World Cup draw today - UPDATED

[chris lee]

so do the top 2 qualify for the world cup ?

[Michael Morris]

so do the top 2 qualify for the world cup ?

top team only.

10 second place teams get a play off place (but we already have a play off place guaranteed)

[surge]

top team only.

10 second place teams get a play off place (but we already have a play off place guaranteed)

France and Belgium have guaranteed a play-off place but as long as they and one of Italy and Spain finish in in top two of their World Cup qualifying groups, we have a fallback option into the play-offs. If all five teams now mentioned finish in top two then fallback option play-offs goes to Austria and the Czech Republic.

[Michael Morris]

France and Belgium have guaranteed a play-off place but as long as they and one of Italy and Spain finish in in top two of their World Cup qualifying groups, we have a fallback option into the play-offs. If all five teams now mentioned finish in top two then fallback option play-offs goes to Austria and the Czech Republic.

sorry, yes we have a play off place providing some top teams make the top two of their group

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Has anyone gambled on booking flights for the re-arranged Euro 2020 games in Baku that are meant to take place next June?

[cyril evans awaydays]

Has anyone gambled on booking flights for the re-arranged Euro 2020 games in Baku that are meant to take place next June?

Yeah, though probably throwing good money after bad. Out via Kiev, back through Istanbul to Rome then up to Bologna and home. Less than 50% chance of all those links working but sometimes it is just worth doing something to look forward to.

[surge]

Best analyis I've seen from 3 Welsh people on twitter under this page: https://twitter.com/thehuwdavies

It's all about nicking top spot from Belgium, because Wales' play-off place is all but guaranteed:

1st = qualified
2nd = play-off
3rd or below = play-off unless TWO of France, Italy & Spain finish 3rd or below in their groups.

(Our opponents: Belgium, Czechia, Belarus, Estonia)

Retweet: Not even drawing with Belgium twice or winning one and losing is good enough. They will thrash us on goal difference with the other teams in the group.We have to win one game and draw the other against them. Not daunting at all (ends)

"But wait," I hear you ask, because in my imagination I pull the strings – "what benefit is there for Wales to finish 2nd rather than 3rd or worse?" Well, the play-offs are seeded, idiot, and the six best runners-up will play their semi-final at home (the finals' hosts are drawn)

that isn't necessarily a good thing. Would I fancy us to win a semi and then final against, say, Poland and then Switzerland, or Sweden and then Serbia (all likely opponents) especially if we're away in one or both? Not especially. We can, but I don't know that we would.

And the weird thing about it is that all we can do to change that is a) top the group, which is a huge ask as the tiebreaker is GD and not H2H, or b) do well enough to at least earn a home tie in the play-offs. One poor early result could almost render the other games moot.

I'm still positive, believe it or not, and looking forward to our matches. It just feels odd that our future seems predestined, as one of only two things can happen: we finish ahead of Belgium on points (we won't do it on GD), or face a decent side in the playoffs. Ah well.

2nd Retweet: Missing out on GD when Wales Women missed out on HTH would annoy me a lot. (ends)

Basically, Wales need to win as many games as possible for next two years and any diversion from winning every game means we're looking at other teams and the rule book for that specific competition. Same as ever then.