World Cup 98 qualification Dates 4–18 January 2025 Teams 144 Matches played 864 Goals scored 2,961 (3.43 per match)
World Cup 98 qualification is an ongoing series of games to determine the 45 teams that will join hosts Tikariot , The Kytler Peninsulae and Qusmo at the World Cup 98 finals.
Format
The qualification structure is as follows:
Group stage : The 144 qualifying entrants were divided into 18 groups of 8 teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The winners and runners-up of each group directly qualify for the World Cup finals, while the third-place teams advance to the playoffs.
Playoffs : The 18 third-place teams will be paired into nine single-leg playoff ties to be played at neutral venues in the host nations. The winners of each tie qualify for the World Cup finals.
Tiebreakers for group ranking
In the group stage, the ranking of teams in each group will be based on the following criteria:
Points in all group matches;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Points in matches between tied teams;
Goal difference in matches between tied teams;
Wins in all group matches;
Wins in matches between tied teams;
Penalty shoot-out (OOC: a scorinated playoff match).
Ties are broken recursively: in the event that more than two teams are initially tied and at least one team wins or loses a tiebreaker, the tiebreaking procedure will restart from the first tiebreaker for any teams which might still be tied. This does not apply in the case of penalty shoot-outs, which will continue until the tie is completely broken.
Criteria for overall ranking
The overall ranking, which will be used to seed third-place teams for the playoffs, will be based on the following criteria:
Position in the group;
Points in all group matches;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Wins in all group matches;
Points away from home;
Goal difference away from home;
Wins away from home;
Penalty shoot-out.
Draw
Teams were seeded into one of eight pots according to the 98.1 KPB+ Rankings , including results at Baptism of Fire 85 . Teams in each pot were drawn consecutively into Groups 1 to 18, and additionally into a scheduling position for the purposes of determining the match schedules in each group; the computerised draw procedure used at this tournament incorporated both of these steps at once by way of assigning each group a code containing each of the digits 1-8 inclusive in a randomised order, with digit n in this code being the scheduling position of the team in Pot n .
Groups
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Yuezhou
14
9
2
3
34
17
+17
29
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
3–2
3–3
2–2
5–0
1–0
1–2
3–1
2
Hapilopper
14
9
2
3
36
25
+11
29
1–4
—
4–0
3–2
3–2
2–0
5–2
4–2
3
