2028 Futsal World Cup preliminary round starts 7 April
Thursday, February 19, 2026
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The road to the 2028 World Cup begins with April's preliminary round.
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European qualifying for the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup begins with the preliminary round running from 7 to 14 April.
While the 24 top-ranked entrants in the Men's Futsal National Team Coefficients directly enter the main round, the other team (including UEFA Futsal EURO 2026 co-hosts Latvia and Lithuania) begin the competition in the preliminary round.
They compete in six one-venue four-team mini-tournaments and the top two sides in each group advance to the main round to join the 24 direct entrants, who include the other 14 nations that competed at Futsal EURO including winners Spain.
Preliminary round groups
Group A (8–11 April)
Denmark (hosts), Andorra, Malta, Scotland
Group B (7–10 April)
Sweden, England (hosts), Switzerland, Northern Ireland
Group C (9–12 April)
North Macedonia, Lithuania (hosts), Türkiye, Bulgaria
Group D (9–12 April)
Kosovo, Montenegro (hosts), Austria, Gibraltar
Group E (9–12 April)
Latvia, Albania (hosts), Cyprus, San Marino
Group F (11–14 April)
Greece, Norway, Israel, Estonia (hosts)
Which teams enter in the main round?
Portugal, Spain, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, France, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Czechia, Poland, Netherlands, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Slovakia, Finland, Belgium, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Germany, Azerbaijan
UEFA qualifying calendar for 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup
Preliminary round draw: 12 December 2025
Preliminary round: 7–14 April 2026
Main round group phase draw: 19 May 2026
Main round group phase: 12–21 October 2026, 2–11 November 2026, 6–9 December 2026, 22 February–3 March 2027
Main round play-off draw: 5 March 2027
Main round play-offs: 12–21 April 2027
Elite round group phase draw: 20 May 2027
Elite round group phase: 6–15 September 2027, 11–20 October 2027, 13–22 December 2027
Elite round play-off draw: 20 January 2028
Elite round play-offs: 10–19 April 2028
UEFA qualifying format for 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup
Preliminary round
The teams in the preliminary round were drawn into six groups of four and compete in one-venue mini-tournaments
All the group winners and runners-up qualify for the main round.
Main round
Main round group phase
The 12 preliminary round qualifiers join the 24 teams entering directly in the main round. The 36 teams in the main round are drawn into 12 groups of three, played with home-and-away fixtures.
The 12 group winners and the four best runners-up qualify for the elite round. The remaining eight runners-up qualify for the main round play-offs.
Main round play-offs
The eight teams are formed into four ties by means of an open draw. The winners of the four home-and-away ties qualify for the elite round.
Elite round
Elite round group phase
The 20 teams are drawn into five groups of four teams, played with home-and-away fixtures.
The five group winners qualify for the final tournament. The four best runners-up qualify for the elite round play-offs. If a European association is selected to host the final tournament, only the two best runners-up qualify for the elite round play-offs.
Elite round play-offs
The four teams are formed into two ties by means of an open draw. The winners of the two home-and-away ties qualify for the final tournament.
Futsal World Cup roll of honour
2024: Brazil 2-1 Argentina (Uzbekistan)
2021: Portugal 2-1 Argentina (Lithuania)
2016: Argentina 5-4 Russia (Colombia)
2012: Brazil 3-2aet Spain (Thailand)
2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3pens Spain (Brazil)
2004: Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)
