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      World Cup 2022 play-off draw LIVE: Stream FREE, UK start time, TV channel – Scotland, Portugal, Wales & Italy learn fate

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      SCOTLAND, Wales, Portugal and Italy will find out their fates today in the World Cup 2022 play-off draw.The next round of qualifying takes place after a draw in Zurich, Switzerland – with a two-round playoff incoming early next year.

      UK start time: 4pm GMT
      Live stream FREE: FIFA official website
      TV channel: No UK TV channel

      Stay up to date with all the latest below in our live blog…

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      TARTAN ARMY

      Will Scotland reach their first World Cup in over two decades?

      WHICH TEAMS ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORLD CUP PLAYOFF DRAW?

      Here’s a reminder of who’s in today’s draw:

      SEEDED

      Portugal, Italy, Scotland, Russia, Sweden, Wales

      UNSEEDED

      Austria, North Macedonia, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic

      Just THREE teams will book their place in Qatar.NOT LONG TO GO

      The draw is due to start at 4PM UK time.MIDFIELD MAESTROS

      Jorginho could face Portuguese powerhouse Joao Palhinha in their World Cup play-off decider.

      Despite Palhinha being the more defensive out of the two, he managed to chip in with two goals during qualifying.

      HERO TO ZERO

      Italy failed to qualify automatically for the World Cup after just winning Euro 2020.

      They saw off England at Wembley on penalties to re-announce themselves as one of Europe’s heavyweights.

      But it hasn’t quite gone to plan as they finished second in their qualifying group behind Switzerland.

      Chelsea’s Jorginho missed a crucial penalty in the last round of fixtures this month which would’ve booked their place in Qatar.

      Now, they have a real possibility of facing Portugal for a spot at the tournament.

      HOW DOES THE DRAW WORK?

      The play-off draw can be rather confusing, so here’s how it works:

      The last three European slots for the Fifa World Cup are allocated via a 12-team play-off systemTen runners-up from the group stage plus the next two best teams from the Uefa Nations League go into the hatThe six highest-ranked runners-up from the group stage are seeded in Pot 1 and are guaranteed to play their semi-final at homeThe remaining six teams are unseeded in Pot 2 and will be drawn against the seeded nations in Pot 1The one-legged semi-finals are separated into three ‘Paths’ featuring four teams, leading to one-legged finals between semi-final winnersA further draw will take place to decide which team plays at home in these finalsThe winners of the finals from the three ‘Paths’ will be the trio of additional European qualifiers for Qatar 2022HORROR DRAW

      Portugal and Italy COULD face each other if this simulated draw is right.

      SunSport’s simulation would see Portugal face minnows North Macedonia, and Italy would take on Austria.

      And if both get through the semis unscathed, they would then face each other in a blockbuster World Cup shootout.

      LAST DANCE

      After losing their last group game to Serbia, Portugal were dumped into the play-offs.

      Despite Cristiano Ronaldo netting six during qualifying, it wasn’t enough to carry his Euro 2016 winners to the Qatar World Cup.

      It may be Ronaldo’s last chance of World Cup glory.

      WE CAN DO IT

      Italy striker Domenico Berardi is confident that Italy can secure qualification from the World Cup play-off.

      The Euro 2020 winners find themselves in a battle for a spot in Qatar, but Berardi reckons they’ve got enough in their tank to see them through no matter who they face.

      Italy, along with Wales, Scotland and Portugal will find out their opponents in the next hour.

      Speaking on Italy’s chances, Berardi said: “We have to roll up our sleeves and give our all in the play-offs to go to Qatar.

      “We care a lot about the World Cup and I’m sure we will be able to qualify.”WE’LL EARN IT

      Wales legend Robert Earnshaw reckons his nation have nothing to fear going into the World Cup play-off.

      The Welsh find out who they face in the draw for the next stage of qualifying in just a few hours.

      But with Wales’ vast array of talent, Earnshaw is confident they can get through and clinch one of the three World Cup spots on offer.

      He said: “Whoever we play we have to be positive in our approach because we have some very good players.

      “It’s great we have the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale because they are great footballers.

      “The one thing that doesn’t get highlighted is the amount of pressure and weight of the nation on their shoulders always, but they deliver consistently.

