[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-why-uefa-revamped-qualifying-no-more-mismatches":61,"news-related-why-uefa-revamped-qualifying-no-more-mismatches-en":97,"news-related-match-why-uefa-revamped-qualifying-no-more-mismatches-en":26},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":39,"hostCities":40},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",-37,-20,"finished_recent",false,[41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60],"Atlanta","Boston","Dallas","East Rutherford","Guadalajara","Houston","Kansas City","Los Angeles","Mexico City","Miami","Monterrey","New-York","New York New Jersey","Philadelphia","San-Francisco","San Francisco Bay Area","Seattle","Toronto","Vancouver","Zapopan",{"article":62},{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":63,"category":64,"excerpt":65,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":66,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":67,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":68,"slug":69,"sourceName":70,"sourceURL":71,"teamId":72,"teamName":73,"teamIds":74,"teamNames":85,"title":96},"UEFA has officially rubber-stamped a radical overhaul of men's World Cup and European Championship qualifying, effectively ending the era of one-sided mismatches that saw elite nations routinely batter minnows by double digits. The new structure, approved by the governing body's executive committee in Istanbul, will be introduced after Euro 2028 and promises to deliver more competitive fixtures by pairing teams of similar strength, while still offering smaller nations a route to major tournaments.\n\nUnder the revamped system, the qualifying draw will be based on the most recent Nations League rankings, with the top 36 nations slotting into League 1 and the remaining 18 (or 19, should Russia be reinstated) competing in League 2. Within League 1, three groups of 12 teams will battle for direct qualification spots, while League 2 will feature three groups of six—or a mix of six and seven if needed. Each side will play just six matches, three at home and three away, drawn from three pots determined by ranking. The format borrows heavily from the Swiss system deployed in UEFA's club competitions over the past two seasons, ensuring teams face a balanced slate of opponents rather than a full round-robin.\n\nThe timing is significant: the change kicks in for the 2028-29 season, meaning the next edition of the Nations League will already be aligned with the new framework. That competition itself is being consolidated from four leagues to three, with Leagues A, B, and C each housing 18 teams divided into groups of six. There, too, the Swiss model applies—each nation plays six matches against five different foes, including one home-and-away doubleheader. The Nations League's knockout stages remain untouched.\n\nFor the continent's heavyweights, this reform is a long-awaited fix. Countries like England, France, and Germany have grown weary of staging predictable routs against the likes of San Marino, Andorra, and Gibraltar, which often did little for competitive preparation or broadcast appeal. England's World Cup qualifier against Serbia in November 2025, captured in a photograph of Eberechi Eze celebrating a goal alongside Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka, was a rare competitive test—but under the old system, such games were interspersed with foregone conclusions that left fans and TV executives cold.\n\nBroadcasters and commercial partners had been pressing UEFA to reimagine the qualifying calendar, arguing that dead matches were damaging the product's value. The new format answers those calls by guaranteeing that every fixture carries heightened stakes. As UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin put it, \"The new formats will improve competitive balance, reduce the number of dead matches, offer a more appealing and dynamic competition to fans, while ensuring a fair qualification chance for all teams and without adding any additional dates in the international calendar.\"\n\nThe shift, however, is not without controversy. For smaller footballing nations, the loss of high-profile home dates against giants like Spain or Italy is a blow to both prestige and revenue. Previously, a minnow could count on a packed stadium and a lucrative television payout when a heavyweight came to town; under the new structure, such fixtures are largely off the table. UEFA insists that the updated playoff system will still give League 2 sides a genuine shot at qualification, but the reality is that the \"big-ticket\" experience will be harder to come by.\n\nThe number of direct qualifiers from each League 1 group will vary depending on the tournament—24 teams reach the European Championship, while only 16 European spots are available at the World Cup. Host nations of any event held in Europe will qualify automatically but are also expected to participate in the new-look qualifiers, adding an extra layer of intrigue. Teams that fall short of direct qualification will enter a playoff competition that draws from both leagues, preserving a ladder for ambitious outsiders.\n\nRussia's potential return adds another variable. If the federation is readmitted to international competition, League C of the Nations League—and consequently League 2 of the qualifiers—would expand to accommodate an extra team, forcing a seventh nation into one group and slightly altering the scheduling dynamics. The final sign-off for all these changes is expected at UEFA's next executive committee gathering in Thessaloniki on 15 September.\n\nIn many ways, the blueprints mirror the successful evolution of UEFA's club tournaments, where the Swiss system has injected freshness and uncertainty into the group phase. Applying that logic to the international stage, where fixture congestion and player welfare are constant hot topics, seems a natural progression. By slashing the number of qualifiers from 10 or 12 games down to six, UEFA has also eased the load on squads without sacrificing the competitive integrity of the process.\n\nCritics may argue that the new format risks creating a closed shop, reducing the chance of a genuine David-versus-Goliath upset that defines the romance of tournament football. Yet the governing body is banking on the trade-off—more evenly matched contests generating higher-quality drama—to resonate with modern audiences. The message is clear: the days of England putting eight past San Marino in a half-empty stadium are numbered.