Key Takeaways
- A total of 8 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams are competing in Madrid for 4 qualifying berths at the Qatar World Cup in Doha.
- Germany and Great Britain earned first-round byes in the women’s draw after winning Groups A and B, placing them directly into Saturday’s qualification deciders.
- The men’s quarterfinals feature Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Ukraine, Denmark, and Germany battling for the 2 available tickets.
Knockout battles begin in Madrid for Doha tickets
Following 3 intense days of group-stage competition featuring more than 50 ties in Madrid, the FIP World Cup Qualifiers Europe have arrived at the decisive knockout phase. A total of 8 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams remain in contention to secure the 4 coveted berths at the Qatar World Cup, scheduled to take place from November 2 to 7 in Doha, with 2 qualification spots available per category.
Women’s draw: Germany and Great Britain await in decisive round
Six national squads earned passage to the knockout stage after topping their respective sections: Great Britain, Germany, Romania, Poland, Denmark, and Greece. By claiming first place in Groups A and B, which featured the tournament’s highest seeds, Germany and Great Britain earned an opening-round bye. Both powerhouses advance straight to Saturday’s final matches, where the 2 women’s qualification tickets to Doha will be determined.
To join them, Romania take on Poland on Friday, with the winner moving forward to challenge Great Britain. Meanwhile, Denmark square off against Greece, where the victor will play Germany for a World Cup place. Both Germany and Great Britain secured their progress on the final group day with commanding 3-0 triumphs over Turkey and Serbia. Greece produced a dramatic comeback victory against Slovenia after dropping the opening rubber, ultimately prevailing thanks to wins from pairs Ntanou and Adamopoulou as well as Stavroulaki and Malamou.
Men’s draw: 8 group winners battle in the quarterfinals
In the men’s event, 8 group winners progressed to Friday’s quarterfinals: Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Belgium, Ukraine, Denmark, and Poland. Group-stage favorites proved ruthless on the final day, as Germany dispatched Lithuania 3-0, Great Britain overcame Moldova 3-0, and Netherlands locked down Group A with a 3-0 victory against Estonia. Denmark, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Belgium also recorded clean sweeps, while Croatia and Greece pushed through 2-1 against Serbia and the Czech Republic respectively.
| Matchup | Category | Round | Subsequent opponent pathway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania vs. Poland | Women | First round | Winner faces Great Britain on Saturday |
| Denmark vs. Greece | Women | First round | Winner faces Germany on Saturday |
| Netherlands vs. Poland | Men | Quarterfinal | Winner faces winner of Belgium vs. Bulgaria |
| Belgium vs. Bulgaria | Men | Quarterfinal | Winner faces winner of Netherlands vs. Poland |
| Great Britain vs. Ukraine | Men | Quarterfinal | Winner faces winner of Denmark vs. Germany |
| Denmark vs. Germany | Men | Quarterfinal | Winner faces winner of Great Britain vs. Ukraine |
Action in Madrid is scheduled across Friday, starting with the women’s opening knockout rubbers at 9:00 pm local time and the 4 men’s quarterfinal clashes not before 12:00 pm local time, with full live coverage streamed on the official FIP YouTube channel.