      “Our approach has to be right with those great players. Going into the play-offs that’s where we can do well and qualify.”WHICH TEAMS ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORLD CUP PLAYOFF DRAW?

      The draw will include ten nations who finished as runners up in qualifying, as well as two Nations League group winners who missed out on a spot in their respective group.

      Just three sides will make it through the play-offs and play at the 2022 World Cup from the twelve who enter the play-off stage.

      SEEDED

      Portugal, Italy, Scotland, Russia, Sweden, Wales

      UNSEEDED

      Austria, North Macedonia, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Czech RepublicWHO CAN SCOTLAND AND WALES PLAY?

      Scotland and Wales can be drawn at home to any of the six unseeded teams in the semi-final, who they will play at home.

      In the final, they can be drawn home or away to the winner of any of the other five ties.

      The only teams who cannot meet each other in either the semi-final or final are Russia and Ukraine, who asked to be kept apart due to the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbass region.ON THE MEND

      Portugal legend Tiago Mendes reckons Ukraine could be the surprise package in the World Cup play-off.

      Ukraine are one of the 12 nations alongside Portugal who are fighting for a place in this competition.

      Both countries will find out who stands in their way in the next round of qualifying today.

      But Mendes doesn’t put it past the Ukrainian’s to secure on of the coveted three spots available.

      He’s well aware of their capabilities as Portugal couldn’t beat them when they last faced each other.

      Mendes said: “We know that in football anything can happen.

      “But if I had to pick one I’d say Ukraine because they also have a lot of good players, they are very compact, and we suffered against them and couldn’t beat them in our two most recent games.”RON HAS TO COME

      The World Cup won’t be the same without Cristiano Ronaldo which is why Portugal have to qualify.

      That’s the view of German icon Lothar Matthaus who thinks the tournament won’t be as good without Ronaldo, or Germany’s rivals Italy.

      Both Portugal and Italy will find out who they will go up against in the World Cup play-off that takes place today.

      Matthaus said to Fifa: “A personality like Cristiano Ronaldo just has to be part of the FIFA World Cup. The same applies to Italy.”

      “I had a fantastic time at Inter, hence a part of my heart beats for the Azzurri.”When is World Cup play-off draw?

      The draw for the play-off stage will be held at Fifa HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.It will take place on Friday, November 26 – TODAY.Things get underway at 4pm UK time, which will be 5pm in Switzerland.To follow all the ties as they are drawn, join us here on SunSport where we will be running a live blog.ZOOM CALLS

      The World Cup play-off draw will be held on Zoom due to Covid-19 restrictions.

      The draw will be conducted by FIFA Director of Competitions Manolo Zubiria, and presented by Samantha Johnson and Adriano del Monte.

      After the draw, the bosses of the 12 nations involved will share their feelings to Johnson and Del Monte.

      GOOD AFTERNOON WORLD CUP FANS

      The draw for the World Cup European play-off is now just hours away.

      Twelve teams consisting of six seeded and unseeded nations will battle it out for the THREE remaining spots left at the Qatar tournament in 2022.

      England have already automatically qualified for the first-ever winter edition of the tournament.

      However, Wales and Scotland weren’t so lucky and will be on the edge of their seats to find out who they will face in the next stage of the two-round play-off.

      There could be some thrills in the draw as Cristiano Ronaldo’s seeded Portugal side may be pitted against Robert Lewandowski’s Poland team, setting up a potential epic duel between the two footballing greats.

      You can catch all the latest from the draw right here SunSport’s live blog.

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      Shiels says Northern Ireland win was for George Best after team’s 11-0 thrashing of North Macedonia

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      KENNY SHIELS dedicated Northern Ireland’s record-breaking drubbing of North Macedonia to football legend George Best.Shiels’ side crushed their rivals 11-0 – with their win coinciding with the 16th anniversary of the death of the Manchester United icon.
      Northern Ireland thrashed North Macedonia 11-0 to go level on points with Austria in their World Cup qualifying groupCredit: Press Eye
      Kenny Shiels says Northern Ireland’s triumph was a win for George Best, on the 16th anniversary of his deathCredit: Empics
      The legendary winger, one of the best players ever, made 37 appearances and scored nine goals for Northern Ireland.
      And the match, which was the fifth of their World Cup qualifying campaign, saw Rachel Furness join David Healy as Northern Ireland’s all-time top scorer on 36 goals.
      An ecstatic Shiels said: “I thought [the match] was controlled really well by the girls. Before it started, we said, ‘Let’s do it for George’.
      “He was our hero, and he wore the No 11 shirt when he played for us.
      “We’ve done it in the 11th month, we’ve scored 11 goals and so all of that is resonating with me.
      “It’s fantastic and I hope he is watching us up there to see that we’re doing it for Northern Ireland because he was one of our heroes, if not the hero.
      “That’s been in my inner thoughts. Try and get 11 and get a message up to George.”