\n\nAs the 2028-29 campaign approaches, national associations, players, and fans will be watching closely to see whether the reforms deliver on their promise. The shift represents the most significant recalibration of international qualifying since the Nations League itself was born. With final approval looming, UEFA has set the stage for a more streamlined, competitive, and commercially viable future for men's national team football.\n\nBased on reporting from The Guardian.","news","UEFA's revamped qualifiers end mismatches: top teams will no longer face minnows. Swiss-system format starts post-Euro 2028, based on Nations League rankings.","332623494502158337","0","2026-05-20T17:48:51Z","why-uefa-revamped-qualifying-no-more-mismatches","The Guardian","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Ffootball\u002F2026\u002Fmay\u002F20\u002Fmismatches-over-after-uefa-revamps-qualifying-for-major-tournaments","326222711682502656","England",[72,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84],"326257661374894080","326257665074270208","326323575902441472","326257796423094272","326222707169431552","326255038114566144","326255040400461824","326257664403181568","326222712076767232","326222711447621632",[73,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95],"Serbia","San Marino","Andorra","Russia","Anderlecht","Santa Clara","FC Santa Coloma","Gibraltar","Germany","France","Why UEFA Revamped Qualifying: No More Mismatches",[98,128,160,189],{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":99,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":100,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":67,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":101,"slug":102,"sourceName":103,"sourceURL":104,"teamId":105,"teamName":106,"teamIds":107,"teamNames":117,"title":127},"Guéla Doué scored and assisted as Ivory Coast beat France 2-1 in a friendly, outshining his brother Désiré who featured for Les Bleus in the sibling showdown.","338200147588550657","2026-06-05T04:00:00Z","guela-doue-downs-brother-s-france-ivorian-2-1-win","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUn-but-et-une-passe-decisive-contre-la-france-la-soiree-de-reve-pour-guela-doue-avec-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681944#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326222712533946368","Ivory Coast",[105,84,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,79],"326255037997125632","326257536145559552","326222711401484288","326222767416414208","326257536078450688","326257536296554496","326257537865224192","326257686389723136","326257535994564608",[106,95,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,90],"Strasbourg","Rennes","Belgium","Lesotho","Paris Saint Germain","Auxerre","Estoril","Together","Nantes","Guéla Doué downs brother's France: Ivorian 2-1 win",{"awayTeamId":129,"awayTeamName":130,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":131,"homeTeamId":132,"homeTeamName":133,"id":134,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":135,"matchName":136,"publishedAt":137,"slug":138,"sourceName":139,"sourceURL":140,"teamId":132,"teamName":133,"teamIds":141,"teamNames":150,"title":159},"326222712622026752","South Africa","Shakira & Burna Boy sing 'Dai Dai' at 2026 World Cup opener June 11 in Mexico City, with J Balvin, Tyla. Buble, Morissette, Perry, Future lead other ceremonies.","326222711908995072","Mexico","338120887364489217","327115024327774208","Mexico vs South Africa","2026-06-04T22:48:54Z","shakira-burna-boy-to-open-2026-world-cup-in-mexico","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Ffootball\u002Farticles\u002Fc8939ykg3qgo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss",[132,129,142,143,144,79,145,146,147,148,149],"326222712936599552","326222713142120448","326257593007738880","326222713016291328","326257563345620992","326257565195309056","326222711623782400","326257791226351616",[133,130,151,152,153,90,154,155,156,157,158],"Paraguay","Canada","Azteca","USA","Heracles","Barcelona","Colombia","Nigeria","Shakira, Burna Boy to Open 2026 World Cup in Mexico",{"awayTeamId":161,"awayTeamName":162,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":163,"homeTeamId":84,"homeTeamName":95,"id":164,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":165,"matchName":166,"publishedAt":167,"slug":168,"sourceName":103,"sourceURL":169,"teamId":105,"teamName":106,"teamIds":170,"teamNames":179,"title":188},"326222711783165952","Senegal","France lose first friendly under Deschamps, 2-1 to Ivory Coast in Nantes, revealing defensive issues 10 days before World Cup start vs Senegal.","338126221931974657","327115052106649600","France vs Senegal","2026-06-04T22:34:17Z","bleus-lose-friendly-under-deschamps-2-1-to-ivory-coast","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FArticle\u002FUne-defaite-ni-vraiment-grave-ni-completement-anodine-pour-les-bleus-a-dix-jours-de-leur-entree-en-scene-au-mondial\u002F1681936#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[105,84,161,116,171,142,111,172,173,174,114,175,176,177,178,79],"326257810885054464","326255039846813696","326255041625198592","326257536413995008","326257541157752832","326257545754710016","326257554411753472","326257789708013568",[106,95,162,126,180,151,121,181,182,183,124,184,185,186,187,90],"York","FK Partizan","Partizani","Paris FC","Galatasaray","Newcastle","Newcastle Jets","China","Bleus Lose Friendly Under Deschamps: 2-1 to Ivory Coast",{"awayTeamId":190,"awayTeamName":191,"body":-1,"category":64,"excerpt":192,"homeTeamId":84,"homeTeamName":95,"id":193,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"matchId":194,"matchName":195,"publishedAt":196,"slug":197,"sourceName":103,"sourceURL":198,"teamId":84,"teamName":95,"teamIds":199,"teamNames":207,"title":215},"326222712819159040","Iraq","Lucas Hernandez: France's 1-2 friendly loss to Ivory Coast is better now than June 16 World Cup opener vs Senegal, with Northern Ireland test next.","338124609578602497","327115069915664384","France vs Iraq","2026-06-04T22:32:57Z","hernandez-france-loss-better-now-than-june-16","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FLucas-hernandez-apres-la-defaite-1-2-de-la-france-contre-la-cote-d-ivoire\u002F1681942#at_medium=RSS_feeds",[84,190,105,161,200,201,202,114,175,203,204,205,78,206],"326257664243798016","326257535885512704","326222712013852672","326257556060114944","326257565845426176","326257695210344448","326222712898850816",[95,191,106,162,208,209,210,124,184,211,212,213,89,214],"Northern Ireland","Lille","Iran","Estudiantes L.P.","Mallorca","Signal","Qatar","Hernandez: France Loss Better Now Than June 16"]