DR Congo will be seaded above Iraq. DR Congo will end up with 1442.9 points after this FIFA Window and Iraq will only make it to 1439.6 points if they beat UAE in the other game Iraq needed to win both games to secure being seeded in the play-off (they will still be seeded unless Panama or Costa Rica ends up in the play-off)
Not so sure. DR Congo could finish before Iraq in the FIFA rankings. Also, with that loss, Italy will not be a pot 1 seed.
This is the FIFA World Cup, but the regulations have no away goals rule, according to section 3.11.9. https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/18d85...World-Cup-2026-Preliminary-Competition_EN.pdf
DR Congo will 100% finish above Iraq. Apparently Guatemala will play their backups against Suriname now that they are eliminated so I think there is a high chance that Panama will end up in the play-offs. The play-offs will look like this imo: Panama and DR Congo as seeded teams Iraq, Bolivia, New Caledonia and one of Jamaica / Curaçao as non-seeded teams. Both Costa rica and Honduras losing a few days ago ensured that no team from group C will end in the play-offs imo
Nigeria eliminated by DR Congo in penalties. DR Congo to the IC PO's. I. Pot 1 1. United States, Hosts, 16th 2. Mexico, Hosts, 14th 3. Canada, Hosts, 28th 4. Spain, almost certainly qualified, 1st 5. Argentina, Qualified, 2nd 6. France, Qualified, 3rd 7. Engalnd, Qualified, 4th 8. Porrugal, Qualified, 5th 9. Netherlands, functionally qualified, 6th 10. Brazil, Qualified, 7th 11. Belgium, almost certainly qualified, 8th 12. Italy, functionally POs #1, 9th Those in the know say Germany & Croatia can pass Italy with wins. II. Pot 2: 1. Germany, likely qualify/ in PO, 10th 2. Croatia, Qualified, 11th 3. Morocco, Qualified, 12th 4. Colombia, Qualified, 13th 5. Uruguay, Qualified, 15th 6. Switzerland, likely qualify/in PO, 17th 7. Senegal, Qualified, 18th 8. Japan, Qualified, 19th 9. Denmark, likely qualify/in PO, 20th 10. Iran, Qualified, 21st 11. South Korea, Qualified, 22nd 12. Ecuador, Qualified, 23rd Those in the know say Austria can pass Ecuador & South Korea with a win, unsure with a draw. Pot 3 1. Austria, likely qualify/in PO, 24th 2. Australia, Qualified, 25th 3. Turkey, likely POs #2/qualify, 26th 4. Ukraine, In PO, PO#3, 27th 5. Norway, functionally qualified/PO, 29th 6. Panama, likely INT PO#1/qualify, 31st 7. Egypt, Qualified, 32nd 8. Poland, functionally PO#4 33rd 9. Algeria, Qualified, 35th 10. Paraguay, Qualified, 39th 11. Ivory Coast, Qualified, 42nd 12. Tunisia, Qualified, 43rd Pot 4 1. Qatar, Qualified, 52nd 2. Uzbekistan, Qualified, 55th 3. Iraq, home leg 2 AFC 1-1, 57th 4. Saudi Arabia, Qualified, 58th 5. South Africa, Qualified, 59th 6. Honduras, leading, 64th 7. Jordan, Qualified, 66th 8. Cape Verde, Qualified, 71st 9. Ghana, Qualified, 73rd 10. Curacao, leading, 82nd 11. New Zealand, Qualified, 85th 12. Suriname, leading, 126th Possible IC PO placeholders. Look like all Pot 4 save for Panama and maybe Costa Rica. Panama, in PO atm, 31st, 2nd Group A Costa Rica, out atm, 45th, 3rd Group C Iraq, alive, 57th, tied 1-1 leg 2 at home DR Congo, IN PO, 60th Honduras, in WC atm, 64th, 1st Group C UAE, alive, 67th, tied 1-1 leg 2 away, Jamaica, in PO atm, 68th 2nd Group B Bolivia, in PO, 76th Curacao, atm in WC, 82nd, 1st Group B New Zealand, in PO, 85th Haiti, out atm, 88th, 2nd Group C Suriname, in WC atm, 126th, 1st Group A Again, I am sure I messed something up. Someone who catches it, please correct.
