Futsal World Cup main round play-offs: Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Netherlands through
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
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Belgium, Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands booked FIFA Futsal World Cup elite round spots from the play-offs.
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Belgium, Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands went through from the FIFA Futsal World Cup main round play-offs.
The 12 main round group winners and four best runners-up had already progressed directly to the elite round, which will be played in home-and-away groups later in the year with five automatic finals places on offer alongside elite round play-off berths for ties next April to decide Europe's last qualifiers. The remaining main round runners-up were in these two-legged main round play-offs, the four winners completing the line-up for the elite round draw on 8 June.
On Monday, Belgium saw a three-goal aggregate advantage wiped out in the second leg of their tie in Hungary but then needed to equalise in extra time and survive a ten-metre penalty in the dying seconds to force a shoot-out, which the visitors to Berettyóújfalu won 4-3.
In Tuesday's second legs, Czechia secured a second win against 2021 finals hosts Lithuania and Germany repeated their 4-2 away victory against Sweden in their home return. On Wednesday, the Netherlands won in Moldova to add to their lead from the first leg.
Through to elite round
Main round play-off winners: Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Netherlands
Main round group winners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Finland, France, Georgia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Portugal (holders), Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine
Futsal World Cup main round play-off results
Second legs
Wednesday 19 April
Moldova 1-6 Netherlands (agg: 3-11)
Tuesday 18 April
Lithuania 1-2 Czechia (agg: 3-7)
Germany 4-2 Sweden (agg: 8-4)
Monday 17 April
Hungary 4-3 Belgium (aet, agg: 5-5, Belgium win 4-3 on pens)
First legs
Saturday 15 April
Netherlands 5-2 Moldova
Friday 14 April
Sweden 2-4 Germany
Czechia 5-2 Lithuania
Wednesday 12 April
Belgium 2-1 Hungary
- Germany, Lithuania, Moldova and Sweden began in the preliminary round, with the other four teams entering directly into the main round.
- Belgium (1989, 1992, 1996), Czechia (2004, 2008, 2012 and 2021) and the Netherlands (1989 – runners-up as hosts – 1992, 1996 and 2000) are all still on course for World Cup returns.
- Germany have never previously reached the final tournament of a World Cup or EURO.
Road to the finals
Elite round draw: 8 June 2023
Elite round: Home and away groups to be completed by 20 December 2023
Elite round play-off draw: 25 January 2024, Nyon
Elite round play-offs: 8–17 April 2024