World Cup ticket: This is Austria’s trump card

55 nations are taking part in the desert World Cup next year, only 13 of them from Europe. But only the ten group winners are fixed – utopian for Austria according to the current table status. What happens to the remaining three tickets?

The ten runners-up will play for this together with the two best not yet qualified group winners of the Nations League in play-offs in March 2022. There, four teams in three groups each play in the semifinals and finals for the trip to Qatar. One defeat and you’re out.

The Nations League is Austria’s trump card

For Austria this means: It would take a miracle to get 1st place, but the move into the play-off is still possible. Either they succeed in the remaining five game days or jump to second place. Otherwise, the ÖFB is almost certainly in the play-off thanks to the Nations League group victory. For this purpose, at least four teams from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Wales would have to qualify regularly in the World Cup qualifying via 1st or 2nd place – that is what it looks like.