Nations League Draw (Thursday 5pm)

[Skyline Drifter]

2 hours ago, Frankie S said:

With such a small allocation, I was surprised to pick up tickets for the Portugal away game despite my son and I only being on 8 points each. As low pointers, we’ve settled for getting tickets for recent away games (e.g. France in Lille) in the home end (although we got tickets through the supporters club for Gibraltar in Faro due to lack of demand) , and had to rely on the UEFA ballot for the Euros (we got tickets for the Hungary game). Our dismal showing in the Euros must really have put a dampener on demand for this one. I notice tickets are still on sale, and it’s down to 1 point now. Might even get to 0 points / general sale.

Can’t say we’re travelling with much expectation, but never been to Lisbon before and looking forward to it. We also want to make sure we rack up the points over the next couple of years just in case we qualify for the 2026 World Cup, as a trip to Canada and the States would be great, and I don’t want to rely on the ballot for that one. Looks like this Nations League campaign is the perfect opportunity to jump up the points ladder.

The dismal showing in the Euros may have put some off but speaking personally as someone who also took my son to both Faro and the Hungary game, we enjoyed the whole experience immensely. We'd have liked to go to Lisbon also and I did look into it. I'm not going partly because we'll have a club game on the Saturday which means travel is difficult and I hate taking the risk of flying on the match day morning, partly because I'm busy at work and can't really afford a day or two away, and partly because he has missed enough school for football already this year with the Amsterdam, Faro and Stuttgart trips meaning he missed 5 days.

For others cost of another away trip so soon, particularly for those who were in Germany for more than one game, and lack of annual leave are likely to be bigger factors than the Euro performance. I'm sure the SFA also said the allocation they had asked for and received was all they needed to satisfy all members who said they were travelling in the advance survey so always expected it to drop to nil points. I'm sure I said yes in the initial survey but am not now going.

I'm unlikely to go to Poland either given it also clashes with school, and although Croatia is a weekend I'll not be going if QoS have a game that weekend which we will if we win our 3rd round Challenge Cup tie. May not get tickets for that one anyway with a small allocation expected, although we'll be on 14 / 13 points by then.

[Frankie S]

20 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

The dismal showing in the Euros may have put some off but speaking personally as someone who also took my son to both Faro and the Hungary game, we enjoyed the whole experience immensely. We'd have liked to go to Lisbon also and I did look into it. I'm not going partly because we'll have a club game on the Saturday which means travel is difficult and I hate taking the risk of flying on the match day morning, partly because I'm busy at work and can't really afford a day or two away, and partly because he has missed enough school for football already this year with the Amsterdam, Faro and Stuttgart trips meaning he missed 5 days.

For others cost of another away trip so soon, particularly for those who were in Germany for more than one game, and lack of annual leave are likely to be bigger factors than the Euro performance. I'm sure the SFA also said the allocation they had asked for and received was all they needed to satisfy all members who said they were travelling in the advance survey so always expected it to drop to nil points. I'm sure I said yes in the initial survey but am not now going.

I'm unlikely to go to Poland either given it also clashes with school, and although Croatia is a weekend I'll not be going if QoS have a game that weekend which we will if we win our 3rd round Challenge Cup tie. May not get tickets for that one anyway with a small allocation expected, although we'll be on 14 / 13 points by then.

We enjoyed Faro and Stuttgart too. Spending most of the day in the Mercedes Benz Museum next to the ground was probably more enjoyable than the match in the latter case, for me at least, but having supported Scotland (and Queens) for more years than I can remember now, it’s never just about the performance. 

I was in France in 1998, but for my son (as doubtless for yours too) it was his first experience of a tournament abroad (we got tickets for the Czech Republic game at the last Euros). I’m fairly philosophical about Scotland’s prospects of winning any given game, or progressing from the groups in tournaments, and probably wouldn’t have travelled on my own, but I was desperately hoping that we might progress, as his youthful enthusiasm (bolstered by our excellent qualifying campaign) hasn’t yet been eroded by experience.

We’re flying in to Lisbon on the day of the match (courtesy of a very early flight from Edinburgh - direct and sufficiently early for me to be fairly confident we should get there in time) and flying back on the Monday evening to ensure he only misses one day of (his final year at) school. As it happens, I can’t go to Poland anyway due to work commitments, so don’t have to worry about the implications of that one. Will definitely try to get to Zagreb in October though, assuming our points (11 each by then) permit.

Edited August 16 by Frankie S

[Skyline Drifter]

1 hour ago, Frankie S said:

We enjoyed Faro and Stuttgart too. Spending most of the day in the Mercedes Benz Museum next to the ground was probably more enjoyable than the match in the latter case, for me at least, but having supported Scotland (and Queens) for more years than I can remember now, it’s never just about the performance. 

