Wales probably play off pathway

[Des Parrot]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Yes I believe that’s the case. Poland are currently the highest ranked team not in a qualifying place so get the nations league D team which is Estonia but if they can turn it around we are then the next highest ranked team so would get Estonia instead.

I also think the highest ranked team get a home semi final and final so not sure that means we would be away in any final if Poland are in it too, there are 3 pathways so maybe it doesn’t make a difference- it is very complicated!

If Poland get their shit together, they’ll push Czech out and they become the highest ranked team. There seems no criteria where Wales/Cymru would be the highest ranked team. Wales can only qualify via path A as B and C are for the lower ranked teams from those divisions, currently Israel & Georgia in pole positions.

[cyril evans awaydays]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

If Poland get their shit together, they’ll push Czech out and they become the highest ranked team. There seems no criteria where Wales/Cymru would be the highest ranked team. Wales can only qualify via path A as B and C are for the lower ranked teams from those divisions, currently Israel & Georgia in pole positions.

We tied ourselves in knots in Latvia trying to understand the system but our best take is this which is shown in this helpful Wiki site.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2024_qualifying_play-offs

Teams are placed into four paths based on which league they played in in the last Nations League, ranked by performance in those leagues.

The starting point is that all group winners are guaranteed a play-off spot though the highest ranked Group D team (Estonia) is a bit of a floater.

If they qualify automatically the spot goes to the next highest ranked team in that path.

If there are insufficient non-qualifiers in a path you take the highest ranked team from the path below (excluding Group Winners)

So in path A at the moment the only teams currently outside the play off spots are Poland and Wales. That means a ranked team (currently one of three possible teams (Finland, Ukraine, Iceland) from Path B and Estonia will be in the A play-off semi-finals.

The highest ranked team will play the 4th highest at home and the 2nd playing the third in the same manner. Currently that means Poland vs Estonia and Wales vs (Finland, Ukraine, Iceland).

The home team for the final in each path is drawn rather than given to the highest ranked team.

So in the example you gave above if Poland qualify at the expense of Czech Republic it would be Czech Republic vs Estonia. But if they both qualify at the expense of Albania (and all other teams in Path A also qualify) then Wales would be the highest remaining seed and play Estonia home in the semi-final.

[Majorblue]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

We tied ourselves in knots in Latvia trying to understand the system but our best take is this which is shown in this helpful Wiki site.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2024_qualifying_play-offs

Teams are placed into four paths based on which league they played in in the last Nations League, ranked by performance in those leagues.

The starting point is that all group winners are guaranteed a play-off spot though the highest ranked Group D team (Estonia) is a bit of a floater.

If they qualify automatically the spot goes to the next highest ranked team in that path.

If there are insufficient non-qualifiers in a path you take the highest ranked team from the path below (excluding Group Winners)

So in path A at the moment the only teams currently outside the play off spots are Poland and Wales. That means a ranked team (currently one of three possible teams (Finland, Ukraine, Iceland) from Path B and Estonia will be in the A play-off semi-finals.

The highest ranked team will play the 4th highest at home and the 2nd playing the third in the same manner. Currently that means Poland vs Estonia and Wales vs (Finland, Ukraine, Iceland).

The home team for the final in each path is drawn rather than given to the highest ranked team.

So in the example you gave above if Poland qualify at the expense of Czech Republic it would be Czech Republic vs Estonia. But if they both qualify at the expense of Albania (and all other teams in Path A also qualify) then Wales would be the highest remaining seed and play Estonia home in the semi-final.

Oh for the days of winner goes through everyone else watches on TV.

I now suspect that AI was invented just to understand qualification rules.

[Dave Blue]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

It’s far easier to come second isn’t it.

[Des Parrot]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Changed again after last night, if we fail to automatically qualify it’s a home semi final against one of Finland, Ukraine or Iceland. The opposition will be done via a draw (not results)

[JamesWales]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Changed again after last night, if we fail to automatically qualify it’s a home semi final against one of Finland, Ukraine or Iceland. The opposition will be done via a draw (not results)

With a final against Poland?

Bloody nations league. Complicated things. just have a okay off for teams in third place.

[Des Parrot]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

With a final against Poland?

If they beat Estonia. The venue for the final is also drawn, I assume this is done at the same time as the draw for the semi-final opponents

[Des Parrot]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Changed again after last night, if we fail to automatically qualify it’s a home semi final against one of Finland, Ukraine or Iceland. The opposition will be done via a draw (not results)

This is still the case after tonight’s results, with Italy qualifying.

