Futsal World Cup elite round groups, fixtures and results

The FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifying elite round will be completed with two sets of fixtures between 14 and 20 December, and the groups really took take shape after Matchdays 3 and 4 in October.

Five of the seven European qualifiers for the 2024 World Cup finals in Uzbekistan are being decided by the home-and-away groups. The five group winners will qualify directly for the finals, while the best four runners-up will go into the elite round play-offs.

A draw on 25 January will set the two-legged play-off ties between 8 and 17 April that will decide the last European qualifiers for the finals, which are being held from 14 September to 6 October.

In October's matches, Kazakhstan maintained their 100% record in Group A with two comeback wins to beat Azerbaijan 4-2 away and 3-2 at home, making sure of a top-two finish. Romania beat the Netherlands 2-1 and then drew 1-1 in Almere to trail Kazakhstan by five points but move four clear of third-placed Azerbaijan.

Poland beat Belgium 7-2 at home and 3-1 away to go top of Group B, as previously unbeaten Serbia lost 6-1 at home to Ukraine before a 1-1 draw. Poland, who last reached the World Cup in 1992, are two points clear of Ukraine, who hold a two-point advantage over Serbia.

In Group C, France beat Croatia 5-2 to end their visitors perfect start and go top, before Les Bleus clinched a top-two finish with a last-second 2-1 victory in the away return game. France are four points clear of Croatia and one win away from a debut World Cup. Croatia, in second, are two clear of Slovakia, who exchanged 4-3 home wins with Germany.

Spain lost their perfect Group D record as they were held 1-1 in Slovenia, but in the home return the two-time World Cup winners struck four second-half goals to win 4-0, consolidate first place and confirm a top-two spot. Italy, who lost 1-0 to a late Spain winner last month, are three points behind in second after a thrilling 6-5 defeat of Czechia, clinched in the final seconds, and then a 3-3 away draw in the return, also sealed by a last-minute Azzurri equaliser.

World and European champions Portugal kept up their unblemished Group E start, withstanding a late comeback to win 6-5 in Armenia and then defeating the same side 7-1 to make sure of a top-two finish. Georgia beat Finland 5-2 at home before drawing 3-3 in the away return to move outright second, three points ahead of Finland but five adrift of Portugal.

Elite round groups

All KO times CET

Group A

Results
11 October: Kazakhstan 3-2 Azerbaijan 
10 October: Netherlands 1-1 Romania 
6 October: Azerbaijan 2-4 Kazakhstan
6 October: Romania 2-1 Netherlands
20 September: Kazakhstan 4-3 Romania
20 September: Azerbaijan 6-1 Netherlands
15 September: Netherlands 0-2 Kazakhstan 
15 September: Romania 3-1 Azerbaijan

Fixtures
14 December: Kazakhstan vs Netherlands (15:30)
15 December: Azerbaijan vs Romania (17:00)
20 December: Romania vs Kazakhstan (18:00)
20 December: Netherlands vs Azerbaijan (18:30)

Group B

Results
11 October: Belgium 1-3 Poland
11 October: Ukraine 1-1 Serbia 
6 October: Serbia 1-6 Ukraine 
6 October: Poland 7-2 Belgium 
20 September: Ukraine 2-3 Poland 
20 September: Serbia 3-3 Belgium 
15 September: Belgium 2-10 Ukraine
15 September: Poland 1-2 Serbia

Fixtures
15 December: Serbia vs Poland (18:00)
15 December: Ukraine vs Belgium (18:00)
20 December: Poland vs Ukraine (18:30)
20 December: Belgium vs Serbia (18:30)

Group C

Results
10 October: Croatia 1-2 France
9 October: Slovakia 4-3 Germany 
5 October: France 5-2 Croatia
5 October: Germany 4-3 Slovakia
20 September: France 6-2 Germany 
20 September: Croatia 4-0 Slovakia
16 September: Slovakia 4-4 France 
16 September: Germany 1-5 Croatia

