FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024 Draw: Exciting Matchups Revealed

Anticipation Builds as Teams Learn Their Fate in Uzbekistan

The FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024 is set to be a thrilling competition, following an eagerly anticipated draw held at historic Registan Square, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and located in the medieval center of Samarkand, a city in Uzbekistan located on the ancient Silk Road. Famous for its blue mosaics, it is located in a symbolic meeting point between East and West. The beautiful backdrop set the stage for a ceremony that determined the group stages for the tournament, which will be held in Uzbekistan from September 14 to October 6, 2024.

Group D: New Zealand’s Challenging Debut

New Zealand, making their World Cup debut, finds itself in a challenging Group D alongside two-time champions Spain, world number eight Kazakhstan, and 50th-ranked Libya.

“I think it’s going to be a very exciting and competitive group,” said New Zealand player Hamish Grey. “Spain, Kazakhstan, and Libya all bring different strengths, and we are ready to add our dynamic to the mix. Every game will be tough, but we’ll be well-prepared and look forward to the challenge.”

Futsal Whites head coach Marvin Eakins echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the opportunity to showcase New Zealand’s abilities on the global stage. “Spain are former world champions and will be a big test. Kazakhstan are a top ten team with incredible players, and Libya is one of Africa’s best. We have shown we can compete at this level and want to showcase New Zealand’s ability on the global stage.”

Before, the tournament draw we interviewed Marvin and know that he would have preferred a nation from the Concacaf region for an improved chance of a top third finish and potentially progress to the knockout stages. Libya will be a tough but interesting match. The team looked like they may struggle to qualify for the world cup after their opening match loss to Egypt, yet fought their way through the competition and defeated Egypt in the third place play-off.

Group A: Hosts and Open Competition

Teams: Uzbekistan, Netherlands, Paraguay, Costa Rica

Hosts Uzbekistan will face the Netherlands, Paraguay, and Costa Rica in one of the most open groups of the tournament. The opening match between Uzbekistan and the Netherlands is highly anticipated, with Netherlands coach Miguel Andres looking forward to the challenge. “To be able to play the opening game of a World Cup against the host country is wonderful, but also a huge challenge,” he said.

Group B: Brazil’s Quest for Glory

Teams: Brazil, Cuba, Croatia, Thailand

Record five-time champions out of ten world cups, Brazil are joined by Cuba, Croatia, and Thailand. Brazil aims to reaffirm their dominance having not won a world cup in over a decade, the last time being in 2012. While Croatia and Thailand are potential dark horses. Croatia has lost 7 seven times against Brazil and has yet to face their other opponents.

Brazil is the main favourite for first place, the Brazilians are the first national team in the world in the FIFA ranking, while Thailand is in 9th place. Thailand played in the final of the Asian Cup and at the end of April,  losing to Iran in the final, 1:4. This will be their seventh appearance at the World Cup, in the last three they managed to pass the group, after which they were immediately stopped in the round of 16.

Cuba, on the other hand, is a finalist in the CONCACAF championship held in April, where Panama won the competition. Despite being Cuba’s sixth World Cup, they were surprise finalists. They have never managed to get past the group stage in the World Cup, and they are only in 78th place in the FIFA rankings.

The national teams will need to win one of the first two places in the group or be among four of the six third-placed best places. Croatia will likely be fighting for the second position with Thailand, Brazilians being strong, the Cubans too weak, but that’s only on paper. Cuban weren’t expected to reach the final tournament, could this young squad surprise us again.  Thailand is managed again by experienced head coach Miguel Rodrigo. The nation has never made it past the round of 16, have they made the progress needed to potentially do so this time? Despite making the final of the Asian Futsal Cup, the team will need to see improvement if they aspire to reach the quarter-finals.

Group C: Argentina’s Challenge

Teams: Argentina, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Angola

2016 champions Argentina are set to face Ukraine, debutants Afghanistan, and Angola. Afghanistan’s first appearance in a FIFA competition since 1948 adds a historical touch to this group. Angola succeeded in qualifying for a second competition in a row but this time doing so in second place, reaching the final of the Africa Futsal Cup of Nations for the first time.

