Futsal World Cup preliminary round report

The 16 teams progressing from the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup preliminary round have been confirmed as the road to the finals in Lithuania began.

Running over the last week, 32 of the record European entry of 49 teams were involved in the preliminary round, and they now join the 16 top-seeded nations given byes to October's main round. By April 2020, six European places will be filled alongside hosts Lithuania in the 24-team finals.

Georgia topped their group with a game to spare©GFF

• Preliminary round results
• Top scorer: Anel Radmilović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 7
• Top two in each group progressed to join 16 teams given byes to main round
• Main round groups already drawn, games in October
• Elite round, play-offs and finals follow in 2020

How the groups ended
Group A
Winners: Latvia
Runners-up: England
Eliminated: Cyprus, Gibraltar

FYR Macedonia swept through©PETR Stojanovski

Group B
Winners: Belarus
Runners-up: Kosovo
Eliminated: Norway, Andorra

Group C
Winners: North Macedonia
Runners-up: Albania
Eliminated: Greece, San Marino

Bosnia and Herzegovina won their three games©Fedja Krvavac

Group D 
Winners: Georgia
Runners-up: Germany
Eliminated: Israel, Denmark

Group E
Winners: Belgium
Runners-up: Sweden
Eliminated: Armenia, Malta

Group F
Winners: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Runners-up: Switzerland
Eliminated: Turkey, Scotland

Action from Finland's win against Wales©Vadim Caftanat

Group G 
Winners: Netherlands
Runners-up: Montenegro
Eliminated: Bulgaria, Estonia

Group H
Winners: Moldova
Runners-up: Finland
Eliminated: Wales, Northern Ireland

• Germany and Kosovo progressed on their World Cup debuts, while there was also a first appearance for Scotland as well as Northern Ireland, making their bow in any international men's futsal competition

Main round draw (22–27 October)
Group 1: Spain, Poland*, Georgia, Finland

Group 2: Ukraine, Slovenia, North Macedonia*, Kosovo

Group 3: Azerbaijan*, Slovakia, Moldova, Montenegro

Group 4: Italy*, Hungary, Belarus, England

Group 5: Kazakhstan, Romania*, Netherlands, Albania

Group 6: Serbia, France*, Belgium, Switzerland

Group 7: Russia, Croatia*, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden

Group 8: Portugal*, Czech Republic, Latvia, Germany

*hosts

• The top two teams in each group will progress to the elite 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
• FYR Macedonia replace Ukraine as Group 2 hosts

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 draw: 7 November 2019
Elite round: 28 January–2 February 2020
Play-off draw: tbc, Nyon
Play-offs: 9 & 12 April 2020
Finals draw: tbc, Lithuania
Finals: 12 September–4 October 2020, Lithuania

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)