Futsal World Cup elite round: France, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine in finals

France, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine won their FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifying elite round groups to reach the finals while Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland will play off in April for the last two European slots.

Five of the seven European qualifiers for the 2024 World Cup finals in Uzbekistan were decided by the home-and-away groups. The five group winners have qualified directly for the finals, while the best four runners-up will go into the elite round play-offs, with Italy missing out.

France reached their first World Cup on Friday after a 7-1 success over Slovakia in Group C and completed their campaign with a 3-1 win in Germany. Croatia also beat Germany and Slovakia to make sure of a play-off berth.

Kazakhstan booked their place from Group A on Thursday with a 2-0 win against the Netherlands and then prevailed by the same score in Romania. The Netherlands' 3-0 defeat of Azerbaijan confirmed them in the play-offs.

Also on Friday, Portugal swept aside Finland 5-0 in Group E to ensure a title defence in Uzbekistan. Finland were already certain of second place and will now be in the play-offs.

Spain kept up their record of qualifying for all ten editions as they overpowered Czechia 7-1 on Friday, when Italy lost 4-2 in Slovenia in Group D. Italy then succumbed 4-0 at home to Spain and ended up second on goal difference ahead of Slovenia, beaten 3-2 in Czechia, but the Azzurri will not be in the play-offs pitting the best four runners-up.

Only one automatic qualification place was still up for grabs on Wednesday. Ukraine needed victory in Poland to pip their hosts and a 5-3 win took the visitors to the finals. Poland must settle for the play-offs.

A draw on 25 January will determine 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 2024.

Elite round groups

Group A

20 December: Netherlands 3-0 Azerbaijan
20 December: Romania 0-2 Kazakhstan
15 December: Azerbaijan 0-5 Romania*
14 December: Kazakhstan 2-0 Netherlands
11 October: Kazakhstan 3-2 Azerbaijan 
10 October: Netherlands 5-0 Romania*
6 October: Azerbaijan 2-4 Kazakhstan
6 October: Romania 0-5 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

*Match forfeited

Group B

20 December: Poland 3-5 Ukraine
20 December: Belgium 2-4 Serbia 
15 December: Serbia 2-4 Poland
15 December: Ukraine 8-2 Belgium 
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

Group C

20 December: Slovakia 2-4 Croatia
20 December: Germany 1-3 France
15 December: Croatia 4-0 Germany
14 December: France 7-1 Slovakia
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

Group D

20 December: Czechia 3-2 Slovenia
20 December: Italy 0-4 Spain 
15 December: Slovenia 4-2 Italy 
15 December: Spain 7-1 Czechia
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

Group E

Results
20 December: Finland 5-0 Armenia*
20 December: Georgia 0-5 Portugal*
15 December: Portugal 5-0 Finland
15 December: Armenia 3-1 Georgia 
11 October: Portugal 7-1 Armenia**
11 October: Finland 5-0 Georgia*
7 October: Georgia 0-5 Finland*
6 October: Armenia 0-5 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
**Match forfeited, scoreline unchanged
***Match forfeited

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.
• Along with Portugal and Spain, Czechia, Kazakhstan and Serbia also appeared at the 2021 World Cup.
• Other teams that have played in previous World Cups: Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Ukraine.

Match dates

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