I was answering to Jay510, who said Iraq and Panama, not to you. I finished my calculations and yes, you are correct: DR Congo has already surpassed Iraq. Assuming Germany and Croatia both win or draw their respective matches, Italy will be ranked 12. Yesterday I was listening to a Central American podcast, and the Guatemalan journalist said that the rumour is false.
Also if they both draw. Morocco will surpass Italy as well. If Austria beat Bosnia-Herzegovina, then for sure they will surpass Ecuador, regardless of the result in Ecuador-New Zealand. But not wih a draw. Regarding surpassing South Korea, it will depend on the result in South Korea-Ghana
If Jamaica win, then I'd agree. I mean I like Surinam's chances to win the group vs Guatemala's backups, even away. And favor Panama strongly to beat El Salvador at home. I think both end on 12, though Panama pipping them on GD is possible. If both Suriname & Panama win, then Costa Rica's only hope is to beat Honduras at home and hope Haiti fail to win home to Nicaragua. The cannot claim a PO spot on 9 points. However, if there are draws... But if Jamaica lose, and Honduras & Haiti both win, then 2nd from C will make the POs. But I think you are spot on, most likely. To WC: Suriname, Jamaica, Haiti To IC POs: Panama, Curacao
Norway qualified officially. Italy officially a placeholder, though likely pot 2 when all is said and done. I. Pot 1 1. United States, Hosts, 16th 2. Mexico, Hosts, 14th 3. Canada, Hosts, 28th 4. Spain, almost certainly qualified, 1st 5. Argentina, Qualified, 2nd 6. France, Qualified, 3rd 7. England, Qualified, 4th 8. Portugal, Qualified, 5th 9. Netherlands, functionally qualified, 6th 10. Brazil, Qualified, 7th 11. Belgium, almost certainly qualified, 8th 12. Italy, POs #1, 9th Those in the know say Germany & Croatia can pass Italy with wins and even draws. II. Pot 2: 1. Germany, likely qualify/ in PO, 10th 2. Croatia, Qualified, 11th 3. Morocco, Qualified, 12th 4. Colombia, Qualified, 13th 5. Uruguay, Qualified, 15th 6. Switzerland, likely qualify/in PO, 17th 7. Senegal, Qualified, 18th 8. Japan, Qualified, 19th 9. Denmark, likely qualify/in PO, 20th 10. Iran, Qualified, 21st 11. South Korea, Qualified, 22nd 12. Ecuador, Qualified, 23rd Those in the know say Austria can pass Ecuador & South Korea with a win, unsure with a draw. Pot 3 1. Austria, likely qualify/in PO, 24th 2. Australia, Qualified, 25th 3. Turkey, likely POs #2/qualify, 26th 4. Ukraine, In PO, PO#3, 27th 5. Norway, Qualified, 29th 6. Panama, likely INT PO#1/qualify, 31st 7. Egypt, Qualified, 32nd 8. Poland, functionally PO#4 33rd 9. Algeria, Qualified, 35th 10. Paraguay, Qualified, 39th 11. Ivory Coast, Qualified, 42nd 12. Tunisia, Qualified, 43rd Pot 4 1. Qatar, Qualified, 52nd 2. Uzbekistan, Qualified, 55th 3. Iraq, home leg 2 AFC 1-1, 57th 4. Saudi Arabia, Qualified, 58th 5. South Africa, Qualified, 59th 6. Honduras, leading, 64th 7. Jordan, Qualified, 66th 8. Cape Verde, Qualified, 71st 9. Ghana, Qualified, 73rd 10. Curacao, leading, 82nd 11. New Zealand, Qualified, 85th 12. Suriname, leading, 126th Possible IC PO placeholders. Look like all Pot 4 save for Panama and maybe Costa Rica. Panama, in PO atm, 31st, 2nd Group A Costa Rica, out atm, 45th, 3rd Group C Iraq, alive, 57th, tied 1-1 leg 2 at home DR Congo, IN PO, 60th Honduras, in WC atm, 64th, 1st Group C UAE, alive, 67th, tied 1-1 leg 2 away, Jamaica, in PO atm, 68th 2nd Group B Bolivia, in PO, 76th Curacao, atm in WC, 82nd, 1st Group B New Zealand, in PO, 85th Haiti, out atm, 88th, 2nd Group C Suriname, in WC atm, 126th, 1st Group A Those in the know say that DR Congo will pass Iraq and likely be the othe IC PO seed. Costa Rica are unlikely to make it as a PO team. Again, I am sure I messed something up. Someone who catches it, please correct.