Group E: Defending Champions in Action

Teams: Portugal, Panama, Tajikistan, Morocco

Defending champions Portugal face Panama, Tajikistan, and Morocco. Portugal’s experience and skill will be tested against these emerging futsal nations. “It’s a very difficult group with opponents who have very good offensive players,” said Portugal coach Jorge Braz. Portugal v Morocco will be a game the futsal world will not want to miss. Both nations will have a lot of expectation on their shoulders. A victory for Morocco over Portugal would be a significant statement of intent. However, a loss could knock a nation riding high after a year of a busy schedule and success against nations such as Brazil and Argentina. However, competition pressure is much different from friendly matches.

Group F: Iran’s Strategic Path

Teams: IR Iran, Venezuela, Guatemala, France

Iran, aiming to improve on their third-place finish in 2016, are the favourites in a group with Venezuela, Guatemala, and France. Iran’s dominant form, highlighted by their 13th Asian Futsal Cup title this year, makes them a formidable contender. Competing in Central Asia, a region with a significant Muslim population, could provide an encouraging environment for the Iranian team especially if they attract a large support, to progress further than the quarter-finals for the first time. The nation has a

France’s participation adds intrigue to this year’s competition. Although they fell short in their bid for the 2026 UEFA Futsal EURO, the French team is ambitious and determined to make a strong impact in this tournament. Venezuela poses a significant challenge for the second spot in the group, setting the stage for a competitive battle.

Undefeated since September, with a record of 9 wins and 2 draws, Abdessamad Mohammed and his teammates are preparing intensively for the final tournament. A final camp is planned in Costa Rica in June, where they will face the locals and, by a happy coincidence of the draw, Venezuela. These friendly matches will take place in San José and will offer a taste of the challenges awaiting the Blues in Uzbekistan.

Concacaf Nations’ Challenge

The Concacaf representatives—Cuba, Panama, and Costa Rica—face significant challenges in the FIFA Futsal World Cup. A persistent question mark hovers over any nation’s chances from this region until Concacaf starts to invest in, back, and promote futsal more vigorously in Central and North America. For this to happen, countries such as Mexico, the United States, and Canada would need to undergo a cultural shift in their attitude towards futsal. This development is not likely to occur soon. Notably, many national teams we spoke to before the draw expressed a preference for having a Concacaf nation in their group, highlighting the perceived gap in competitive strength.

African Teams’ Tough Draw

Africa’s trio of Morocco, Libya, and Angola face daunting yet thrilling groups in the FIFA Futsal World Cup. The ongoing development in African futsal makes their participation even more exciting. Morocco delivered a wonderful qualifying competition, setting high expectations for the next World Cup qualifying host. The future looks promising for African futsal, with the continent set to host the Youth Olympics in Senegal in 2026, where futsal will replace football for the second edition in a row. Who could we potentially see progress from this competition to participating in the next World Cup qualifiers? Uganda? South Africa? Among others. Additionally, if plans proceed as hoped, Angola could soon launch Africa’s first professional futsal league, marking a significant milestone in the sport’s growth on the continent. This tournament will not only test these teams but also spotlight the rising potential and enthusiasm for futsal in Africa.

Tournament Overview

The FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024 will take place in Uzbekistan across three cities: Andijan, Bukhara, and Tashkent. The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stages, which include a round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and the final.

Draw Summary

Group A: Uzbekistan, Netherlands, Paraguay, Costa Rica

Group B: Brazil, Cuba, Croatia, Thailand

Group C: Argentina, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Angola

Group D: Spain, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Libya

Group E: Portugal, Panama, Tajikistan, Morocco

Group F: IR Iran, Venezuela, Guatemala, France

The full match schedule for the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024 is available on FIFA.com. With the groups set, anticipation builds for a thrilling tournament where the world’s best futsal teams will compete for glory.

Organ Donation

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