Courtesy: uefa.com

Futsal EURO finalists among World Cup hopefuls

The 12 contenders at UEFA Futsal EURO 2016 in February are among the 28 teams aiming for 14 play-off spots in the FIFA Futsal World Cup main round from Thursday to Sunday.

The 12 contenders at UEFA Futsal EURO 2016 in February are among the 28 teams taking part in the FIFA Futsal World Cup main round from Thursday to Sunday.

• The matches: Thursday, Friday and Sunday

The groups

Group 1 (Gyor): Ukraine*, Hungary* (hosts), Belgium, England

Group 2 (Osijek): Croatia* (hosts), Azerbaijan*, Belarus, Sweden

Group 3 (Izmir): Russia*, Serbia*, Turkey (hosts), Finland

Group 4 (Eindhoven): Spain*, Netherlands (hosts), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia

Group 5 (Chomutov): Czech Republic* (hosts), Slovenia*, Kazakhstan*, France

Group 6 (Povoa do Varzim): Portugal* (hosts), Romania, Poland, Norway

Group 7 (Bari): Italy* (hosts), Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Moldova

*Competing at UEFA Futsal EURO 2016


• Top two in each group progress to the play-offs. In the play-offs, each group winner will meet a runner-up with the two-legged ties deciding Europe's seven qualifiers for Colombia.

Group by group

• Group 1: England are in this round for the first time while Hungary and Ukraine will meet again in UEFA Futsal EURO 2016 in Belgrade on 4 February. Ukraine also beat Belgium 9-2 in March on their way to the European finals.

• Group 2: Sweden got past the preliminary round in their competition debut.

• Group 3: Russia and Serbia both competed in the 2012 World Cup finals in Brazil.

• Group 4: Spain have reached the final of the last five World Cups, winning in 2000 and 2004 but losing to Brazil in 1996, 2008 and 2012, just as the Netherlands did in the first decider in 1989. The Dutch lost 2-1 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in UEFA Futsal EURO qualifying.

• Group 5: This is the only one involving three teams that will play in Belgrade; Slovenia beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in qualifying.

• Group 6: Portugal defeated Romania 4-1 to pip their opponents to first place in their UEFA Futsal EURO 2016 main round qualifying group.

• Group 7: Italy are the reigning European champions.


Road to Colombia

10, 11 & 13 December 2015: Main round
(2-13 February 2016: UEFA Futsal EURO 2016, Belgrade)
12 February 2016: Play-off draw, Belgrade
22 March & 12 April 2016: Play-offs
tbc: Final tournament draw, Colombia
14 September–2 October 2016: Final tournament, Colombia

Continent allocations

AFC: 5
CAF: 3
CONCACAF: 4
CONMEBOL: 4 inc hosts Colombia
OFC: 1
UEFA: 7




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