Futsal World Cup main round report

The 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup main round decided 16 places in the elite round on the road to Lithuania – as well as earning those nations byes in UEFA Futsal EURO 2022 qualifying.

• Results
• Top two in each group progress to elite round early in 2020
  
• Those 16 teams also receive byes to new UEFA Futsal EURO 2022 qualifying group stage, played home and away
• Through: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine
  
• Elite round and play-off draw streamed live at 14:15 CET on 7 November

The groups

Group 1
Through: Spain, Finland*
Eliminated: Georgia*, Poland (hosts)

Group 2
Through: Slovenia, Ukraine
Eliminated: Kosovo*, North Macedonia* (hosts)

Group 3
Through: Azerbaijan (hosts), Slovakia
Eliminated: Montenegro*, Moldova*

Group 4 
Through: Italy (hosts), Belarus*
Eliminated: Hungary, England*

Group 5
Through: Kazakhstan, Romania (hosts)
Eliminated: Netherlands*, Albania*

France celebrate their win against Belgium©Getty Images

Group 6
Through: Serbia, France (hosts)
Eliminated: Belgium*, Switzerland*

Group 7 
Through: Russia, Croatia (hosts)
Eliminated: Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Sweden*

Group 8 
Through: Portugal (hosts), Czech Republic
Eliminated: Latvia*, Germany*

*Came through preliminary round

• Spain have qualified for all eight previous World Cups and won in 2000 and 2004.
• Russia lost the 2016 final to Argentina.
• Portugal are the reigning European champions.
• The Netherlands will host UEFA Futsal EURO 2022.
• North Macedonia replaced Ukraine as Group 2 hosts.
• Germany and Kosovo came through the preliminary round on their World Cup debuts.

Elite round and play-offs

• The four elite round group winners will qualify for the finals and the four runners-up will go into the play-offs.
• In the play-offs, the four sides will be drawn into two ties, played on a home-and-away basis, to decide Europe's last two qualifiers.

Road to Lithuania: calendar

Elite round & play-off draw: 14:15 CET, 7 November 2019
Elite round: 27 January–5 February 2020
Play-offs: 9 & 12 April 2020
Finals draw: tbc, Lithuania
Finals: 12 September–4 October 2020, Lithuania (Kaunas Arena, Vilnius Arena and Klaipėda Arena)

Qualifying allocation

AFC 5
CAF 3
CONCACAF 4
CONMEBOL 4
OFC 1
UEFA 7 (hosts Lithuania and 6 qualifiers)

World Cup roll of honour

2016: Argentina 5-4 Russia (Colombia)
2012: Brazil 3-2 aet Spain (Thailand)
2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3 pens Spain (Brazil)
2004: Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)