Baker Park
14
8
4
2
25
15
+10
28
Advance to playoffs
3–2
2–3
—
3–0
1–1
1–0
3–1
5–0
4
Cobrio
14
7
2
5
29
24
+5
23
1–0
1–1
1–2
—
1–0
2–0
5–3
1–0
5
Panay Islands and Guimaras
14
6
3
5
21
24
−3
21
1–4
3–2
0–0
5–3
—
1–4
2–0
0–0
6
Aphrilia
14
4
2
8
11
13
−2
14
0–1
1–2
0–1
1–0
0–2
—
0–0
4–0
7
Al-Tamazgha
14
3
3
8
23
32
−9
12
1–4
3–3
0–0
4–5
1–2
0–1
—
4–0
8
Of the Godless
14
0
2
12
4
33
−29
2
0–1
0–1
0–1
0–5
0–2
0–0
1–2
—
Group 4
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Tumbra
14
11
3
0
21
2
+19
36
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
1–0
3–0
3–0
1–0
2–0
0–0
2–0
2
Chromatika
14
9
4
1
24
7
+17
31
1–1
—
1–0
2–0
1–0
3–0
1–1
6–1
3
Darmen
14
9
0
5
25
17
+8
27
Advance to playoffs
0–1
0–1
—
4–1
3–1
2–1
1–0
4–2
4
Kimi-Suomi
14
4
5
5
13
17
−4
17
1–1
0–1
1–0
—
1–0
0–0
3–0
2–2
5
Martian Independent Republic
14
4
4
6
17
20
−3
16
0–1
1–1
2–4
1–0
—
1–0
2–2
3–1
6
Kronbia
14
2
3
9
6
15
−9
9
0–1
0–1
0–1
0–1
0–0
—
2–0
0–0
7
Bir Matras
14
1
6
7
11
22
−11
9
0–3
0–0
2–3
2–2
2–3
2–1
—
0–0
8
Hispinas
14
1
5
8
15
32
−17
8
0–1
2–5
1–3
1–1
3–3
1–2
1–0
—
Group 5
Group 6
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Farfadillis
14
11
1
2
37
20
+17
34
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
3–2
1–1
2–0
5–2
5–0
3–1
1–0
2
Mytanija
14
10
2
2
40
21
+19
32
1–2
—
6–4
1–0
2–0
2–0
3–2
3–2
3
Captina Island
14
9
3
2
34
19
+15
30
Advance to playoffs
5–2
3–3
—
3–1
3–0
2–1
4–0
3–1
4
Estorvipa and Estorpiva
14
6
1
7
16
15
+1
19
1–2
0–2
0–1
—
0–1
1–0
1–0
3–1
5
Sangti and the Filindo Isles
14
5
3
6
18
21
−3
18
0–1
0–4
3–0
2–2
—
1–1
1–0
3–0
6
Igratia
14
4
3
7
17
29
−12
15
0–4
1–1
1–1
0–3
0–4
—
2–1
5–1
7
Sajnur
14
2
1
11
14
31
−17
7
3–4
2–6
0–1
0–2
0–0
2–4
—
1–0
8
Sel Appa
14
2
0
12
15
35
−20
6
4–2
2–4
0–3
0–2
3–1
1–2
0–2
—
Group 7
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Banija
14
12
1
1
34
13
+21
37
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
2–0
3–2
1–2
4–1
2–0
5–2
3–0
2
Edsmontik
14
9
2
3
25
14
+11
29
0–0
—
2–1
3–1
3–2
3–0
1–1
5–1
3
Auprussia
14
9
0
5
37
19
+18
27
Advance to playoffs
3–5
3–0
—
2–0
5–3
5–1
2–0
3–0
4
Sargossa
14
7
0
7
20
20
0
21
1–3
1–4
1–0
—
1–2
2–0
1–0
2–0
5
Pyazhnaya
14
6
2
6
24
22
+2
20
0–1
1–0
1–3
1–0
—
3–0
0–0
4–0
6
Brusseldorf
14
6
0
8
18
24
−6
18
1–2
0–1
1–4
2–1
1–0
—
2–0
5–0
7
Cafu and Malaguay
14
1
4
9
10
25
−15
7
1–2
0–1
2–1
0–2
2–2
1–4
—
0–0
8
Safiloa
14
1
1
12
8
39
−31
4
0–1
1–2
0–3
2–5
2–4
0–1
2–1
—
Group 8
Group 9
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Eshialand
14
12
0
2
36
15
+21
36
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
5–4
1–2
1–0
2–0
5–0
5–1
2–0
2
Saint Eleanor
14
10
1
3
37
13
+24
31
3–0
—
2–1
2–0
1–2
2–0
3–1
2–0
3
Saterun
14
8
2
4
30
23
+7
26
Advance to playoffs
0–1
0–3
—
5–1
4–4
5–3
3–3
3–1
4
Carpathia and Ruthenia
14
6
1
7
29
27
+2
19