I was in France in 1998, but for my son (as doubtless for yours too) it was his first experience of a tournament abroad (we got tickets for the Czech Republic game at the last Euros). I’m fairly philosophical about Scotland’s prospects of winning any given game, or progressing from the groups in tournaments, and probably wouldn’t have travelled on my own, but I was desperately hoping that we might progress, as his youthful enthusiasm (bolstered by our excellent qualifying campaign) hasn’t yet been eroded by experience.

We’re flying in to Lisbon on the day of the match (courtesy of a very early flight from Edinburgh - direct and sufficient early for me to be fairly confident we should get there in time) and flying back on the Monday evening to ensure he only misses one day of (his final year at) school. As it happens, I can’t go to Poland anyway due to work commitments, so don’t have to worry about the implications of that one. Will definitely try to get to Zagreb in October though, assuming our points (11 each by then) permit.

Likewise was at all three games in France in 98 (and at Euro 96 though that didn't feel the same being in England and just travelling on the day). First chance to take my son to one in Germany though. Even if we had reached a previous one abroad I wouldn't have gone to Qatar and prior to that he'd have been too young anyway (or I wouldn't have been able to afford to pay for both of us). As we didn't have enough points, like you, I couldn't get to Germany via the SSC but got Hungary tickets (in the wrong end) via the general sale.

I presume that's the same flight I looked at from Edinburgh. About 6am or so I think from memory. It was the only one I could have been at our game on the Saturday and reasonably still made kick off in Portugal but whilst it's almost certainly fine and the airport in Lisbon is a stone's throw from the stadium, there's always that risk with airports. There were people on here who missed the Hungary game because they were flying on the morning of the game from Manchester and all flights ended up grounded by a power cut for hours.

There's been a lot of talk of a significant cut in allocation in Zagreb due to stadium works so I wouldn't assume 11 will get you in, although if the trend here for people not to go for whatever reason continues I'd guess you'll be fine unless it's absolutely decimated. I doubt we'll get to any of them to be honest but with a couple of away games in the bag from Amsterdam and Faro we'll be ok for tickets for a while I think. May try to get an away friendly next summer if we play one in any sort of reasonable distance.

[Frankie S]

3 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Likewise was at all three games in France in 98 (and at Euro 96 though that didn't feel the same being in England and just travelling on the day). First chance to take my son to one in Germany though. Even if we had reached a previous one abroad I wouldn't have gone to Qatar and prior to that he'd have been too young anyway (or I wouldn't have been able to afford to pay for both of us). As we didn't have enough points, like you, I couldn't get to Germany via the SSC but got Hungary tickets (in the wrong end) via the general sale.

I presume that's the same flight I looked at from Edinburgh. About 6am or so I think from memory. It was the only one I could have been at our game on the Saturday and reasonably still made kick off in Portugal but whilst it's almost certainly fine and the airport in Lisbon is a stone's throw from the stadium, there's always that risk with airports. There were people on here who missed the Hungary game because they were flying on the morning of the game from Manchester and all flights ended up grounded by a power cut for hours.

There's been a lot of talk of a significant cut in allocation in Zagreb due to stadium works so I wouldn't assume 11 will get you in, although if the trend here for people not to go for whatever reason continues I'd guess you'll be fine unless it's absolutely decimated. I doubt we'll get to any of them to be honest but with a couple of away games in the bag from Amsterdam and Faro we'll be ok for tickets for a while I think. May try to get an away friendly next summer if we play one in any sort of reasonable distance.

Yes, the 6.10am flight out of Edinburgh. Not unduly concerned about travelling out on the day, but admittedly it’s not ideal. I couldn’t have travelled on the Saturday anyway, but for a different reason to yourself (I hadn’t even realised that we’ll have a Challenge Cup match that day) as I’d already bought tickets for the Scotland v Australia T20 cricket game in Edinburgh on Sat 7th Sept. Didn’t think it was that likely we’d get tickets for Lisbon sitting on 8 points (although I remember responding in the affirmative to the survey question about whether I’d like to go, I hadn’t realised that our allocation would be basically as many as we needed to satisfy the entire membership), so felt it was safe enough to book up for the cricket.

[Pie Of The Month]

Warsaw confirmed for the Poland away game. 

[vince sinclair]

Perfect, was worried if Gdansk as gambled on Krakow when flights come out 

[CheStadium]

Anyone know what section of the stadium in Lisbon we have been allocated?

Edited August 24 by CheStadium

[PSJ.84]

Travel survey for Poland at the bottom of the most recent email. 

[accies1874]

On 24/08/2024 at 19:25, CheStadium said:

Anyone know what section of the stadium in Lisbon we have been allocated?

My ticket came today - in "setor" 32

[PSJ.84]

Also 32. 

[qos_75]

If we come bottom of this Nations League group would we still claim a play-off spot if Portugal, Croatia and Poland all qualify via normal qualification?

[PSJ.84]

1 hour ago, qos_75 said:

If we come bottom of this Nations League group would we still claim a play-off spot if Portugal, Croatia and Poland all qualify via normal qualification?