I remember about the fact Italy was feared from the 1980's to 2006. Same for the clubs. It's incredible Italy lost 1-4 at home. I'm convinced Italy with Paolo Rossi, Baresi, Salvatore Schillachi, Roberto Baggio, Christian Vieri, Del Piero, Inzaghi, Canavarro and many others would beat this Norway Team. Italy beat Norway in 1994 and 1998. Let's be honest, Italian football has been in decline. I'll not forget a nation which calls football "soccer" beat Italy 3-0 during the FIFA U-20 World Cup this year. It's the youth training Italian folks. Look at Spain, England, France and Germany. They've invested heavily in youth training. More than 20 years ago, Italy beat them.
If you are Pot 4 and you get Norway as your Pot 3 team, that will likely be death unless you get a soft Pot 1 (Canada) or a soft #2 (??).
Norway has faced Italy in all three of its World Cup appearances (1938, 1994, 1998), and lost each time. In 1938 and 1998 it was in an elimination match. In 1994, it was in the group fase, and that result contributed to their elimination.
Same for the Euros in Germany. Ticket in hand, you get to ride public transportation for free. I parked away from the city and stadiums and rode buses, trains, you name it... and since we're in Europe, public transportation works! Often and on time...
Norway would obliterate Panama any time of the day... these rankings are still not perfect. And by the way, Germany will pass Italy for sure now to go Pot 1 where it belongs. Panama would probably beat Italy nowadays!
Yeah, group of death will most likely be whatever group Norway gets drawn into. They are levels above everyone else in their pot (especially if Austria get bumped up to pot 2).
Italy does have a history of relying on their old veteran guys a little too much. Whether it is at club level or at National Team level. I think that hurts them. I also think they relied too much on the dark arts of the game and not so much on the creativity and flair of it which makes it difficult to compete with the big boys. When your last fantastic creative player was Pirlo who played more than a decade ago you know that could be a problem.
Its been even longer since Italy produced a great striker. Their nation's downward spiral started at Euro 2008, which aligns with Pippo Inzaghi reaching his mid-30s.
I see them more than dark horses; not the top top favorites (Spain, Argentina, or France) but the tier below of teams that can challenge for the title. I want to see them play against real challenges before the world cup.
They will be a fascinating team to observe in this World Cup. They have all the makings of a team that can make a deep run. However, they can also end up being like Poland of 2018. An overrated team built around a super star striker with a lot of hype but the pressure was too big and they did not match up well with teams from outside their Confederation. Let's see how it all goes down.
For sure Norway are not winning this World Cup. But I think its safe to say they can be a big problem for literally any national team out there, and they will get some big scalps. Not gonna say it will happen in this WC because they may only get 1 chance against a true contender, but certainly at some point in the Odegaard-Haaland era. I think Norway are roughly where Belgium was 12 years ago, but they have more headwinds to deal with due to having such a low FIFA ranking.
Comparing Norway to Belgiums Golden generation is a massive stretch. They haven't done jack yet but beat up an average Italy team. They haven't even qualified for the euros recently. Let's not get carried away.