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*Official* Road to 2022 World Cup

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Poland have announced that are refusing to play Russia is their play-off for the WC. Good for them, especially as they will know that this could well mean them conceding their place in the tournament unless FIFA surprise everyone by throwing Russia out. The Scotland / Ukraine match must be in jeopardy too.
 

Magrat Garlick

Global Moderator
Poland have announced that are refusing to play Russia is their play-off for the WC. Good for them, especially as they will know that this could well mean them conceding their place in the tournament unless FIFA surprise everyone by throwing Russia out. The Scotland / Ukraine match must be in jeopardy too.
i thought Ukraine had more players abroad than they do, eight of the players being under shelling in Kyiv would be a bit of a problem indeed
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Sweden have refused to play Russia too, if they beat Czech Republic. So we could have the slightly farcical situation of Russia progressing via two defaults in the final qualifying stage.
 

Magrat Garlick

Global Moderator
Think Czechia will withdraw too.

We could end up like with Israel in 1958 where they just draw teams out of a hat until someone agrees to play them
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Think Czechia will withdraw too.

We could end up like with Israel in 1958 where they just draw teams out of a hat until someone agrees to play them
I'm not sure how that would work. As I understand things, each of the three 'pathways' will provide a team for the WC. If Russia do qualify via that route, presumably teams would play them in the WC proper, otherwise it get really silly. Didn't Yugoslavia get thrown out of the 1992 Euros because of what was going on there? So maybe there's a precedent. Ironically, I remember the Soviet Union refusing to play in Chile in the second leg of their play-off for the 1974 WC. Supposedly 'on principle' due to Chile's far-right dictatorship, although they didn't seem to object to Chile playing the first leg in the USSR. More likely, they didn't fancy the prospect of losing as the first leg had been drawn. I think Chile kicked off and 'scored' without any opponents in the second leg, and that was that.
 
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Magrat Garlick

Global Moderator
I'm not sure how that would work. As I understand things, each of the three 'pathways' will provide a team for the WC. If Russia do qualify via that route, presumably teams would play them in the WC proper, otherwise it get really silly.
Well Israel had "qualified" in a similar way for 1958, by beating teams that kept leaving walkovers, so FIFA drew a random European team (Wales) to play them. I could see Russia being asked to play the loser of one of the other intercontinental playoffs.

ISupposedly 'on principle' due to Chile's far-right dictatorship, although they didn't seem to object to Chile playing the first leg in the USSR.
well Pinochet did ask them to play in the stadium that doubled as detention facility for communists, i don't think that was clear by the time of the first leg
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
It being FIFA it'll take time to dawn on them that calling them a different name and not using the Russian flag is pathetic. Still no one will play them and they'll be thrown out once FIFA catch up with the rest of the world. God they're idiots. Some of the FIFA delegates are probably still owed money from the Russian bid for 2018.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
It being FIFA it'll take time to dawn on them that calling them a different name and not using the Russian flag is pathetic. Still no one will play them and they'll be thrown out once FIFA catch up with the rest of the world. God they're idiots. Some of the FIFA delegates are probably still owed money from the Russian bid for 2018.
FIFA taking their lead from the IOC then.
 

Magrat Garlick

Global Moderator
It being FIFA it'll take time to dawn on them that calling them a different name and not using the Russian flag is pathetic. Still no one will play them and they'll be thrown out once FIFA catch up with the rest of the world. God they're idiots. Some of the FIFA delegates are probably still owed money from the Russian bid for 2018.
You were right, fair play
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Crazy.

I love Italy at World Cups though, doesn't matter if they are good or terrible.
 

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