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 2014 WORLD CUP
The Wales fixtures for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers have been agreed.
"This is such a well-balanced group that we knew everyone would be looking for an early advantage. As always, there had to be some give and take, but I am very glad that we did not have to use the June qualifying dates. All the matches are double headers for us so we need to keep our good form going now through the friendly matches that we have and on to the start of the qualifiers next Autumn and beyond." - Wales manager Gary Speed.
Wales fixtures:
Friday 07.09.2012 v Belgium (H)
Tuesday 11.09.2012 v Serbia (A)
Friday 12.10.2012 v Scotland (H)
Tuesday 16.10.2012 v Croatia (A)
Friday 22.03.2013. v Scotland (A)
Tuesday 26.03.2013. v Croatia (H)
Friday 06.09.2013. v FYR Macedonia (A)
Tuesday 10.09.2013. v Serbia (H)
Friday 11.10.2013. v FYR Macedonia (H)
Tuesday 15.10.2013. v Belgium (A).
Matches are set to begin in September 2012. If agreement cannot be reached at the meeting, it will be for FIFA to draw the matches on the set match dates.
Group A fixtures meeting set to take place on November 23 in Brussels.
Wales have been drawn in Group A for the 2014 World Cup qualifying rounds, also drawn in the same group are FYR Macedonia (43), Scotland (33), Belgium (22), Serbia (17) and Croatia (7).
*UEFA ranking in brackets
Wales' record against Group A nations.
FYR Macedonia: Wales has never played them.
Scotland: 105 meetings, the last this year in Dublin (1-3 defeat). 'Classic' matches in World Cup qualifiers in 1977 (Liverpool) and 1985 (Cardiff).
Belgium: 8 meetings, the last in 1997. The most memorable? Perhaps the 2-0 win in 1993 that featured a great free kick goal from Ryan Giggs. Three wins, one draw and four defeats.
Serbia: no meetings as a solo team, but 2 meetings when paired as Serbia & Montenegro in 2003 (two defeats)
Croatia: 2 meetings, both friendlies, the last in 2010. A draw and a defeat. info from FAW
With 53 European countries entered in the World Cup qualifying draw, teams have been drawn in eight groups of 6 teams and one group of 5.
The qualifying matches are scheduled to be played between 7 September 2012 and 15 October 2013.
The 9 group winners will qualify directly, and the eight best second-placed teams will be drawn in two-legged play-off matches to determine the other four qualifying nations.
Ranking of second-placed teams: Because one group has one team fewer than the others, matches against the sixth-placed team in each group are not included. As a result, eight matches played by each team will count for the purposes of the second-placed table.
Group fixtures meeting is due to take place in the Autumn.
updated: Sat, 30 Jul, 2011 20:57 UK.
Wales will learn their 2014 World Cup qualifying group when the draw is made in Rio de Janeiro this evening.
Wales will be in drawn from Pot 6. The Football Association of Wales will be represented at the draw by President, Phil Pritchard, Chief Executive, Jonathan Ford and manager Gary Speed.
Pot 1: Spain, Holland, Germany, England, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Greece.
Pot 2: France, Montenegro, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Turkey, Serbia, Slovakia.
Pot 3: Switzerland, Israel, Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary.
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Lithuania, Albania, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Poland.
Pot 5: Armenia, Finland, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Moldova, FYR Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands.
Pot 6: Wales, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, San Marino.
Another update this evening from football-rankings.info puts Wales in pot 6 for the World Cup draw at the end of July.
FIFA world cup UEFA pots
*Please note this is yet to be confirmed by the FAW.
updated: Fri, 10 Jun, 2011 22:34 UK.
According to reports Wales are in Pot 5 for the World cup draw at the end of July. To note it has been reported earlier that Wales' seeding will be decided on the July FIFA world rankings.
It has been reported that UEFA announced on Monday (6th June) the distribution of the European national teams in six pots.
NEWS: UEFA's World Cup 2014 Qualifying Pots
Pot 1 includes world champions Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Norway, and Greece.
Pot 2 is comprised of Serbia, Slovenia, Russia, France, Montenegro, Switzerland, Slovakia, Denmark, and Sweden.
Bulgaria was placed in Pot 3 together with Turkey, the Czech Republic, Israel, Ireland, Ukraine, Belgium, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Pot placement is determined by the FIFA ranking of the national teams where Bulgaria are 47th at the moment. Bulgaria barely made it into Pot 3 as the next team in line, Lithuania, which is the first in Pot 4, is ranked 48th by FIFA with only 15 points fewer than Bulgaria.
In addition to Lithuania, Pot 4 includes Albania, Hungary, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Poland.
Pot 5 features Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Macedonia, Moldova, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, and Wales.
Pot 6 consists of Iceland, Luxembourg, the Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Lichtenstein, Malta, Andorra, and San Marino.
updated: Mon, 6 Jun, 2011 19:32 UK.
earlier:
Wales' seeding for the 2014 World Cup draw will be decided on the July FIFA world rankings.
Wales are currently ranked 45 out of 53 in the UEFA Confederations list, this ranking would put Wales in Pot E (using the same qualification format as for the 2010 World Cup).
posted: Fri, 3 Jun, 2011 17:02 UK. |
