Tuesday, July 7th saw the draw for the main round of European qualification for the 2024 Futsal World Cup, revealing Ukraine's opponents in the process.

The main round draw involved 36 national teams divided into 12 groups of three teams each, where matches will be played home and away. The 12 group winners and four best second-place finishers will advance to the elite round. The other eight second-place finishers will participate in a playoff for the main round.

The Ukrainian futsal team will begin its participation in the 2024 World Cup qualification from the main round. During the draw, our team was placed in the first seeding pot. As a result, blue and yellow ended up in Group 11, where they will face the Netherlands and Kosovo. Matches of the main round will conclude by March 8th, 2023.

2024 World Cup. European Qualification. Main Round

Group 1: Spain, Moldova, Cyprus.

Group 2: Georgia, Belgium, Austria.

Group 3: Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia.

Group 4: Portugal, Belarus, Lithuania.

Group 5: Kazakhstan, Slovenia, Montenegro.

Group 6: Azerbaijan, Poland, Greece.

Group 7: Croatia, Hungary, Israel.

Group 8: Finland, Romania, Denmark.

Group 9: Serbia, France, Norway.

Group 10: Italy, North Macedonia, Sweden.

Group 11: Ukraine, Netherlands, Kosovo.

Group 12: Slovakia, Latvia, Germany.

Date of matches

September 12-21, 2022

October 3-12, 2022

November 6-9, 2022

February 27 - March 8, 2023

Format

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

Main Round Playoff

Draw: 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 will advance to the elite round.

Elite Round

Draw: July 5, 2023.

Matches: will be concluded 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 will qualify for the World Cup. Four best second-place finishers will advance to the playoff 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 of the elite round.

Elite Round Playoff

Draw: 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 take place to determine match order), matches will take place home and away. The winners will qualify for the World Cup.