Seven European teams will join the 24 participants of the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup, UEFA reports.

If a national association is selected to host the final tournament, it automatically qualifies for the World Cup and only six teams will qualify through the qualification process. Otherwise, the qualifying cycle will determine seven participants from Europe for the 2024 World Cup.

Format

The qualification will take place over five stages: a preliminary round (mini-tournaments), a main round (home and away matches in groups), the playoff stage of the main round (home and away matches), an elite round (groups with home and away matches), and the playoff stage of the elite round (home and away matches).

The 24 teams with the lowest coefficients as of November 2021 will start in the preliminary round: Moldova, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Turkey, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Armenia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Andorra, San Marino, Estonia, Malta, Scotland, Gibraltar, Austria, Northern Ireland.

All other participants will start in the group stage of the main round: Spain, Russia, Portugal (current trophy holder), Kazakhstan, Croatia, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Italy, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Finland, Romania, Slovakia, Georgia, Belarus, Netherlands, Hungary, France, Belgium, Latvia, North Macedonia.

Preliminary Round

Drawing: December 7, 2021.

Matches: April 4-13, 2022.

Twenty-four teams will be divided into six groups of four teams each, matches will take place in mini-tournaments. Group winners and runners-up will advance to the main round.

Main Round

Drawing: July 6, 2022.

Matches: will be completed by March 8, 2023.

Thirty-six teams will be divided into twelve groups of three teams each, matches will take place home and away. Twelve group winners and four best runners-up will advance to the elite round. The other eight runners-up will participate in the playoff stage of the main round.

Main Round Playoff

Drawing: March 10, 2023.

Matches: April 10-19, 2023.

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

Elite Round

Drawing: July 5, 2023.

Matches: will be completed by December 20, 2023.

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

Elite Round Playoff

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, a draw will determine the match order), matches will take place home and away. Winners will advance to the World Cup.