The [Alternate] World Cup 2026

[Danimal5981]

IRAQ v INDONESIA: DECISION IN EXTRA TIME

The first of five but the only non-European play-off was an absolute thriller! Both candidates could've ended a long period of absence from the FIFA World Cup, but only one team would advance. Iraq was at the 1986 World Cup Mexico, a country they could return to should they qualify. 40 years ago, Iraq lost all of three group games against Paraguay (0-1), Belgium (1-2) and host nation Mexico (0-1), three countries who'll be at this World Cup once again. Indonesia was at the World Cup once before: in 1938 it participated as The Dutch Indies losing 6-0 to then top side Hungary (who'd be runner-up that year).


The decisive play-off was held on neutral ground in King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Ryadh, Saudi Arabia. And Indonesia went right at it: on paper te more defensive side, the East-Asian Archipelago forced Iraq back due to possession play pressing forward. The first attempt at goal was immediately successful: Amsterdam-born midfielder Thom Haye found striker Ramadhan Sananta, who immediately placed the ball in the net: 1-0.Indonesia continued to play dominant and aggressive throughout the first half, not giving Iraq an inch.

How different was the second half. Indonesia seemed to suffer more and more due to fatigue, while Iraqi patience seemed to pay off. Iraq managed to equalize in the 72nd minute thanks to Khalid Al Maysani and pressed on. The Middle Eastern team would find the woodwork twice (once due to an intervention of Indonesian goalie Emil Audero who plays his games for Italian club Cremonese) before scoring in the 86th minute, only to be waved back for offside. And so luckily for Indonesia, regular plus added time ended level, with the match going into extra time.


In Extra Time, both teams had 30 minutes to prevent a penalty shoot-out. Indonesia caught second breath and overwhelmed Iraq again like thy did in the first half. Very soon Iraq had to pull the emergency break which resulted in a penalty kick converted by Indonesian stand-out player Thom Haye. Iraq however bounced back quickly with Mohanad Habbani this time successfully avoiding the offside trap; he scored 2-2 one-on-one with Audero.

And thus everything was still to play for, but fatigue now drastically surpressed the level of play. In the 108th minute, it was Stefano Lilipaly who found striker Sananta once more. The striker playing for Persebaya Surabaya ran around defender Tawfiq Shattari and struck ferociously hard: 3-2.


After another 10 minutes or so of hooving the ball away, Indonesia came out on top and it's them that can book tickets to the FIFA 2026 World Cup this summer. This will end 88 years of absence from football's highest platform! Patrick Kluivert, the Dutch manager of Indonesia could not be more proud: "We rely on a quite sturdy defense with quite some quality, but in possession this team is capable of some nice things. It's great to go to the World Cup, but we don't go there as cannon fodder. We will sell our skin at high price and our aim is to at least make it to the knock-out stages!"

[Danimal5981]

Irish born and raised. So happy to see that scoreline v Czechia, only for Ryan Manning giving away a stupid peno when we were 1-0 up we'd have won easy IRL. Yes we have a great history vs Netherlands. Remember in particular the 2002 qualifier, watched it with friends after we played and won National U16 Basketball semi final. We then went to disco after in the complex and everyone was absolutely crazy happy! But the loss in Euro 96 playoffs in Anfield was a tough one to take, and ended the Big Jack era.

Ah yes, forgot that one: that was essentially Ireland playing the Champions League-winning Ajax side of a couple of months before: Van der Sar, Reiziger, Blind, Bogarde, De Boer, Seedorf, Davids, Overmars, Kluivert and added to that Dennis Bergkamp. No shame in losing against that side, though...

Very intriguing and creative premise. Definitely going to follow along. Wales must be sick to their stomachs to lose like that

True, but it did show me the chosen format made sense. I play the highest ranked team (Wales) so it should be slightly easier to win, which it was... until the final stages of the game. Same applies to Czechia v Ireland, where statistically I was better with Czechia, but the UI played it efficiently with Ireland...

[JustinCase]

I like where this is going. Indonesia at a World Cup... Always interesting to see countries make it for the first time or after decades of absence. Sometimes they are positive surprises like Cape Verde this summer IRL...

