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Strange scenario/ The small European team must lose the last match heavily to qualify for the World Cup

2025-10-13 13:28:40Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

One of the smallest nations could find itself facing an almost unimaginable scenario ahead of the World Cup.

A European nation that has lost all of its World Cup qualifying matches could have a better chance of qualifying for the tournament if it suffers another defeat to Romania.

The smallest country in UEFA, San Marino, is known as one of the weakest nations in the history of international football and did not win a single official match until September last year, when it defeated Liechtenstein in the UEFA Nations League.

That victory came 34 years after their first official match, with all three of their victories having come against the same opponent.

Placed in Group H in World Cup qualifiers, San Marino – whose team is made up mostly of semi-professional players – has lost all seven of its matches, conceding 32 goals and scoring just one.

Roberto Cevoli's team, the weakest according to the FIFA rankings, lost 4-0 to Cyprus on Saturday, but it has now been revealed that defeat to Romania in the final match could lead to an unimaginable scenario.

Romania is third in the group, three points behind Bosnia and Herzegovina, with just one match remaining.

The two teams face off on November 15, before Bosnia plays a few days later against group leaders Austria, while San Marino will play Romania.

If Romania finishes second in Group H, it would qualify for the World Cup play-offs, where a total of 16 teams will participate.

How can San Marino go to the World Cup?

12 of those teams will be the second-placed teams in their qualifying groups, while the other four places will go to the four UEFA Nations League group winners that have not already qualified.

Incredibly, San Marino won their Nations League group in the 2024/25 season – topping League D Group D1 with seven points from four matches against Gibraltar and Liechtenstein.

This earned them promotion to League C, but also gives them a real opportunity for a historic appearance at the World Cup in the United States.

Romania also won its group in the Nations League, dominating Group C1 with maximum points from six matches and securing promotion to Group B.

Therefore, in a strange turn of events, it is in San Marino's best interest to lose heavily to Romania so that the latter can claim one of the play-off places awarded to the winners of the Nations League groups.

This "success" would not be particularly difficult for San Marino, which has suffered many heavy losses over the years.

They would then face two play-off matches against stronger teams from the divisions above, where two wins would send them to the tournament taking place in North America next year.

Due to UEFA's system, San Marino could also enter the play-offs if Sweden or Northern Ireland finish in the top two places of their groups, as they were also group winners in the Nations League.

The impossible could become possible for San Marino, who have a chance to create one of the greatest achievements in the history of sports.

However, a Bosnian victory over Romania on November 15 could dash San Marino's dreams.
48 teams will qualify for the World Cup, of which 16 will be UEFA representatives.


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