2022 World Cup qualification

I just wanted to check with others that this weren't a bug, as I couldn't find anything through a google search.

Playing as England in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, I was surprised to notice come the end of the campaign that there were no playoffs between the 2nd best teams to qualify for the world cup - instead the 3 runners up with the superior record automatically qualified. It didn't affect me as I finished an easy 1st anyway.

Is this the same in everybody's game? The only explanation I could think of is fixture congestion due to the new UEFA nations league!

Out of curiosity where is the 2022 WC being held in your save? Didn't FM make it so it's no longer in Qatar?

Indeed, it got relocated to Canada in my save. I'm also not sure whether that is hard-coded or varies between saves? So many questions

China for me, so it does vary.

Yeah, I've seen Argentina and Morocco as well. Argentina of course wouldn't be possible IRL under the current regulations, which demand at least a 12-year gap between World Cups in the same continent.

If I understand this quote from the UEFA website correctly, it actually says (scroll to the very bottom) that the European World Cup qualification from 2022 onwards will be the same as the new EURO format: A mix of the traditional groups and the Nations League:

In addition, for the 2022 World Cup, the same principles will apply to both the UEFA Nations League and the European Qualifiers, but will be adapted to the number of slots available and final tournament dates.

Conceivably this would mean that if Europe keeps the current 13 places and 4 are reserved for the Nations League, only the 9 group winners will qualify the traditional way(!).

Everyone knows Morocco would never get the WC. They just don't have enough palm greasing money!

It was changed to Canada in mine

Morroco in mine - and England somehow won it - Andy Carroll scored the winner ?

Morroco in mine - and England somehow won it - Andy Carroll scored the winner

How strange!! I've never seen England being successful in FM!!

Really? Happens all the time in my saves...

I was ironic

Yeah, I've seen Argentina and Morocco as well. Argentina of course wouldn't be possible IRL under the current regulations, which demand at least a 12-year gap between World Cups in the same continent.

If I understand this quote from the UEFA website correctly, it actually says (scroll to the very bottom) that the European World Cup qualification from 2022 onwards will be the same as the new EURO format: A mix of the traditional groups and the Nations League:

Conceivably this would mean that if Europe keeps the current 13 places and 4 are reserved for the Nations League, only the 9 group winners will qualify the traditional way(!).

How will qualification through the Nations League work?

The way I understand it, the best team from each of the four divisions not qualified through the "ordinary" qualifying groups will get the last four berths:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020#Qualification

The Nations League doesn't affect WC Qualification in FM16. It only affects the Euros. That's not to say it won't in future versions, as I think as dllu has posted the plan is for it to be used for both. Not sure though.

But what dllu said - there will be ten groups of qualifying for each Euros. Group winners all go through, then the 9 best group runner ups (unless its a joint-host, then it'll be 8). The final four spots are taken up by Nations League playoff winners. The 16 winners of every mini-league from the Nations League then go into a playoff (unless they've already qualified, then the next best side takes their place). They play a one-legged game to bring it down to 8 teams. Then four one-legged matches to determine the final four qualifiers.

So yeah, clear as mud.

I believe the four group winners in each division will play off (semis and final) for one spot for each division. So at least one minnow from Division D will qualify.

I wonder what they will do when all 12 Division A teams have already qualified through the "regular" qualifying - which seems like a very real possibility.

An unnecessarily convoluted and complicated system. But then they already watered down the EUROs too much by expanding the finals to 24 teams. That's almost half of all UEFA members...

I believe the four group winners in each division will play off (semis and final) for one spot for each division. So at least one minnow from Division D will qualify.

I wonder what they will do when all 12 Division A teams have already qualified through the "regular" qualifying - which seems like a very real possibility.

An unnecessarily convoluted and complicated system. But then they already watered down the EUROs too much by expanding the finals to 24 teams. That's almost half of all UEFA members...

Isn't it a random draw? Obviously my only experience in it is through FM, and it looked like a fairly random draw.

Actually, just checked the last draw, and you're totally right. You play a team from your own division group, and then play the winner of the other one. So yes, one team from the diddy group will always be in the tournament guaranteed.

In terms of if the top 12 all qualify, then the spots are filled from the league below, although I'm not sure how it is drawn.

Like I said: Silly and unnecessarily complicated...

So we might see teams like Luxembourg, Gibraltar and Scotland qualifying with this system.