Another thing though: Have you considered altering the width of your "results" images? They are too wide for this page without having to use the slide bar to scroll left and right. It would improve the reading experience, if one was able to see the whole image at the same time. Just a heads up.

[Danimal5981]

I haven't stopped. Iám A] short on time and B] looking if I can record these games and broadcast via YouTube...

Stay tuned, don't go away

I like where this is going. Indonesia at a World Cup... Always interesting to see countries make it for the first time or after decades of absence. Sometimes they are positive surprises like Cape Verde this summer IRL...

Another thing though: Have you considered altering the width of your "results" images? They are too wide for this page without having to use the slide bar to scroll left and right. It would improve the reading experience, if one was able to see the whole image at the same time. Just a heads up.

What slidebar? On my media they look fine, readable and adjusted to whether the monitor is landscape or portrait. Plus, you can click on the large one to adjust it to size

[Danimal5981]

CAN ITALY LIFT THE CURSE?

In Turin, Italy took on Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Azzuri wanted to erase the disgrace of missing the World Cups of 2018 and 2022. Bosnia however want to go to the World Cup only for their second time, having only qualified before in 2006.

The Italians went about it in typical fashion. They found a goal relatively early in the game courtesy of Giacomo Raspadori, then controlled most of the game, while parking the bus in the final 15 minutes of the game: Catenaccio, as they call it.

Bosnia had a couple of threatning moments from set piece standard situations, but could never punch or find a hole in the Italian defence. In fact, Italian substitute-attackers Mateo Retegui and Gianluca Scamacca were closer to doubling the score, than Bosnia was putting it back into balance.

Italy thus advance to the 2026 World Cup but do so as UEFA's Path A winner, which will be seeded in pot 4. That means wherever Italy ends up in the group stage draw, that group has potentially "Group of Death" written all over it. Whichever way it ends, Italy has a shot at a fifth world title this summer!...

[Danimal5981]

MISSED PENALTY PROVES COSTLY

As it is difficult if not impossible for Ukraine to host football games in their own country, while the country they usually use as alternative was tonight's opponent, the all-decisive confrontation between Ukraine and their neighbours Poland took place in sunny Valencia, Spain.

The teams appeared very evenly matched, but in the opening phase it defintely were the Ukrainians having an overweight on the pitch. For a moment, the pressure got too much for Poland and Matty Cash floored Heorhiy Sudakov inside the penalty area. Artem Dovbyk's eleven metres / twelve yard charge was solid, well-aimed and well-struck, still Polish goalkeeper Kamil Grabara boxed the ball away in time: no goal.

Ukraine kept pushing and soon after the penalty, they caused danger again via a corner. In haste and panic Poland hooved the ball away and by sheer chance, the ball ended in the path of Karol Świderski who ran alone towards the other side of the pitch to score the 0-1, somewhat against the image of the game.

But more famaging for Ukraine were the opening minutes of the scond half. Poland's manager Jan Urban left Świderski in de changing room and brought Feyenoord-midfielder Jakub Moder. Immediately, Poland had more control over midfield and thus the entire game. It was Moder who found veteran-striker Robert Lewandowski (37) and the old fox did what he's known for: scoring - 0-2.

With Roman Yaremchuk, Viktor Tsygankov and Oleksandr Nazarenko coming on after the hour mark, Ukraine was able to turn the tide and hunt for goals. However, Tsygankov's effort was on target but not hard enough for Grabara, while Dovbyk did beat the polish gaolkeeper only to see his effort bounce off the post. Therefore, Yaremchuk's late consolation goal (1-2) would be too little too late..., that is, if Nazarenko's cross to Dovbyk in the 94th would've been slightly earlier given, a goal could've scored in the dying seconds of injury time.

That never happened and so Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane will be joined by fellow top striker Robert Lewandowski at the 2026 World Cup, where Poland will be seeded in pot 4 as UEFA Play Off Winner - Path B.

[JustinCase]

What slidebar? On my media they look fine, readable and adjusted to whether the monitor is landscape or portrait. Plus, you can click on the large one to adjust it to size

I've tried to visualize it here, where the right end of the image isn't visible.
Can't find a way to adjust it to size. Can you elaborate on that?