The FIP World Cup Qualifiers in Madrid have reached a critical turning point following three days of intense group-stage competition. With over 50 matches completed, the tournament now moves into the knockout phase, where eight men’s teams and six women’s teams will battle for four coveted spots in the upcoming World Cup in Doha, Qatar.
The Road to Doha: Knockout Stage Structure
The stakes are high, as only two spots per category are available for the final event in Qatar, scheduled for November 2–7. The qualifying structure for the final phase is as follows:
- Women’s Final Stage: Great Britain and Germany have earned top seeds after winning their respective groups, granting them a bye into the Saturday, September 26, decisive matches. They will face the winners of the Friday, September 25, knockout round. Great Britain is set to play the winner of the Romania vs. Poland match, while Germany will face the winner of the Denmark vs. Greece contest.
- Men’s Final Stage: Eight teams—Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Belgium, Ukraine, Denmark, and Poland—remain in contention. The path to the final matches on Saturday involves two distinct brackets. The winner of the Netherlands vs. Poland match will face the winner of Belgium vs. Bulgaria. Simultaneously, the winner of the Great Britain vs. Ukraine tie will face the winner of the Denmark vs. Germany match.
Day 3 of the group stage provided clear momentum for the top contenders. In the women’s bracket, Germany and Great Britain both secured dominant 3-0 victories over Türkiye and Serbia, respectively. Other notable results included 3-0 wins for Ukraine, Poland, and Denmark, while Greece mounted a comeback against Slovenia, and Bulgaria edged out Ireland 2-1. On the men’s side, Germany and Great Britain continued their winning streaks with 3-0 victories over Lithuania and Moldova. The Netherlands also asserted their dominance by defeating Estonia 3-0 to secure the top spot in Group A, while Denmark, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Belgium also recorded clean sweeps.
The knockout phase begins on Friday, September 25, with six total matches. The women’s fixtures between Romania vs. Poland and Denmark vs. Greece start at 9:00 AM local time, followed by the four men’s matches beginning no earlier than 12:00 PM. Fans can follow the action live via the FIP YouTube channel.
