What to expect in the new year for Ukraine's national futsal team

In 2023, the national team of Ukraine in futsal will continue to compete in the World Championship qualification tournament for 2024.

What to expect in the new year for Ukraine's national futsal team

Press service photo of AFC

After three wins in the fall, Oleksandr Kosenko's protégés confidently lead their group and have good chances to qualify for the elite round of the 2024 World Cup. The final match of the main round will be played away against the Netherlands on March 8th. It is already known that the game will take place in Almere city and will start at 9:00 PM local time (Kyiv time). Five days before this, the Dutch team will play Kosovo.

As a reminder, in the main round, 36 national teams are divided into 12 groups of three teams each, where matches take place home and away. The 12 group winners and four best second-place finishers advance to the elite round. The other eight second-place finishers will participate in the playoff stage of the main round.

World Cup 2024. European Qualification. Main Round. Group 11

September 18, 2022

Netherlands — Kosovo — 2:1

October 7, 2022

Ukraine — Kosovo — 3:1

October 11, 2022

Ukraine — Netherlands — 4:2

November 9, 2022

Kosovo — Ukraine — 2:5

Tournament Table

 

Matches

Wins

Ties

Losses

Goals

Points

1. Ukraine

3

3

0

0

12—5

9

2. Netherlands

2

1

0

1

4—5

3

3. Kosovo

3

0

0

3

4—10

0

March 3, 2023

Kosovo — Netherlands

March 8, 2023

Netherlands — Ukraine

Format

Qualification takes place in five stages: preliminary round (mini-tournaments), main round (groups with home and away matches), playoff of the main round (home and away matches), elite round (groups with home and away matches) and playoff of the elite round (home and away matches).

Playoff of the Main Round

Drawing: March 10, 2023.

Matches: April 10—19, 2023.

Eight teams will be divided into four pairs and matches will take place home and away. The winners advance to the elite round.

Elite Round

Drawing: July 5, 2023.

Matches: will be completed by December 20, 2023.

Twenty national teams will be divided into five groups of four teams each and matches will take place home and away. The five group winners advance to the World Cup 2024. Four best second-place finishers advance to the playoff stage of the elite round. If the European association is selected to host the final tournament, only two best second-place finishers will advance to the playoff stage of the elite round.

Playoff of the Elite Round

Drawing: January 25, 2024.

Matches: April 8—17, 2024.

Four teams will be divided into two pairs (if only two teams participate in the playoff stage, a draw will determine match order), and matches will take place home and away. The winners advance to the World Cup 2024.