Nice article 👍.

Sadly, for us (Northern Ireland) all we can hope is that not too many underdogs do well, as that would harm our chances of making a play off, such is the ridiculously complex nature of how that is calculated.

Ireland's group is on a knife edge with still not games to come. Wales's group is close too, bit I think they'll have to go through the play off route now

*still big games to come

Northern Ireland should be okay for a play-off place, would need 8 of the 23 teams ranked ahead of you to miss out and as it stands only 4 are.

Yeah we should be. There will always be that paranoia though. It's not a comfortable situation, as I'd always prefer an underdog to do well, if it had no impact on us. Whilst now I'm wanting poor Finland to lose every game 🤣

Easy to say in hindsight, but I have no idea why you guys (I think you're Irish?) didn't push harder for the win yesterday. Would have meant that two draws in the final two games would be enough. Still there to be won on Tuesday, all the same

Why write off Norway's chances of automatic qualification? Just pure racism

comment by merrysupersteve - Jose'd he wouldn't be our Special One? (U1132)
posted 9 minutes ago
Easy to say in hindsight, but I have no idea why you guys (I think you're Irish?) didn't push harder for the win yesterday. Would have meant that two draws in the final two games would be enough. Still there to be won on Tuesday, all the same
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The performance yesterday done my head in

comment by merrysupersteve - Jose'd he wouldn't... (U1132)
posted 17 minutes ago
Easy to say in hindsight, but I have no idea why you guys (I think you're Irish?) didn't push harder for the win yesterday. Would have meant that two draws in the final two games would be enough. Still there to be won on Tuesday, all the same
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I think the basic fact is we are shiiit

🤣👍

Just reading up on the draw. Because Scotland can only qualify through the play-offs, England will get 3 home group games.
That means that if Scotland do qualify they will have to face England at Wembley.

So what you're saying is that Scotland won't be facing England at Wembley

comment by D'Jeezus Xhakaroni (c) (U1137)
posted 52 minutes ago
Just reading up on the draw. Because Scotland can only qualify through the play-offs, England will get 3 home group games.
That means that if Scotland do qualify they will have to face England at Wembley.
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Y

Because that is the rules. Scotland won't have qualified at time of draw, so that is the reason I think.

But why will we be playing England?

Hosts have already been allocated groups. England and Scotland host Group D games.

Basically the tournament has been seeded about 20 times over. Great for bigger countries, not so much for those who haven't been given multiple byes at this stage

So we are in England's group without there being a draw?

comment by Finlay Robertson (U1734)
posted 28 seconds ago
So we are in England's group without there being a draw?
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Yes.

Group A - Italy, Azerbaijan
Group B - Denmark, Russia
Group C - Netherlands, Romania
Group D - England, Scotland
Group E - Ireland, Spain
Group F - Germany, Hungary.


The rest are drawn into these groups, seeded based on the qualifying performances.

That's totally unfair. How come we get England when we won't have even qualified properly? We shouldn't get to avoid the top teams and deprive other teams of getting to be in England's group.

comment by Finlay Robertson (U1734)
posted 44 seconds ago
That's totally unfair. How come we get England when we won't have even qualified properly? We shouldn't get to avoid the top teams and deprive other teams of getting to be in England's group.
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Don't worry too much, Scotland won't qualify.

comment by D'Jeezus Xhakaroni (c) (U1137)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Finlay Robertson (U1734)
posted 44 seconds ago
That's totally unfair. How come we get England when we won't have even qualified properly? We shouldn't get to avoid the top teams and deprive other teams of getting to be in England's group.
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Don't worry too much, Scotland won't qualify.
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2 games at Hampden against average teams. Not that unlikely

I’ve only just seen what the format is going to be for the finals. It’s seems pretty ridiculous to me, twelve host countries. It’s going to take away the whole atmosphere of the occasion. Part of the magic of these tournaments is the host country embracing the whole tournament and fans of all the participating teams descending onto that country.

comment by Terminator1 (U1863)
posted 1 minute ago
I’ve only just seen what the format is going to be for the finals. It’s seems pretty ridiculous to me, twelve host countries. It’s going to take away the whole atmosphere of the occasion. Part of the magic of these tournaments is the host country embracing the whole tournament and fans of all the participating teams descending onto that country.
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Wouldn't know either way mate but I'll take your word for it

Think the format could work very well, tbh. Opens it up for more fans who have never had an international tournament.