World Cup 2026 Qualifier | The Official Match Thread | Cymru 2 Belgium 4 | Att: 32,803 | 13/10/25 | The Cardiff City Stadium

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

North Macedonia are incredibly difficult to play against. Full of all the dark arts and an extremely effective parking of the bus. Unbeaten in six games and only two goals conceded.

Yep, that’s going to be a really difficult game in November irrespective of what happens on Monday.

Even more so as it’s the only competitive game they’ve got in November and will know a draw will be good enough.

 

[monmouth]

Oh f**k…hope. That’s the last thing we need.

 

[JackFish]

Yep, that’s going to be a really difficult game in November irrespective of what happens on Monday.

Even more so as it’s the only competitive game they’ve got in November and will know a draw will be good enough.

All depends on how we get on on Monday. Belgium have Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan to play so you’ll presume they’ll get 6 points.

If we beat Belgium then NM will be in a position where they’ll have to win in Cardiff to have a chance of finishing in the top 2.

If we don’t beat Belgium then NM will come to us knowing that a draw gets them a playoff place.

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

All depends on how we get on on Monday. Belgium have Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan to play so you’ll presume they’ll get 6 points.

If we beat Belgium then NM will be in a position where they’ll have to win in Cardiff to have a chance of finishing in the top 2.

If we don’t beat Belgium then NM will come to us knowing that a draw gets them a playoff place.

Good point about the situation if we win on Monday - hadn’t factored that in.

 

[Smurph]

Destiny in our own hands, couldn't t have asked for more than that at the beginning of qualifying.

 

[PenlanJack]

We're already in the playoffs anyway, if we finish 3rd.. a total free hit

 

[JackFish]

We're already in the playoffs anyway, if we finish 3rd.. a total free hit

Finishing second gives us a better chance of a home semi final though, which could be important.

Anyway drawing with Belgium doesn’t really do anything for us now - barring a major shock they’re going to win their last two games (against Kazakhstan & Liechtenstein) so we can only pass them if we beat them.

Likewise NM are two points ahead of us so if we don’t beat Belgium we’re going to need to beat NM to pass them as well. I guess there’s a slightly bigger chance they’ll drop points at home to Kazakhstan but it’s very unlikely.

 

[monmouth]

Finishing second gives us a better chance of a home semi final though, which could be important.

Anyway drawing with Belgium doesn’t really do anything for us now - barring a major shock they’re going to win their last two games (against Kazakhstan & Liechtenstein) so we can only pass them if we beat them.

Likewise NM are two points ahead of us so if we don’t beat Belgium we’re going to need to beat NM to pass them as well. I guess there’s a slightly bigger chance they’ll drop points at home to Kazakhstan but it’s very unlikely.

You’re assuming we will win in Liechtenstein. Dangerous. Iceland is burned on my memory in front of 20,000 at the Vetch.

 

[JackFish]

You’re assuming we will win in Liechtenstein. Dangerous. Iceland is burned on my memory in front of 20,000 at the Vetch.

I am, because if we can’t beat Liechtenstein then we’ve got no business talking about going to the World Cup and we’re pretty much done in terms of getting second place anyway.

 

[jackharris]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976916930553651225

 

[jackharris]

 

[jackharris]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976998301569630327

 

[JackSomething]

Sadly I won't be there on Monday night. I was there for the 1-0 win against them in qualifying for Euro 2016 with my father-in-law. We had a pint somewhere in the centre beforehand and I remember telling him we were doomed when I saw Jazz Richards starting in our defence (against the likes of De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku, Benteke remember). Never been happier to be wrong...

 

[monmouth]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1976998301569630327

Tomorrow?

 

[jackharris]

Tomorrow?

The guy who runs that lives on an island in the Pacific Ocean to the North West of New Zealand and when he was writing that it was actually Sunday.