      Before the game, Northern Ireland midfielder Sarah McFadden said players intended to approach the match with ‘no ego’
      By half-time, the Durham star and her team-mates were 6-0 up before notching up another five.
      And the team had six different goal scorers with Rebecca McKenna, Lauren Wade, Kirsty McGuiness and Birmingham’s Rebecca Holloway all on target.
      And Everton’s Simone Magill bagged four goals while Liverpool ace Furness netted a hat-trick.
      The scoreline could have been far bigger for the visitors, who crashed the woodwork three times and saw Furness miss a first-half spot-kick.
      Rachel Furness netted a hat-trick for Northern IrelandCredit: Press Eye
      Shiels’ aces brushed their opponents aside in the Macedonian capital Skopje in the third win of their campaign for a 2023 World Cup spot.
      Northern Ireland are set to host their rivals at home in the second game of their qualifier double-header this month.
      The match will be played in front of a full house at their Seaview ground on November 29.   
      Shiels added: “We play them again Monday and it will be a total totally different ballgame.
      “Let’s bring it on The Green and White army will be there as well.”
      Simone Magill and Kirsty McGuiness were both on target for their teamCredit: Press Eye
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      Switzerland manager sends Northern Ireland team NINE KILOS of chocolate as a thank you for helping them reach World Cup

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      SWITZERLAND boss Murat Yakin has sent the Northern Ireland national team 20lbs of chocolate as a thank-you for helping them to reach the World Cup.Ian Baraclough’s men held Italy to a heroic 0-0 draw in Belfast last week.
      Murat Yakin was eager to show his gratitude after Northern Ireland helped to send Switzerland to the World CupCredit: EPA
      The result enabled the Swiss to finish top of their qualifying group after thumping Bulgaria 4-0.
      Afterwards the grateful Alpine nation vowed to reward Northern Ireland with some of their world-famous confectionery.
      And coach Yakin has now made good on the promise – packing 9.3 kilos of chocolate bars in a box addressed to the Irish FA.
      The Swiss FA posted a film on Twitter, captioned: “We kept our word, Northern Ireland!  A sweet Thank You is on its way!”

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      In the video Yakin sings Northern Ireland’s anthem Sweet Caroline as he parcels up the assorted bars in the SFA’s offices.
      He says: “93 minutes without conceding a goal against the European champions Italy equals 9.3kg of Swiss chocolate being sent to Northern Ireland.”
      Yakin puts a handwritten note reading: “Sweet thanks, Murat” into the box before sealing it, carrying it out and beaming: “So good, so good.”
      Italy, who beat England on penalties to win this summer’s Euro 2020 final, must now win a play-off to reach next winter’s World Cup finals in Qatar. More

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      When is World Cup 2022 play-off draw? Date, UK start time, stream, TV channel for Scotland, Portugal, Italy & all teams

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      AFTER a streamlined qualifying campaign this year, a number of countries have already booked their place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Gareth Southgate’s England can already look forward to being at the first ever winter edition of the tournament, which gets underway on November 21 next year.

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      Ronaldo and Portugal head into the play-offs after Serbia stunned them in LisbonCredit: AFP
      For teams who finished second in European qualifying groups though, they now face the tough task of going through the play-offs to guarantee their place in the Finals.
      When is World Cup play-off draw?

      The draw for the play-off stage will be held at Fifa HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.
      It will take place on Friday, November 26.
      Things get underway at 4pm GMT.
      To follow all the ties as they are drawn, join us here on SunSport where we will be running a live blog.

      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      As yet, a TV channel for the draw has not been confirmed in the UK.
      But you will be able to live stream it on Fifa’s official website.
      Coverage will begin at 4pm.