The Nations League doesn't affect WC Qualification in FM16. It only affects the Euros. That's not to say it won't in future versions, as I think as dllu has posted the plan is for it to be used for both. Not sure though.

But what dllu said - there will be ten groups of qualifying for each Euros. Group winners all go through, then the 9 best group runner ups (unless its a joint-host, then it'll be 8). The final four spots are taken up by Nations League playoff winners. The 16 winners of every mini-league from the Nations League then go into a playoff (unless they've already qualified, then the next best side takes their place). They play a one-legged game to bring it down to 8 teams. Then four one-legged matches to determine the final four qualifiers.

So yeah, clear as mud.

I FM15, it does. So I would be surprised if it doesn't in FM16.

So we might see teams like Luxembourg, Gibraltar and Scotland qualifying with this system.

You...you *******

Unfortunately, I could see Scotland sitting in that nice bracket where you're high enough up in the Nations League to not get the chance against diddies, but not high up enough that you'll get a bye in thanks to sides that have already qualified.

On a slight tangent, I can actually see nations actively sabotaging their Nations League standing so that they get to the bottom group. Why wouldn't you? A chance in a playoff against sides like Moldova, Liechtenstein or Georgia? Yes please.

I FM15, it does. So I would be surprised if it doesn't in FM16.

Not sure what "does work" in FM15, but I meant that there is no playoff system for the World Cup tied to the Nations League. The qualification system changes in FM16 so that there are more groups and "less chances" to qualify, but the Nations League definitely doesn't affect European Qualifying for the World Cup. It's purely down to the actual qualifying groups

Nothing works. Just by chance I had one of the Div D teams qualify as second best in the group, so I though that they had qualified through the nations league. My mistake.

Nothing works. Just by chance I had one of the Div D teams qualify as second best in the group, so I though that they had qualified through the nations league. My mistake.

What do you mean "nothing works"?

I mean that nothing(about the Nations League)works(to affect world cup qualification in anyway)

I mean that nothing(about the Nations League)works(to affect world cup qualification in anyway)

Ah, I thought you meant it wasn't working the way it was intended. Apologies, just misread it.

On a slight tangent, I can actually see nations actively sabotaging their Nations League standing so that they get to the bottom group. Why wouldn't you? A chance in a playoff against sides like Moldova, Liechtenstein or Georgia? Yes please.

This is exactly why I thought this was a stupid idea from the get go. Well, the Nations League is fine, but to actually give away trips to major event finals to each of these winners is stupid. Can you imagine if the four Champions League berths were instead given to the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two winners? It just makes no sense as I could definitely see nations do what you are saying, attempting to get into that bottom group, which will make a shambles of the whole thing.

On a slight tangent, I can actually see nations actively sabotaging their Nations League standing so that they get to the bottom group. Why wouldn't you? A chance in a playoff against sides like Moldova, Liechtenstein or Georgia? Yes please.

Now there's a way for Denmark (and Scotland) to finally get to the finals again!

Not sure what "does work" in FM15, but I meant that there is no playoff system for the World Cup tied to the Nations League. The qualification system changes in FM16 so that there are more groups and "less chances" to qualify, but the Nations League definitely doesn't affect European Qualifying for the World Cup. It's purely down to the actual qualifying groups

Maybe not in-game, but cf. the article from the UEFA website I linked to above, it looks like that may actually be the case IRL - which is crazy if true, seeing as there are only 13 European WC spots to play for.

This is exactly why I thought this was a stupid idea from the get go. Well, the Nations League is fine, but to actually give away trips to major event finals to each of these winners is stupid. Can you imagine if the four Champions League berths were instead given to the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two winners? It just makes no sense as I could definitely see nations do what you are saying, attempting to get into that bottom group, which will make a shambles of the whole thing.

Absolutely agree! The first mistake they made was expanding the EURO to 24 teams. That's almost half the members of UEFA. Should have just sticked with the 16 teams and the old qualifying system that was working perfectly well.

If they want to eliminate completely meaningless friendlies, rather than this Nations League nonsense that no one wants or cares about they should make regional tournaments for those match dates, like a Nordic Championship, restart the Home Nations Championship etc. Playing against your neighbours and fierce rivals is always a guarantee for entertaining and tense matches, even is you're "only" playing for honour and bragging rights. Personally I miss the good old days when Denmark played Norway and Sweden every other year...