European World Cup qualifiers: Who needs what to reach Qatar 2022?
With the final round of European World Cup qualifiers looming, Sporting Life takes a look at what has already been decided, and who needs what to qualify for Qatar 2022.
Group A
Current standings: Serbia (1st), Portugal (2nd), Luxembourg (3rd), Rep of Ireland (4th), Azerbaijan (5th)
Serbia and Portugal have already been confirmed as the top two in Group A, with third-place Luxembourg some ten points behind second place.
Group A winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- Portugal - 1/8
- Serbia - 5/1
Top spot and automatic qualification is still up for grabs though, and with Serbia having played a game more, a victory for Portugal over Rep of Ireland would see them overtake the current leaders, though it will come down to the final match, when the two face each other in Portugal on 14 November.
Group B
Current standings: Sweden (1st), Spain (2nd), Greece (3rd), Georgia (4th), Kosovo (5th)
Georgia and Kosovo are both unable to make the top two in Group B, but Greece will remain in contention if they can beat Spain on Thursday.
Anything other than a Greece win would confirm a top-two place for Spain however, though top spot remains on a knife edge, with Sweden currently leading the way on 15 points.
Group B top two finish (odds via Sky Bet)
- Spain - 1/100
- Sweden - 1/50
- Greece - 14/1
Avoiding defeat to Georgia would secure a top two finish for the Swedes, but they can also clinch top spot if they beat Georgia and Spain do not beat Greece.
Effectively though, this looks likely to go down to the final day as Spain host Sweden on Sunday.
Group B winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- Spain - 2/5
- Sweden - 7/4
Group C
Current standings: Italy (1st), Switzerland (2nd), Bulgaria (3rd), Northern Ireland (4th), Lithuania (5th)
Italy and Switzerland have already been confirmed as the top two in Group C, but they are separated by only goal difference at the head of proceedings, Italy currently in front by two goals.
The two face off in Italy on Friday, and while the group winners cannot officially be crowned depending on the outcome of that fixture, a win for Italy would effectively secure a place at next year's World Cup, putting them three points ahead of Switzerland and with a minimum of a three-goal cushion in terms of goal difference.
Group C winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- Italy - 1/8
- Switzerland - 3/1
A win for Switzerland however, could mean that the winners are decided on how much either side win their respective final fixtures by, with Italy travelling to Northern Ireland, while the Swiss host Bulgaria.
Group D
Current standings: France (1st), Ukraine (2nd), Finland (3rd), Bosnia and Herzegovina (4th), Kazahstan (5th)
France need only to avoid defeat against Kazakhstan in order to secure a top two finish, though a victory would clinch the group and cement a place at the World Cup for reigning world champions.
Group D winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- France - 1/20
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - 50/1
- Finland - 50/1
- Ukraine - 50/1
Alternatively, a draw would also be enough provided the match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finland is also drawn.
Ukraine must hope France lose and Finland do not win to remain in contention for top spot, while Finland will remain in contention to win the group if they win and France do not, or if they draw and France lose.
Group D top two finish (odds via Sky Bet)
- Ukraine - 11/8
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - 13/8
- Finland - 2/1
Ukraine will also confirm a top-two finish with a victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, for whom defeat would end their chances of a runner-up finish.
Kazakhstan cannot finish in the top two.
Group E
Current standings: Belgium (1st), Czech Republic (2nd), Wales (3rd), Estonia (4th), Belarus (5th)
Already certain of a top-two finish, Belgium will qualify as group winners with victory over Estonia, or if Wales fail to beat Belarus.
Wales are currently level on point with Czech Republic, who occupy second, but have a game in hand, meaning four points from their remaining two matches would see Robert Page's side secure second place, though, as things stand, Wales would qualify for the play-offs in third through their Nations League performance. This means they would be unseeded in the play-offs and face a definite away semi-final.
Group E top two finish (odds via Sky Bet)
- Czech Republic - 5/6
- Wales - 5/6
Estonia and Belarus cannot finish in the top two, while the Czech Republic need to match Wales' points tally in their remaining fixture.
Group F
Current standings: Denmark (1st), Scotland (2nd), Israel (3rd), Austria (4th), Faroe Islands (5th), Moldova (6th)
Denmark have already qualified as group winners, having won each of their eight matches without conceding a goal.
Scotland will clinch the runners-up spot with a victory over Moldova on Friday, or if they draw and Israel also draw with Austria, or if Israel lose.
Group F top two finish (odds via Sky Bet)
- Scotland - 1/10
- Israel - 9/2
Austria, Faroe Islands and Moldova cannot finish in the top two.
Group G
Current standings: Netherlands (1st), Norway (2nd), Turkey (3rd), Montenegro (4th), Latvia (5th), Gibraltar (6th)
A victory over Montenegro on Saturday, provided Norway fail to beat Latvia, will be enough to confirm Netherlands as group winners, while a win, or a draw if Turkey do not beat Montenegro, or if Turkey lose, would confirm a top-two finish.
Group G winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- Netherlands - 1/6
- Norway - 6/1
- Turkey - 11/1
Norway will be confirmed in the top two if they beat Latvia and Turkey fail to beat Gibraltar, but the top spot could come down to the final matchday, when the Dutch host the Norwegians.
Latvia and Gibraltar cannot finish in the top two, while Turkey need to make up two points on the Norwegians to claim a runner-up finish.
Group G top two finish (odds via Sky Bet)
- Norway - 4/5
- Turkey - 4/5
Group H
Current standings: Russia (1st), Croatia (2nd), Slovakia (3rd), Slovenia (4th), Malta (5th), Cyprus (6th)
Russia and Croatia are confirmed as the top two in Group H, with the Russians only needing to match the final two results of Croatia to cement top spot.
Group H winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- Russia - 4/5
- Croatia - 10/11
It is looking highly likely to come down to a straight shootout between these two however, as Croatia host the current group leaders in the final group fixture on Sunday.
None of Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta or Cyprus can qualify.
Group I
Current standings: England (1st), Poland (2nd), Albania (3rd), Hungary (4th), Andorra (5th), San Marino (6th)
England will be confirmed as the winners of Group I should they beat Albania and Poland do not beat Andorra, or if England draw and Poland lose.
Anything other than a defeat would cement a top two finish for England, while Poland can also seal a top-two finish if they beat Andorra and Albania do not beat England.
Group I winner (odds via Sky Bet)
- England - 1/750
- Poland - 50/1
- Albania - 100/1
Albania will be unable to finish in the top two if they do not beat and Poland win, while Hungary must beat San Marino, and hope Poland lose and Albania fail to win, to stay in contention to finish second.
Neither Andorra nor San Marino can make the top two.
Group J
Current standings: Germany (1st), Romania (2nd), North Macedonia (3rd), Armenia (4th), Iceland (5th), Liechtenstein (6th)
The only certainties in Group J are that Germany have already won the group and that Liechtenstein cannot make the top two.
Just five points currently separate the remaining four teams in the group, and nothing can be conclusively decided until the final round of fixtures, though Romania remain in pole position to claim the runner-up spot.
Group J top two finish (odds via Sky Bet)
- Romania - 1/2
- North Macedonia - 15/8
- Armenia - 16/1
- Iceland 33/1
Odds correct at 1700 BST (10/11/21)
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