      Which teams are involved?
      The draw will include ten nations who finished as runners up in qualifying, as well as two Nations League group winners who missed out on a spot in their respective group.
      Just three sides will make it through the play-offs and play at the 2022 World Cup from the twelve who enter the play-off stage.
      The teams in the hat are:
      Seeded:

      Portugal
      Italy
      Scotland
      Russia
      Sweden
      Wales

      Unseeded

      Austria
      North Macedonia
      Turkey
      Poland
      Ukraine
      Czech Republic

      Who can Scotland and Wales play?
      Scotland and Wales can be drawn at home to any of the six unseeded teams in the semi-final, who they will play at home.
      In the final, they can be drawn home or away to the winner of any of the other five ties.
      The only teams who cannot meet each other in either the semi-final or final are Russia and Ukraine, who asked to be kept apart due to the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbass region. More

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      Which teams have qualified for World Cup 2022? Lionel Messi and Argentina join England in Qatar after Chile defeat

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      ENGLAND have qualified for the World Cup after hammering San Marino 10-0 to finish top of Group I.The winners of each group advance to the Qatar World Cup, with the second-placed teams heading to the play-offs before fans can think about booking their tickets.
      Gareth Southgate’s England are on the brink of advancing to Qatar
      And that means Italy and Portugal are not yet certain of their spot in the Gulf next November after failing to win their groups.
      But Lionel Messi will be there after Argentina’s 0-0 draw with Brazil proved enough for a World Cup place as Chile were beaten by Ecuador.
      Who has qualified for the World Cup 2022?
      Three teams have so far qualified for the World Cup 2022.

      Qatar (as hosts/ had taken part in UEFA Group A)
      Germany (UEFA Group J winners)
      Denmark (UEFA Group F winners)
      Brazil (CONMEBOL top four)
      Serbia (UEFA Group A winners)
      Spain (UEFA Group B winners)
      France (UEFA Group D winners)
      Belgium (UEFA Group E winners)
      Netherlands (UEFA Group G winners
      Croatia (UEFA Group H winners)
      Switzerland (UEFA Group C winners)
      England (UEFA Group I winners)
      Argentina (CONMEBOL top four)

      How do the play-offs work?
      Joining the 10 second-placed teams in the play-offs are the two highest-ranked teams from the Nations League who have not already qualified or finished in a runners-up spot (currently Wales and Austria).
      And the play-offs for this World Cup are tougher than ever before.
      Rather than the traditional two-legged format, the 2022 World Cup campaign sees the 12 teams put into three paths of four teams, with each path consisting of two one-legged semi-finals and a final.
      The unprecedented Qatar World Cup takes place from November 21 to December 18, 2022. More

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      When is World Cup 2022 play-off draw? Date, TV channel, live stream and teams including Scotland, Portugal and Italy

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      AFTER a streamlined qualifying campaign this year, a number of nations have already booked their place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.Gareth Southgate’s England can already look forward to being at the first ever winter edition of the tournament, which gets underway on November 21 next year.

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      Ronaldo and Portugal head into the play-offs after Serbia stunned them in LisbonCredit: AFP
      For teams who finished second in European qualifying groups though, they now face the tough task of going through the play-offs to guarantee their place in the Finals.
      When is World Cup play-off draw?

      The draw for the play-off stage will be held at Fifa HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.
      It will take place on Friday, November 26.
      Things get underway at 4pm GMT.
      To follow all the ties as they are drawn, join us here on SunSport where we will be running a live blog.

      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      As yet, a TV channel for the draw has not been confirmed in the UK.
      But you will be able to live stream it on Fifa’s official website.
      Coverage will begin at 4pm.

      Which teams are involved?
      The draw will include ten nations who finished as runners up in qualifying, as well as two Nations League group winners who missed out on a spot in their respective group.
      Just three sides will make it through the play-offs and play at the 2022 World Cup from the twelve who enter the play-off stage.
      So far, the teams in the hat are:

      Scotland
      Portugal
      Italy
      Russia
      Sweden
      Poland
      Wales
      North Macedonia

      The remaining two sides from the World Cup qualifying groups will be decided on Tuesday, November 16. More

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      Gareth Bale OUT of Wales’ crunch World Cup qualifier against Belgium after picking up calf injury against Belarus

