The FIP World Cup 2026 in Doha has reached a critical stage for the teams competing for the ninth-place bracket, with France, Mexico, Paraguay, and Chile emerging as the final four contenders. Following a series of intense quarter-final matches, these nations are now preparing for semi-final showdowns scheduled for November 6 to determine who will compete for the ninth and eleventh place rankings.
Quarter-Final Results and Semi-Final Matchups
The path to the ninth-place final was determined by four decisive quarter-final victories, where each winning team secured a 2-0 result to advance. The upcoming semi-final round features the following pairings:
- France vs. Mexico: France earned their spot by defeating Qatar 2-0. The French pairs Leygue/Fonteny and Joris/Bergeron secured straight-set victories over their Qatari opponents, M. Saadon Alkuwari/AlHarrasi and Al Khanji/K. Saadon Alkuwari. Mexico advanced after a hard-fought 2-0 win against the United Arab Emirates, highlighted by a dramatic third-set tie-break victory from Torre/Amora Hernandez over Icardo/Alabdulla, following an opening win by Pablo Padilla/Arredondo.
- Paraguay vs. Chile: Paraguay moved into the semi-finals by overcoming the United States 2-0. The victory was anchored by Abud/Dehnike, who won a three-set battle against Segura/Di Francesco, and Gonzalez/Miltos, who took their match in straight sets against Osses Konig/Ruiz Alvarez. They will face Chile, who eliminated Australia 2-0. The Chilean team secured their progression through Martinez/Salinas Ordenes, who won in three sets, and Valdes/Molina, who clinched the tie with a victory over Navarro/Zelba.
Per tournament regulations, the third matches in these ties were not contested once the overall result was decided. While these four nations battle for the ninth through twelfth positions, the remaining teams—Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Australia—will shift their focus to the 13-16 place semi-finals. The outcomes of the November 6 matches will finalize the schedule for the placement finals, concluding the competition for these squads.
