Women's World Cup I Baltusia: Qualifying

[Hugh Green]

35 nations will enter the 1st FIFA Women's World Cup in Baltusia. Qualifying tournaments will take place over 8 matchdays, with 15 teams advancing to the final tournament where they will join hosts Balutisa. Places will be allocated among the continental groups like so:

Format of the Qualifying Tournaments

Teams playing in the group stage will earn 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw. Away goal rules will apply for two-legged play-offs. Tie breaks will be decided by official (RL) FIFA rules, which can be seen here
Continents will be awarded places in the tournament based on the number of FIFA members they have. The host will qualify automatically and that continent will lose a qualifying place as a result (as with RL FIFA):



Artania & Keymon - The 8 teams shall be drawn into 2 groups of 4 teams each, in which teams will play each other twice. The group winners and the best-performing runner-up team will qualify. The other group runner-up will progress to the Intercontinental Play-Off.

Dovani & Keris- The 4 teams shall play each other once, and also play each of the Maconian teams once (which will count toward their points tally). The group winner and runners-up will qualify.

Macon - The 2 teams shall play each other once, and also play each of the Dovanian and Kerisian teams once (which will count toward their points tally). The group winner will qualify.

Majatra - The 12 teams will be drawn into 2 groups of 6 teams each, in which teams will play each other once. The 2 group winners and 2 group runners-up will qualify. There will be a one-legged play-off between the two 3rd-placed teams, the winner of which will qualify, with the loser progressing to the Intercontinental Play-Off.

Seleya - Baltusia will qualify automatically. The remaining 8 teams shall be drawn into 2 groups of 4 teams each, in which teams will play each other twice. The group winners will qualify. There will be a two-legged play-off between the two group runners-up, the winner of which will qualify.

There will be a two-legged Intercontinental Play-Off between a team from the Artania & Keymon qualification and the Majatra qualification tournaments. The winner of this play-off will qualify.

The Teams

Artania & Keymon Group 1
Kirlawa
Aloria
Keymon
Hobrazia

Artania & Keymon Group 2
Narikaton and Darnussia
Dorvik
Rutania
Dundorf

Dovani & Keris Division
Dankuk
Egelion
Talmoria and Aslistan
Vorona

Macon Division
Davostag
Hutori

Majatra Group 1
Deltaria
Jelbania
Vanuku
Pontesi
Solentia
Beiteynu

Majatra Group 2
Zardugal
Al'Badara
Barmenia
Cobura
Selucia
Istalia

Seleya Group 1
Beluzia
Mordusia
Gaduridos
Kalistan

Seleya Group 2
Rildanor
Aldegar
Kanjor
Indrala

[Hugh Green]

[Hugh Green]

Matchday 1
Artania & Keymon Group 1
KIR 0 v 5 KEY
ALO 4 v 0 HOB

Artania & Keymon Group 2
NaD 0 v 0 RUT
DOR 1 v 2 DUN

Dovani, Keris & Macon Divisions
DAN 0 v 0 VOR
EGE 1 v 0 DAV
TaA 0 v 7 HUT

Majatra Group 1
DEL 2 v 0 PON
JEL 5 v 3 SOL
VAN 3 v 1 BEI

Majatra Group 2
ZAR 0 v 3 COB
ALB 0 v 0 SEL
BAR 3 v 0 IST

Seleya Group 1
BEL 1 v 3 GAD
MOR 1 v 2 KAL

Seleya Group 2
RIL 3 v 0 KAN
ALD 0 v 1 IND

[Hugh Green]

Matchday 2
Artania & Keymon 1
KIR 1 v 0 ALO
KEY 0 v 1 HOB

Artania & Keymon 2
NaD 1 v 3 DOR
RUT 0 v 0 DUN

Dovani, Keris & Macon
TaA 1 v 2 VOR
DAV 1 v 3 DAN
HUT 1 v 3 EGE

Majatra 1
VAN 0 v 4 PON
SOL 1 v 2 DEL
BEI 1 v 1 JEL

Majatra 2
BAR 1 v 4 COB
SEL 3 v 1 ZAR
IST 1 v 0 ALB

Seleya 1
BEL 0 v 0 MOR
GAD 0 v 0 KAL

Seleya 2
RIL 5 v 3 ALD
KAN 0 v 1 IND

[Hugh Green]

Matchday 3
Artania & Keymon Group 1
ALO 1 v 2 KEY
HOB 3 v 0 KIR

Artania & Keymon Group 2
DOR 1 v 3 RUT
DUN 2 v 0 NaD

Dovani, Keris & Macon Divisions
DAN 3 v 1 EGE
TaA 2 v 2 DAV
VOR 2 v 1 HUT

Majatra Group 1
DEL 0 v 0 JEL
VAN 1 v 1 SOL
PON 0 v 0 BEI

Majatra Group 2
ZAR 2 v 1 ALB
BAR 5 v 0 SEL
COB 0 v 0 IST

Seleya Group 1
MOR 1 v 5 GAD
KAL 1 v 1 BEL

Seleya Group 2
ALD 3 v 2 KAN
IND 1 v 2 RIL

Still a number of teams undefeated at this stage! No one has yet qualified or been knocked out, but clearly some of these teams are performing much better than others. The surprise so far is Hutori, who having opened with a 7-0 victory have lost consistently since.

