka Sucic should be starting.
And Matanovic not getting minutes at Eintracht is a problem, Budimir will probably be starting in the next cycle.

Kotarski in goal was amazing to watch vs Scotland, the man can play the ball with his feet like Ederson Jr. - Livakovic is a elite shot stopper though.

Livakovic - Stanisic, Sutalo, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol - Modric, Kovacic, L. Sucic - Kramaric, Pasalic, Budimir

Livakovic - Stanisic, Sutalo, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol, Sosa - Modric, Kovacic, L. Sucic - Kramaric - Budimir

Modric is still bossing it at 39. Kovacic is still at his peak and has been a rock. Luka Sucic having a great year at Real (Sociedad) after a quiet start.
Kramaric consistently great for Hoffenheim, Pasalic same for Atalanta.
Baturina world class potential, Petar Sucic less so (I don't see it), but still only 19.

It's a shame Erlic and Pongracic were injured in Serie A and now having problems breaking back into the starting 11 at Bologna and Fiorentina.
Caleta-Car coming back to form after moving to Lyon helps, Sutalo looks so much better this season after a shaky first season at Ajax.

We do lack speed and we do lack a top tier striker, but if we control the game, we can beat anyone.
1-0. Or 2-1. We're never scoring 3 in a game lol.

 

[Jussi]

When's the draw? Edit: nevermind, December 13th.

 

[gary69]

Sweden played yesterday on a shit pitch in Solna, looked like some amateur team's pitch, so I get it

Maybe Sweden should play March/November matches in Malmö, it's as south as Copenhagen.

 

[Civetty]

I really want Sweden to qualify but it looks tough, stupid that Europe didn't get any extra spots despite 16 more teams.

I'm confident we can get at least 2nd place, but then having to win a semifinal and a final in play-offs against decent sides is anything but an easy task.