The draw is on Thursday. https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/draws/

Path B will be drawn first, with the home teams Israel & Bosnia. 2 of the away teams Finland, Ukraine & Iceland will be drawn against the home teams. The team not drawn will play Wales in Path A, ie Wales get the left over

[Pearcey3]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

So if we win the semi final it's likely to be Poland in the final as they cannot qualify from their group. They are strong at home but poor away from home. So the draw for home advantage will be important.

[Don Corleone]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

This is still the case after tonight’s results, with Italy qualifying.

The draw is on Thursday. https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/draws/

Path B will be drawn first, with the home teams Israel & Bosnia. 2 of the away teams Finland, Ukraine & Iceland will be drawn against the home teams. The team not drawn will play Wales in Path A, ie Wales get the left over

We really want to avoid Ukraine out of those 3 teams, our luck wouldn’t hold for a 2nd time against them. Iceland would be the best of the 3, like us they,re not the team they were

[PontBlue]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

So if we win the semi final it's likely to be Poland in the final as they cannot qualify from their group. They are strong at home but poor away from home. So the draw for home advantage will be important.

Poland have been poor in a group won by Albania.

[Divine Wright]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Why are Israel in the euro qualifiers? Geographically and morally speaking. Seems a bit rich that the Russians get booted out of international sports competitions yet a nation responsible for slaying 5k kids in a fortnight just carries on as normal.

[J R Hartley]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Why are Israel in the euro qualifiers? Geographically and morally speaking. Seems a bit rich that the Russians get booted out of international sports competitions yet a nation responsible for slaying 5k kids in a fortnight just carries on as normal.

Take it to the politics forum you boring kent

[Dave Blue]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Why are Israel in the euro qualifiers? Geographically and morally speaking. Seems a bit rich that the Russians get booted out of international sports competitions yet a nation responsible for slaying 5k kids in a fortnight just carries on as normal.

Because none of the Arabs will play them.

[Rontomuk]

Re: Wales probably play off pathway

Why are Israel in the euro qualifiers? Geographically and morally speaking. Seems a bit rich that the Russians get booted out of international sports competitions yet a nation responsible for slaying 5k kids in a fortnight just carries on as normal.

They have been in it since 1958 the Arab teams refused to play them and FIFA gave them the chance to qualify by playing us, that is how we qualified for the World Cup that year through the back door so to speak
Belgium was drawn out but they refused to take part, so another team was drawn and this time Wales were chosen. The Welsh had never made it to the Finals before. Having finished second in their three-team group to Czechoslovakia they must have thought their chance had gone. But they hadn’t reckoned on the farce in Africa/Asia and the lottery of a draw.

Wales campaign in itself had been interesting. They were managed by Matt Busby’s right-hand man at Old Trafford, Jimmy Murphy. They beat the Czechs in their opening game and then travelled to East Germany. This was the East Germans first ever competitive fixture, but to save money Wales only took 12 players. You can probably guess this backfired. Arsenal’s Derek Tapscott was injured and couldn’t play, and John Charles arrived late due to commitments with Juventus. Wales lost 1-2.

Just six days later Wales tried to take the same group of players to Prague but eventually called up two reinforcements. They lost 0-2 and so when the Czechs beat the East Germans twice, Wales thought they were out.

Then came the withdrawals and the short-straw draw and Wales had a reprieve.

In January 1958 the two met in Ramat Gan, to the East of Tel Aviv. As if to illustrate the slightly primitive nature of international football back then, an administrative error meant the Welsh squad arrived in Israel without a ball.

With only physical training the option, they also had to contend with the heat. But Swansea’s Ivor Allchurch put the visitors in front before the break. Arsenal’s Dave Bowen grabbed their second midway through the second half and Wales had won their first match outside the UK.

Three weeks later the two rocked up at Ninian Park, Cardiff where Israel struggled to lay a glove on their opponents. Goalkeeper Hodorov won plaudits for his performance in keeping out the Welsh attacks. His bravery was particularly noticed as at one point he received a broken nose and concussion from a collision.

The tie was goalless going into the final quarter of an hour before Allchurch put Wales further ahead on aggregate. With just ten minutes to go Cliff Jones made things certain for the Welsh. A week later Jones was a Spurs player and would go on to become a club legend in their famous double side.

Wales won 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate.

That tie most probably saved the life of Jimmy Murphy otherwise he could have been on the Munich plane disaster