Fixtures
14 December: France vs Slovakia (21:05)
15 December: Croatia vs Germany (20:00)
20 December: Slovakia vs Croatia (18:30)
20 December: Germany vs France (18:30)

Group D

Results
11 October: Czechia 3-3 Italy 
10 October: Spain 4-0 Slovenia 
6 October: Slovenia 1-1 Spain
6 October: Italy 6-5 Czechia
20 September: Spain 1-0 Italy 
19 September: Slovenia 2-1 Czechia
15 September: Czechia 0-3 Spain
15 September: Italy 3-1 Slovenia

Fixtures
15 December: Slovenia vs Italy (14:10)
15 December: Spain vs Czechia (20:30)
20 December: Czechia vs Slovenia (18:30)
20 December: Italy vs Spain (18:30)

Group E

Results
11 October: Portugal 7-1 Armenia 
11 October: Finland 3-3 Georgia 
7 October: Georgia 5-2 Finland 
6 October: Armenia 5-6 Portugal 
20 September: Portugal 5-0 Georgia*
20 September: Armenia 0-5 Finland*
16 September: Finland 1-5 Portugal
15 September: Georgia 2-1 Armenia

*Match forfeited

Fixtures
15 December: Armenia vs Georgia (17:00)
15 December: Portugal vs Finland (20:30)
20 December: Georgia vs Portugal (15:00)
20 December: Finland vs Armenia (18:30)

Contenders

• Armenia and Germany began in the preliminary round.
• Portugal won the World Cup in 2021 in Lithuania as well as the last two Futsal EUROs and the first Futsal Finalissima in 2022; Spain were World Cup winners in 2000 and 2004.
• As well as Portugal and Spain, Czechia, Kazakhstan and Serbia also played at the 2021 World Cup.
• Other teams that have played in previous World Cups: Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Ukraine.
• In 2021 World Cup qualifying, Kazakhstan and Romania finished ahead of the Netherlands in their main round group (Kazakhstan beat both and hosts Romania drew with Netherlands). Kazakhstan then beat Romania in the elite round on their way to the finals.
• Azerbaijan beat the Netherlands 9-5 on aggregate in the 2016 play-offs to reach the finals.
• Ukraine beat Serbia 6-1 in the Futsal EURO 2022 group stage. Serbia defeated Ukraine 5-2 in the 2021 World Cup qualifying elite round (crucial to reaching the play-offs) and 2-1 in a dramatic Futsal EURO 2016 quarter-final in Belgrade.
• Serbia beat Belgium 2-1 in the 2021 World Cup qualifying main round.
• France beat Croatia 6-5 on aggregate in a play-off to reach their first major tournament, Futsal EURO 2018, having previously defeated Slovakia 4-1 in the main round.
• Slovakia beat Croatia 5-3 in Futsal EURO 2022 to reach the quarter-finals. Croatia beat Slovakia 3-2 in the 2021 World Cup qualifying elite round.
• Slovakia and Germany drew twice in the main round late last year.
• Spain beat Italy in the final of both the 2004 World Cup and Futsal EURO 2007.
• Italy and Slovenia drew 2-2 in the Futsal EURO 2022 group stage. Slovenia beat Italy in the 2014 and 2018 group stages but Italy won 2-1 in 2003 en route to claiming the title (as in 2014).
• Czechia beat Slovenia 3-1 in the 2021 World Cup qualifying elite round.
• Spain beat Czechia 5-2 in the 2021 World Cup round of 16 and have won all five previous competitive meetings, all in final tournaments.
• Spain beat Slovenia twice in the Futsal EURO 2022 qualifying group stage.
• Portugal beat Finland 3-2 in the Futsal EURO 2022 quarter-finals, having drawn 2-2 in the 2021 World Cup qualifying elite round.
• Georgia beat Armenia home and away in the Futsal EURO 2022 qualifying group stage.
• Finland beat Georgia 5-2 in the 2021 World Cup qualifying main round.

Match dates

15–16 September
19–20 September
5–7 October
9–11 October
 14–15 December
20 December