Nope. Four best ranked group winners who didn’t finish in the top two of their qualification group go into the play offs. 

[German Jag]

Just after receiving my ticket by E-Mail since they haven't been able to organise a collection point in Lisbon. Sector 33.

[true fan]

Can anybody help me? Which teams from nations league qualify automatically for next world cup?

is it winners of each of the grade A leagues (im thinking not that from my reading of it)

or is it winners of later play off processes (but that would mean that teams from a lower level would qualify over teams winning or coming 2ndin the grade A leagues)

The whole thing seems crazy

[BFTD]

7 minutes ago, true fan said:

Can anybody help me? Which teams from nations league qualify automatically for next world cup?

is it winners of each of the grade A leagues (im thinking not that from my reading of it)

or is it winners of later play off processes (but that would mean that teams from a lower level would qualify over teams winning or coming 2ndin the grade A leagues)

The whole thing seems crazy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_UEFA_Nations_League#2026_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification

Quote

...the second round (play-offs) will be contested by the twelve group runners-up, along with the best four Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group. The play-offs will be split into four play-off paths, played in two single-match knockout rounds (semi-finals and finals, with the home teams to be drawn), from which an additional four teams will also qualify.

There, what could be simpler?  

Edit: any of the big European nations who screw up their group will be shiteing it, and I'll be surprised if this isn't changed soon. FIFA won't be amused if there are any more Italy-style f**k-ups, and it's entirely possible for any of them to be unbeaten in their group, yet still finish second and have a nightmare in a one-off game.

Edited September 5 by BFTD

[The Master]

54 minutes ago, true fan said:

Can anybody help me? Which teams from nations league qualify automatically for next world cup?

is it winners of each of the grade A leagues (im thinking not that from my reading of it)

or is it winners of later play off processes (but that would mean that teams from a lower level would qualify over teams winning or coming 2ndin the grade A leagues)

The whole thing seems crazy

No teams qualify for the World Cup directly from the Nations League. The best you get is a play-off spot if you don't qualify through the usual route. 

For WC qualifying, the 8 League A winners and runners-up will be pot 1 along with the 4 highest ranked teams (FIFA rankings) not in that 8. 

WC qualifying groups will be 6 groups of 4 and 6 groups of 5. The pot 1 teams in 4 of the groups of 4 will be Nations League semi-finalists - represented by "NL QF winner" placeholders (and yes, there will be corresponding "NL QF loser" placeholders in 4 of the groups of 5). 

The rest of the seeding pots will be determined by the FIFA ranking, however there may need to be "adjustments" to accommodate the NL play-offs in March. The tl;dr there is that the NL play-offs coincide with the first two matchdays for groups of 5 in WC qualifying. Which is fine, so long as each group of 5 has no more than 1 play-off team (in a group of 5, you have a team sitting out each match day anyway). But if the combined play-off line-up and FIFA rankings makes that impossible, they'll move teams up and down.

It could lead to a situation where qualifying for a promotion play-off actually puts you at a disadvantage in WC qualifying because you end up being put down a pot. 

I posted in the Poland match thread how it *should* work - and I'm convinced the new Nations League format was designed to allow this:

On 04/09/2024 at 12:22, The Master said:

FIFA updated their regulations, which combined with a change in the Nations League format pointed to the full (interim) NL ranking being used. 

The schedule set it up perfectly, with the only minor glitch being the need for placeholders to represent the NL quarter-finalists (which is still happening). 

54 teams (assuming no Russia) into 6 groups of 4 and 6 groups of 5. 

The pot 1 teams in groups of 4 are represented by placeholders for the “winning NL quarter-finalists”. Groups of 4 don’t take part in the first 4 qualifying match days (March and June windows), allowing the pot 1 teams to play the NL QFs and SFs. 

Teams involved in the NL play-offs are guaranteed to be in different pots (except C/D, which I’ll come back to).

The 16 teams in the A/B and B/C play-offs can be drawn into the groups of 4 (8 teams) and the 4 groups of 5 that don’t have a “NL QF loser” as the pot 1 team (the other 8 teams). 

That means play-off teams in groups of 5 sit out match days 1 and 2 (March window) to play their play-offs. “NL QF losers” also sit out the March window to play their QF. But as losers, they can play the June window. 

This works, because one team in each group of 5 sits out a total of 2 match days. For the play-off teams and losing QF teams, this just means they sit out their 2 match days in the same window (March) while they deal with NL business.

C/D play-offs are on a different schedule that doesn’t clash with WC qualifying, so there’s no issues there. 

You’ll struggle to convince me that this wasn’t their original plan, when it fits so perfectly. 

But then a top tier nation went and got themselves relegated, so they’ve spent this long coming up with the fudge we now have. 

[BFTD]

So looking forward to this being explained on the telly prior to the draw.