2–4
2–4
1–2
—
4–1
0–2
3–0
6–2
5
Patriotlandia
14
5
3
6
27
29
−2
18
1–2
0–6
0–1
0–2
—
4–3
5–3
2–0
6
Dhemixia
14
5
2
7
22
29
−7
17
2–3
0–0
1–0
1–2
0–0
—
2–1
3–2
7
Island Fusion
14
3
3
8
22
34
−12
12
0–3
1–0
1–2
2–2
1–1
2–3
—
4–1
8
Paringo
14
1
0
13
13
46
−33
3
0–2
1–5
1–2
1–4
0–7
3–2
1–2
—
Group 10
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Vdara
14
10
2
2
33
14
+19
32
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
2–1
3–1
6–2
0–0
4–1
3–0
2–1
2
Flavovespia
14
9
3
2
22
11
+11
30
1–1
—
1–0
3–2
2–0
2–0
1–0
1–0
3
Kamijiro
14
8
1
5
25
18
+7
25
Advance to playoffs
2–1
0–2
—
5–2
2–0
4–2
0–1
1–0
4
Kanzlia
14
7
2
5
34
31
+3
23
1–3
3–2
3–3
—
1–0
5–2
0–0
6–1
5
Yuugria
14
6
2
6
9
8
+1
20
1–0
0–0
1–0
0–1
—
0–1
0–1
2–0
6
Calgasia
14
6
1
7
24
28
−4
19
2–5
1–1
1–3
5–3
0–1
—
1–0
3–0
7
Of the Golden Harp
14
2
2
10
4
14
−10
8
0–1
0–1
0–1
0–1
0–1
0–1
—
2–3
8
Qasden
14
1
1
12
10
37
−27
4
1–2
2–4
1–3
1–4
0–3
0–4
0–0
—
Group 11
Group 12
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Kelssek
14
10
3
1
35
16
+19
33
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
4–1
3–0
2–0
2–2
1–0
5–2
1–0
2
Siovanija and Teusland
14
8
5
1
44
22
+22
29
3–3
—
1–1
3–1
6–2
7–2
3–1
8–2
3
Busoga Islands
14
7
2
5
27
21
+6
23
Advance to playoffs
3–6
1–2
—
0–0
2–0
1–0
4–0
4–0
4
Damukuni
14
6
2
6
16
16
0
20
0–2
0–3
3–0
—
2–1
4–1
0–2
1–0
5
Drawkland
14
4
4
6
24
29
−5
16
1–2
3–3
1–0
1–1
—
1–3
4–1
1–2
6
United Hawkland
14
4
4
6
20
27
−7
16
1–1
0–0
2–4
1–0
2–2
—
3–3
3–2
7
Lisander
14
4
2
8
25
35
−10
14
0–1
2–2
3–6
0–2
2–3
1–0
—
5–2
8
Jeckland
14
2
0
12
12
37
−25
6
3–2
0–2
0–1
0–2
1–2
0–2
0–3
—
Group 13
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Baggieland
14
10
2
2
33
18
+15
32
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
2–1
3–2
2–4
0–1
3–1
1–0
3–0
2
StrayaRoos
14
9
2
3
26
17
+9
29
2–4
—
2–2
2–1
1–0
4–2
1–0
3–0
3
TJUN-ia
14
6
4
4
35
21
+14
22
Advance to playoffs
2–2
2–4
—
4–4
0–0
5–0
1–0
5–0
4
Delitai
14
6
2
6
29
27
+2
20
2–3
2–4
0–2
—
1–0
5–3
2–2
1–0
5
Poafmersia
14
5
4
5
9
9
0
19
0–2
0–1
1–0
1–0
—
3–2
0–0
0–0
6
Ralsalin
14
6
0
8
22
33
−11
18
0–4
2–0
3–5
1–0
1–0
—
1–0
4–2
7
Natkr
14
3
5
6
14
12
+2
14
1–1
0–1
1–0
0–1
1–1
1–0
—
1–1
8
Darkmania
14
0
3
11
11
42
−31
3
2–3
0–0
1–5
3–6
0–2
1–2
1–7
—
Group 14
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Squornshelan Remnant States
14
11
3
0
42
24
+18
36
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
2–0
5–4
3–2
3–2
3–0
4–2
4–3
2
Audioslavia
14
10
2
2
21
9
+12
32
1–1
—
1–0
2–0
2–0
4–2
1–0
0–0
3
The Ko-orenite Constellation
14
7
3
4
27
19
+8
24
Advance to playoffs
1–1
0–2
—
2–4
4–1
2–1
1–0
1–0
4
Legalese
14
5
3
6
29
29
0
18
2–2
1–3
2–2
—
3–1
2–3
2–2
3–1
5
Vetrahjart
14
5
2
7
23
28
−5
17
2–3
3–2
1–1
1–2
—
2–1
1–0
1–0
6
Bostopia
14
5
1
8
22
24
−2
16
1–2
0–1
0–2
2–1
5–3
—
