Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
While Rome burned, Warsaw was also writhing in pain as Poland national football team failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 following their defeat to Sweden national football team in the qualification playoffs on Tuesday at the Strawberry Arena, Solna.
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: FULL COVERAGE
The result was widely deemed unfair by fans, who pointed out that Poland had secured 17 points in their World Cup qualifying group, while Sweden reached the playoffs through their performance in the UEFA Nations League two years ago. The Scandinavian side had failed to register a single win in their qualifying group and finished last.
“This system is totally unfair. The game is gone,” one user wrote on X, highlighting the imbalance between the two teams competing for a place at the tournament.
“In addition, Sweden qualified for the playoffs after playing in the Nations League against Slovakia, Estonia, and Azerbaijan. In comparison, Poland faced Portugal, Croatia, and Scotland – three nations that qualified for the World Cup by finishing first in their groups.”
As per UEFA rules, the 12 group runners-up from the World Cup qualifying round are joined by the four best-ranked Nations League group winners who do not finish in the top two. Sweden had won their Nations League group and were ranked among the top-performing sides, earning them a play-off spot before even playing a single qualifying match.
Kosovo national football team, who defeated Sweden in their qualifying group but failed to qualify for the World Cup themselves, were quick to point this out. “Sweden making it to the World Cup despite losing to us twice,” Kosovo Football posted on X.
The situation on social media intensified further when 37-year-old Polish striker Robert Lewandowski was seen in tears, as his hopes of playing one final World Cup for Poland ended in the dying minutes of the match.
The Polish captain, however, remains undecided about his international future. “I still don’t know,” a dejected Lewandowski said after the game.
List of teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup
Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
AFC: Australia, Iraq, IR Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Congo DR, Cte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: Curaao, Haiti, Panama
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czechia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trkiye
– Ends
advertisement
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
