WORLD CHAMPIONS LEARN FUTSAL FATE
uefa.com
Tuesday 18 September 2007
Switzerland
Spain have been handed games against Croatia and Georgia as they
begin their bid for a third straight FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Spanish challenge Having taken the title in Guatemala in 2000 and
defended it four years later in Chinese Taipei, Spain will aim to
complete a hat-trick in Brazil next autumn. But first they must win
qualifying round Group 3 on home soil to gain one of five places in
the play-offs. The winners of those home and away play-offs will then
qualify for Brazil.
Interesting draw Among the other pools, 2004 runners-up Italy will
host Andorra, Cyprus and Kazakhstan in Group 8, while their fellow
former European champions Russia – who did not qualify for the last
World Cup – are up against Serbia and France in Group 1, which like
Spain’s section boasts only three teams. Of the other teams to compete
in Chinese Taipei, Portugal play Slovakia, Latvia and Turkey, Ukraine
face debutants Moldova, Israel and Bulgaria and the Czech Republic
take on Azerbaijan, Finland and Armenia.
2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifying round 23 February-2 March Hosts
in bold
Group 1 Group 2 Russia Netherlands Serbia Bosnia-Herzegovina France
Lithuania – Estonia
Group 3 Group 4 Spain Hungary Croatia Poland Georgia F.Y.R. Macedonia
– England
Group 5 Group 6 Belgium Czech Republic Belarus Azerbaijan Romania
Finland Montenegro Armenia
Group 7 Group 8 Slovenia Italy Greece Andorra Albania Cyprus Malta
Kazakhstan
Group 9 Group 10 Portugal Ukraine Slovakia Moldova Latvia Israel
Turkey Bulgaria