Sunday, October 11, 2009

UEFA Playoff Seeding

With much controversy, two weeks ago FIFA announced that the draw for the playoff round for UEFA would be seeded according to the FIFA ranking this month. This is quite beneficial to the countries with a high ranking and bad for those that are ranked lower.

Here is a list of teams that could be in the playoff round, by FIFA ranking. I'm eliminating those that need crazy scenarios to make it. Teams in bold are certainly in, FIFA ranking within UEFA in parenthesis.
Russia (5)
Croatia (7)
France (8)
Greece (9)
Switzerland (11)
Portugal (13)
Israel (16)
Ukraine (17)
Republic of Ireland (23)
Sweden (24)
Slovakia (26)
Bosnia-Herzegovina (27)
Slovenia (29)

Switzerland, Greece and Israel are in the same group. Croatia aren't very likely to make it, they would need for Andorra to get a result against the Ukraine. Similarly, Portugal are in with a win over Malta so they likely will make it. This makes the pots likely to be:

Seeded:
Russia, France, Greece/Switzerland/Israel, Portugal

Unseeded:
Ukraine, Ireland, Slovakia/Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina

If Croatia manage to qualify then they would be seeded. Portugal would be the odd team out if either Greece or Switzerland make the playoff, Israel would be if they make it. Ukraine need for Portugal to fail to qualify for a seed. That's all assuming that the rankings don't change. Even then the only way the seeding could change barring a massive shift in the rankings, which I don't see a reason for, would be for the Ukraine to jump ahead of Portugal. Right now the Ukraine are 22nd overall and Portugal 17th with Ukraine 36 points behind. Teams do have shifts that high so it's possible.

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