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      GARETH BALE has been ruled out of Wales’ crunch World Cup qualifier with Belgium.The Real Madrid superstar played 45 mins against Belarus on Saturday to win his 100th cap following a two-month hamstring layoff.
      Bale will miss tonight’s World Cup clash against BelgiumCredit: Rex
      But Uefa released Wales’ 23-man squad for tonight’s Cardiff showdown on their website on Tuesday morning and Bale – as well as Mark Harris and the suspended Ethan Ampadu – were not included.
      Wales boss Robert Page claimed captain Bale was never going to be fit to start both qualifiers.
      But the fact he has not even been included in the squad is a blow for the Dragons.
      Wales need a point to finish second in Group E and win a home play-off semi-final above Poland.
      An away tie could see Bale and co face the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and Euro 2020 champions Italy.
      Without Bale, Cardiff striker Kieffer Moore is expected to lead the line after a one-match ban.

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      Page reckons Wales can cope without talisman Bale after the 2-2 away draw to the Czech Republic last month.
      And despite reaching the 100 caps milestone, Bale’s banking on his country’s qualification for the World Cup as his reward.
      After the achievement, Bale beamed: “No one is prouder than us to play for Wales and to get to 100 caps is a special moment for me.
      “Hopefully now we can celebrate even more by trying to qualify for the World Cup.”
      However, not everyone was in the mood to celebrate Bale’s centurion accolade.
      Spanish media weren’t happy about his inclusion for the Belarus game as the winger has missed Real’s last 13 matches.
      One reporter claimed Bale shouldn’t be Los Blancos’ highest-paid star and went as far as to suggest he wasn’t worthy to don the club’s badge.
      Wales boss Rob Page confirms Gareth Bale is ruled out of squad with ‘significant hamstring tear’ More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo consoled by the ‘Serbian Cristiano’ who helped inflict World Cup qualifying loss on Man Utd star

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO was consoled by his Serbian replica Nemanja Radonjic after the underdog’s shock victory over Portugal on Sunday.Ronaldo, 36, held back tears following Serbia’s last-gasp 2-1 win in the World Cup qualifier which saw Portugal crash into the play-offs.
      Cristiano was comforted by his Serbian duplicate after Portugal’s shock loss to the European minnows in the World Cup qualifier
      Radonjic earned the nickname ‘SR7’ after smashing in five goals for Marseille last seasonCredit: Rex
      But as the Manchester United star sat in a heap, Serbian winger Radonjic, dubbed ‘SR7’ for his similarities on the pitch to Ronaldo, ran over to give him a helping hand.
      The heart-warming moment was captured on camera and posted to Radonjic’s Instagram account with the caption: “Hand to the greatest, ” accompanied by the goat emoji.
      Radonjic, 25, earned the ‘SR7’ moniker while playing for Marseille last season where he scored five goals and provided one assist.
      Speaking on his comparison to the five-time Ballon d’Or, Radonjic previously said: “I saw that my team-mates compared me to Ronaldo on Instagram.
      “It may be because we have a similar game during games and training.”
      But when it comes to scoring goals, the pair are worlds apart.

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      This season alone Cristiano’s hit the net nine times in just 13 games, keeping under-fire United boss Ole Gunnar Solskaer in a job on several occasions.
      In comparison, Radonjic has only scored once in five games while on loan at Benfica from Marseille.
      And all in all, Cristiano’s racked up a phenomenal 683 career goals in 907 matches, in contrast to Radonjic’s tally of 26 – albeit in 161 games.
      However, not all of Radonjic’s teammates were sympathetic to Cristiano’s tears as Portugal’s World Cup spot in Qatar next year hangs in the balance.
      It may be the last time the Red Devils winger features in the competition but Serbian’s match-winner Aleksandar Mitrović was in no mood for niceties as he allegedly trolled Cristiano after the game.
      The striker ran over to the small section of Serbia fans holding a can of Coke aloft after firing his team to victory.
      And some are convinced it’s a cheeky reference to Ronaldo’s coke snub at Euro 2020.
      But Cristiano can always count on his mum, Dolores Aveiro, to be there for him and she posted a picture with him after Portugal’s shocking loss on her Instagram account in a bid to cheer him up.
      His No.1 fan wrote a rousing caption alongside the snap that read: “Force to believe always son.”
      Watch Cristiano Ronaldo’s strop after Serbia winner as Man Utd ace moans to Portugal boss about his own disallowed goal More