[Hugh Green]

Matchday 4
Artania & Keymon Group 1
KEY 0 v 1 KIR
HOB 1 v 1 ALO

Artania Group 2
RUT 0 v 0 NaD
DUN 1 v 6 DOR

Dovani, keris & Macon Divisions
EGE 0 v 0 TaA
VOR 0 v 3 DAV
HUT 1 v 2 DAN

Majatra Group 1
JEL 0 v 4 VAN
PON 0 v 1 SOL
BEI 1 v 2 DEL

Majatra Group 2
ALB 1 v 1 BAR
COB 3 v 0 SEL
IST 0 v 1 ZAR

Seleya Group 1
GAD 5 v 1 BEL
KAL 1 v 3 MOR

Seleya Group 2
KAN 4 v 1 RIL
IND 2 v 2 ALD

A convincing win for Cobura and wins for Dankuk and Deltaria see the first three competitors qualify for the World Cup Finals. Unfortunately for three other teams this is the end of the road. Talmoria and Aslistan, Beiteynu and Al'Badara all suffer the same fate and their 2 points from 4 games just simply aren't good enough. Meanwhile it looks like Jelbania - who's male counterparts are world champions - may have a challenge ahead to qualify.

[Hugh Green]

Matchday 5
Artania & Keymon Group 1
ALO 0 v 0 KIR
HOB 2 v 1 KEY

Artania & Keymon Group 2
DOR 1 v 1 NaD
DUN 3 v 1 RUT

Dovani, Keris & Macon Divisions
DAN 1 v 2 TaA
EGE 0 v 0 VOR
DAV 2 v 1 HUT

Majatra Group 1
DEL 1 v 3 VAN
JEL 0 v 1 PON
SOL 0 v 2 BEI

Majatra Group 2
ZAR 2 v 4 BAR
ALB 0 v 3 COB
SEL 1 v 0 IST

Seleya Group 1
MOR 0 v 0 BEL
KAL 2 v 1 GAD

Seleya Group 2
ALD 1 v 3 RIL
IND 0 v 3 KAN

[Darkylightytwo]

We are very happy to see Rildanor Qualifying in the World cup and wish our allies, the best success possible.

[meisme]

Come on Dorvik! We just need to not let Rutania win and I think we will be good

[Hugh Green]

Much anticipation surrounds what is the last day of qualifying for many teams.

In Artania & Keymon Group 1, Hobrazia are guaranteed 1st place and automatic qualification unless they lose 4-0 to Kirlawa. A lesser win for Kirlawa will see them finish in 2nd with the possibility of qualification or the intercontinental play-off. In the other match in this group, eponymous Keymon'S fate may be out of their hands but a win or draw against Aloria leaves them with the possibility of 2nd place. Aloria, who have disappointed so far when compared to their male counterparts, need a win which will put them into 2nd place if Hobrazia beat Kirlawa. A close run between the 3 bottom teams, Hobrazia will feel unlucky if they miss out on top spot here.

Meanwhile, in group 2, Dundorf find themselves in the same position as Hobrazia. A draw against already-out Narikaton & Darnussia will see them through. An unlikely loss for Dundrof would allow Dorvik to secure their qualification with a win. Dorvikian minds will be on the game against Rutania, however, which promises to be a winner-takes-all battle between these two sides (unless of course its a draw, in which case Dorvik takes all anyway).

The best-performing runner-up in the Artania/Keymon groups will qualify, with the other runner-up going to a play-off with a Majatran team. Speaking of Majatran teams, Pontesi will host Selucia today in a 1-leg play-off. The winner will qualify for the World Cup, the loser will progress to the Intercontinental Play-Off next <matchday>. Pontesian fans will be no danger to World Cup play-offs: their men's team lost out to Solentia in the last qualifying stage over a two-legged play-off, so there may be nerves aplenty.

In Seleya Group 1 Gaduridos will face Mordusia in a game both teams will want to win. Kalistan are the team to watch in this group, against eliminated Beluzia. A win or draw for Kalistan will knock out Mordusia, while a win will allow them to leapfrog Gaduridos if they fail to win their own game. Even in that situation though, a draw for Gaduridos, with their awesome goal difference, should see them qualify automatically, avoiding the play-offs.

The 2nd group tells another story. Rildanor are home and dry, and Indrala will be hoping they take their foot off the gas for their fixture. A win for Indrala will guarantee them second place, and a draw will prevent Aldegar from qualifying. Kanjor will be hoping to win and take 2nd, with many a Kanjoran supporting Rildanor today...

Results
Matchday 6
KIR 1 v 0 HOB - A close victory for Kirlawa puts them into 2nd place! Aloria and Keymon both lose out.
KEY 1 v 1 ALO

NaD 4 v 0 DUN - A late storming victory for Narikaton and Darnussia against a 2nd string Dundorfian team puts Dundorf in danger of losing their pole position, however...
RUT 1 v 0 DOR - An agonising defeat for Dorvik! Rutania take 2nd place in the group with 9 points, condemning Dorvik to watching the next world cup from the comfort of their own world cup hosting nation. Rutania's 9 points leaves them the lesser of the two group runners-up, so they'll be facing the loser of...

PON 0 v 1 SEL - Selucia upset the Pontesia home crowd and claim their place in the finals! Pontesi will face Rutania over a 2-legged play-off.

BEL 2 v 1 KAL - A flop of a performance from a Kalistan team that should've been shooting to kill in this decider with eliminated Beluzia. Lucky for them...
GAD 2 v 0 MOR ...that Mordusia didn't get off the ground against group leaders Gaduridos who knocked their southern cousins out, picking up 3 superfluous points at the top.

RIL 3 v 0 IND - Geographic outcasts Indrala may have hoped for mercy from Rildanor but they didn't get it. A decisive 3-0 victory means that Indrala's fate depended on the result in the other match...
KAN 3 v 0 ALD - ...but no! It wasn't likely, in fairness, but Kanjor made sure they wouldn't waste their match against the bottom-placed Aldegar. These women weren't taking an chances, and Kanjor are through to the play-offs.

Play-Off Fixtures

Kanjor v Kalistan
Rutania v Pontesi