3–0
0–1
7
Xanneria
14
2
3
9
11
26
−15
9
2–4
0–1
0–3
2–1
2–5
0–0
—
1–0
8
Hmmland
14
1
3
10
12
28
−16
6
2–5
0–1
1–4
3–4
0–0
1–4
0–0
—
Group 15
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Tanirinthia
14
9
4
1
33
15
+18
31
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
3–3
1–1
6–2
3–2
2–1
5–1
4–0
2
Crpostran
14
8
6
0
33
13
+20
30
1–0
—
3–1
4–0
1–1
4–0
1–0
5–0
3
HOT-DAMN
14
8
4
2
41
22
+19
28
Advance to playoffs
1–1
0–0
—
3–0
3–4
5–2
1–0
7–4
4
Ile de Richelieu
14
7
3
4
40
34
+6
24
0–0
2–3
4–4
—
3–1
1–0
7–2
7–2
5
Ochre Islands
14
7
2
5
31
30
+1
23
0–2
3–3
1–3
2–3
—
4–3
3–1
3–2
6
Loyo
14
3
2
9
24
33
−9
11
0–1
3–3
0–3
5–5
0–2
—
5–0
1–0
7
North Oharan Valley Union
14
2
1
11
13
38
−25
7
3–4
0–0
0–3
0–3
2–3
0–2
—
3–1
8
Imporia
14
1
0
13
17
47
−30
3
0–1
0–2
2–6
2–3
1–2
3–2
0–1
—
Group 16
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Gnejs
14
10
3
1
34
17
+17
33
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
3–2
2–3
2–2
3–1
4–1
3–1
2–0
2
The Holy Empire
14
9
1
4
30
18
+12
28
2–3
—
2–0
4–2
2–0
3–1
2–1
2–0
3
Zwangzug
14
7
4
3
19
12
+7
25
Advance to playoffs
1–1
1–2
—
2–1
2–0
1–0
3–0
0–0
4
Britonisea
14
7
2
5
32
27
+5
23
2–4
2–1
2–4
—
4–2
2–0
1–0
5–0
5
Delaclava
14
7
1
6
22
19
+3
22
0–1
0–1
0–0
4–0
—
3–1
2–1
3–2
6
Osterhalten
14
4
4
6
20
26
−6
16
0–0
2–2
1–0
3–3
0–2
—
4–3
1–1
7
Quakmybush
14
3
1
10
21
31
−10
10
2–3
3–2
1–1
1–4
1–3
0–2
—
1–0
8
Gopnikea
14
0
2
12
7
35
−28
2
0–3
0–3
0–1
0–2
1–2
2–4
1–6
—
Group 17
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Valanora
14
9
4
1
31
19
+12
31
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
3–3
4–3
1–0
2–2
4–2
0–0
1–0
2
Sarzonia
14
9
2
3
21
16
+5
29
0–3
—
2–1
3–2
3–0
0–0
2–0
1–0
3
Doubeia
14
7
4
3
36
29
+7
25
Advance to playoffs
1–1
0–2
—
3–3
2–2
3–1
5–2
1–0
4
Bears Armed
14
5
4
5
35
25
+10
19
3–4
3–0
4–5
—
6–1
1–1
5–2
1–1
5
Jeruselem
14
5
3
6
26
32
−6
18
0–1
2–3
3–4
3–2
—
1–1
4–1
4–1
6
Bohr
14
3
5
6
19
23
−4
14
3–5
0–1
2–3
0–2
5–1
—
1–1
1–0
7
Bongo Johnson
14
2
4
8
16
29
−13
10
2–1
2–0
2–2
1–3
1–2
1–1
—
1–2
8
New Fernia
14
2
2
10
6
17
−11
8
0–1
0–1
1–3
0–0
0–1
0–1
1–0
—
Group 18
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Ko-oren
14
11
0
3
18
7
+11
33
Qualification to World Cup 98
—
1–0
1–0
1–2
0–1
1–0
1–0
2–0
2
Valentine Z
14
8
3
3
31
17
+14
27
2–3
—
5–5
3–0
0–0
3–0
1–0
3–0
3
Reçueçn
14
7
5
2
31
17
+14
26
Advance to playoffs
1–0
1–1
—
1–2
5–2
3–2
2–2
4–0
4
Riena
14
7
2
5
22
20
+2
23
0–1
0–3
1–1
—
0–1
2–1
1–0
3–0
5
Aleirave
14
6
3
5
27
28
−1
21
0–2
6–3
1–3
4–4
—
2–2
2–1
3–2
6
Grand Exultia
14
4
3
7
22
24
−2
15
0–1
0–3
0–0
2–3
3–2
—
0–0
4–2
7
Libesia
14
4
2
8
10
22
−12
14
1–3
0–2
0–4
2–1
2–1
0–4
—
1–0
8
Christian Brothers
14
0
0
14
8
34
−26
0
0–1
1–2
0–1
0–3
1–2
2–4
0–1
—
Playoffs
Draw
↑ 1.0 1.1 Away points: Doubeia 13, Zwangzug 11.
Matches